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Vice President Kamala Harris visits Pittsburgh, spotlights pledge to remove lead hazard from water lines

Harris speaks at Community Empowerment Association in Homewood, discusses federal funding for replacing lead water lines

Vice President Kamala Harris visits Pittsburgh, spotlights pledge to remove lead hazard from water lines

Harris speaks at Community Empowerment Association in Homewood, discusses federal funding for replacing lead water lines

Pittsburgh to talk about you here in your backyard, but then to talk about you around the country as *** model of what can be done around the country. So secretary fudge, Administrator Regan, I want to thank you for traveling with me, Congressman lamb, thank you for your leadership. I've seen you and congressman Doyle the work that you do in Washington, D. C. Representing the people of this district so so well and so strongly and again, kim, thank you for that. So basically, we come at this issue from probably an obvious perspective, which is that we believe the President president job, I deny our administration, we all believe that that all people have *** right to be able to drink clean water, that all people have *** right to breathe clean air. So we approach this from that perspective, Which is that we as *** society and certainly as *** government must ensure that that right is real and that it is protected on the issue then of lead pipes. We know that up to 10 million homes in our country Have lead pipes that are feeding the water that flows in their home. We know that when it comes to lead paint, we're looking at at least 24 million homes that have lead paint and those are the numbers that have been reported. One of the things that Kim that we talked about was there are plenty of folks who live in homes, whether they're renters or owners that may be unaware that there is lead in their paint or in the pipes. And so again, that highlights the importance of what's happening here in Pittsburgh, which it is not only about addressing the issue in terms of amelioration and mitigation, but addressing the issue in terms of doing the first step, which is public education about the seriousness of the issue and the need then to address the harm that the issue creates and to do that, what we must do as government and together collectively to allow homeowners to become aware if there paint contains lead or their pipes are flowing with lead in terms of the water that then goes into their home. So the work we are doing together includes public education. It includes speaking loudly about what we must do to let people know about their rights and about the harm. So the harm, let's talk about that. Um, we talked with, for example, Gwendolyn who runs *** child care center about the realities of lead poisoning, that includes creating developmental issues for our Children. Learning disabilities can result from drinking toxic water and it's basically poison. Um, when we talk about lead in water or in pain, we have talked about what it means in terms of the harm to adults, it can increase blood pressure, I can decrease kidney function. These are real harms that are created because of the lead in paint or in pipes. So then there is the issue that is about public education and part of that is again about what we will do with the $50 billion dollars that the president that our administration, together with our Congress members and these two congress members in particular What we have done to put $50 billion dollars into the amelioration of lead in paint and in pipes. That money will go to *** number of things, public education. It will go toward what the local governments can do to facilitate testing at home tests, things of that nature. And it will go to the removal then of lead pipes. Let's think about why this is important and why government has *** responsibility here. Lead pipes exist in many communities, but the disparities exist when *** particular community and the members of that community don't have the personal resources, the private resources to remove the lead pipes. So there are communities that have the resources, individuals that have the resources to do it on their own. But if you're working three jobs, if you're working minimum wage, if you're barely getting by month to month, then you probably cannot afford the work that needs to get done to remove the lead. That's where government has *** responsibility to kick in and help put the resources in so that we can remove the lead. Understanding there are three issues that are at play here. one issue is the issue that is about equity. All people have *** right to drink clean water and so this should not be *** function of how much money you have to pay to remove the lead from the pipes. It is an issue of public health, we have talked about the damage to Children to adults from drinking water that has lead. And then three, this is an education issue, this is literally an issue about the education of our Children because we know there's *** direct correlation between lead pipes and learning ability or disabilities based on the toxins that are present in that water. So I am proud to be joined with these leaders, I'm proud to be with you today, to uplift the work that you were doing here in this community. Um I thank you for that work and again, this is *** model of what we will be continuing to do around the country and again, this is an example of where community leadership influences what happens at the highest levels of our government and um and I do believe that in that way, this is *** success story, in terms of the dedication and the commitment that we all have to getting this job done, seeing it through and um here in Pittsburgh, you, I think are ahead of your timelines in terms of what you expect to get done to meet your timeline goals and for the President and i it is our full intention with our lead pipe and paint action plan to remove all lead pipes within 10 years. So with that, I thank you all and let us continue to do the good work that we know will result in generational impact for the better. Thank you. Thank you.
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Vice President Kamala Harris visits Pittsburgh, spotlights pledge to remove lead hazard from water lines

Harris speaks at Community Empowerment Association in Homewood, discusses federal funding for replacing lead water lines

Vice President Kamala Harris came to Pittsburgh Friday to drive home the Biden administration's infrastructure commitment to help communities do what Pittsburgh is doing — removing and replacing hazardous lead drinking water lines.Click the video player above to watch Harris' remarks in Pittsburgh.Harris said she came "to highlight the work that is happening in local communities like Pittsburgh, which are models of what can and will happen around the country. In large part, the work that we are doing is in response to the advocacy that has been coming out of leaders like the leaders here in Pittsburgh for years."In remarks outside the Community Empowerment Association in Homewood, Harris said the work happening in Pittsburgh to remove hazardous lead water lines is a model of what can happen in the rest of the country.The Biden Administration's Lead Action Plan includes billions of dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding in addition to annual money for the job and mobilizing other resources.The Biden Administration's Lead Action Plan is to remove all lead water lines across the U.S. within 10 years. Pittsburgh is on track to do it here by 2026.The administration has already committed $55 billion to remove lead water lines across America."We came to Pittsburgh to talk about you here in your backyard, but then to talk about you around the country as a model," Harris said.Watch Bob Mayo's report from Homewood: Click the video below.A new development was announced during the visit — more than $500 million for state and local governments to reduce lead exposure and build healthier homes."We are announcing it here today because we know this community has stepped up in a way that so many have not. You have started to attack the problem but we have a long way to go," said Marcia Fudge, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who, along with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, joined Harris for the Pittsburgh visit."There are plenty of folks who live in homes, whether they be renters or owners, that may be unaware there is lead in their paint or in the pipes. So again, this highlights the importance of what's happening here in Pittsburgh," Harris said.Before her public remarks, the vice president sat down privately with a small group of Pittsburghers who've dealt with the impact of lead in drinking water and in-home paint."I shared my family's story of my 16-year-old son having elevated lead levels which caused him to have headaches, and my 76-year-old father who developed respiratory issues as well as other health complications," Kim Clark Baskin said.Harris said, "The realities of lead poisoning includes creating developmental issues for our children. Learning disabilities can result from drinking toxic water. And it's basically poison."Pittsburgh's commitment to getting lead out of the water system came after levels spiked several years ago.Harris said in addition to health concerns, equity is also an issue in addressing lead contamination."If you're working three jobs, if you're working minimum wage, trying to make it day to day, probably can't afford to get done the work to remove the lead. That's where the government has the responsibility to kick in," Harris said. "President Joe Biden and I, our administration, we all believe that all people have a right to be able to drink clean water, that all people have a right to breathe clean air," Harris said.Before leaving Pittsburgh, Harris and her husband made an unannounced stop at Tree of Life Synagogue, the site of the mass shooting in 2018 that killed 11 worshipers. They spoke with Rabbi Jeffrey Myers and placed a rock of remembrance in an outdoor courtyard.

Vice President Kamala Harris came to Pittsburgh Friday to drive home the Biden administration's infrastructure commitment to help communities do what Pittsburgh is doing — removing and replacing hazardous lead drinking water lines.

Click the video player above to watch Harris' remarks in Pittsburgh.

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Harris said she came "to highlight the work that is happening in local communities like Pittsburgh, which are models of what can and will happen around the country. In large part, the work that we are doing is in response to the advocacy that has been coming out of leaders like the leaders here in Pittsburgh for years."

In remarks outside the Community Empowerment Association in Homewood, Harris said the work happening in Pittsburgh to remove hazardous lead water lines is a model of what can happen in the rest of the country.

The Biden Administration's Lead Action Plan includes billions of dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding in addition to annual money for the job and mobilizing other resources.

The Biden Administration's Lead Action Plan is to remove all lead water lines across the U.S. within 10 years. Pittsburgh is on track to do it here by 2026.

The administration has already committed $55 billion to remove lead water lines across America.

"We came to Pittsburgh to talk about you here in your backyard, but then to talk about you around the country as a model," Harris said.

Watch Bob Mayo's report from Homewood: Click the video below.

A new development was announced during the visit — more than $500 million for state and local governments to reduce lead exposure and build healthier homes.

"We are announcing it here today because we know this community has stepped up in a way that so many have not. You have started to attack the problem but we have a long way to go," said Marcia Fudge, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who, along with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, joined Harris for the Pittsburgh visit.

"There are plenty of folks who live in homes, whether they be renters or owners, that may be unaware there is lead in their paint or in the pipes. So again, this highlights the importance of what's happening here in Pittsburgh," Harris said.

Before her public remarks, the vice president sat down privately with a small group of Pittsburghers who've dealt with the impact of lead in drinking water and in-home paint.

"I shared my family's story of my 16-year-old son having elevated lead levels which caused him to have headaches, and my 76-year-old father who developed respiratory issues as well as other health complications," Kim Clark Baskin said.

Harris said, "The realities of lead poisoning includes creating developmental issues for our children. Learning disabilities can result from drinking toxic water. And it's basically poison."

Pittsburgh's commitment to getting lead out of the water system came after levels spiked several years ago.

Harris said in addition to health concerns, equity is also an issue in addressing lead contamination.

"If you're working three jobs, if you're working minimum wage, trying to make it day to day, probably can't afford to get done the work to remove the lead. That's where the government has the responsibility to kick in," Harris said. "President Joe Biden and I, our administration, we all believe that all people have a right to be able to drink clean water, that all people have a right to breathe clean air," Harris said.

Before leaving Pittsburgh, Harris and her husband made an unannounced stop at Tree of Life Synagogue, the site of the mass shooting in 2018 that killed 11 worshipers. They spoke with Rabbi Jeffrey Myers and placed a rock of remembrance in an outdoor courtyard.