President Obama has told autoworkers in Detroit that his administration is doing what it can to assist Flint in that city's water crisis.
Obama said Wednesday at the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources that if he were a parent in Flint he would be beside himself if his children's health was "at risk."
The president also said the situation in Flint is a "reminder of why you can't shortchange basic services."
Obama has declared an emergency in Flint, qualifying the city for $5 million. Gov. Rick Snyder is seeking a federal disaster declaration which would bring in more federal resources.
Corrosive water from the Flint River has caused lead to leach from old pipes into homes. Tests have shown high levels of lead in the blood of some children.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says the "considerable" needs brought by the disaster exceed the funding capabilities of state and local government. He says without additional federal aid, Michigan won't have money to repair the entire public water system, plumbing inside homes in the high-poverty city and to provide other assistance.
The Michigan House has approved Gov. Snyder's request for $28 million more to deal with Flint's drinking water crisis.
The House voted unanimously Wednesday, and the measure moves to the Senate for expected action next week.
The funding, which follows the Legislature's $9 million allocation toward the crisis in the fall, would pay for more bottled water, filters, health treatment, water testing and help the city offset unpaid water bills. The money also would cover the replacement of plumbing fixtures in schools, day cares and medical facilities.
Meanwhile, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver says she will not call for Gov. Snyder's resignation over the water crisis in her city.
Asked at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, D.C., what repercussions Snyder should face, she said Snyder needs to remain in place to provide "the services and the money, the funds that we need to address the population."
Flint's water became contaminated with too much lead when its water source was switched in a cost-cutting measure in 2014. Protesters called for the governor's resignation as he delivered his State of the State speech Tuesday night.
Weaver refused to join those calls, saying she is staying focused on what she can get from the governor to resolve the crisis.
Lead contamination can lead to behavior problems and learning disabilities in children and kidney ailments in adults.
Flint's 100,000 residents are unable to drink unfiltered tap water. The National Guard, state employees, local authorities and volunteers are distributing lead tests, filters and bottled water. (AP)
