Subject: Please support the Water for the World Act
Dear [Decision Maker],
I am writing to urge you to cosponsor S. 641, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act.
As Americans, most of us take clean water and basic sanitary facilities for granted. Yet more than 900 million people do not have access to safe water, and 2.5 billion people live without proper sanitation. Diarrhea and disease caused by lack of safe water and poor sanitation kill 4,000 children a day worldwide.
Access to clean water does more than just save lives, it can turn lives around. When children no longer struggle with recurring illness, they can go to school and get an education. Girls, especially, often miss out on school because they spend hours every day fetching water from distant sources. When schools lack appropriate sanitation facilities, girls are more likely to drop out. UNICEF reports that over half of the world's schools lack safe water and sanitation.
I believe that zero children should die or miss school from the lack of clean water. Senators Durbin and Corker introduced bipartisan legislation to reinforce U.S. investment in water and sanitation worldwide. S. 641 does not propose funding a new and expensive program; rather, it would make current programs more efficient and better targeted. The bill would help a hundred million people have access to safe water and improved sanitation.
Please help save the lives of children around the world by cosponsoring S. 641. I look forward to your response. Thank you for your consideration.
