Foreign Operations Export Financing, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004

FOREIGN OPERATIONS EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2004

WATER MISSIONS' HONDURAS WATER SUPPLY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

Mr. GRAHAM of South Carolina. Mr. President I rise to ask the bill's manager, Senator McConnell, about a provision in the Fiscal Year 2004 foreign operations bill of particular importance to me. This appropriations bill provides $100 million for water conservation, $1.5 million of which the committee report sets aside for Water Missions International for its safe water supply and wastewater treatment projects for several regional hospitals in Honduras. Water Missions is a faith-based South Carolina organization that delivers potable water engineering systems to towns and villages in developing countries around the world. I ask Senator McConnell if he is familiar with Water Missions International and this important demonstration project.

Mr. MCCONNELL. Yes, I am familiar with Water Missions International and its work to provide water to communities in developing countries. I am particularly familiar with their current water project in a regional hospital in Honduras. I recently met with Water Missions' founders, George and Molly Greene, to discuss this important project and was impressed by Water Missions International's use of low-cost, appropriate technology for improving drinking water supplies.

Mr. GRAHAM of South Carolina. If I may raise one more issue, I am concerned that United States Agency for International Development, USAID, has at times not followed report recommendations made by the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. Is it the manager's intention that USAID follow the recommendation in the report?

Mr. MCCONNELL. Absolutely. I strongly support the report language that was included in Omnibus Appropriations Bill earlier this year, saying that "the managers expect the Department of State and USAID to follow the recommendations in the House and Senate reports, unless those recommendations are modified in the statement of the managers." I am pleased that senior USAID officials recently met with Water Missions to begin the partnership process in implementing this particular recommendation.

Mr. GRAHAM of South Carolina. I thank Senator McConnell for his support of Water Missions and its inclusion as an USAID project.