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WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) introduced the Lead Abatement for Families Act, a bill to require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to identify and remove lead pipes in public and subsidized housing and provide grants to public housing authorities and property owners to remove them.

As many as ten million homes in the U.S. get their water from lead pipes, and residents of federally assisted housing are disproportionately impacted. Lead poisoning is especially serious for children: A 2015 study determined that by the third grade, children in Chicago with even small amounts of lead in their blood were more than 32% more likely to fail standardized tests.

“We must center racial and economic justice in all of our policymaking, and housing is no exception,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “For far too long, our government has allowed families living in public and federally-assisted housing to be exposed to lead poisoning—resulting in disproportionately worse health, economic and educational outcomes for Black, brown, and low-income communities. This legislation would correct these historic injustices and ensure that public housing in the Massachusetts 7th and beyond is safe, healthy and lead pipe-free. Our families do not deserve less, simply because they cannot afford more.”

“It is a national scandal that millions of homes across the country still get water from lead pipes, and unfortunately lead poisoning is especially prevalent in black and brown communities like the ones I represent in Chicago’s 4th District. I’m proud to introduce the Lead Abatement for Families Act with Representative Pressley to get lead pipes out of public and federally subsidized housing,” said Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García. “Affordable housing should never jeopardize the health of its residents, and Congress must act immediately to prevent our children and communities from exposure to lead in their drinking water.”

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