The Detroit News: Sen. Peters visits Flint to highlight aid initiative

Flint — U.S. Sen. Gary Peters visited Hurley Medical Center on Monday to highlight legislation set to be introduced Tuesday that would expand early education to children exposed to the city’s lead crisis.

Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, said the Children’s Head Start Intervention for Life and Development (CHILD) Act will create one-time Head Start and Early Head Start grants for “areas affected by water pollution from lead or another toxic substance resulting in an emergency declaration.”

“We’re seeking additional funding for Flint, given this crisis, and that would be $50 million a year for the next five years,” Peters said.

Congress recently approved an additional $135 million to expand the Early Head Start program. Peters and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, want Flint to be included in the expansion. Kildee plans to offer legislation similar to the CHILD Act in the House.

The lawmakers also seek an amendment to a bipartisan energy policy bill with the goal of jump-starting the process of repairing or replacing lead services lines contributing to the contamination of drinking water in Flint. President Barack Obama released $80 million to Michigan last month that can be targeted at pipeline replacement and water treatment when the state provides matching funds.

Peters spent a majority of Monday in meetings to get information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality about ongoing studies around the city.

“I am more confident than ever that Flint will get through this crisis,” he said. “Flint will be even stronger at the end of this crisis.”

Peters said he was frustrated about the early inaccuracies of testing and evaluating lead pipes in the city.

“I think there is some questions to how accurate some testing was — to me that was outrageous. We should have accurate testing right from Day One,” he said.

When asked when Flint residents will see the issue of lead pipes corrected, Peters could not confirm exact dates.

“The EPA has over 30 people on the ground and those tests need to be evaluated,” he said. “We’re going to continue to push the EPA and DEQ to work as fast as possible, but we want to make sure they do it thoroughly, too.”

Peters met with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, director of Hurley Medical Center’s Pediatric Residency Program, who is credited for raising awareness to the high lead levels in the blood of Flint’s children.

“Certainly, Hurley is at the center with the resources at the University of Michigan-Flint, Michigan State and other health care providers and opportunity to study this issue and to treat the people of Flint,” Peters said.

The new legislation is to look at health care, nutrition and education to create a “center of excellence” for Flint’s recovery.

“The education component is the most critical; those affected the most are the youngest children who have been affected by this,” Peters said.

Hanna-Attisha attended a rally at First Trinity Baptist Church, trading a “Flint Lives Matter” shirt for her traditional white coat.

“This water issue is not just a today issue; it’s not just about bottled water and filters, it is a tomorrow issue,” she said.

Hanna-Attisha said the most crucial help is Head Start preschool aid as it offers intervention at a critical time when kids who were exposed to lead are now 1-3 years old.

“This is something we will have to deal with for decades and generations to come if we do not do anything,” Hanna-Attisha said. “We are at critical opportunity for these kids, and central to any intervention we can do is education, education, education, education.”