H.R. 2030 would provide 100,000,000 people with first-time access to safe drinking water and sanitation on a sustainable basis by 2015 by improving the capacity of the United States Government to fully implement the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005.
Detailed Summary
Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2009 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to direct the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish the Office of Water within the Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade to: (1) give assistance to provide safe water and sanitation for people worldwide; and (2) be headed by a Director for Safe Water and Sanitation. Outlines the Director's duties.
Requires the Secretary of State, in order to increase the capacity of the Department of State to address international issues regarding safe water, sanitation, integrated river basin management, and other international water programs, to establish a Special Coordinator for International Water. Outlines the Special Coordinator's duties.
Amends the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 to: (1) revise requirements concerning the safe water and sanitation strategy; (2) provide for the establishment of a program to build the capacity of host country institutions and officials responsible for water and sanitation in countries that receive assistance to provide safe water and sanitation under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961; (3) expand the list of activities that may be supported by assistance furnished by the President for programs in developing countries to provide affordable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation; and (4) require the report regarding water for peace and security to include an assessment of political tensions over water sources and a multidisciplinary assessment of the expected impacts of global climate change on water supplies in 10, 25, and 50 years.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 4/22/2009: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Points in Favor
(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)
Points Against
(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)
Visitor Comments
Charles Richardson
June 22, 2009, 10:14am (report abuse)I have three comments:
First, An international effort of this sort might better be administered through the United Nations.
Second, I find no estimates of fiscal impact.
Third, I note the clause,
'(9) an assessment of best practices for mobilizing and leveraging the financial and technical capacity of business, governments, nongovernmental organizations, and civil society in forming public-private partnerships that measurably increase access to safe drinking water and sanitation.'
This clause coud open the efforts to private, exploitive corporate involvement. We've already been there and don't need to do it again.
Charles Richardson
Hastings, NE