Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

The issue I am contemplating is the lack of drinkable water in developing countries. Lots of places are either without water, or without safe water. H.R.80 is legislation that aim to fix that. The Global Water Access and Equity Act will bring financial aid to countries that lack potable water.
There are two groups of people who are affected. There are the people who live in these developing countries, and also the American people who are the ones paying for the financial aid. Both parties are really the winners of this bill. The foreigners get clean healthy water to drink, and the taxpayers save in the long term by helping keep these people from getting sick.
If this bill is not passed there will be millions of people who cannot find water to drink. There will be children dying of water-borne illnesses. There will be people dying of dehydration all over. And all just because somebody wants to save a few dollars off their taxes. It wouldn't take much money either. If every American gave $3 a year, and there are 300 million citizens here, that would create almost one billion dollars of aid. Just a little bit from everybody would have a huge impact.
Some might say that this will create economic hardship for some people, but I would have trouble finding anybody who couldn't save $3 a year by not seeing that movie, or making your own dinner rather than eat out. And all of these people in developing countries can become productive members of society. Because they don't spend all their time being sick, or looking for water. Then they can start working in their communities, and make it a better place. So there you have both social and economic advantages. And the only disadvantage that I can find is the pockets the money comes out of, which is very minimal.
This bill is new, so there are not a whole lot of barriers yet. All that can be expected is getting the money, as money is short for everyone right now. But when other barriers arise as this bill moves through committees I will keep you updated.
The resources needed can be described as money. And where that money comes from is what the problem is. The funding for this bill will probably come out the the general fund, which is where your taxes go. Then that money will go directly to the developing countries.
This bill started with the Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005. It is basically a restructuring of how the money is distributed, where it comes from, where it goes, and who decides those things. Without this bill the Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 would essentially fall apart and become nonfunctional.
Everybody should support this issue, because it seems to be good for everybody. It keeps people safe and healthy, and therefore saves future money from trying to reverse health conditions from spreading. The ones who would oppose this bill are the ones who would rather keep the money for themselves. And it's not very much money they are keeping either, just about as much as a cheeseburger a year. But by explaining to these people how spending a little money now can save more in the future, and be an investment, rather than an expense, would be a win-win situation.
If our elected officials are smart, logical, compassionate individuals, they should pass this bill. It will bring safe water to many developing countries and perhaps millions of individuals so they can become productive members of society. All for just a small initial investment.