[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 143 (Monday, September 9, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1113]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNITION OF MALCOLM S. MORRIS

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 9, 2019

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Malcolm 
S. Morris as he ends his long chairmanship of the Millennium Water 
Alliance, which he helped to found seventeen years ago. His career is 
marked by his astounding work for this country and for millions of the 
world's poorest people as a longtime advocate for safe drinking water 
and sanitation.
  The Alliance is unique in the global water sector--it includes as 
members fifteen leading U.S. charities that help international 
governments and other organizations bring safe drinking water and 
sanitation systems to millions in Africa, Latin America, the Middle 
East, and Asia. It forges new relationships to accelerate this effort, 
and works with USAID to help advance America's interest in reducing 
poverty and increasing stability and opportunity for millions.
  Malcolm advocated for water as the foundation of development and for 
peace building at a time when the U.S. Government was paying little 
attention to this issue. In particular, Malcolm has been a strong voice 
among his fellow conservative Republicans, urging more of them to join 
in this effort, and to seek common ground with those of us across the 
aisle in supporting foreign assistance to truly help advance our common 
goals in the world.
  His first step was to set up an international faith-based NGO in his 
home state of Texas, and to recruit colleagues and friends who were 
equally passionate. Under his leadership, some gave up well-paying jobs 
to do ``God's work''. To this day that NGO, Living Water, organizes 
mission trips to introduce people firsthand to the potential and 
challenges of development work--work that increases the reputation and 
soft power of the United States, community by community.
  Realizing that the private sector was a relatively untapped source of 
funding for water work, Malcolm organized a ``Millennium Water 
Challenge'' in 2002. As a CEO active in the national business 
community, he invited his fellow CEOs to join him at an event in 
Houston. A number of CEOs turned up and many more sent representatives, 
setting an early example in involving major corporations in water, 
sanitation, and hygiene issues. Because of his leadership, several 
well-known U.S. corporations and brands are now involved in global 
efforts to address water, sanitation, and hygiene.
  Perhaps, Malcolm's greatest contribution has been his insistence that 
USAID should play a bigger role in increasing access to water in the 
developing world. He believed that the U.S. Government, U.S. 
corporations, and U.S. civil society together could make a significant 
contribution to addressing the challenges facing millions of the world 
poorest people. In 2002 he founded the Millennium Water Alliance, with 
the objective of transforming people's lives through improving access 
to safe water, improved sanitation, and good hygiene practices.
  Malcolm then played a major role with others in the helping to pass 
the 2005 Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act and devoted much of his time 
to encouraging members of Congress to fund this legislation. He also 
worked with the Alliance and used his political connections both in the 
U.S. and overseas to set up innovative water, sanitation, and hygiene 
programming in Kenya, Ethiopia and Central America.
  His enduring legacy is someone who built up political capital as an 
innovative business leader and used a significant part of that capital 
for the benefit of poor and marginalized people in the developing 
world. It is, as he would say, ``God's work''.

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