[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 36 (Thursday, March 10, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S1567]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 100--DESIGNATING MARCH 11, 2011, AS ``WORLD PLUMBING 
                                 DAY''

  Mr. BENNET (for himself, Mrs. Murray, and Mr. Merkley) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 100

       Whereas the industry of plumbing plays an important role in 
     safeguarding the public health of the people of the United 
     States and the world;
       Whereas 884,000,000 people around the world do not have 
     access to safe drinking water;
       Whereas 2,600,000,000 people around the world live without 
     adequate sanitation facilities;
       Whereas the lack of sanitation is the largest cause of 
     infection in the world;
       Whereas in the developing world, 24,000 children under the 
     age of 5 die every day from preventable causes, such as 
     diarrhea contracted from unclean water;
       Whereas safe and efficient plumbing helps save money and 
     reduces future water supply costs and infrastructure costs;
       Whereas the installation of modern plumbing systems must be 
     accomplished in a specific, safe manner by trained 
     professionals in order to prevent widespread disease, which 
     can be crippling and deadly to the community;
       Whereas the people of the United States rely on plumbing 
     professionals to maintain, repair, and rebuild the aging 
     water infrastructure of the United States; and
       Whereas Congress and plumbing professionals across the 
     United States and the world are committed to safeguarding 
     public health: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate designates March 11, 2011, as 
     ``World Plumbing Day''.

  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I am proud to rise today to submit a 
resolution designating March 11 as World Plumbing Day.
  Water is our planet's most precious resource, and it is also a 
resource the developed world often takes for granted. When we stop at a 
drinking fountain, or when we prepare dinner for our families, we are 
confident that the water emerging from the tap is free of harmful and 
dangerous contaminants.
  Yet a reliable supply of water needed to maintain life is not readily 
available to nearly one billion people around the world. In fact, the 
ravages of water insecurity and inadequate sanitation claim 6,000 lives 
every day. The majority of these casualties are children. Nearly one in 
five child deaths worldwide is due to waterborne illness.
  Modern plumbing technologies can prevent deaths and combat sickness. 
By supporting access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation 
through sound plumbing infrastructure and minimum plumbing codes, we 
can significantly raise quality of life and help to eliminate a 
historic cause of human suffering.
  Today I stand in gratitude to our skilled, licensed plumbers and pipe 
fitters who work hard every day to ensure that the plumbing systems and 
infrastructure in our homes, places of business, and communities 
continue to function properly and provide us with water safe for 
consumption.
  I would like to thank the International Association of Plumbing and 
Mechanical Officials, IAPMO, for raising awareness of this important 
issue. These individuals work diligently to create and maintain the 
Uniform Plumbing Code, which serves as the foundation for all plumbing 
installation and inspection activities for over half the world's 
population.
  IAPMO is the only model code developer in America utilizing an open 
consensus process accredited by the American National Standards 
Institute, ANSI, for plumbing and mechanical codes. Worldwide, IAPMO 
and its members are on the front lines of public health and safety in 
assisting cities, counties, states, and countries with developing 
plumbing codes and providing training that protects our communities and 
saves lives.
  I submit this resolution in recognition of the importance of clean 
water and the important contribution to America being made every single 
day by those men and women who maintain our plumbing infrastructure.

                          ____________________