Press Releases

Congresswoman Gwen Moore Applauds and Supports Biden Administration Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan

Congresswoman Moore released the following statement:

“For years, I have fought for the federal government to do more to help our state and city address this public health threat, which harms our most vulnerable, disproportionally impacting communities of color. No municipality by itself can solve this problem. The comprehensive plan that the Biden Administration laid out today provides the strong response and leadership that is needed to help protect our children.

Lead is a public health threat, especially to our children, harming brain development, leading to behavioral issues, all of which have a long-term impact on a child’s life. Our babies deserve clean drinking water and homes free of this poison and an equal chance to grow, learn, and succeed.  That’s why for the first time since I have been in Congress, I am pleased that the federal government is taking leadership in helping to rid our communities of this threat.

There is no safe level of lead for our children which is why it’s so important that we act strongly and swiftly to remove the sources of lead poisoning. There are an estimated 70,000 lead pipes in our city. And lead paint exposure continues to be a problem. It is a tragedy that each year, some 2,500 children in Milwaukee have tests that show elevated lead levels in their blood. 2,500 children!

I, along with Biden administration, have a shared commitment to build safer, healthier communities. The Administration’s plan builds upon this commitment by providing resources Milwaukee needs to remove lead paint and lead pipes from our homes. It includes a strong cross agency effort and commitment, from HUD, to EPA, to HHS, to the Department of Labor, to support states and local partners that are on the frontlines of the efforts to protect our children from lead exposure.

One of the main proponents of the Plan is ensuring the funds I fought to have included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill dedicated to removing lead pipes, is well spent. I am proud that Wisconsin is slated to receive $48 million specifically from the lead pipe allocations, funding that will support state and local efforts including in Milwaukee. Those funds are sorely needed. The President’s plan also makes clear that State and local governments can use other pots of money (including the American Rescue Plan’s state and local fiscal relief funds and regular Drinking Water State Revolving Fund) to help address lead pipes.

But it doesn’t stop there. The proposal includes a revision to the Lead and Copper Rule to support my longstanding call to encourage the full replacement of lead pipes nationwide sooner. It calls for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) to focus on getting lead out of public housing. Additionally, I am so pleased that the plan will improve the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Childhood Lead Poisoning and Prevention program to increase assistance to state and local governments in their efforts to identify and serve more children who may be at risk from lead exposure.

This plan also included partnerships with unions and others to help residents of the local communities impacted by these projects have good-paying, union jobs. I applaud the Administration’s for its bold plan and am ready to work with federal, state, and local implementing partners to see that it is swiftly and effectively carried out so that we can get closer to ensuring that childhood lead poisoning is a thing of the past.”

Read more about the Biden Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan here.