LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Latest: Obama pledges federal support for Flint
President Barack Obama is pledging the federal government's support as local officials deal with the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
Obama met with Flint Mayor Karen Weaver on Tuesday at the White House. The White House says Weaver conveyed to Obama how Flint residents are dealing with the crisis and what challenges remain.
A White House statement says Obama "reiterated that his Administration will continue to support state and local officials in their response." Earlier Tuesday, the White House announced that a Health and Human Services Department official would coordinate federal efforts to help Flint.
Weaver also met with Obama's senior adviser and his intergovernmental affairs director on Tuesday. The White House says the officials assured Weaver that the federal government would be a "constructive partner" on the city's response and recovery.
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - (01/19/16) - A glance at what Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced Tuesday in his State of the State speech involving Flint's water crisis:
- $28 million in funding. It is the second wave of state aid to be committed since October, when $10.6 million was announced. The money will pay for filters, replacement cartridges, bottled water, more school nurses and additional intervention specialists. It also will fund lab testing, corrosion control procedures, a study of water system infrastructure, potentially help Flint deal with unpaid water bills, case management of people with elevated lead-blood levels, assessment of potential linkages to other diseases, crisis counseling and mental health services, and the replacement of plumbing fixtures in schools, child care centers, nursing homes and medical facilities.
- The release Wednesday of his emails involving Flint's water emergency. The governor and his office are exempt from public-records requests under Michigan law, but given his administration's regulatory failures, he decided to bow to pressure to disclose more information about what he knew and when.
- The deployment of more Michigan National Guard members to the city, increasing the number from more than 70 to about 200.
- Plans to reach every single Flint household by week's end to check if it has a water filter.
- An appeal of President Barack Obama's denial of his request for a federal disaster declaration. On Saturday, Obama signed an emergency declaration but denied Snyder's request for a disaster declaration based on the legal requirement that such relief is intended for natural events, fires, floods or explosions.
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