Background on Water for the World Act
The Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2009, was introduced in March by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Bob Corker (R-TN).
The bipartisan legislation would make water and sanitation important pillars of America’s development policy, with the target of providing 100 million people with first-time access to safe and sustainable drinking water and sanitation by 2015.
The Water for the World Act targets underdeveloped countries with focused initiatives to improve access to clean water and sanitation, fosters global cooperation on research and development, provides technical assistance and capacity-building, and provides seed money for the deployment of clean water and sanitation technologies. The bill would elevate water as a U.S. foreign policy priority by creating an Office of Water within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and a Special Coordinator for International Water within the Department of State.
This act builds upon earlier landmark legislation, theSenator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005, which represented the first time a Millennium Development Goal (to halve the percentage of people without access to safe water or sanitation by 2015), was written into American law.
The Water for the World Act was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 17th. With only five cosponsors, the bill isn’t receiving the attention needed for further congressional action. Ask your senators to cosponsor S. 624 now
-Rena Pacheco-Theard
- Previous Post WHO says all children should receive a vaccine to prevent diarrhea
- Next Post Meet charity: water
Blog Contributors
Hot Topics
-
Fight the Famine, Feed the Future
ONE is campaigning to ensure that the Congressional budget does not cut foreign assistance programs like Feed the Future that help people break the cycle of poverty and hunger. -
Crisis in the Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years. More than 11 million people, mostly nomadic pastoralists and farmers in south-central Somalia, north-eastern Kenya, and south-eastern Ethiopia, are severely lacking access to food. -
The Beginning of the End of AIDS
2011 marks 30 years since the first cases of AIDS were documented. Take a closer look at the specific, achievable goals we must hit by 2015 to make this year the beginning of the end of AIDS. -
Agriculture Accountability
As aid agencies warn more than 9 million people could be affected by a food crisis in East Africa, world leaders are failing to keep their 2009 promises to tackle the causes of chronic hunger and support farmers in the world's poorest countries.
From Our Members
-
Our question on faith and development, answered by the White House
Feb 9th, 2012 | Posted by Field -
Remembering ONE member Laurence Carolin on Airplane Day
Feb 8th, 2012 | Posted by Field -
Rep. Dicks is not the Norm… he’s a champion
Feb 3rd, 2012 | Posted by Field
From Our Partners
-
US aid for water, sanitation and hygiene should benefit the poor
Feb 9th, 2012 | Posted by Guest Blogger -
Six Valentine’s Day gifts
Feb 9th, 2012 | Posted by Paulena Papagiannis -
Remembering ONE member Laurence Carolin on Airplane Day
Feb 8th, 2012 | Posted by Field
June 8, 2009 at 1:49 pm
This is site is a great help and is amazing. i have to right a speech for this beezys class and this helped a ton. thank you and good lucky :]
June 13, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Before you sign the One petition regarding the Water for the World Act, please read this re-post from Foreign Policy In Focus:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/03-11