US Rep. Cummings To Give Keynote At Church Anniversary

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings is to deliver the keynote address at the 50th anniversary celebration for a prominent Detroit church.

Fellowship Chapel's Jubilee Banquet will be held Friday evening at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel.

Cummings, a Maryland Democrat, is to speak on the importance of the black church in community development, social justice and economic opportunity. He also will be recognized for his advocacy on behalf of Flint residents impacted by the city's lead-tainted water crisis.

Cummings was critical of Gov. Rick Snyder during a congressional hearing on the crisis.

In March, officials and water experts were hopeful that there would be a less drastic and far cheaper step — using a chemical to recoat existing pipes and contain the lead.

Congressman Dan Kildee of Flint speaking at the White House Water Summit, said the contamination of Flint's water can be traced to the state wanting to save money.

The problem is that nobody knows how badly the pipes were damaged after the state's disastrous decision in 2014 to use the Flint River as the city's drinking water source without adding a chemical to control corrosion. That caused lead to leach into the water for a year and a half and contributed to a spike in child lead poisoning before city and state officials fully acknowledged the problem.

Flint was under state management when it switched from Detroit's water system in 2014 to the Flint River to save money.

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