WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to protect Providence families by helping them remove and prevent lead hazards within their homes, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today announced the city will receive $3 million in Lead Hazard Control funding and $2.45 million in Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration funding. These programs will enable the city to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in 590 eligible, privately-owned homes.

"Lead poisoning is a preventable tragedy that dramatically impacts a child's ability to learn and has a significant cost for schools and our society. Without this federal funding, fewer parents would be able to protect their children from lead hazards that may be present in their homes," said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee and senior member of the Banking Committee which oversees federal housing policy. "This is a smart investment in the health and development of our children and will reduce the costs associated with treating lead poisoning."

Reed created the Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Program in 2003 after learning that the demand for funding to combat lead poisoning far exceeded the budget of the Office of Lead Hazard Control - diluting the impact federal funds could have on any hard hit single city. This program, which is run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is targeted at areas that have a disproportionately high-percentage of children under age six with dangerous levels of lead in their blood.

Senator Reed has been a consistent supporter of lead poisoning prevention programs throughout his career. Last year, he spearheaded the effort to provide at least $195 million in funding to the OHHLHC for its lead hazard prevention grant programs. The President proposed cutting funding for the programs by $29 million from last year.

Reed has also sponsored legislation to require all children covered under federal health programs to be screened and treated for lead poisoning. Reed's provision was included in the Children's Health Act of 2000, which was signed into law. It also authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue recommendations to ensure uniform reporting requirements for blood lead levels at state laboratories and to improve data collection on the number of children screened for lead poisoning annually.