7/23/2007 

Washington, D.C. — Senate and House appropriators from both parties are recommending a significant increase in funding for safe drinking water to implement the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act.

If the final bill passes as currently drafted by the U.S. Senate, $300 million would be appropriated to implement the Act for the coming year.

Water Advocates commends the leadership of Senators Leahy, Durbin, McConnell, and Brownback and Representatives Obey, Lowey, Jackson Jr., Knollenberg, Payne, and Smith. "The U.S. government can have a tremendous positive impact on the global safe drinking water and sanitation problem. What we need now is for Americans to write their Representatives and Senators to ask them to pass the Senate version and fund the Water for the Poor Act for 2008," said John Oldfield, director of partnership development at Water Advocates.

SOURCE: Water Advocates