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 inter-
national organizations to combat such global social ills as 
poverty, hunger, and disease;
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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 tar-
get 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 per-
cent 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 de-
bilitating and deadly maladies such as cholera, intestinal 
worms, diarrhea, pneumonia, dysentery, and skin infec-
tions; 
Whereas sanitation is the foundation of health, dignity, and 
development; 
Whereas increased sanitation is fundamental for reaching all 
of the Millennium Development Goals;
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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 ill-
ness; 
Whereas sanitation in schools enables children, particularly 
girls reaching puberty, to remain in the educational sys-
tem; 
Whereas according to the World Health Organization, every 
dollar spent on proper sanitation by governments gen-
erates an average of $7 in economic benefit; 
Whereas improved disposal of human waste protects the qual-
ity 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 Inter-
national 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, re-
gional and international organizations, civil society orga-
nizations, 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 Develop-
ment Goals;
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(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 prac-
tices through sanitation health education campaigns: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of the Inter-
national Year of Sanitation; 
(2) recognizes the importance of sanitation on 
public health, poverty reduction, economic and social 
development, and the environment; and 
(3) encourages the people of the United States 
to observe the International Year of Sanitation with 
appropriate recognition, ceremonies, activities, and 
programs to demonstrate the importance of sanita-
tion and hygiene in achieving the Millennium Devel-
opment Goals, and to support developing countries 
in their efforts to achieve the Millennium Develop-
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ment Goal target on basic sanitation among popu-
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.