Berman: “By ensuring that our tax dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, the Water for the World Act will help meet basic human needs and keep Americans safe.”

Washington, DC – Congressman Howard L. Berman, the Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement in response to the release of an unclassified intelligence community assessment of global water security:

“Until now, many people have assumed that access to clean water and sanitation was simply a matter of basic health and human dignity. But a new report released by the intelligence agencies finds that water shortages, poor water quality, and floods will have a much broader impact. During the next 10 years, water problems are likely to increase regional tensions, contribute to instability and state failure in many key countries, and hinder states’ ability to produce food and generate energy. One way of reducing these risks would be to pass H.R. 3658, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2012, of which I am an original cosponsor. Introduced by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), who has been a longstanding and tireless champion for the right to safe water, along with Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) and a bipartisan group of cosponsors, the bill recognizes and builds on the legacy of Senator Paul Simon in combating water-related diseases. The legislation would improve access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in poor countries and maximize the impact and environmental sustainability of our international water programs. By ensuring that our tax dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, the Water for the World Act will help meet basic human needs and keep Americans safe. ”

-30-