Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell, a Member of the Financial Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 5303 – the Water Resources Development Act of 2016.

“Today’s vote was vote for the State of Alabama. This bill included troubling language which would undermine Alabama’s ability to negotiate with neighboring states to resolve ongoing water-use conflicts. Alabama’s citizens rely on water that flows from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River System and the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River System for economic development, agricultural use, and public consumption. If water flow is decreased or disrupted by upstream sources, then Alabama communities will suffer significantly. 

“While, I was extremely pleased to see that Republicans have finally responded to Democrat’s demand to address the Flint water crisis, the bill falls short in providing immediate and critical financial relief. As the greatest nation in the world, every American should have access to safe and clean drinking water. What has happened in Flint should profoundly disturbing to every American. When thousands of children are being poisoned by lead contamination, it is the obligation of Congress to act. I look forward to voting for a final bill that actually provides funds to address the crisis in Flint.” 

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