Inhofe Responds to Reports That the President's Budget Will Request New Funding Levels for Safe Drinking Water Programs
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today released the following statement in response to a POLITICO report that the president's fiscal year 2017 budget request will seek to increase funding for loans and grants under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Drinking Water State Revolving Fund by $158 million to $1.02 billion. According to the article, the budget proposal will also cut the Clean Water State Revolving Fund by $250 million from the 2016 enacted levels.
“It took the media bringing to light the crisis in Flint, Michigan for the president to become concerned with the EPA's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Every year previous, the president's budget proposal has sought to short change this fund while increasing funding for subsidies for his corporate friends that share his global warming views. Now the president is seeking to increase this program's budget only by robbing Peter to pay Paul by tapping the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Both of these funds are fiscally responsible in how they provide low interest loans to communities in need of addressing critical water infrastructure. The federal government can responsibly help Flint, and help prevent another Flint from happening by supporting infrastructure investment. I will continue working with my colleagues to find a bipartisan solution to help the children and families in Flint, and any similarly affected communities, as well as work to ensure these EPA accounts are responsibly funded."
