WaterAid America |Take Action

Ask Congress to increase development assistance for global poverty relief

Targeting: The U.S. Senate and The U.S. House

On February 26, President Obama submitted a budget plan to Congress that includes an almost 10% increase in funding above 2009 for both US diplomatic and development efforts throughout the world. The budget must be considered and approved by Congress before it becomes a reality.

Please sign our letter asking Congress to support Obama’s call for increased development assistance for global poverty relief.

Diplomatic and development assistance remain a small part of the overall US budget: around 1.4%. However, increases to poverty-focused development assistance could save thousands of lives and promote economic growth worldwide. For instance, investing in safe drinking water and effective sanitation can:

>> Reduce diarrheal diseases that kill 4,000 children a day
>> Increase school attendance by improving children's health and reducing the time they spend carrying water
>> Boost productivity as women can work or grow food instead of collecting water and caring for the sick

Please help the billions of people around the world who live in poverty by signing WaterAid America's letter to Congress now.

Sign the Letter

Please support Obama’s call for increased development assistance for global poverty relief.

Dear Representative,

As you consider the 2010 budget, we ask that you provide strong increases for poverty-focused development assistance. This assistance supports effective solutions in the fight against global poverty, like supporting access to safe drinking water and sanitation for the billions around the world who currently go without these basic necessities of life.

While we recognize the need to focus on the economic crisis in the upcoming year, we ask that you support the important role that this development assistance plays in promoting economic growth, security, and stability worldwide.

We commend you for your work in recent years to increase development funding and ask that you continue that leadership in 2010 by providing strong increases for poverty-focused development assistance. The president has laid down a strong mark in his budget outline, requesting an almost 10% increase for diplomatic and development efforts around the world.

We ask that you include the funding necessary for the basic building blocks of development - such as clean water and basic toilets - that will truly help our world to progress in the fight against global poverty.

Sincerely,

[Your name here]

The time period for signing this petition has ended.

Mary Hy Westminster, CA

Sent letter to Ed Royce , Dana Rohrabacher , Loretta Sanchez , Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer

Apr 21
Sandra Ferreira Pelotas, RS, Brazil

Sent letter to Wally Herger , Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer

Apr 20
Holly Swint Clearwater, FL

Sent letter to Gus Bilirakis , Bill Young , Mel Martinez and Bill Nelson

Apr 20
Tom Maxwell Los Angeles, CA

Sent letter to Howard Berman , Henry Waxman , Diane Watson , Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer

Apr 19
Diana Gordineer Rose, OK

Sent letter to Dan Boren , James Inhofe and Tom Coburn

Apr 19
Jennifer Hall Greeneville, TN

Sent letter to Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker

Apr 19
Ashley Hughes Knapp, WI

Sent letter to Ron Kind , Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl

Apr 18
Jaime Tamez Los Ranchos, NM

Sent letter to Jeff Bingaman

Apr 17
Patricia H. Allen Arlington Heights, IL

Sent letter to Melissa Bean , Mark Kirk and Dick Durbin

Apr 16
sonny carter Eureka Springs, AR

Sent letter to Blanche Lincoln , Mark Pryor and John Boozman

Apr 16