Gnchts morning, everyone, and thank you thank you for joining us today as people are filling into the room, i will start given the secretarys schedule. My Jason Marczak im the director of the Economic Growth Administration Latin America center and i would first like to extend a special welcome to secretary kelly, to our three task force cochairs present today, former Vice President ed daurd costein, ber zwel la and also to the many ambassadors joining us today. Fell free if you want to take out your phones to tweet using about this event using the centralamericanow. It gives me great pleasure to announce after a year of intense dlaigss today marks the finding of our security and Economic Opportunity task force which is now available on our website. In is a blueprint for how the u. S. And the kubts of el salvador, guatemala and honduras can Work Together to enact sweeping change. The three countries are at a crossroads. The region has seen six thousand murders over the past few years, h
Secretarys schedule. My name is jason marczak. Im director of the Economic Growth Administration Latin America center and i would first like to extend a special welcome to secretary kelly, to our three task force cochairs present today. Former Vice President eduardo stein, maria berzwella, and to the many ambassadors joining us today. Fell free if you want to take out your phones to tweet using about this event using the centralamericanow. It gives me great pleasure to announce after a year of intense today marks the finding of our security and Economic Opportunity task force which is now available on our website. In is a blueprint for how the u. S. And the countries of el salvador, guatemala and honduras can Work Together to enact sweeping change. The three countries are at a crossroads. The region has seen 50,000 murders over the past few years, high corruption scandals, and 10 of the residents have left. But heightened u. S. Investment especially through the plan of the alliance for
Senator the hearing is called to order. We are here to discuss this innovative financing and funding to address americas deficient Water Infrastructure. The purpose of this hearing is imple. Senator boozman many members of this committee, including myself reference the American Society card. Il engineers, report currently it grades americas Drinking Water infrastructure with a d. Waste water has a slightly better grade, a dplus. Some of us grades in school. [laughter] senator boozman this is not a rural problem or a big city problem or a democrat or republican problem but this is a national emergency. It is one thing to see these terrible grades on paper, but what does this mean for people in their daytoday lives. If we imagine life without clean and efficient Drinking Water, we picture communities that are not our own. We picture countries. Currently an estimated 1. 7 million americans live without access to clean running Drinking Water in their homes. There are tremendous infrastruct
Over a cliff, where is the International Response . And i only just read one paragraph here because i think it sums up the situation we confront. Its been more than a hundred days of ongoing opposition protests with more than 100 killed and thousands injured in violently repression by the maduro administration. With 176 inflation, many basic Food Supplies unavailable and what food can be found is distributed corruptly. Last year infant mortality shot up 30 reaching the levels of the poorest of the poorest subsaharan african nations, despite possessing the Largest Proven Oil reserves in the world and i cant tell you how many people who are not familiar with venezuela can understand that, the Largest Proven Oil reserves in the world nine in ten households are hungry or in risk of hungry and the piece goes on saying ultimately normally this would be a time when the International Community would step in using all available leverage to promote stabilization and peace but that hasnt happened
Captures the levity of what we and be talking about today sums it up in the following ways create where the International Response . Read one just paragraph here because i think confrontation we confront. Than 100 killed and more than 1000 injured. 176 inflation, many basic Food Supplies unavailable, plaster, infant mortality shot despite that, i cant how many who are not familiar with venezuela understand that read the Largest Proven Oil reserves, nine and 10 households from hunger. Ultimately, the international would step in, but that has not yet happened so that is the setting for this willficant event where we dive into the political, economic, and humanitarian crisis in venezuela as well as ways todentify new involve the international , particularly the u. S. And regional actors in seeking solutions to the international crisis. Get muchenges dont more significant than what were in our ownenesola hemisphere. That it that spirit pleasureenormous it is wonderful to have either to dis