During a Thursday interview on CNN Newsroom with Jim Sciutto, Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., highlighted the ongoing challenges to the city of Jackson’s water supply.
Senator Wicker emphasized the need to resolve the immediate crisis and called on federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to work with both city and state officials to approve projects that will help the city of Jackson in the long term.
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Wicker also discussed how the ordeal at hand was personal to him, stating that he has family, including grandchildren, who reside in Mississippi’s capital city.
“This is an emergency. And the American people are seeing this, they’re being very responsive, and we’re going to need additional federal help to salvage the lives, homes, and futures of our major city,” Wicker said. “I have six grandchildren that live inside the city limits in Jackson. This is personal to me, and it’s my capital city.”
As a member of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, Wicker also noted the millions of dollars in new investments for Mississippi water and wastewater infrastructure that will come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which he supported.
“We have money in the pipeline. The bipartisan infrastructure bill provided Mississippi $429 million for water and sewer treatment — there’s help on the way,” Wicker added.
The Jackson water crisis needs an immediate solution. But we’ll also need the support and approval of multiple federal agencies to implement a long-term fix. I joined @cnn @jimsciutto to discuss.https://t.co/mye1qxgqDB
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) September 1, 2022
