I 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6565 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 21, 2010 Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas (for herself, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Payne, Mr. McGovern, and Mr. Cleaver) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To improve efforts of the United States Government to ensure that developing countries have affordable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation, and for other purposes.

1.

Short Title

This Act may be cited as the Global Water Access and Equity Act.

2.

International Water Issues Diplomatic Coordinator

Section 1 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a) is amended— (1)by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and (2)by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection: (g)

International Water Issues Diplomatic Coordinator

(1)

Establishment of position

There is established within the Department of State in the immediate office of the Secretary of State a Coordinator of United States Government Diplomatic Initiatives to Provide Safe Water and Sanitation Globally (in this subsection referred to as the Coordinator), who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Coordinator shall report directly to the Secretary. (2)

Duties

(A)

In general

The Coordinator shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as the Secretary of State shall prescribe. (B)

Specific duties

(i)

Advising the Secretary of State

The Coordinator shall be the Secretary of State’s principal advisor on efforts of the United States Government to ensure that developing countries have affordable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation. (ii)

Monitoring United States Diplomatic Policy

The Coordinator shall monitor the diplomatic policy of the United States Government and shall formulate ways in which such policy may be used to further the goal of ensuring that developing countries have access to safe water and sanitation, including the objectives expressed in the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (22 U.S.C. 2152h note) and the amendments made by that Act. (3)

Definition

For purposes of this subsection, the term safe water means water for drinking, household use, and crop irrigation. .

3.

Administration of Global Water Aid

(a)

Bureau for Global Water Aid

The Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (22 U.S.C. 2152h note) is amended— (1)by redesignating section 11 as section 12; and (2)by inserting after section 10 the following new section:

11.

Bureau for Global Water Aid

(a)

Establishment

There is established within the United States Agency for International Development a Bureau for Global Water Aid (in this section referred to as the Bureau). (b)

Assistant Administrator

The Bureau shall be headed by an Assistant Administrator for Global Water Aid (in this section referred to as the Assistant Administrator), who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Assistant Administrator shall report directly to the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. (c)

Duties of Assistant Administrator

The Assistant Administrator shall be responsible for the oversight and coordination of all United States Government activities to provide safe water and sanitation to developing countries, including implementation of this Act and the amendments made by this Act. (d)

Staff

The Bureau shall be staffed by such persons as the Assistant Administrator considers necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the Assistant Administrator.

. (b)

Authorization under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961

(1)

Authorization

Subsection (b) of the second section 135 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2152h(b)), as added by section 5(a) of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (22 U.S.C. 2152h note), is amended by inserting after the President the following: , acting through the Assistant Administrator for Global Water Aid,. (2)

Definition

Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (e)

Definition

For purposes of this section, the term safe water means water for drinking, household use, and crop irrigation. . (3)

Redesignation and Conforming Amendments

(A)

Redesignation

Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended by redesignating the second section 135 (22 U.S.C. 2152h), as added by section 5(a) of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (22 U.S.C. 2152h note), as section 136. (B)

Conforming amendments

The Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (22 U.S.C. 2152h note) is amended by striking section 135 each place it appears and inserting section 136. (c)

Authorization under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954

Section 104(c)(9) of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1704(c)(9)) is amended— (1)by striking section 135 and inserting section 136; and (2)by adding at the end the following new sentence: For purposes of this paragraph, the term safe water means water for drinking, household use, and crop irrigation.. (d)

Division of responsibility under the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005

(1)

Safe water and sanitation strategy

Section 6 of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (22 U.S.C. 2152h note) is amended— (A)in subsection (c), by striking Secretary of State, acting through the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and inserting Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development; (B)in subsection (g)— (i)in paragraph (2)(A), by striking Secretary of State and inserting Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development; and (ii)in paragraph (3)(A), by striking Committee on International Relations and inserting Committee on Foreign Affairs; and (C)by adding at the end the following new subsection: (h)

Definition

For purposes of this Act, the term safe water means water for drinking, household use, and crop irrigation. . (2)

Sense of Congress regarding development of local capacity

Section 8 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2152h note) is amended by striking Secretary of State and inserting Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. (3)

Report regarding water for peace and security

Section 10(b) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2152h note) is amended— (A)by striking The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and inserting The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, in consultation with the Secretary of State,; and (B)by striking Committee on International Relations and inserting Committee on Foreign Affairs. (4)

Further division of responsibility

Such Act (22 U.S.C. 2152h note) is further amended— (A)by redesignating section 12 (as redesignated by subsection (a) of this section) as section 13; and (B)by inserting after section 11 the following new section:

12.

Division of Responsibility

(a)

Coordination

In overseeing and coordinating United States Government activities to provide safe water and sanitation to developing countries, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall coordinate with the Secretary of State to ensure that the manner of carrying out such activities is consistent with the overall diplomatic policy of the United States. The Secretary of State shall, to the maximum extent feasible, make such activities a priority of the diplomatic policy of the United States. (b)

Rule of construction

For purposes of sections 6 through 10 and subsection (a) of this section— (1)any reference to the Secretary of State shall be deemed to be a reference to the Secretary of State, acting through the Coordinator of United States Government Diplomatic Initiatives to Provide Safe Water and Sanitation Globally, established by section 1(g) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956; and (2)any reference to the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall be deemed to be a reference to the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, acting through the Assistant Administrator for Global Water Aid, established by section 11 of this Act.

.

4.

Sense of Congress on Promotion of Efficient Use of Water

It is the sense of Congress that the policy of the United States Government should promote more efficient use of existing water supplies in developing countries (including through superior methods of irrigation), as well as the development of additional reliable water supplies.

5.

Authorization of Appropriations

(a)

In general

There are authorized to be appropriated for each of the fiscal years 2012 through 2016 such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act. (b)

Other amounts

Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in subsection (a) shall be in addition to the amounts otherwise available to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act. (c)

Availability

Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in subsection (a) are authorized to remain available until expended.