Dear Friends, Lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene has a massive impact on global health. While most of us take clean water for granted in the fight against COVID-19, three billion people around the globe are unable to effectively wash their hands at home. Additionally, 2 billion people do not have the safety and dignity of a basic toilet. 785 million people still don’t have clean drinking water, and at least 2 billion more use contaminated drinking water sources. Basic water services and sanitation are lacking in more than 45% of health care facilities in low-resource areas putting healthcare workers at greater risk.This is appalling. Global water challenges will only worsen unless we take action. Within the next decade, 2.9 billion people in 48 countries will face water shortages as the climate crisis increases water scarcity. Access to clean, safe drinking water and sanitation is not only essential in the prevention of disease and death, it is a basic human right.These are among the many reasons why increasing global access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene has been a priority for me throughout my time in Congress.Years ago, I fought to pass the Water for the Poor Act, to establish clean water as a major foreign assistance priority. Even with this commitment, millions of people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation services. To redouble U.S. efforts, I also passed the Water for the World Act to provide an additional 100 million of the world’s poorest with first-time access to safe and sustainable drinking water and sanitation.Since then, I’ve worked each year to fund and strengthen these critical programs. I also helped launch the first-ever USAID global water strategy to ensure our legislation was implemented properly.Last year, I created the bipartisan Congressional International Water and Sanitation Caucus to create stronger coordination and prioritization between the 17 federal agencies that have a hand in managing and protecting international water resources.If you’re curious about what’s next in the fight to secure clean water for the world, I hope you’ll join me on Tuesday, March 23rd at 8 AM – 9 PM PT for a World Water Day discussion on “Water Security, Sanitation, and Hygiene in a World Combatting COVID.”You can register here.