Bipartisan legislation will help identify, remediate risk exposure to lead hazards, including lead wall paint and lead drinking water service lines

Senator Reverend Warnock: “The Keep Children and Families Safe from Lead Hazards Act will help to protect kids in Georgia and across the country—providing a crucial safeguard for our next generation and their bright future.”

News4Jax: Rubio, Warnock co-introduce bill to force HUD to inspect regularly for lead

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), alongside Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN), recently introduced the Keep Children and Families Safe From Lead Hazards Act, which would direct the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to identify and remediate risk exposure to lead hazards, including lead wall paint and lead drinking water service lines, in Section 8 housing programs. 

“I’ve long said housing is health care, especially during a pandemic,” Senator Reverend Warnock said. “I’m proud to be co-leading this bipartisan bill which will improve public health for Georgians and Americans. We know that children with high levels of lead exposure grow up to have trouble learning and are more likely to develop a range of health problems as a result. The Keep Children and Families Safe from Lead Hazards Act will help to protect kids in Georgia and across the country—providing a crucial safeguard for our next generation and their bright future.”

This legislation would direct HUD to:

• Conduct an annual risk assessment of Section 8 housing programs to identify risk exposure to lead hazards, 
• Develop an action plan to remediate lead hazards, 
• Require that lead hazards become a graded factor in Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS) inspections, 
• Require an annual report to Congress on all Section 8 properties with lead hazards that are home to children under the age of six.

Read the full bill text HERE.

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