In $1.1 Trillion FY 2016 Omnibus Spending Bill, House Legislators Agree to the Number Proposed by Senate and Requested by WASH Organizations
Washington DC, December 18, 2015 – The US Senate and US House of Representatives agreed this morning to the final appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2016, including a $17.5 million increase in funding for the Sen. Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act (as amended by last year’s Water for the World Act), bringing the total allocation for the year to $400 million, the highest WASH appropriation in history.
We thank Congress for its recognition of the value of WASH program in America’s international development and humanitarian commitment. In particular, we acknowledge the continuing support of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), Rep. John Culberson (R-TX), and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) – thank you!
On to Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations: MWA is a leader in the WASH coalition’s effort to secure sustained funding for WASH in the annual appropriations for USAID. We work closely with our allies InterAction, WaterAid in America, World Vision, and others to advance consideration of $425 million for Water for the Poor programming in FY17. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees are working on FY17 now through the spring. Contact MWA for more information.