[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19167-19168]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              AFRICA WATER

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, diplomacy and foreign policy are essential 
pillars of our national security. They reflect the values, principles, 
views and interests of the American people. They are central to 
advancing the United States role and stature in the world.
  This year, for the first time ever, we are earmarking specific funds 
in the Foreign Operations bill to advance a specific cause. This year, 
we are legislating a direct appropriation of $200 million to advance 
the cause of clean water and sanitation--$50 million specifically 
targeted toward Africa.
  In America, we take clean water for granted. Water to drink. Water to 
bathe in. But in other parts of the world, clean water is a scarcity 
and the results are devastating.
  Every 15 seconds a child dies because of a disease contracted from 
unclean water. Ninety percent of infant deaths are caused by unclean 
water. Water-related disease kills 14,000 people a day, most of them 
children. Millions more are debilitated and prevented from leading 
healthy lives.
  Cholera, typhoid, dysentery, dengue fever, trachoma, intestinal 
helminth infection, and schistosomiasis can all be prevented simply by 
providing safe water and sanitation.
  Unfortunately, reliable projections suggest that the problem is only 
growing worse. Water stress and water scarcity, leading to impure and 
disease borne water, is expected to increase. By 2025, upwards of two-
thirds of the world's population may be subject to water stress.
  Imagine living in a rural village in Sub Saharan Africa or East Asia 
where the village members share their water source with livestock.
  Imagine being a grandmother like Mihiret G-Maryam from a small 
village in Ethiopia. She watched five of her grandchildren between the 
ages of three and eight die from water-related diseases.
  Before the UK-based WaterAid organization intervened in her 
community, constant stomach pain and diarrhea were a fact of life. The 
foul smelling, contaminated water exposed Mihiret and her neighbors to 
parasitic diseases.
  With no latrines, human waste was everywhere. As Mihiret testifies, 
``it was horrid to see, as well as being unhealthy.''
  Now, because of the education and investment of WaterAid, together 
with the local church, her village is clean and the people no longer 
suffer chronic stomach aches. Clean water has literally saved lives. 
And proper management and intervention can be a currency for peace and 
international cooperation.
  I have been on numerous medical missions around the world and seen 
the truth of this. In January, I traveled with my colleague Senator 
Landrieu to East Asia to survey the aftermath of the December 26 
tsunami.
  We helicoptered over the Sri Lankan coast and through the windows 
witnessed a scene of unending devastation.
  Over 155,000 people died. At least 1 million lost their homes. Whole 
villages were literally washed out to sea.

[[Page 19168]]

  Through all of this, the lack of clean water emerged as the most 
pressing public health concern. In many areas, the tsunami had poisoned 
wells with salt water, and swept away water treatment plants.
  Shortages of potable water threatened to trigger outbreaks of 
diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. The large pools of 
stagnant water I saw along the coast were potential breeding grounds 
for mosquitoes carrying malaria and dengue fever.
  In confronting these challenges, America showed tremendous generosity 
and compassion. And part of our efforts included innovative new 
technologies to provide clean, safe water. And those efforts continue.
  This March, World Water Day launched the International Decade for 
Action. The United States and countries around the world are working 
together to reduce by one-half the number of people who lack access to 
safe drinking water.
  I applaud the President his leadership. In August 2002, the 
administration launched the ``Water for the Poor Initiative'' to 
improve management of fresh water resources in over 70 developing 
countries. An estimated $750 million was invested in 2004 alone.
  While no single piece of legislation can eliminate water-related 
diseases in the world, continued leadership is essential.
  In March, the minority leader and I introduced the Safe Water: 
Currency of Peace Act to make safe water and sanitation a major 
priority of our foreign relief efforts.
  The $200 million earmarked in the Foreign Operations bill is an 
extension of these efforts.
  I commend the assistant majority leader, Senator McConnell, the 
chairman of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, for his 
leadership. And I thank my colleagues for their continued commitment to 
this pressing issue.
  It is hard to imagine that something so basic, so necessary, is 
lacking in so many places.
  Providing clean water will save millions of lives. It is as simple as 
a glass of H2O.

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