[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4625]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 72--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF THE 
                    INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF SANITATION

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Brown, Mr. Feingold, and 
Mr. Voinovich) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 72

       Whereas, at the 55th Session of the United Nations General 
     Assembly in 2000, the United States, along with other world 
     leaders, committed to achieving the Millennium Development 
     Goals (MDGs), which provide a framework for countries and 
     international organizations to combat such global social ills 
     as poverty, hunger, and disease;
       Whereas one target of the Millennium Development Goals is 
     to halve by 2015 the proportion of people without access to 
     safe drinking water and basic sanitation, the only target to 
     be codified into United States law, in the Paul Simon Water 
     for the Poor Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-121);
       Whereas the lack of access to safe water and sanitation is 
     one of the most pressing environmental public health issues 
     in the world;
       Whereas over 1,000,000,000 people live without potable 
     water, and an estimated 2,600,000,000 people, including 
     980,000,000 children, do not have access to basic sanitation 
     facilities;
       Whereas, every 20 seconds, a child dies as a direct result 
     of a lack of access to basic sanitation facilities;
       Whereas only 36 percent of people in sub-Saharan Africa and 
     37 percent of people in South Asia have access to safe 
     drinking water and sanitation, the lowest rates in the world;
       Whereas, at any one time, almost half of the people in the 
     developing world are suffering from diseases associated with 
     lack of water, sanitation, and hygiene;
       Whereas improved sanitation decreases the incidences of 
     debilitating and deadly maladies such as cholera, intestinal 
     worms, diarrhea, pneumonia, dysentery, and skin infections;
       Whereas sanitation is the foundation of health, dignity, 
     and development;
       Whereas increased sanitation is fundamental for reaching 
     all of the Millennium Development Goals;
       Whereas access to basic sanitation helps economic and 
     social development in countries where poor sanitation is a 
     major cause of lost work and school days because of illness;
       Whereas sanitation in schools enables children, 
     particularly girls reaching puberty, to remain in the 
     educational system;
       Whereas, according to the World Health Organization, every 
     dollar spent on proper sanitation by governments generates an 
     average $7 in economic benefit;
       Whereas improved disposal of human waste protects the 
     quality of water sources used for drinking, preparation of 
     food, agriculture, and bathing;
       Whereas, at the 61st Session of the United Nations General 
     Assembly in 2006, the United Nations declared 2008 as the 
     International Year of Sanitation to recognize the progress 
     made in achieving the global sanitation target detailed in 
     the Millennium Development Goals, as well as to call upon all 
     member states, United Nations agencies, regional and 
     international organizations, civil society organizations, and 
     other relevant stakeholders to renew their commitment to 
     attaining that target;
       Whereas the official launching of the International Year of 
     Sanitation at the United Nations was on November 21, 2007; 
     and
       Whereas the thrust of the International Year of Sanitation 
     has three parts, including raising awareness of the 
     importance of sanitation and its impact on reaching other 
     Millennium Development Goals, encouraging governments and its 
     partners to promote and implement policies and actions for 
     meeting the sanitation target, and mobilizing communities, 
     particularly women's groups, towards changing sanitation and 
     hygiene practices through sanitation health-education 
     campaigns: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of the International Year 
     of Sanitation;
       (2) recognizes the importance of sanitation on public 
     health, poverty reduction, economic and social development, 
     and the environment; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     the International Year of Sanitation with appropriate 
     recognition, ceremonies, activities, and programs to 
     demonstrate the importance of sanitation, hygiene, and access 
     to safe drinking water in achieving the Millennium 
     Development Goals.

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