The Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is urging the U.S. Congress to take steps to protect millions of Americans from carbon monoxide in public housing. Nelson sent a letter this week to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, calling carbon monoxide one of the most dangerous threats facing people living in the units.
“The danger of this silent killer is already acknowledged in the existing legislation that requires carbon monoxide detectors in private homes and there are a few states that require carbon monoxide detectors in hotels and motels,” he said. “However, there are no such requirements covering the millions of Americans who live in public housing or privately-owned housing subsidized by Section 8 vouchers.”
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation to address the problem. Nelson says it is time for both the House and Senate to come together on the issue.
“At a time when there is so much division in our nation, and so much conflict within our political system, it is imperative that we support our senators and representatives who are working on a bipartisan basis to address some of the grievous dangers facing our citizens, especially those who are most disadvantaged,” Nelson said.
Copies of the letter were sent to other U.S. lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The entire letter is included below:
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Senate Majority Leader
United Stated Senate
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0001
Dear Senator McConnell,
It is time for the U.S. Congress to address one of the most dangerous threats facing millions of Americans, the presence of carbon monoxide in our housing. The danger of this silent killer is already acknowledged in the existing legislation that requires carbon monoxide detectors in private homes and there are a few states that require carbon monoxide detectors in hotels and motels. However, there are no such requirements covering the millions of Americans who live in public housing or privately-owned housing subsidized by Section 8 vouchers. Those most vulnerable members of our community deserve the serious attention of our government in addressing this danger under which they live.
It is time for the Congress to rectify this threat to millions of our citizens by requiring carbon monoxide detectors in all housing, both private and public. As you are aware, members of the House of Representatives have taken the first step in passing appropriate legislation to address the problem, and they have now been followed in the bipartisan effort of Democratic Senator Bob Menendez and Republican Senator Tim Scott, who has recently lost South Carolina constituents due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
At a time when there is so much division in our nation, and so much conflict within our political system, it is imperative that we support our senators and representatives who are working on a bipartisan basis to address some of the grievous dangers facing our citizens, especially those who are most disadvantaged. The danger of carbon monoxide poisoning in unregulated housing is something than can be remedied by our legislative leaders and now is the time for the members of both the House and the Senate to come together on this issue.
We are well-aware of your “gate-keeping” role as Senate Majority Leader, and you carry both the burden and the opportunity to see that all Americans are well-served by the actions of our Congress. We urge you to provide leadership by supporting the passage of legislation to protect our most vulnerable citizens from the dangers of death at the hands of this silent killer.
Sincerely yours,
The Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Cc: The Honorable Tim Scott (R-SC)
The Honorable Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
The Honorable Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
The Reverend Jimmie Hawkins, Director, Office of Public Witness, PC(USA)