110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 318 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Whereas, in 2000, the United States, along with other world 

leaders, at the 55th United Nations General Assembly, 

committed to achieving the Millennium Development 

Goals which provide a framework for countries and international organizations to combat such global social ills as 

poverty, hunger, and disease; 
2 

•HCON 318 EH 

Whereas one target of the Millennium Development Goals is 

to halve by 2015 the proportion of people without access 

to safe drinking water and basic sanitation, the only target to be codified into United States law in the Senator 

Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (Public Law 

109–121); 

Whereas the lack of access to safe water and sanitation is one 

of the most pressing environmental public health issues 

in the world; 

Whereas over 1,000,000,000 people live without potable 

water and an estimated 2,600,000,000 people do not 

have access to basic sanitation facilities, which includes 

980,000,000 children; 

Whereas every 20 seconds a child dies as a direct result of 

a lack of access to basic sanitation facilities; 

Whereas only 36 percent of sub-Saharan Africa and 37 percent of South Asia have access to safe drinking water 

and sanitation, the lowest rates in the world; 

Whereas at any one time almost half of the developing 

world’s people are suffering from diseases associated with 

lack of water, sanitation, and hygiene; 

Whereas improved sanitation decreases the incidences of debilitating and deadly maladies such as cholera, intestinal 

worms, diarrhea, pneumonia, dysentery, and skin infections; 

Whereas sanitation is the foundation of health, dignity, and 

development; 

Whereas increased sanitation is fundamental for reaching all 

of the Millennium Development Goals; 
3 

•HCON 318 EH 

Whereas access to basic sanitation helps economic and social 

development in countries where poor sanitation is a 

major cause of lost work and school days because of illness; 

Whereas sanitation in schools enables children, particularly 

girls reaching puberty, to remain in the educational system; 

Whereas according to the World Health Organization, every 

dollar spent on proper sanitation by governments generates an average of $7 in economic benefit; 

Whereas improved disposal of human waste protects the quality of water sources used for drinking, preparation of 

food, agriculture, and bathing; 

Whereas, in 2006, the United Nations, at the 61st Session 

of the General Assembly, declared 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation to recognize the progress 

made in achieving the global sanitation target detailed in 

the Millennium Development Goals, as well as to call 

upon all Member States, United Nations agencies, regional and international organizations, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to renew their 

commitment to attaining that target; 

Whereas the official launching of the International Year of 

Sanitation at the United Nations was on November 21, 

2007; and 

Whereas the thrust of the International Year of Sanitation 

has three parts, including— 

(1) raising awareness of the importance of sanitation 

and its impact on reaching other Millennium Development Goals; 
4 

•HCON 318 EH 

(2) encouraging governments and their partners to 

promote and implement policies and actions for meeting 

the sanitation target; and 

(3) mobilizing communities, particularly women’s 

groups, towards changing sanitation and hygiene practices through sanitation health education campaigns: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That the Congress— 

3 (1) supports the goals and ideals of the Inter4 national Year of Sanitation; 

5 (2) recognizes the importance of sanitation on 

6 public health, poverty reduction, economic and social 

7 development, and the environment; and 

8 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

9 to observe the International Year of Sanitation with 

10 appropriate recognition, ceremonies, activities, and 

11 programs to demonstrate the importance of sanita12 tion and hygiene in achieving the Millennium Devel13 opment Goals, and to support developing countries 

14 in their efforts to achieve the Millennium Develop-
5 

•HCON 318 EH 

1 ment Goal target on basic sanitation among popu2 lations at greatest need. 

Passed the House of Representatives June 10, 2008. 

Attest: 

Clerk. 
110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 318 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of the International 

Year of Sanitation.