[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 149 (Tuesday, December 9, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SENATOR PAUL SIMON WATER FOR THE WORLD ACT OF 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 8, 2014

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend Mr. Blumenauer and 
Mr. Poe for their hard work on H.R. 2901, the Senator Paul Simon Water 
for the World Act. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this legislation, 
and was pleased to work closely with the bill's sponsors and Chairman 
Royce to bring the bill through our Foreign Affairs Committee and onto 
the floor today.
  This legislation enjoys broad support from a coalition of nearly 80 
civil society groups that are dedicated to developing access to clean 
water around the world, and it has more than 100 bipartisan cosponsors 
in the House.
  Congress has long been committed to making the United States a global 
leader in improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene. America 
and its international partners have provided clean water to millions of 
the world's poorest people. This investment has saved countless lives, 
but there is much more work to be done.
  More than 750 million people still lack access to clean water. Twenty 
percent of the global population remains dependent on water that is 
either polluted or drastically overdrawn. Two and a half billion do not 
have proper sanitation facilities. Nearly 1 in every 5 deaths among 
children under age 5 are caused by water-related diseases, and 3.4 
million people die from inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene every 
year. These problems are not merely social injustices but pose a 
significant obstacle to security and economic prosperity across wide 
regions of the world.
  This bill will make our existing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) 
programs more effective by establishing priorities and focusing on 
areas with the greatest need and the most potential. It will enhance 
oversight and coordination by requiring the designation of a Global 
Water Coordinator at USAID and a Global Water Advisor at the Department 
of State, and it will update strategic planning by calling for an 
improved Global Water Strategy. These changes will enhance the 
investments we are already making through USAID and the Department of 
State.
  Through these steps, H.R. 2901 will help ensure that our water 
development programs continue to save lives and improve health for 
millions of people in need around the world. I encourage my colleagues 
to support this important bill and hope the other body will give this 
legislation the expedited consideration it deserves.

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