[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 50 (Tuesday, May 2, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H1948-H1950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF WORLD WATER DAY

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 658) supporting the goals and ideals of 
World Water Day, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 658

       Whereas the global celebration of World Water Day is an 
     initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations 
     Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro;
       Whereas the United Nations General Assembly, via 
     resolution, designated March 22 of each year as World Water 
     Day;
       Whereas although water resources are renewable, differences 
     in availability of water resources exist due to variations in 
     seasonal and annual precipitation in different parts of the 
     world;
       Whereas although water is the most widely occurring 
     substance on earth, only 2.53 percent of all water is 
     freshwater and the remainder is salt water;
       Whereas freshwater resources are further reduced by various 
     forms of industrial, chemical, human, and agricultural 
     pollution;
       Whereas the drainage of wetlands for agriculture and the 
     dissipation of water sources by land clearance lead to 
     further exacerbation of water scarcity;
       Whereas, according to the United Nations, by the middle of 
     this century, at worst, seven billion people in 60 countries 
     will be water-scarce;
       Whereas the poor are the most affected by water scarcity, 
     with 50 percent of the populations of developing countries 
     exposed to polluted water sources;
       Whereas water-related diseases are among the most common 
     causes of illness and death, afflicting primarily the poor in 
     developing countries;
       Whereas the estimated mortality rate due to diseases 
     transmitted by water and sanitation is five million people 
     per year;
       Whereas initiatives that promote access to safe drinking 
     water and sanitation that prevents contaminants from 
     infiltrating fresh drinking water supplies are vital tools in 
     raising the awareness of the importance of freshwater to the 
     quality of life; and
       Whereas freshwater is vital to the development, 
     sustainability, and progression of all humanity: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of World Water Day;
       (2) recognizes the importance of conserving and managing 
     water resources for sustainable development, including 
     environmental integrity and the eradication of poverty and 
     hunger, and human health and overall quality of life in the 
     United States and across the globe; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     World Water Day with appropriate recognition, ceremonies, 
     activities, and programs to demonstrate the importance of 
     water and water conservation to humanity.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 658, 
expressing support for the goals and ideals of World Water Day. The 
global celebration of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of 
the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 
Rio de Janeiro. The United Nations General Assembly by resolution 
designated March 22 of each year as World Water Day.
  I want to thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie 
Bernice Johnson), for introducing this important resolution. Passing 
this resolution will add to the strong bipartisan support in Congress 
for fighting global water challenges. This resolution builds upon the 
accomplishments of this Congress as embodied in the Senator Paul Simon 
Water For the Poor Act of 2005, Public Law 109-121, introduced by Mr. 
Blumenauer.
  Water-related illnesses claim the life of one child approximately 
every 8 to 15 seconds, killing up to 5,000 children a day and up to 5 
million people every year. The statistics associated with global water 
issues are shocking. According to the World Health Organization, 1.2 
billion people do not have access to safe water, and 2.4 billion people 
lack access to basic sanitation.
  World Water Day helps to raise awareness among international 
community members about this humanitarian catastrophe which places 
global development and human security in peril.
  This resolution communicates our support for World Water Day. It 
recognizes the importance of conserving and managing water resources 
for sustainable development, environmental integrity, and the 
eradication of poverty and hunger, human health and overall quality of 
life; and it encourages the people of the United States to observe 
World Water Day.

[[Page H1949]]

  Paula Dobriansky, the Under Secretary For Democracy and Global 
Affairs, recently led the U.S. delegation to the fourth World Water 
Forum in Mexico City, Mexico. Under Secretary Dobriansky's remarks 
emphasized the linkages between increased access to safe water and 
sanitation to improving human development indicators.
  The administration has taken some noteworthy actions in response to 
these challenges. The Water For the Poor and Clean Water For People are 
initiatives equaling almost $1.5 billion combined are positive 
contributions that will advance the United Nations Millennium 
Development Goals and implement the Johannesburg Plan by 2015 to reduce 
the number of people by one-half who have no access to safe drinking 
water and sanitation.
  I invite my colleagues and staff to learn more about what the private 
sector and the U.S. Government are doing to meet these challenges this 
Thursday at an event sponsored by the Rotary Club of Washington and 
water advocates. This event will focus on safe water and sanitation 
worldwide and implementing the Senator Simon Water For the Poor Act. 
The event will take place on Thursday, May 4, at 11 a.m. in the 
Montpelier Room of the Library of Congress. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage 
of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I would 
first like to commend my good friend and distinguished colleague, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), for introducing 
this very important measure, and my good friend and fellow member of 
the International Relations Committee, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. 
Blumenauer), for his advocacy on behalf of all matters related to the 
global environment.
  Mr. Speaker, this past December the President signed the Senator Paul 
Simon Water For the Poor Act. This important piece of legislation 
demonstrated the United States' steadfast commitment to clean water and 
safe sanitation by designating it a major foreign policy goal of the 
United States.
  We further solidified this commitment by participating in the fourth 
World Water Forum held in March. Our Nation joined with the rest of the 
international community in Mexico City to discuss the most pressing 
issues facing access to clean water and sanitation.
  I would like to commend Under Secretary For Democracy and Global 
Affairs Paula Dobriansky, for leading the U.S. delegation to the World 
Water Forum and for the decision to join the international community in 
calling for global action on water and sanitation issues.
  Mr. Speaker, the resolution on the floor today is yet another 
defining step in our quest to see all people gain access to clean water 
by supporting the goals and ideals of World Water Day, conserving and 
managing water resources for sustainable development.
  In the interest of keeping with our core humanitarian values and 
promoting sustainable development worldwide, we must continue to 
promote the goals of clean water, sound water conservation and 
management, and basic sanitation. I strongly support this resolution, 
Mr. Speaker. I urge all of my colleagues to also support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like first 
to extend my appreciation to the leadership of the International 
Relations Committee, particularly Chairman Hyde and the ranking member, 
Mr. Lantos, and the subcommittee people for working with me to advance 
this measure. I would also like to thank Mr. Blumenauer for serving as 
my partner on this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 658 supports the goals and ideals of World Water 
Day, an initiative born out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on 
Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. The day is to be 
observed consistent with the recommendations called for by the United 
Nations Conference on Environment and Development's Fresh Water 
Resources Agenda which urges the protection of the quality and supply 
of fresh water resources.
  While I am aware that the official date recognizing World Water Day 
has passed, it is my respectful view that raising public awareness 
regarding one of the Earth's most precious resources should be year-
round. Water is vital to human life, as a matter of fact, all life; and 
although it is the most widely occurring substance on Earth, it is 
important to note that only approximately 2 percent of all water is 
fresh water.
  As various forms of pollution and sprawl continue to adversely impact 
our fresh water supplies, it is imperative now more than ever that the 
importance of integrated water resources development and conservation 
and improving the overall quality of life here in the United States and 
across the globe be highlighted.
  Each day, millions of Americans turn to their faucets and their 
bottles for fresh drinking water, rarely giving a thought to the 
current demands our water supplies and infrastructure face. Yet while 
many Americans may think that water resource and development challenges 
are particularly associated with less-developed countries, it is 
important to note that the United States is not immune from some of the 
same challenges.
  In 1972, this body enacted the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 
commonly known as the Clean Water Act. The act promised that all 
Americans would have access to healthy waterways and clean drinking 
water. Although considerable progress has been made since enactment of 
this legislation to ensure the integrity of our water, many challenges 
persist as initiatives to comprehensively overhaul the act have 
stalled.
  The Nation's wastewater treatment infrastructure, typically the first 
line of defense in keeping harmful pollutants out of our fresh water 
supplies, is in desperate need of investment. According to the 
Environmental Protection Agency, as much as $390 billion will be needed 
over the next two decades to rebuild, repair, and upgrade the Nation's 
wastewater treatment infrastructure.
  Controlling the discharge of toxic pollutants such as heavy metals 
and inorganic chemicals into our waterways is also becoming an 
increasing challenge.

                              {time}  1615

  Data reported by the EPA indicates that 39 percent of river and 
stream miles assessed by States and 45 percent of assessed lake acreage 
do not meet the applicable water quality standards and are impaired for 
one or more desired uses.
  Further, approximately 95,000 lakes and 544,000 river miles in the 
United States are under fish-consumption advisories due to chemical 
contaminants in lakes, rivers, and coastal waters.
  As of 2003, mercury, a contaminant of increasing concern, has forced 
45 States to issue partial or statewide fish and shellfish consumption 
advisories.
  As the ranking member on the Water Resources and Environment 
Subcommittee, I feel strongly that our water policy needs a strong set 
of government standards and safeguards to continue to protect public 
health and safety.
  We should build on our achievements made possible by innovations, 
like the Clean Water Act, and not turn our back on them.
  Congress should reaffirm and restore the Clean Water Act, which has 
made our water valuable for drinking, fishing, swimming and other 
economically vital uses for over 30 years. The Nation's future 
generations are depending on us.
  For our children's sake, it is important that we place responsible 
stewardship of our Nation's water resources and water infrastructure 
back on our priorities for our Nation.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. There are 
metropolitan areas now that advise people not to drink the public 
water.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 658, 
supporting the goals and ideals of World Water Day, which I introduced 
with Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, the Ranking Member on our 
Water Resources and the Environment Subcommittee.
  Access to safe drinking water and sanitation is critical to promoting 
good health, fighting

[[Page H1950]]

poverty, protecting the environment, empowering women and promoting 
economic growth around the world. These were the goals of the ``Paul 
Simon Water for the Poor Act,'' which I introduced last year. This 
legislation, which was signed into law on December 1st, establishes 
water and sanitation as a cornerstone of United States foreign 
assistance efforts.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues, concerned 
organizations, and the administration to help ensure that the United 
States is a leader on global water issues and works hard to make the 
goals and ideals of World Water Day a reality for over a billion people 
around the world in need.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I also have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 658, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

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