Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 16, 2014. Last night, the United States Senate passed Congressman Earl Blumenauer’s bill, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act. The bill will now head to President Obama’s desk for his signature.
Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) released the following statement:
As we come to the very final day of the least productive Congress in the history of our country, Americans are searching for something, anything, to show that their leaders on Capitol Hill can find ways to put aside politics and do the right thing when needed. Last night, despite the odds, we saw such an achievement as the Senate passed the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act, my bipartisan legislation to improve global water, health, and sanitation and improve the lives of millions across the world. Since it passed the House unanimously last week, it will now head to the President’s desk to become law.
I have said for years that politics stops at water. Today, because of the dedicated efforts of champions in the House, like my co-lead Representative Ted Poe and House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, our Senate leads, Senators Durbin and Corker, and the advocacy community, we have proven that statement true.
Once the bill is fully enacted, it will help the U.S. more effectively deliver clean, potable water to the world’s poorest, especially women and girls who spend countless hours, and place themselves at great risk of physical harm, to gather water from often polluted sources every day.
The legislation is historic, requiring the first ever U.S. Global Water Strategy, outlining how the U.S. can help the most vulnerable, while at the same time preventing water-related conflict. It will also increase access to toilets and other basic sanitation for the 2.5 billion people globally who currently live without, undercutting the spread of contagious, deadly diseases.
I sincerely hope that the passage of the Water for the World Act is only a first glimpse of the bipartisan progress we will make in the 114th Congress once we concentrate on areas of common interest. We can build on this success and make the next two years more productive than the last two.
Source: blumenauer.house.gov
