U.S. House doesn't invite Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to Flint Water Hearing this Wednesday, February 3rd at the US Capitol in Wahington DC

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Link to Breaking News from Flint Mayor to remove lead water pipes: http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/flint-water-crisis/2016/02/02/flint-mayor-call-immediate-removal-lead-pipes/79698362/
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Story by Detroit Free Press
Written by Todd Sprangler

WASHINGTON — A U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that the panel will hold Congress' first hearing on the Flint water crisis next Wednesday, Feb. 3.

Gov. Rick Snyder will not be among those invited to testify, however, said the spokesperson, who did not want to be named because public notice of the hearing hadn't yet been sent out.

The office of U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence put out a statement Wednesday afternoon saying she was "outraged" by Snyder not being invited to testify before the committee, saying he played a "central role" in the crisis.

“I am deeply disappointed at the majority’s lack of commitment to a thorough and meaningful hearing," said Lawrence, a Southfield Democrat who requested the hearing. "A sincere search for truth and justice requires a full review by the entire committee of the decisions and policies of all those involved."

The Free Press reported last week that the House Oversight Committee was expected to hold a hearing on the crisis surrounding high levels of lead found in Flint residents' tap water, based on a statement from Lawrence's office that it would be held Feb. 3.

At the time, Lawrence's office said it appeared the committee had accepted her suggestion to invite Snyder, former Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Director Dan Wyant, Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman, Flint pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Atissha and Virginia Tech University research Marc Edwards to testify.

But a spokesperson said last week it was premature to confirm the hearing or the witness list. The spokesperson for the committee who communicated with the Free Press on Wednesday said that except for the information about Snyder, no other details about the hearing, including who might testify, were immediately available.

Dave Murray, press secretary to Snyder, said last week that his office had received no communication from the committee but looked forward to "hearing from its leaders," leaving open the question of whether the governor, who has apologized for the state's role in the crisis, would testify.

Even without Snyder's participation, however, the hearing by the committee and its chairman, U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, will be the first looking into the situation in Flint at the federal level, where questions have been raised not only about the state DEQ, which has taken the brunt of the blame, but also about the EPA and whether it used its regulatory authority to react quickly enough and appropriately.

"The situation in Flint represents a crisis of leadership on all levels," Lawrence said in her letter to Chaffetz requesting the hearing two weeks ago. She said it was Congress' responsibility to address "a man-made disaster created by the poor policy decisions of elected and career government officials."

Contact Todd Spangler: 703-854-8947, tspangler@freepress.com or on Twitter @tsspangler