S.Res. 478Senate110th Congress (2007-2009)Passed Congress

A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of "World Water Day".

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5 earlier actions

SenateFloor Latest Action

Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S2250)

March 31, 2008

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 10, 2008

SenateIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1821)

March 10, 2008

SenateIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1821)

Foreign Relations Committee

March 10, 2008

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S2250)

Foreign Relations Committee

March 31, 2008

SenateDischarge

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2250)

Foreign Relations Committee

March 31, 2008

SenateFloor

Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S2250)

March 31, 2008

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S.Res. 478 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Sen. Gordon H. SmithR-OR · Mar 10, 2008

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a resolution supporting the ideals and goals of World Water Day. I am pleased to have my colleague Senator John Kerry joining me in this cause by serving as…

March 22 was established as World Water Day by the United Nations General Assembly to promote awareness of the importance of access to clean water and improved sanitation. Over 1 billion people lack access to an improved water supply and 2.6 billion people lack access to improved sanitation.

Activities are planned internationally to further the goals and ideals of World Water Day. In many cities across the United States, UNICEF is sponsoring the Tap Project. Restaurants will offer patrons the opportunity to add at least $1 to their checks during the week of March 16. Each dollar donated will result in a child receiving clean water for 40 days. Thee are currently 16 featured cities, including Portland, OR, and Boston MA.

In 2000, the United Nations member States adopted eight millennium development goals as a basis for working cooperatively. To ensure environmental stability, one of the goals established is to reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015. While some progress has been made, much more remains to be done. The United Nation's 2007 Millennium Development Goals Report reveals that we are on pace to miss the 2015 target for access to basic sanitation by over 600 million.

Each day millions of women and girls spend hours traveling miles to transport water to their homes. In many cases, the source is polluted. At any given time, half of the world's hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from waterborne diseases. These diseases are the leading cause of death for children under 5.

The Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 set a goal of providing equal and affordable access to clean and safe water and sanitation in developing countries. This access has long been recognized by the U.S. as a contributing factor to our foreign policy interests. More importantly, access to clean and safe water is basic human right.

We urge our colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Sen. Sheldon WhitehouseD-RI · Mar 31, 2008

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 478, and the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration. I ask…

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Agreed to SenateIssued March 31, 2008

III

110th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. RES. 478

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 10, 2008

Mr. Smith (for himself and Mr. Kerry) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

March 31 (legislative day, March 13), 2008

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to

RESOLUTION

Supporting the goals and ideals of World Water Day.

Whereas the United Nations General Assembly, via resolution, has designated March 22 of each year as World Water Day;

Whereas a person needs 4 to 5 liters of water per day to survive;

Whereas a person can live weeks without food, but only days without water;

Whereas every 15 seconds a child dies from a water-borne disease;

Whereas, for children under age 5, water-borne diseases are the leading cause of death;

Whereas millions of women and children spend several hours a day collecting water from distant, often polluted sources;

Whereas every dollar spent on water and sanitation saves on average $9 in costs averted and productivity gained;

Whereas, at any given time, 1/2 of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-borne disease;

Whereas 88 percent of all diseases are caused by unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene;

Whereas 1,100,000,000 (1 in 6) people lack access to an improved water supply;

Whereas 2,600,000,000 people in the world lack access to improved sanitation;

Whereas the global celebration of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro;

Whereas the participants in the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, including the United States, agreed to the Plan of Implementation which included an agreement to work to reduce by 1/2 from the baseline year 1990 the proportion of people who are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water, and the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015; and

Whereas Congress passed and the President signed into law the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (Public Law 109–121), which was intended to elevate the role of water and sanitation policy in the development of U.S. foreign policy and improve the effectiveness of U.S. official programs: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—

(1)

supports the goals and ideals of World Water Day;

(2)

urges an increased effort and the investment of greater resources by the Department of State, the United States Agency for International Development, and all relevant Federal departments and agencies toward providing sustainable and equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation for the poor and the very poor; and

(3)

encourages the people of the United States to observe the week with appropriate activities that promote awareness of the importance of access to clean water.