U.S. NGOs Applaud Introduction of Water for the World Act

WASHINGTON, Dec 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NGO alliance InterAction applauds Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) for introducing the Water for the World Act of 2012. This bipartisan legislation - supported by 13 cosponsors including House Committee of Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Howard Berman (D-CA) - would enhance the coordination, sustainability, integration, and oversight of U.S. water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) assistance. Improved access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene underpins many U.S. health and poverty-reduction objectives, including improved nutrition, increased economic productivity, and the empowerment of women and girls.

InterAction welcomes aid reforms incorporated in the bill. These include:

• Affirming the importance of a multi-year strategy for WASH programs that include goals, benchmarks, and timetables;
• Harmonizing U.S. government activities related to WASH, while confirming USAID as the lead development agency;
• Maximizing impact and the environmental sustainability of programs;
• Consulting a broad range of local and national stakeholders in the design of projects and country strategies;
• Helping to build local capacity in partner countries;
• Ensuring that WASH investments are appropriately integrated into food security, global health, environment, education, and investments in women and girls;
• Monitoring and evaluation requirements; and
• A commitment to publishing timely and transparent policy, program, and evaluation data.

InterAction, whose nearly 200 members do relief and development work abroad, urges Congress to adopt this bipartisan initiative which offers great potential in improving sustainable access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.

InterAction applauds the leadership of each cosponsor: Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO), Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ), Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), and Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA).

InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based nongovernmental international organizations, with more than 190 members. Our members operate in every developing country, working with local communities to overcome poverty and suffering by helping to improve their quality of life. Visit www.interaction.org.

SOURCE InterAction