Reid to GOP: Commit to Flint money

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) voiced cautious optimism during a late-night dealmaking session to give aid to Flint, Mich., but called on Republican leaders to publicly back passing the funding.  

“I do have some concerns. The statement of my Republican colleague, the leader of the Senate, just said that he and Sen. [James] Inhofe [R-Okla.] would work toward funding,” he said. “This should be pretty easy. Why can’t they just say they’ll do it?” 

{mosads}Reid’s comments come after the House leadership reached a deal to allow a vote on an amendment adding emergency funding for communities with lead-contaminated drinking water such as Flint, Mich., to a water infrastructure bill the House is taking up this week.  

The Senate Democratic leader added, “We’ll continue to exercise caution moving forward, but I’m glad to see progress has been made.”  

The House deal came after most Senate Democrats joined with roughly a dozen Republicans to vote against a short-term funding bill because it didn’t include help for the Flint, Mich., drinking water crisis, but did include emergency funding for flooding in three states.  

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) floated the idea on Tuesday that senators could drop the flood money in an effort to get a deal to stave off a government shutdown. Lawmakers have until Oct. 1 to get legislation to President Obama’s desk.  

The Republican leader added Wednesday that the House has made “good progress” on finding a path for Flint funding.  

“We’re hopeful that we will soon reach an agreement with our Democratic colleagues to move forward on the clean [continuing resolution]-Zika [virus] package today,” he said.  

Democrats have stressed that they support the flood money but also want to make sure Congress passes aid for the drinking water crisis. 

Reid said Wednesday that he believes the Senate should pass emergency funding for the floods in West Virginia, Maryland and Louisiana. 

“I hope we can do that. It would be the right thing to do,” he said. “I hope that we can get the CR done expeditiously.”