That they want or to flint to implement Corrosion Control as soon as possible. In the interim, we issued a statement. I think he would not agree with that, what is your position . She did nothing to protect flints children. Nothing. The article also quoted the Senate Minority leader flint who memoanyone who read his and sales to act should be held accountable for the full is the status of the law to the fullest extent of the law. That is the minority leader of michigan legislator. Is he wrong . The memo contained the same recommendation that i have been receiving from others in epa who had followed through starting on june 10, before the memo. Hise was disciplined for memo. He was disciplined for standing up. He was not. He was not. With that disagreement, i yelled back. Did you make you go through ethics training . No. You really believe that . Did you limit his travel . No. No discipline whatsoever . Nondurable whatsoever none, whatsoever. To be clear, i recommended him for epas highest award in september, and in his typical, modest way, he declined to be nominated because his work was not finished. You need to go back and read the emails and the memos that were provided to us by the epa, because that is not what was happening within your organization. You were in charge of that organization. My deputy, who was in charge during the time you are concerned about got wind of that , and he went down to the Water Division and put an end to it. When i called him, he told me that i did not even have to tell him, he took care of it. Did anybody at the epa do anything wrong . Questionu asking the if i do this all over again . You were in charge. Did anybody at the epa do anything wrong . I do not think anything with the epa did anything wrong, but i do believe we could have done more. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee met again on thursday. Governorhearing the testified. They called on with mccarthy to resign. This is an hour and a half. Rep. Chaffetz the committee will come to order. I can declare recess at any time. We have the third in a series of hearings we are doing, examining the federal administrations Safe Drinking Water act, dealing with the crisis in flint, michigan. I appreciate the witnesses here today. I appreciate the strong Public Participation and interest in this hearing. I would remind those participating this is a congressional hearing. We would appreciate your proper decorum in this room. There are to be no shows of expression, positive or negative. We appreciate your help in that way. Let me make a few observations, then turn it over to the Ranking Member. There are people still today in flint, michigan who are waking up this morning, they cannot drink the water. And they cant take a shower. They are using a bottle of water to drink and take a shower. I cant even imagine my family having to go through that in the u. S. I was able to visit flint with a number of members this past saturday. This is a crisis. It affects a lot of people. I think these hearings have been productive. There are people that have been exposed to drinking lead laced water for more than a year. This is, i believe, a failure at every level. Most everybody has knowledged that. Lets remember that flint city was a city in crisis. A financial situation that was dire at best. The people of michigan made a decision, Emergency Managers were put into place to save dollars. I think the idea, the desire to reduce the rate of cost of water and improve the quality of water is where this started, but not where it ended up. At every level in michigan, from the city to the department of public works, to the emergency manager, to the department of Environmental Quality, there were failures. There is question about the accuracy of the data provided. Some of those people were responsible and reported to the governor of michigan. I appreciate the governor volunteering, suggesting that testifying before congress to tell his version of the story was an appropriate thing. I appreciate your willingness to talk to this body. There are serious questions. We want to get to the bottom of it. The Congress Also has responsibility and jurisdiction over the epa. The funding being a federal organization. We have jurisdiction, and its important that we look from that perspective as well. In february, leann walters, who is here in the audience, finally got set up with what was going on, where she managed to get a hold of the epa. Miguel dell tauro from the epa showed up on the scene and started to test the water. He should be highly commended for his actions and what he did. I appreciate Leeann Walters and her family for stepping forward. I cant even express i cant even imagine what her and her family have been through. By june, the epa clearly knew this was a crisis. They knew this was a problem. Susan hedman, as the administrator for region 5 new there was a problem. The mayor at the time in flint asked what had happened, is the water safe to drink . He was told, pay no attention to the report written by the epa. And he actually went on local television and told people it was safe to drink the water. Move forward to september 24, one of the more troubling things. I want to put up this graphic. This is an internal email within the epa, talking about susan hedman. Perhaps she already knows this. But im not so sure flint is the community we want to go out on a limb for. One of the more offensive, concerning things i have seen. There were people, more than one, making decisions and thinking that, maybe flint is not who we should not go out on a limb for. Are you kidding me . Of all the communities out there, flint is the number one place they should have been going out on a limb for. Its depressed economically. They are going through their own economic crisis. There is internal discussion at the epa deciding whether or not we should go out on a limb for them. Days later, the epa administrator said ms. Hedmans work was very encouraging. Gina mccarthy said we are making good progress. It wasnt until january of 2016 that the epa took definitive action. A day after that, susan hedman resigned. Later asked about that action, gina mccarthy, the epa administrator, said that resignation was courageous. That is something we will talk about here today. Ive seen a lot of things before this committee. But i have to tell you, the lack of action here, the lack of letting people know, is very concerning. Let us recognize the Ranking Member, mr. Cummings. Rep. Cummings thank you very much mr. Chairman. I too agree that this is a tragic situation. But let us be clear. This is not just on the epa. Its much bigger than that. So i take a moment, first of all, to thank Leeann Walters, professor edwards, and to the people of flint, many of whom have come here today they are lined all outside these walls, unable to get answers, and probably feeling left out. But they probably felt left out for a long time. So mr. Chairman, i take this moment to thank you. You did not have to do this. I asked you for a hearing and you granted us 3 hearings. And i really appreciate that. You see, because i live in a neighborhood where lead is a problem. I am very sensitive to this issue. Governor snyder has been described as running the state of michigan like a business. Well, what if this was a business . What if a ceo ran a company that sold toys laced with lead that children put in their mouths . What if those children were poisoned as a result . And what if that ceo ignored warnings for more than a year, as those kids got sicker and sicker and sicker . There is no doubt in my mind that if a corporate ceo did what Governor Snyders administration has done, they would be hauled up on criminal charges. The board of directors would be thrown out, and shareholders revoked. The special counsel for the state Attorney Generals Office has launched an investigation. And he says the state officials could face charges including breach of duty, gross negligence, or even manslaughter. charges he says not farfetched. On our committee, we have obtained documents showing that people all around the governor, including his chief of staff, was sounding the alarms, but he either ignore them or did not hear them. So we are talking about quotes. Lets talk about them. In 2014, the governors top Legal Adviser had warned that flint should get back on the detroit system as a stopgap as soon as possible before this thing is too far out of control. That is the chief of staff. In march of 2015, the governors own chief of staff no, that was his legal advisor. But his chief of staff said in march 2015, if we procrastinate any longer in doing something direct, we will have real trouble. That is from the chief of staff. In july, his chief of staff again warned that Flint Residents are concerned, and rightfully so, about the lead levels that they are receiving. They are basically getting blown off by us. The document reveals failures at every level. Led by Governor Snyders handpicked appointees and the governors fingerprints are all over this. His department of Environmental Quality, health and Human Services, his inner circle of top aides, his press staff, his chief of staff and of course the Emergency Managers the governor put in charge of flint. There will now be an entire generation, an entire generation of children who suffer from brain damage, learning disability, and many other horrible effects of lead poisoning that were inflicted on them by Governor Snyders administration. There will be many children, mr. Chairman, who will sit in the second and third grade that will not be able to read the words see spot run, and wont know why. But the reason why is because there is lead in their veins. Republicans are definitely trying to blame everything epa. So let me say this. I agree that the epa should have done more. They should have rushed in sooner to rescue the people of michigan from Governor Snyders vindictive administration and its utter incompetence at every level. Governor snyders administration has primary responsibility for enforcement under the Safe Drinking Water act, not the epa. Governor snyders demonstration chose to stick to the river for a source of water, not the epa. Governor snyders Administration Ignored Warnings from the flint Water Treatment plant supervisor not to go forward with the switch, not the epa. Governor snyders administration falsely told the city of flint that Corrosion Control was unnecessary, not the epa. Governor snyders administration delayed Erosion Control four months, and harmed thousands of additional people in the process, not the epa. Governor snyders administration overruled the Flint City Council vote to return to clean detroit water, not the epa. As i close, yes i agree, the epa should have snatched control out of Governor Snyders hands even sooner than they did. But Governor Snyders administration caused this horrific disaster and poisoned the children of the flint. On the governors website, his motto is reinventing michigan, getting it right, getting it done. Its hard to imagine a more misleading slogan. It also says this. We will learn from this experience. And so as i said earlier in another hearing, these children, when we are dead and gone, these children will suffer for what we failed to do. Mr. Chairman, i have said to you before, we have to be the last line of defense. We have to be it. Generations will suffer. We have to do everything in our power to mitigate that. I look forward to the hearing and i yield back. Rep. Chaffetz we will hold the record open for 5 legislative days to submit a written statement. I will recognize the first panel. I am pleased to welcome the honorable rick snyder, governor of the state of michigan. We have the honorable gina mccarthy, administrator for the epa. Pursuant to committee rules, if you would both rise and raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth . Thank you. Let the record reflect that witnesses answered in the affirmative. We normally have a fiveminute rule, but you are welcome to take the time you need for your verbal comments. Your written statement will be part of the record. Governor snyder is now recognized. Gov. Snyder members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today about the crisis in flint and the actions we are taking to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again. Let me be blunt. This was a failure of government at all levels. Local, state, and federal officials. We all failed the families of flint. This is not about politics, nor partisanship. I will not point fingers or shift blame. There is plenty of that to share. And neither will help people of flint. Not a day or night goes by that this tragedy doesnt weigh on my mind. The questions i should have asked, the answers i should have demanded, how i could have prevented this. Thats why i am so committed to delivering permanent, longterm solutions in clean Safe Drinking Water that every michigan citizen deserves. Today, ill report what we have done, what we are doing, and what we will do to deliver real results to the families of flint. But before going through the facts, i want to express my profound gratitude for the help and heroism of professor mark edwards, and flint resident Leeann Walters. They were among the first to sound the alarm about the failures of government in the crisis inflicting the flint community. Here are the facts. From the date the city of flint began using the flint river as an interim water supply in 2014 and repeatedly after that, the department of environment of quality assured us that flints water was safe. It wasnt. A water expert at the federal epa tried to raise the alarm in february 2015, and he was silenced. It was on october 1, 2015, that i learn that our state experts were wrong. Once water had Dangerous Levels of lead, on that day, i took immediate action. First, we quickly reconnected to the detroit water supply to begin sealing the damaged pipes. Second, i ordered the immediate distributional of water filters and blood level testing in schools and homes to identify those at highest risk so they could receive health care, nutrition, and additional support. Third, we deployed 67 to address shortterm needs and longterm solutions. Our focus and our priority is on both shortterm health and longterm safety. This includes diagnostic testing, nurse visits and environment assessments in the home to treat any child with high lead levels. This is only the beginning. Right now were in the appropriations process for an additional hundred 65 million to deliver permanent longterm solutions. I urge congress to pass a bipartisan bill for aiding flint immediately so we can further protect the health and safety of residents and families. From identifying every pipe that must he replaced to providing longterm medical support, we are working with local leaders and representatives in washington to deliver the assistance our citizens deserve. We are holding those who failed accountable. We are being open with the public about how these failures came about, including releasing my emails, my staff emails relating to the water crisis. We are in the process of publicly releasing relevant documents from state agencies involved, so the people have an open honest assessment of what happened and what we are doing to fix it. We also began a thorough investigation of what went wrong. Weve uncovered systematic failures at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The fact is bureaucrats created a culture that values technical competence over common sense, and the result was lead was leeched into the residents water. That is why im committed to a complete and comprehensive change in State Government that puts Public Health and safety first. And why i have called for a thorough investigation to the Michigan Department of health and Human Services by the Auditor General. Were taking responsibility and taking action. That is essential here in washington too. Inefficient, ineffective, and unaccountable bureaucrats at the epa allow this to continue unnecessarily. I am glad to sit next to the administrator from the epa because all of us must be held accountable. I do want to thank miguel del toro, a water specialist at the epa who spoke of earlier about the crisis. Tragically, his superiors told local leaders in flint to ignore his call for action. The truth is, there are many committees with potentially dangerous lead problems. If the epa and deq do not change, and if the dumb and dangerous lead and copper rule is not changed, this tragedy will befall other american cities. Professor edwards has been sounding this alarm for years. I look forward to joining with him to address the failure of government. Im grateful to have been elected to serve the people of michigan. I understand their anger. I am going to make flint and every community in michigan a better place to live. We have a lot to learn and a lot to do. I close with a simple plea. Partner with me in fixing this. Not just for the people of flint, but for the people all over the country. Ranking member cummings is right. This is america, and this should never have happened. The American People deserve rules than accents, and professionals to enforce them to know that health and safety are urgent matters. I can make sure that happens in michigan. You can make sure it happens for every american. Thank you, and i look forward to your questions. Rep. Chaffetz thank you governor. I recognize the administrator of the epa, ms. Mccarthy. Admin mccarthy good morning mr. Chairman, distinguished members of the committee. I want to thank you for the opportunity to testify about epas response to the Drinking Water crisis in flint, michigan. I want to start by saying that what happened in flint should never have happened and can never be allowed to happen again. The crisis that we are seeing is a result of a state appointed emergency manager deciding that the city would stop purchasing treated water that it had been successfully relying on for 50 years and instead switched to an untreated source for the simple reason that they wanted to save money. The state of michigan approved that decision without requiring Corrosion Control treatment. Without Corrosion Control, lead leeched from the pipes and fittings and fixtures in homes and businesses, and it leached into the Drinking Water. These decisions are what resulted in Flint Residents being exposed to dangerously high levels of lead. Now under the Safe Drinking Water act, Congress Gives states the primary responsibility to enforce Drinking Water rules for the nations, approximately 152,000 Water Systems. But epa has oversight authority. Typically, epa has strong relationships with our states. We work with and under this act. Looking back on flint, from day one, the state provided our Regional Office with confusing, incomplete, and absolutely incorrect information. Their interactions with us were in transient, misleading, and contentious. As a result, epa staff had insufficient information to understand the potential scope or the lead problem until more than a year after that water supply switched. While epa did not cause the lead problem, in hindsight, we should not have been so trusting of the state for so long when they provided us with overly simplistic assurances of Technical Compliance rather than substantive responses to our increasingly growing concerns. Although epa regional staff repeatedly asked the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to address the lack of Corrosion Control, we missed the opportunity late summer to quickly get epas concerns on the radar screen. That i regret. Since october, epa has been providing Technical Advice to the city. Additionally as part of the federal response led by the department of health and Human Services, in epa Response Team of scientists, Water Quality experts, Community Involvement coordinators, and support staff have been on the ground every day since late july. The epa team has visited hundreds of homes and collected thousands of samples to assess the citys water system. We are encouraged by these test results. Our enhanced efforts with flint will not cease until the system is fully back on track. Weve also been engaging Flint Residents, visiting places of worship, schools, libraries, communities to hear and share information. I have taken several concrete steps at agency to address some of the systemic issues raised during the crisis. I directed a review of mdeq and its ability to implement the save Drinking Water act for the very reasons that the governor has also so clearly articulated. I call on epas Inspector General to investigate epas response to the flint crisis. No we did not cause it, but could we have acted sooner can correct the situation . I issued an epawide memo, encouraging staff to raise concerns and for managers to be welcoming of staff questions. Too much back and forth went between epa and the state when it should have gone up so that we could have raised the red flag earlier. I also recently sent letters to every governor and every state Environmental Health commissioner asking them to join epa in taking action to strengthen our citys Drinking Water programs to ensure that they are looking and working where their own communities. Additionally, we are working on revisions to the lead and copper rule. That was revised under the Prior Administration to streamline the monitoring and reporting requirements. We know that it needs to be strengthened. While the contours of this situation are unique, the underlying circumstances of that allow it to happen are really not. As a country, we have a systemic problem of under investing in Environmental Justice communities. Make no mistake, this is an Environmental Justice community. Not only are these underserved populations, more vulnerable to impacts of pollution, but they often lack the tools and resources and the voice to do something about it. That is what stacks the deck against a city like flint. That is what creates an environment where a crisis like this can happen. In many areas across her country, Water Infrastructure is aging, antiquated, and several communities are severely underfunded. Particularly low income communities. Which may have the most difficulty securing funds through rate increases or municipal bonds. This threatens citizens access to say Drinking Water. We need to start having a serious conversation with congress and others about how we advance the technologies and investment necessary to keep delivering clean water to american families. Im personally committed to doing Everything Possible to make sure a crisis like this never happens. Having met with the families in flint, met with state leaders, looking at where we are disturbing waters, having worked hard to make sure that communities have the information that they need to stay safe. You cannot do anything but be personally committed. But we know that no one portion of government can do it alone. None of us can do it alone. We need the cooperation of all our colleagues at every level of government and every branch and beyond. Thank you. I look forward to answering your questions. Rep. Chaffetz thank you. I recognize the gentleman from michigan, mr. Walberg. As we start this, i remind members we have votes that have been earlier today. I need everybody to stick to the five minutes so we can get the maximum number of people to participate. These people have pressing schedules as well. I will start by recognizing mr. Walberg for 5 minutes. I will certainly take that to heart. I want to thank you for the intentional method by which you carry on these investigations and these hearings. Mr. Chairman, you do not have to do it, but you have done it well. I am a proud michigander. This is a problem. But i am proud of michigan. Governor snyder, we appreciate you voluntarily coming today. We appreciate you voluntary releasing your emails so they can be part of the record. We appreciate the fact that you are willing to answer tough questions that this committee will offer today and outline the steps you are taking to solve the crisis and help flint recover. Because we want flint to recover. It is a great city. It has great workers. I have driven great cars made in flint. Ive had the opportunity to look into the eyes of flint citizens who experienced this human made tragedy. Governor, when did you first learn of the instances since his of legionnaires disease in flint . Gov. Snyder in terms of legionnaires, i did not learn about until 2016. As soon as i became aware of it, we held a press conference the next day. That was clearly a case where Michigan Department of health and Human Services should have done more to escalate the issue, to get a visible to the public, and to me. I have documents your today that show your staff receiving information about legionnaires in march 2015. In an email on march 13 of 2015, a senior deq staff member emailed another member of your staff, stating that there was a significant uptick in cases of legionnaires disease in flint. There is also an email to your spokesperson, showing that she was aware of the issue. And another email indicated that he wanted to raise the issue with your chief of staff, and theres much more. The information was at the highest levels of your executive office. 10 months before you knew. Did you speak with them about it . Gov. Snyder no, i dont require i dont recall any mention of that to me. I dont remember being part of any of those discussions. Rep. Walberg if that is the case, what connection is there between an outbreak of legionnaires and the flint river . Gov. Snyder obviously given the change in water source, it is a concern. We are going through the investigation at this point. All parties are cooperating. The federal and State Government are working on this issue. We brought in expertise from wayne state university. An Outstanding Institution in terms of additional researchers. Im happy to share some information with you that well get perspective on the number of cases in what we have so far. I have a chart. I would be happy to share that. Rep. Walberg i would ask that we can have that submitted for the record. Rep. Chaffetz without objection we will get it to members as soon as we can photocopy it. Rep. Walberg i have also asked for an investigation by the Inspector General and Auditor General by the state of michigan, an independent organization to look at the moment of health and Human Services with respect to this discussion. This should have been handled better. Rep. Walberg administrator mccarthy, does the Safe Drinking Water act provide you with authority to act in cases like flint . Admin mccarthy when we have the proper information, yes. Rep. Walberg it says upon receipt of information, the initiator can take any action on behalf of human health. You wrote an email to an epa official that appeared last night. You said the situation in flint could get very big quickly. You didnt act until january 21, 2016. Why . Admin mccarthy the action that we were recommending on what was taking was action already happening. It was only until january that i realized that the state was in continuing quickly enough to address the issue. That was very late in the game, sir. Rep. Chaffetz the gentlemans time has expired. The piece of favor piece of paper the governor has cemented his in the last page of your packets. I will now recognize mr. Cartwright for 5 minutes. Rep. Carwright Governor Snyder, i would like to ask you some questions. You do admit before this committee that you and your administration failed the people of flint. Gov. Snyder i have made that clear in terms of my state of the state address. Rep. Cartwright your Task Force Found that the department of Environmental Quality was primarily responsible for the crisis in flint. Do you also admit that here today . Your Task Force Found that your officials at mdeq did not implement Corrosion Control, which led directly to the contamination of the flint water system. Do you admit that here today . Gov. Snyder the lack of Corrosion Control led to this issue. Rep. Cartwright and you admit it was your officials at mdeq that did not implement Corrosion Control, which led to that . Gov. Snyder they did not instruct the city of flint to do conversion controls. Rep. Cartwright is that a yes . Gov. Snyder they would not do the Corrosion Controls. That is a city responsibility. But they failed common sense to say they should have. Rep. Cartwright do you admit you personally received a letter in 2015 from flints mayor thanking you to take action and warning there is nothing more important than flint right now than fixing the water problems. On january 18, 2015, you admit receiving that letter. Gov. Snyder i received a letter from the mayor dated that. I took action on items within that letter. Rep. Cartwright i am asking about generating, 2015. Gov. Snyder you shared the letter with me. I can confirm that. Rep. Cartwright would you hand him the letter, please . We will ask that this be made part of the record. Rep. Chaffetz without objection. Rep. Cartwright january 18, 2015, last paragraph on the second page, its directed to you specifically. He says there is nothing more important in flint right now than fixing the water problems. Do you see that . Do you admit getting that letter . Gov. Snyder yes. Rep. Cartwright the mayor asked you repeatedly to come to flint. You admit you did not show up for more than seven months after he asked you. Gov. Snyder i am not familiar, i would have to check my schedule. Rep. Cartwright that is what he says. Gov. Snyder i dont know if that is correct or not. Rep. Cartwright do you admit to seeing headline after headline about problems, hair loss, rashes, e. Coli, bacteria and sewage, legionnaires disease . Did you read any of those stories . Gov. Snyder covers meant, i congressman, i read a number of those stories. We have to followup them and continue to get information from career bureaucrats that the water was safe. Rep. Cartwright do you admit more cases of legionnaires disease were popping up after the last five years combined . Gov. Snyder yes, that is why i provided a table that shows these cases were at health care facilities. In terms of the numbers, 87 cases rep. Cartwright you admit that even after the whole world knew that flint posed unimaginable numbers of lead, you did not clear as to emergency until january 2016. Gov. Snyder i took immediate action as soon as i learned there is a lead issue. We started doing water testing, blood testing. Rep. Cartwright plausible deniability only works when it is plausible. And i am not buying that you do not know about this until october 2015. You were not in a medically induced coma for a year. [laughter] i have had about enough of your false contrition and phony apologies. Susan hedman from the epa theres not 1 10 of the responsibility of the state of michigan and your administration, and she resigned. And there you are dripping with guilt, but drawing your paycheck, hiring lawyers at the expense of the people. And doing your dead level best to spread accountability to others and not being accountable. Its not appropriate. Pretty soon we will have men who strike their wives, saying im sorry dear, but there were failures at all levels. People who put dollars over the fundamental safety of the people do not belong in government. And you need to resign, too, Governor Snyder. I yield back. Rep. Chaffetz the gentleman yields back. We now recognize mr. Mosh. I would like to welcome you Governor Snyder. Thank you for your willingness to appear before this committee. Governor, you spoke about the broken culture at many of the agencies and State Government. How are you working to change the culture within the agencies, specifically the department of environment equality that were negligent or reckless . Gov. Snyder it began by changing leadership. I accepted the resignation of the departed director. This was a Department Director that had served under 2 prior governors. But we had this issue. It was time to accept his resignation. Under Civil Service rules, we terminated the head of the Water Division. That was the one that made the terrible decisions with their team to say it should be a 2 6 month study. She was a 28 year veteran of the department. We are going to spend time. We are going to change this culture. A bureaucratic culture that focuses on Technical Compliance and doesnt have a sense of urgency. That should not be serving our citizens. There are many hardworking people that work for the state of michigan. 47,000 of them. I am committing to finding the instances where they have not gotten the idea that we work for the citizens. I will be relentless in following up to make sure that we make the changes necessary that this never happens again. Governor, did state employees intentionally withhold information from you . Gov. Snyder i dont believe that was the case. We had a report from the office of the Auditor General that responded to senator and a nick. One of their conclusions ones that they did not find any willful misrepresentation. Were you doing to make sure that state employees communicate with you . Gov. Snyder i stood up in front of the entire state of michigan in my state of the state address and said, these people that made his terrible decisions, that showed a clear lack of common sense failed us. But since they work for me, i am responsible for their actions. I take that responsibility. I kick myself every day about what i could have done to do more. I told the people of michigan there is a commitment, a passionate commitment to say we are going to change the culture in these places. I apologize to the people of flint. They deserve that. I understand why they are angry. Its terrible what they have to go through. But i made a commitment to fix the problem. I cant tax some damage that has been done. Theres a lot we can do to help the people of flint. Im committed to do that. We are following through and getting that done. Im going back to flint tomorrow to throw up my sleeves and work on that issue. What is the state expected budget surplus, and how much will be spent on helping people of flint . Gov. Snyder i presented the budget in february for the state. In terms of surplus, we are going through 23 steps. Ive asked for a total, including 3 supplementals. Total of 233 million to help address issues in flint. Covering all areas from the water system and structure to nutrition to health to wellbeing, to economic development. All these fields to do whatever we can possible in terms of improving things in flint. Several overall these past our legislature. I asked for hundred 65 million for a rainy day fund. This is not an issue just for flint. Lets start putting aside longterm resources. We have a Structure Problem that is a national problem. Lets get lead pipes out of the ground and look at setting the right standards. That is why i called the lead and copper rule dumb and dangerous. I will be proposing legislation. I will push you do everything to put a much more stringent standard. The people of our state deserve better than they are getting today. I have a question for administrator mccarthy. If susan hedman had not resigned, would you have fired her . Admin mccarthy that was an issue i did not need to face. Susan submitted her resignation, knowing that people would question whether that meant she accepted some type of guilt or responsible of the. She fully accepted responsibility for the situation. She resigned. I accepted that resignation. I thought it was the right step for her to take. The question remains, would you have fired her . I did not have to face that decision, sir. Rep. Norton i appreciate this hearing. I went to flint, michigan. Especially since the District Of Columbia has its own corrosion crisis about 15 years ago. I was impressed with the many federal agencies that were there. I see responsibility on the part of the federal and the state levels. I think this house has found this, and i commend the house for passing a bill from the energy and Commerce Committee that says the epa must notify residents when water samples show lead levels for the highest 10 of homes above 15 parts per billion. That is if state and local agencies dont do it. This banter between the state and federal agencies is very distressing when you are talking about irreversible lead in the water. But Governor Snyder, you appointed your own task force. It appears to be a task force that you appointed in december 2015. And it says in the state of michigan, courting their words primary response ability for the crisis in flint. Do you accept this conclusion from your own task force, the people that you appointed . Gov. Snyder i appreciate you referencing that group. I appointed them in october. I believe rep. Norton i have to give you credit. This task force seems to have operated very independently. I am quoting them again. We believe the primary responsibility for what happened in flint rests with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Although many individuals and entities at state and local levels contributed to creating and prolonging the problem, the mdeq is the Government Agency that has responsibility to the in short saint Drinking Water to ensure Safe Drinking Water. It failed that responsibility. Gov. Snyder i accepted that report and took immediate action. Rep. Norton thank you very much. This task force here is what is interesting to hear them say. I am quoting them. There was aggressive dismissal, belittlement, and attempts to discredit those efforts and the individuals involved. Do you agree with this finding of your own task force . Gov. Snyder i do. Those things never should have happened. Rep. Norton think you governor. This quote seems to indicate there was an attempt to discredit the work of others who apparently ultimately proved it would be right. Again, im giving you credit for this task force, but i think this shows that the state has accepted the responsibility. The most serious finding was that the Task Force Found michigan actually caused this poisoning. It said officials did not require the Task Force Found that the lead in comparable required Corrosion Control treatment to keep lead from leaching into the water. It was not required as a switch to the flint river. They are saying they found it was not necessary. And that this failure led directly to the contamination of they are saying they found it was not necessary. And that this failure led directly to the contamination of the flint river water system. It seems to me, governor, that your administration has already taken responsibility for what happened, and that your own Task Force Takes that responsibility. It seems to me here today, each and every response should be to echo your own task force. That the responsibly lays with the state of michigan. It knew what to do in time, and it did not do what it knew had to be done. I thank you mr. Chairman. Rep. Chaffetz i now recognize the gentleman from florida for 5 minutes. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. I think a lot more failed in flint. Its a failed city. We have many of them not only michigan, but across the country. Since we started these hearings, it is amazing. I talked to staff. We got information that probably dozens of communities are facing the same thing. And they are coming forward and saying that they have unSafe Drinking Water and high levels of lead and their kids are being poisoned. Governor, you did take some action and some people have been fired, is that correct . Gov. Snyder correct. Rep. Mica i guess the flint water had several others that you suspended. Gov. Snyder correct. Rep. Mica you said everyone shares blame, including yourself . Gov. Snyder correct. Rep. Mica what disturbs me first of all, administrator mccarthy, you have the ability to act when you find out things arent going right in these systems. You have the Compliance Authority under law, dont you . Admin mccarthy yes sir. Rep. Mica who was fired or held accountable in epa . Was anyone fired . Admin mccarthy no sir. Rep. Mica what disturbs me, i thought hedman was in charge. She was underneath you as a regional administrator. Admin mccarthy yes. Rep. Mica she was getting Vacation Time bonuses may 28 the regional administrator is getting Vacation Time bonuses while the kids are getting poisoned. She finally resigned herself. You never fired anyone. You have great people working at epa. Admin mccarthy thank you. Rep. Mica mr. Del toro should get a congressional gold medal. Mrs. Walters came to the authorities. We had the mayor in here. She said she met the mayor at the library and he promised to do everything. She went to city hall, april 3 and no one would see her. She was put off. To the day of the hearing, the mayor had never talked to her after that. You are pretty experienced. You can read del toros report. It is incredibly accurate. This is dated in june. And not a damn thing was done until until january of this year. I went back and asked mrs. Walters, when did they finally come in . Your epa administrator said, we acted immediately. They did not act. They act they gagged mr. Del toro. When did you see the report . Gov. Snyder i dont recall the exact date. Rep. Mica did you see this report . Again, a High School Student could take the support and determine that kids were getting poisoned. He went in and tested everything, the pipes in the building. He looked at the lead lines. He looked a he detailed all the things we heard, the calendar of failure of flint. Violations going back, and you told me you had the authority. Did you ever shut these programs down or go after them . You did not. Admin mccarthy okay. Rep. Mica i heard calls for resignation. I think you should be at the top of this list. They failed at the local level in the state level. We failed at the federal level. Who is in charge . Hedman is getting a vacation bonus, the kids get poisoned, and you are still in office. I yield back. Admin mccarthy thanks for the opportunity to answer. Rep. Mica youre welcome. Rep. Chaffetz did you have something you wanted to say . Admin mccarthy it would be good if i could. When we found out finally, because mdeq told us on april 24 prior to that that there was no Corrosion Control treatment, reversing what they had earlier told us that they did Corrosion Control in the system. We had already told mdeq that they had to require the city of flint to move ahead with Corrosion Control treatment, well in advance of that memo. Rep. Chaffetz let her finish. Admin mccarthy we consistently said the same thing. That is a report on 3 homes in the same area. Because of the complexity of lead, we did not and could not have made a concerted judgment whether it was a systemic problem. When we had the information and received it from mdeq, which wasnt until july 21st, we told them we are done talking, we now know it is a systemic problem. You do it or we do it. They said, we will do it. Since that point in time, mdeq slow walked everything they needed to do. That precluded us from being able to jump into the rescue. That is what happened. If people are worried about whether be silenced del toro, miguel is a hero on this. He remains one of the experts we rely on. Mdeq was the one that told everybody outside that he was a rogue employee to discredit him, just as mdeq was doing, as the Governors Task force said, trying to discredit anybody who said there was a problem the Drinking Water. We were strongarmed, misled, kept at arms length. We could not do our jobs effectively. Rep. Mica i would ask that mr. Del toros report in june be included in the record. Rep. Chaffetz you just dont get it. You still dont get it. Mr. Chairman, i get it. We are trying to make sure that blame is shifted here. Its interesting, for committee that has committed alice in wonderland techniques with management. Off with ahead of opm. Off with the head of the head of the irs. But Governor Snyder, my friends on the other side of the aisle want to make sure youre headed is securely on your shoulders. Do you believe in the philosophy of government that says we ought to push responsibility and power to the lowest level we can, as close to the people as we can . Gov. Snyder as a general rule, yes. Rep. Connolly the citizens of your state rejected the emergency director in a referendum. Governor snyder correct. Rep. Connolly and yet, six weeks later, you reintroduced legislation, for a new emergency law. Is that correct . Governor snyder there was a law that took into account the concerns of the citizens, and was passed by a duly elected legislature for the state of michigan. Rep. Connolly so that allowed you to go past the city of flint and place emergency manager instead of the government of governing bodies in the office of the local government from the law. Is that correct . Governor snyder you said generally. This was the case where there was failure in terms of city management, i appreciate it rep. Connolly did you appoint a manager . Governor snyder yes. Rep. Connolly and then they could not exercise any power unless your Campaign Manager let them . Governor snyder initially, yes. Rep. Connolly we conducted a transcribed interview of the last emergency manager appointed, you appointed, darrell ambroise. You appointed, not mitch mccarthy. We asked him if he considered the city council impotence during his tenure. His answer on the record was absolutely. Do you know how many pages of edicts were issued by your appointed Emergency Managers in this tragic time period, governor . Governor snyder no, but also let me respond rep. Connolly let me show you. I only have five minutes. Ladies and gentlemen hold them up, please. These are the stacks of edex issued by your Emergency Managers, not by the city council of flint. Do you know how many of those 8000 pages dealt with meaningful steps to protect the citizens of flint from lead of flowing through their blood . Not one. Governor snyder congressman rep. Connolly it is my five minutes, i am sorry. If i had 10, i would give you all the time in the world. This is the failure of a philosophy you advocated. There is no evidence even after you were warned by the mayor of flint they had problems and he begged you to come to flint. You ignored him. We have no evidence of you contacting flint for seven months. Seven months. I am glad you are sorry now. I am glad you are taking action now. But it is a little bit late for the kids in flint whose health has been compromised. For people whose health and immunity systems were already compromised. For a city in america that is on its knees because of your Emergency Managers decision to save 400 million, and now it is going to cost a lot more to clean up, and the taint and the stain that State Government has put on this country in the form of flint will be a long time to erase. You know, at some point, the buck stops at your office, governor. With your department of Environmental Quality collapse. With your Emergency Managers who were really of hubris. Then you better than the local elected officials of flint, and they ignored a low morning side. That is your record. At some point the buck has to stop at your desk. I yield back. Rep. Chaffetz i now recognize mr. Desjarlais. Rep. Desjarlais i would respectfully ask the of the straighter mccarthy to consider scrapping the waters of the u. S. Rule and declare the epa cannot currently handled the issues on its plate. I yield my time to the gentleman from michigan. I think the gentleman from tennessee rep. Desjarlais i think the gentleman from tennessee. Received an email from people, a director of the epa office of Drinking Water. The whole point of the email was to share mark edwards documentation of the flint Drinking Water problems. Mr. Edwards email, asking the epa to immediately take Decisive Action on this issue to protect the public, did you read the september 25 email that included mark edwards request for action . Gina mccarthy i did. Rep. Desjarlais dr. Edwards is very familiar to this committee and the people of flint. Do you know who mark edwards is . Gina mccarthy yes. We have met. Rep. Desjarlais you met . How long have you known about his work on the Water Quality . Gina mccarthy we actually have a contract with him to do work with us right now. Rep. Desjarlais do you believe he is an expert on Water Treatment and corrosion . Gina mccarthy i think he is one of the experts, yes. We have a number of experts. Rep. Desjarlais the email includes mr. Del toro. The key points, the summary at the end of the documenting that there is no corrosion and controlled treatments that the people cant afford bottled water. Mde is continuing to assist it is safe, and they know a child with elevated lead levels already. If you received an email documenting all these problems on september 25, including the fact that children had elevated blood lead levels, why didnt you act until january 21, 2016 . Gina mccarthy you are incorrect rep. Desjarlais we have emails, we have records as well. If you continue to not take responsibility, including writing articles about it, dr. Edwards is an expert on this issue. Gina mccarthy yes. Rep. Desjarlais the people of flint understand that. He has been there. You did not even show up until february of this year. I remember to people on the other side of the aisle, this administrator of epa didnt show up until february. Dr. Edwards said in testimony before this committee that susan edmund, who you want fire, you would not fire, you would not even given answer if you would. Edmunds response was completely unacceptable and criminal. That is what mr. Edwards said. Please tell the people of flint city behind you and this Committee White mark edwards is wrong. Gina Mccarthy Mark edwards is a good scientist, and i respect him. If you look at the timeline of when we received that email, you will find that the city and county Health Advisory about the flint water went out on the same day. You will find that october 1, you will notice they had no drinking of that water without protection. You will find on october 2, the governor put out a 10 point plan. On october 3, the filters were being to be did. I cannot there is no switch i can turn on. Rep. Desjarlais i am hearing nothing of your action on that, and you have the law on your side that says if any event of imminent danger or health risk, you have the responsibility to act. Gina mccarthy the damage has been done. Rep. Desjarlais i am not i will give you a chance. You wrote an advertisement in the Washington Post which stated the epa Regional Office was also provided with confusing, incomplete, and incorrect information. As a result, the epa Staff Members were unable to understand the scope of the lead problem until more than a year after the switch to untreated water. Did the epa confirm in early 2015 that flynns water pipes lacked Corrosion Control . Gina mccarthy no, i did not know that. The staff were unaware of that. Rep. Desjarlais they were unaware. Gina mccarthy they were told by mdeq rep. Desjarlais what about mr. Del toro who was disciplined . Gina mccarthy he was not. Rep. Desjarlais yes he was. Gina mccarthy ok. Rep. Desjarlais that is a matter of record as well. Dr. Edward said some of the documents received from epa through as pauillac, they were nearly redacted. Here is it. How is this acceptable from an excerpt . Rep. Chaffetz gentlemans time is expired, but you maybe answer. Gina mccarthy the report i issued in january was because of continued failure to address the issue. If there is anything i could have done, and switch i could have turn on that would have precluded us, allowed us to go further than was already happening at that time, i would have pulled that switch. What we needed was exactly starting. Were they related . Yes. Were there consequences . Yes. We worked very hard to get mdeq to do their job and get these actions in place. And you are asking if i received an email on a given date, i did. The actions were moving. There was nothing else i could have ordered that would have made that move faster. I did issue an order in january, because even after all of this, the order that i issued was questioned by this state, by mdeq, by the state. Was that really, legally solid . They continue to drag their feet today. Rep. Chaffetz go ahead, governor. Governor snyder i am sorry mr. Chairman, but you cannot take so much. All i can do is go to the record. I would suggest people look at three emails. There is an email going back to june 8, 2015 from jennifer crux of the eva is a semi annual call. There is a email on july 21, a briefing paper with the mdeq talking about the federal lead a copper rule, including flint water. At 9 15 there is a talk with the mdeq and the epa working together. They were in regular dialogue. They are talking about how to work together. I am ready to get sick. We need urgency, action, and they keep on talking. It is not about fighting. They are just not getting the job done. We messed up in michigan to begin with by doing two studies instead of Corrosion Control. That is what has caused this trouble. I have accepted responsibility for the people that worked for me. Continuing dialogue to say it was solely us, this could have been stopped sooner if others had seen it. I should have asked tougher questions and dunmore, but all those things the epa just did not get the information . I just ask you to take the time and go look at those three emails, and that will clear the record up. Rep. Chaffetz we now recognize the Ranking Member. Rep. Cummings you have represented a department that you were unaware of disaster building until october 2015. I find it hard to believe that a crisis of this attitude completely escaped your attention for so long. It is so clear that your senior staff, people who report directly to you daily, were very aware of what was taking place in flames. October 12, 2014, 1 of your top advisers wrote an email to your chief of staff saying, if you know there is a problem with the flint Water Quality since they left the w sve system, which was the emergency manager. I think we should ask the emergency manager to consider coming back to the system in full and in part as a solution to both the quality and now the financial problems the current solution is causing. I see this as an urgent matter to fix, and a quote. Did your chief of staff, who i assume reported directly to you, your right hand man, did he tell you these concerns urgently needed to be fixed in october 2014 . Did he tell you that . Governor snyder i dont recall. I do recall we had issues. We talked about color and odor of the water. There was also concern about e. Coli. There were several issues, but none of them related to lead. Rep. Cummings but there was a problem with the water. Did you get the email . Governor snyder i did not get the email. Rep. Cummings i remind you you are under oath. Governor snyder not to my knowledge. Rep. Cummings after all, if the gm refuses to gm as in general motors, if they refuse to use the water in our planet and our own agencies are warning people not to drink it, the differential between what we now select and what we face with wvz, we look stupid hiding behind some statement. Did you talk to him about concerns in february 2015 . Governor snyder i cant recall, but we had continuing discussions about water issues. E. Coli, and that pta. There was an issue of chlorine in the water. Rep. Cummings although it was rusting away, brandnew, the water was rusting away brandnew parts at gm, he was ok for human consumption . Governor snyder to put in perspective, Ranking Member cummings, these are red flags i kick myself. I was getting advice rep. Cummings i want you to finish. On march 2, 2015, the chief of staff offered the following assessment about flint. It is tougher everyday people to listen to Financial Issues and water mumbojumbo without all they see is problems. If we procrastinate much longer in doing something direct, we will have real trouble. And he talked to you back in march. Governor snyder Governor Snyder i had discussions, i can recall specific ongoing discussions. He was right with race discerns. We took actions with the maximum grant, 2 million earlier in the year to talk about water structure. We also worked on getting filters. Rep. Cummings i am running out of time. The next day, he complained about the lack of empathy for the residents. And this is your right hand man, and he specifically said this was your dq director, dan wyatt, i really dont think people are getting the benefit of the doubt. Now they are concerned, rightfully so, about the lead level studies they are receiving from the deq samples. These folks are scared and worried about the health impact, and they are basically getting blown off by us, end of quote. Did you talk to your staff about those concerns . Governor snyder i had continuing talks, and we sought advice and parties from your crest not just in one department but also environmental allergy. The water was safe, people in the health and inland services did not see an elevation in blood level levels, and they are wrong. Rep. Cummings there are two possibilities. Either she knew you about his concerns or did nothing, or he did not tell you and you are an absentee governor. I yield back. Rep. Chaffetz i want to recognize myself for five minutes. Governor, you have apologized, correct . Governor snyder correct. Rep. Chaffetz either been fired . Governor snyder yes. Rep. Chaffetz anyone dismissed or otherwise retired . Governor snyder yes. Rep. Chaffetz does the state of michigan do something wrong . Did the epa do anything wrong . Gina mccarthy i dont think we did everything right, that is the challenge i am facing. Rep. Chaffetz the challenge you are facing right now is my question. My question is, did the epa do anything wrong . Gina mccarthy i would hope that we would have been more aggressive. If we could have done anything to stand on the rooftop and scream about the challenges we are having here is the fundamental difference. We have jurisdiction in congress. I have jurisdiction to call them appear and republicans did call him up here and he volunteered to be here and we are investigating. This is our third hearing on this topic and i hope you and ierybody understands this see responsibility, i see people that are getting fired. I see admissions that there were fundamental wrongs that happened in the administration. To the epa,eturned has anybody been fired . Has anybody been dismissed . No, sir. When susan hedman, the day you did take Decisive Action, when you are questioned about this, you said her act of jumping up and down was courageous. Im going to ask you again. Did the epa do anything wrong . The epa works very hard. I have another question for you. Hereedwards has testified twice. Good clean water and he happens to know the Science Behind the water. Did he say anything you think was wrong or inaccurate . I think he was not at all informed about what epa did. I think he knows nothing about the law, which he readily admits. He does not know how we are supposed to work in the system and does not understand it was a responsibility of the state. We took that seriously and conducted it. Does that mean i dont have regrets . That is a whole different standard. That is cheap. You have to look at how the law works. And it failed. You failed. Iu said if there was anything could do, any switch i could pull, you had that under the law and did not do it. An imminent threat, you can fold it you can pull the switch. There are two parts to that end you skipped the second. What is the second . You need to have the nformation why do we even need the epa . When you first arrived on the scene, and it was not until january of the next year that you actually did something. That is the fundamental problem. Dont look around like you are mystified. Miguel del toro showed up in february. You did not take action and you could have pulled that switch. Gina mccarthy we took action from that point forward. Rep. Chaffetz there are a lot of people in this audience from flint. No one believes that you took action. Mark edwards from virginia tech, bless his heart, had the opportunity. They have said things like we failed to get epa to take lead blood level seriously. The epa added, effectively condoned cheating on the lead copper rule since 2006. You put out one of the most expensive things i could possibly imagine. He said about you, the epa administrator gina mccarthy, absolving any wrongdoing or treating the flint disaster. If you want to do the courageous thing like you said to susan had meant, then you should also resign. Nobody is going to believe you have the opportunity, the presence, you have the authority, the backing of the federal government, and you did not act you had the chance. If you are going to do the courageous thing, you should also step down. I now recognize the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. Duckworth. Rep. Duckworth i think that if she does that, so should the governor. I am deeply troubled by testimony and laws raised by these series of hearings on the water crisis. It is the kind of human suffering that should not happen anywhere let alone the greatest nation on the face of the earth. The failures at every level of government are alarming. I dont think it it is any question, but it is the spider department of the quality that created this crisis in the first place. However, as a member from illinois and one of the states that fought under the epa region five alongside miss again, i am also troubled by the how the epa also failed in its duty to serve as a last line of defense for the children of flint. And while the flint crisis has gotten the most attention lately, i am deeply concerned with communities all around this country at similar risk areas in chicago, we have one of the greatest, one of the better quality Water Systems in the nation, but we are also learning onto the lead and copper rule testing protocol, our department of Water Management is conducting this in height risk businesses, and mrs. The high lead levels and potential human exposure. More from the Chicago Tribune found since 2003, more than half of the sampling sites tested by the chicago management were owned by employees and might not be located in high risk areas. And so, when Water Systems like flint or chicago elect to use their own employees homes as sampling test sites, what safeguards are in place to ensure the results are not corrupted or skewed . Gina mccarthy there are protocols for this, and one of the things that i have done is to send a letter to every governor and agency that has signed on to this across the u. S. , explained they can do again and make sure they are following that. We are also looking at how we can fight the lead and copper rule. He clearly needs to be strengthened. I never suggested that the system does not feel or the epa is looking at its own place in this. The office of the attorney general is looking at this in my request to make sure we can get everything with Information Available to us. One thing i am trying to make clear is, we did not create this problem. The question is, did we run in and try to solve it and work it as quickly as we possibly could . What else could we possibly have done . I have been trying to find an answer to that question in anybody who can tell me what else we could have done under the law. I want to hear it or even under common sense. Rep. Duckworth let me answer that for you, because i am not in your side on this. I am not on the governor side as well. Would you not rather have jumped into soon despite the law to protect the children of flint and be held in congress to ask lane why you stepped into quickly to safeguard as opposed to why you did not act soon enough . Gina mccarthy we actually didnt understand the full extent of the problem until july. July of last year. Rep. Duckworth but you still did nothing. Lets go back to the law. You said that mdeq was telling people they were taking action. You waited for the to take action. Gina mccarthy there are two tests that congress has given us. Congress is very clear in the law and also in the congressional records that they wanted us to keep in our lane and they didnt want us to step on state rights. I had the data which i told you i did not have until july 21, and i had to show that the state was not taking appropriate action. On the 21, they said they would. I had no justification legally, so what we tried to do was get information into the communitys hands. We try to tell the public there is a problem here. Rep. Duckworth wyoming have a few seconds left. Do we need to change the law, change the statute so that you will step forward sooner when you have an epic failure on the part of a governor of a state to that indicates he has hired absolute failure in protecting his citizens in michigan . We ask this picture of the epa as recently as yesterday, and you did not answer. Do we need to change the law so you can step in sooner . Gina mccarthy it is a very high hartl, but 35 out of 36 years working in this business, it is the first time i have seen a state fail to abide rep. Duckworth you are not answering my question. Gina mccarthy most states work collaboratively with me. Rep. Chaffetz the gentlewomans time is expired. We have the first vote of two. We will recess and reconvene no sooner than 10 45. The committee stands in recess. President obama accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters are in cuba. About 20 minutes ago, landing there in havana. They left the white house and theded air force one for historic trip. He is the first u. S. President in almost 90 years to visit that island nation. During this visit, he will meet with raul castro coming give a speech to the cuban people and discover entrepreneurship. The president will then travel to buenos aires for meetings, including one with the president argentina. Former president bill clinton will speak at a Campaign Rally in tucson for his wife Hillary Clinton. Arizonaeduled is former representative gabby for debt her husband, former astronaut captain mark kelly. Live coverage begins at 5 30 here on cspan. Democratic president ial candidate, Bernie Sanders, spoke , arizona. In phoenix this is just under one hour. Mr. Sanders thank you. [applause] let me thank all of you. This is a fantastic turnout. Autoe thank senator does for his warm introduction and he is touching on some of the major issues facing this state and this country. As i look around here, i see a lot of energy, i see a lot of ute, i see a lot of enthusiasm. A lot of beauty, i see a lot of enthusiasm. See a lot of people who want to transform the United States of america. [applause] began this campaign about 10 months ago. When we began, we were about 3 in the polls, about 70 points behind secretary clinton. We had no money, no lyrical organization, not much name recognition. Bernie. Ve you, [applause] last 10ers but in the months, a lot has changed. And the reason, i think we are doing so well, that we have so much energy that in state after 45 years ofn people age or younger. The future of america. [applause] yesterdayust came out and it says that Bernie Sanders has received more votes from people under 30 than Hillary Clinton and donald trump combined. [applause] valley i get my inspiration and my energy from you. And inspiration from people who have and i feel as him, who want to transform this country and make it a lot better than it is today. [applause] reason i believe we have so soh energy and we are doing well is because we are doing something very unusual in american politics. We are telling the truth. [applause] truth isl know, the not only is not always pleasant. Sometimes it is hurtful, but unless we understand the reality in front of us and not shove it under the rug, unless we are prepared to deal with that reality, there is no hope for change. [applause] and here is some of that reality. Number one, today, we live in a country in which our Campaign Finance system is corrupt and it is undermining american democracy. [applause] this is no small thing. Democracy is not complicated. What it means is you have one vote and you have one vote and you have one vote. Mean is thatnot people with unlimited amounts of money should be able to buy elections. [applause] it does not mean that billion likely that billionaires like the Koch Brothers and others should be 900 million in this Campaign Cycle to buy politicians who will represent the rich and the powerful. That is not democracy. That is oligarchy. [applause] and together, we are going to stand firm. This country will not become an oligarchic society. [applause] but it is not just a corrupt Campaign Finance system undermining our democracy. What we are seeing now all over this country are cowardly republican governors trying to suppress the vote. [applause] as a nation, we have one of the ofest voter turnout rates any major country honors. Our job is to increase voter turnout and make it easier. [applause] we havetoday, republican governors who are trying in every way imaginable to make it harder for poor go. Le to see you for young people, for old people to participate. [applause] those cowardly governors, if you dont have the cuts to participate in free and fair elections, get another job. [applause] [chanting bernie, bernie] president , you can bet your Bottom Dollar we are going to have a department of justice which will vigorously take on every one of these governors. [applause] what i want to see in this country is something simple and straightforward. If you are 18 years of age or older, you are registered to vote. [applause] in addition to the fact that we have a corrupt Campaign Finance system, there is Something Else we have got to address and address in a very straightforward way. Have a rigged economy. The television stations and Corporate Media do not deal with but let mevery much tell you what a rigged economy is about. Ist a rigged economy means 1 owned0 percent of almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 . It means that the 20 wealthiest people in this country now own more wealth than the bottom 150 million, half of our country. Booing. Mr. Sanders it turns out the wealthiest family in this country is the Walton Family who owns walmart. Know, walmart pays wages that are so low that many of its workers are forced to go on medicaid, food stamps, subsidize housing. Economy is about haveen working people all got to pay more in taxes to provide food stamps for the to provide for the wealthiest family in america. [applause] economy and ied say to the Walton Family get off of welfare, pay your workers a living wage. [applause] and here is another truth that we cannot continue to avoid. Today, we have more people in jail than any other country on earth. Understand that in your state, incarceration is a big and profitable business. We are going to end that in a number of ways. Number one, we are going to do. Way with private prisons [applause] it is unconscionable that corporations are making money by locking people up. That is wrong. [applause] two, we are going to do our best to make sure that when young people in this country cannot find a job or cannot stay going to, we are invest in jobs and education, not jails and incarceration. [applause] i want this country what this campaign is about is thinking outside the box. Do not allow the media or anyone else to define for you what is possible. You do that. [applause] possible is having the best educated country in the world, not the country with more people in jail. [applause] together, we are going to do militarize local Police Departments. The militarize local Police Departments. [applause] Police Departments should not look like occupying armies. Be part of the community, not oppressing the community. [applause] to make Police Departments look like the diversity of the communities they serve. [applause] lookings are tired of at tv and seeing images of unarmed people being shot by Police Officers. [applause] i am a former mayor, arlington, vermont. I have worked with Police Departments for many years and the vast majority of Police Officers are honest, hardworking, and have a very difficult job. But, like any other public a Police Officer breaks the law, that officer must be held accountable. [applause] and a president Sanders Justice department will investigate every death that takes place in police custody. [applause] [chanting bernie, bernie] weminal Justice Reform means have to take a hard look at the failed war on drugs. [applause] over the last 30 years, millions of americans have received Police Records for possession of marijuana. , if you have a police record, it is sometimes very hard to get a job. Now, under the federal controlled substance act, marijuana is listed as a schedule one drug. Heroin. E that heroinre knows is a killer drug. Scientists can argue about the pluses and minuses of marijuana, but marijuana is not heroin. And that is why i have introduced legislation to take marijuana out of the federal controlled substances. [applause] as all of you know, the decision marijuanaher or not becomes legal is a state decision, not a federal decision. But i believe possession of marijuana should not be a federal crime. [applause] and when we talk about drugs and in my statef drugs, of vermont and in New Hampshire and in states all over this country, we are facing an epidemic and crisis of heroin addiction, of opiate addiction, of people dying every day from overdoses. In my view, we have got to treat Substance Abuse not as a criminal issue, but a health issue. [applause] we need a revolution in Mental Health care in this country. [applause] when people are struggling with a Mental Health crisis or with addiction, they should be able to get the treatment they need today, not six months from today. [applause] let me take a moment all of you know i am running against secretary Hillary Clinton. Moment tot take a explain or expressed to you some of the strong differences we have on important issues. First, when i began this campaign, we had no money and we had to make a very important decision should we establish a super pac . You. Reed with [applause] campaign does not represent the interest of the billionaire class or wall street. [applause] money. Ot want their way andd it another what we did is we reached out to the middle class and working isilies and what happened mind blowing. I could never in a million years believe this is what happened. But as of today, we have received well over 5 million individual contributions. [applause] [chanting ernie, bernie, bernie] that is more contributions than any candidate in history in this country than at any point. Anybody here know what the average contribution is . 27. Itself is revolutionary because it shows that we can run a Winning National campaign without being dependent on wall street and big money interests. [applause] to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln at gettysburg, this is a campaign of the people, by the people and for the people. [applause] what that means when you are not dependent on big money interests, you can do what is right for working people. [applause] about somee to worry billionaire or wall street guy calling me up because we dont have their money, we dont want their money, we dont need their money. [applause] clinton has chosen to go another route in terms of how she raises money. Pacs. Several super the largest one recently reported it has raised 25 million in special interest money, 15 million from wall street alone. As some of you may also know, secretary clinton has given forches on wall street 225,000 a speech. What i have said is if are going to be paying 225,000 for a speech, it must be an extraordinarily brilliant speech. It must be a speech that could transform our country and the world. It must be a shakespearean type speech. And if that speech is so great, let the American People see it. [applause] second issue, all of you know Foreign Policy is a very important part of what a president does. The most important foreignpolicy debate in the modern history of this country took place in 2002. Toistened very carefully what president bush and Vice President cheney and all of these guys had to say. They were saying we have to invade iraq, we have to invade iraq. I did not believe them. And i voted against that disastrous law. [applause] clintonator
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