Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois says Democrats will offer an amendment to a bill on the Senate floor to address the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
Durbin says Democratic Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan will seek to amend a Senate energy bill being debated on Thursday. Durbin offered few details, but said the measure would "protect children from water that is deadly or poisonous."
State officials disconnected Flint from Detroit's water supply in 2014 and began using the Flint River to save money. Regulators failed to ensure the new water was treated properly and lead from pipes leached into the water supply, contributing to a spike in child lead exposure.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a Democratic candidate for president, called Flint's water problems "one of the great public health crises in modern times."
