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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1113]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNITION OF MALCOLM S. MORRIS
______
HON. EARL BLUMENAUER
of oregon
in the house of representatives
Monday, September 9, 2019
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Malcolm
S. Morris as he ends his long chairmanship of the Millennium Water
Alliance, which he helped to found seventeen years ago. His career is
marked by his astounding work for this country and for millions of the
world's poorest people as a longtime advocate for safe drinking water
and sanitation.
The Alliance is unique in the global water sector--it includes as
members fifteen leading U.S. charities that help international
governments and other organizations bring safe drinking water and
sanitation systems to millions in Africa, Latin America, the Middle
East, and Asia. It forges new relationships to accelerate this effort,
and works with USAID to help advance America's interest in reducing
poverty and increasing stability and opportunity for millions.
Malcolm advocated for water as the foundation of development and for
peace building at a time when the U.S. Government was paying little
attention to this issue. In particular, Malcolm has been a strong voice
among his fellow conservative Republicans, urging more of them to join
in this effort, and to seek common ground with those of us across the
aisle in supporting foreign assistance to truly help advance our common
goals in the world.
His first step was to set up an international faith-based NGO in his
home state of Texas, and to recruit colleagues and friends who were
equally passionate. Under his leadership, some gave up well-paying jobs
to do ``God's work''. To this day that NGO, Living Water, organizes
mission trips to introduce people firsthand to the potential and
challenges of development work--work that increases the reputation and
soft power of the United States, community by community.
Realizing that the private sector was a relatively untapped source of
funding for water work, Malcolm organized a ``Millennium Water
Challenge'' in 2002. As a CEO active in the national business
community, he invited his fellow CEOs to join him at an event in
Houston. A number of CEOs turned up and many more sent representatives,
setting an early example in involving major corporations in water,
sanitation, and hygiene issues. Because of his leadership, several
well-known U.S. corporations and brands are now involved in global
efforts to address water, sanitation, and hygiene.
Perhaps, Malcolm's greatest contribution has been his insistence that
USAID should play a bigger role in increasing access to water in the
developing world. He believed that the U.S. Government, U.S.
corporations, and U.S. civil society together could make a significant
contribution to addressing the challenges facing millions of the world
poorest people. In 2002 he founded the Millennium Water Alliance, with
the objective of transforming people's lives through improving access
to safe water, improved sanitation, and good hygiene practices.
Malcolm then played a major role with others in the helping to pass
the 2005 Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act and devoted much of his time
to encouraging members of Congress to fund this legislation. He also
worked with the Alliance and used his political connections both in the
U.S. and overseas to set up innovative water, sanitation, and hygiene
programming in Kenya, Ethiopia and Central America.
His enduring legacy is someone who built up political capital as an
innovative business leader and used a significant part of that capital
for the benefit of poor and marginalized people in the developing
world. It is, as he would say, ``God's work''.
____________________