Water is Life
Floor Speech
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Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, we all know that water is life. Safe, accessible, affordable drinking water is a human right.
In 2021, I was proud to work with Representative Debbie Dingell and the Committee on Energy and Commerce in helping establish the low- income household water assistance program, a $1.2 billion financial assistance program to help pay off bills and debts to keep people's water connected, especially during the pandemic.
The program, of course, saved countless lives, but the money has run out. Millions of Americans all across our Nation are still struggling to keep up with their bills, and many are having their water shut off as we speak.
We already have a permanent program right now for gas and electric utilities for our families called LIHEAP, but we have nothing for water utilities. The cost of water has gone up more than 40 percent nationwide in the last decade, and increased 285 percent in Detroit since 1980.
With this bill, called the Half-Century Update for Water Access and Affordability Act, we are establishing a bill that would dedicate funding every year to keep people's water flowing. The program, Mr. Speaker, would include direct financial assistance, bill payments, and debt relief. What I also love is that it is going to help with water efficiency upgrades, like plumbing repairs that are much-needed in very old homes all across our Nation.
We are going to set up a community advisory committee made up of residents, nonprofits, utilities, and other local stakeholders that will help advise the EPA on how to set up and implement these programs.
Mr. Speaker, the act will also go to help fund local nonprofits to help with technical assistance to help many of our families. We are also going to collect the data that is necessary to improve this program every year to make the biggest impact.
This bill would also ban the practice of water shutoffs as punishment for not being able to afford your bills. It is inhumane to have our families in the richest country in the world not have access to water.
We always seem to have the money, Mr. Speaker, to send more bombs and weapons, but not support working families who can't live without water.
Celebrating United Community Housing Coalition's 50 Years of Service
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Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I celebrate United Community Housing Coalition's 50 years of service to our communities.
It is an amazing organization that, in the past five decades, worked on lifesaving housing assistance for many thousands of our neighbors throughout Detroit and southeastern Michigan. The United Community Housing Coalition has been a critical organization, helping families retain their homes, helping folks become homeowners, and helping to protect neighborhoods from abandonment and blight.
UCHC serves as a beacon of hope for many of our residents in building a sense of community and empowerment. Their efforts in one of the most difficult times during the recession helped many Detroiters understand their legal rights, avoid foreclosure, fight eviction, organize, and secure housing.
I am proud of these 50 years of extraordinary service to our families. Please join me, Mr. Speaker, in recognizing UCHC's impact as we continue to strive toward a future where everyone has a safe and secure place to call home. Blinken's 30-Day Humanitarian Deadline
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Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, let's talk about ``Biden's 30-day humanitarian deadline.''
The Biden administration has continued to ignore reports from its own experts, international human rights organizations, and the United Nations that the Israeli Government is blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza in violation of U.S. and international law.
ProPublica published a detailed account of how the U.S. State Department submitted report after report to Congress that contradicted the findings of the Department's own experts and those of other agencies.
The Israeli Government is using starvation as a weapon of war. Look at this picture. It is evidence that blocking U.S. humanitarian aid is clearly happening, and it is a blatant violation of section 620(i) of the Foreign Assistance Act.
In a letter to the Israeli Government on October 13, Secretary Blinken acknowledged that the Israeli Government is violating U.S. law by blocking aid and gave them 30 days to comply. The letter demanded that 350 trucks be allowed into Gaza per day. Guess what? According to Israel's own data and own government, only 57 trucks were allowed into Gaza per day in October. If that is even true, this is the lowest amount of aid into Gaza in a year.
On November 1, top United Nations officials said the entire Palestinian population in northern Gaza is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine, and violence.
This week, Mr. Speaker, Secretary Blinken exposed his lie by announcing that there will be no change to any policy, despite admitting that the Israeli Government has still failed to comply with all of their demands.
Secretary Blinken has continued to lie to Congress and should resign. U.S. law is very clear: No nation blocking U.S. humanitarian assistance can receive U.S. weapons. The Biden-Harris administration cannot pick and choose when they comply with our own laws.
Children are forced to eat pet food and bug-infested flour. Look at this, and do not turn your back on again being complicit to this war crime.
Blinken says there is no need to change our own policy. Shameful.
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