Governor Snyder says he has asked to testify before Congress about Flint water

DETROIT – Gov. Rick Snyder said Friday he wants to testify before U.S. Congress about the water crisis in Flint. 

Here is a statement from the governor's office:

"Gov. Rick Snyder today said he asked the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for the opportunity to testify to explain how the local, state and federal governments combined to fail the people of Flint and the improvements he is recommending at the federal level as well as in Michigan to ensure a water quality crisis of this nature does not happen again.

The governor called Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) on Thursday and offered to travel to Washington, D.C. for a future hearing to explain mistakes made by water quality experts that led to the current crisis and detail the emergency response in place to help residents recover.

The people of Flint have suffered because they were failed by all levels of government, and so it is understandable that there are questions at all levels of government,” Snyder said. “In Michigan we are learning a great deal from this crisis and I am hopeful the federal government also will use this as an opportunity to examine health and safety protections in place, assess infrastructure needs, and avoid this type of crisis in the future.”

Snyder was not invited to the first Flint water hearing held Feb. 3 by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Keith Creagh, interim director of the Department of Environmental Quality, represented the state at the hearing of the full committee."

U.S. Congress has held 2 hearings on Flint water

Congress already has held two hearings on Flint's contaminated water. Local officials and health experts have testified at both. Moreover, federal officials from the Environmental Protection Agency also have testified. 

Members of Congress have repeatedly asked for Snyder to be present. 

Michigan OAG report on Flint