HR 2901 RDS 
‘‘(B) is designed, as part of the provision 
of safe water and sanitation to the local com-
munity— 
‘‘(i) to be financially independent over 
the long term, focusing on local ownership 
and sustainability; 
‘‘(ii) to be undertaken in conjunction 
with relevant public institutions or private 
enterprises; 
‘‘(iii) to identify and empower local in-
dividuals or institutions to be responsible 
for the effective management and mainte-
nance of such project or program; and 
‘‘(iv) to provide safe water or exper-
tise or capacity building to those identified 
parties or institutions for the purposes of 
developing a plan and clear responsibilities 
for the effective management and mainte-
nance of such project or program; 
‘‘(C) leverages existing public, private, or 
other donor investments in the water, sanita-
tion, and hygiene sectors, including investments 
in the management of water resources; 
‘‘(D) avoids duplication of efforts with 
other United States Government agencies or de-
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partments or those of other nations or non-
governmental organizations; 
‘‘(E) coordinates such efforts with the ef-
forts of other United States Government agen-
cies or departments or those of other nations or 
nongovernmental organizations directed at as-
sisting refugees and other displaced individuals; 
and 
‘‘(F) involves consultation with appropriate 
stakeholders, including communities directly af-
fected by the lack of access to clean water, sani-
tation or hygiene, and other appropriate non-
governmental organizations; and 
‘‘(3) seeking to further the strategy required 
under subsection (j) after 2018. 
‘‘(g) USE OF CURRENT AND IMPROVED EMPIRICAL 
DATA COLLECTION AND REVIEW OF NEW STANDARDIZED 
INDICATORS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the 
United States Agency for International Development 
is authorized to use current and improved empirical 
data collection— 
‘‘(A) 
to 
meet 
the 
health-based 
prioritization criteria established pursuant to 
subsection (f)(1); and 
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‘‘(B) to review new standardized indicators 
in evaluating progress towards meeting such 
criteria. 
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION
AND
NOTICE.—The Ad-
ministrator shall— 
‘‘(A) regularly consult with the appropriate 
congressional committees; and 
‘‘(B) notify such committees not later than 
30 days before using current or improved em-
pirical data collection for the review of any new 
standardized indicators under paragraph (1) for 
the purposes of carrying out this section. 
‘‘(h) DESIGNATION
OF
HIGH
PRIORITY
COUN-
TRIES.— 
‘‘(1) INITIAL
DESIGNATION.—Not later than 
October 1, 2015, the President shall— 
‘‘(A) designate, on the basis of the criteria 
set forth in subsection (f)(1) not fewer than 10 
countries as high priority countries to be the 
primary recipients of United States Government 
assistance authorized under this section during 
fiscal year 2016; and 
‘‘(B) notify the appropriate congressional 
committees of such designations. 
‘‘(2) ANNUAL DESIGNATIONS.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the President shall annually 
make new designations pursuant to the criteria 
set forth in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) DESIGNATIONS AFTER FISCAL YEAR 
2018.—Beginning with fiscal year 2019, des-
ignations under paragraph (1) shall be made— 
‘‘(i) based upon the criteria set forth 
in subsection (f)(1); and 
‘‘(ii) in furtherance of the strategy re-
quired under subsection (j). 
‘‘(i) TARGETING OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS TO 
AREAS OF GREATEST NEED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 15 days be-
fore the obligation of any funds for water, sanita-
tion, or hygiene projects or programs pursuant to 
this section in countries that are not ranked in the 
top 50 countries based upon the WASH Needs 
Index, the Administrator of the United States Agen-
cy for International Development shall notify the ap-
propriate congressional committees of the planned 
obligation of such funds. 
‘‘(2) DEFINED TERM.—In this subsection and 
in subsection (j), the term ‘WASH Needs Index’ 
means the needs index for water, sanitation, or hy-
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giene projects or programs authorized under this 
section that has been developed using the criteria 
and indicators described in subparagraphs (A) 
through (H) of subsection (f)(1).’’. 
SEC. 6. UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO INCREASE APPRO-
PRIATE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND 
ACCESS TO SAFE WATER, SANITATION, AND 
HYGIENE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 136 of the Foreign Assist-
ance Act of 1961, as redesignated and amended by this 
Act, is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(j) GLOBAL WATER STRATEGY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than October 1, 
2017, October 1, 2022, and October 1, 2027, the 
President, acting through the Secretary of State, the 
Administrator of the United States Agency for 
International Development, and the heads of other 
Federal departments and agencies, as appropriate, 
shall submit a single government-wide Global Water 
Strategy to the appropriate congressional commit-
tees that provides a detailed description of how the 
United States intends— 
‘‘(A) to increase access to safe water, sani-
tation, and hygiene in high priority countries 
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