Milwaukee woman among Biden's State of the Union guests highlighting lead pipe replacement effort
WASHINGTON – A Milwaukee mother and activist shining a light on the city’s lead problem was among President Joe Biden’s guests for Tuesday night’s State of the Union address.
Deanna Branch, who has been outspoken about working to create a community safe from lead after her son’s battle with lead poisoning, sat with First Lady Jill Biden, the second gentleman and other guests during Biden’s speech in the U.S. Capitol.
Branch was invited by the White House to spotlight the Biden Administration’s effort to replace all lead service lines in the U.S. over the next 10 years. That push is funded in part through the $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the American Rescue Plan, measures Biden is expected to tout during his speech.
The infrastructure law includes $15 billion to remove and replace lead service lines across the country.
“Each of these individuals were invited by the White House because they personify issues or themes to be addressed by the President in his speech, or they embody the Biden-Harris Administration’s policies at work for the American people,” the White House said in its announcement.
Branch, a mother of two sons who had to move out of their home due to lead issues in the home and drinking water, first shared her experience with Vice President Kamala Harris during Harris’ visit to Milwaukee in January 2022 to highlight the infrastructure bill. One of Branch's sons, Aidan, was hospitalized twice due to lead exposure.
The lead issue in Wisconsin is widespread. In Milwaukee alone, estimates put the cost of replacing all the lead service lines on both public and private property at nearly $800 million.
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Last month, the White House announced a new “Get the Lead Out Partnership” that aims to use existing funding from sources like the infrastructure bill to accelerate the replacement of lead pipes in four states, including Wisconsin.
The Biden Administration plans to work with the cities of Milwaukee, Madison, Edgerton, Kenosha, Sheboygan and Wausau as part of the partnership.
Other Biden guests Tuesday night included Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova, the parents of Tyre Nichols, the man died after being beaten by police in Memphis last month, and Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee woman is Joe Biden's guest at State of the Union speech