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“WORLD WATER DAY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H1429 on March 21, 2012.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
WORLD WATER DAY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, for many, tomorrow is just an ordinary Thursday, like any other day. But for hundreds of millions of people who lack access to clean water and billions who lack access to adequate sanitation, this ordinary Thursday is part of the daily struggle.
But this Thursday is World Water Day, where those of us fortunate enough to live in developed countries are encouraged to reflect on just how fundamental freshwater is to our health, our children's well-being, and how much we take for granted. We've never had to try to work that hard to find drinking water. We don't have to choose between drinking dirty water and going thirsty. For many of us, freshwater is so safe, abundant, it's hard to even imagine life without it.
But on this World Water Day, we should reflect that every 20 seconds a child dies needlessly from waterborne disease. Today, and every day, women will spend 200 million hours collecting water. This week, 3 million students will miss school because they lack access to clean water or sanitation. Indeed, half the people who are sick around the world today are sick needlessly from waterborne disease.
There is a vision, there is a knowledge to do something about it, but, sadly, we don't have the resources, and we actually don't have the plan. The United States does not only have an obligation to do the right thing and save lives, but it's also in our self-interest to provide access to safe water.
United States security experts testified before this Congress that water problems will contribute to the instability in states important to United States national security interests.
With all the problems the world faces, Congress needs to prioritize programs that deliver the highest return on investment with substantial multiplier effects. And when it comes to foreign assistance, increasing access to clean water is perhaps the most effective use of taxpayer dollars. The World Health Organization estimates that up to $34 is saved for every dollar invested, saved from health care costs and resulting in increased economic productivity.
Indeed, it affects other efforts of our aid. We're involved with trying to eradicate diseases like HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, but taking the medicine with dirty water compounds the problems in terms of diarrheal diseases that result from that dirty water.
Madam Speaker, since we've passed the Water for the World legislation 7 years ago, where Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee Henry Hyde, Senator Reid, and Senator Frist were my partners, we've increased our leadership globally. We owe a debt of gratitude to Secretary Clinton, who has made water a cornerstone of her work while at the helm of the State Department. But we do need to do more; and one simple step, an area where we find broad bipartisan support, is the Water for the World Act that is cosponsored with my friend and colleague from Texas (Mr. Poe).
This legislation strengthens the capacity of USAID and the State Department, increases aid effectiveness, transparency, accountability for sanitation water and hygiene, and it has no net cost, according to the CBO.
I strongly urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation and hope that we can move it forward in this Congress, as there has been movement in the Senate. Millions of lives will be transformed.
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