Opening & Closing Remarks for the Launch of H2infO

Remarks
Acting Assistant Secretary Judith Garber, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
Washington, DC
October 6, 2014


Remarks as prepared for delivery.

Welcome to the State Department and to the launch of H2infO! My name is Judy Garber, and I am the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Economic Affairs.

I am also on the Steering Committee of the U.S. Water Partnership, so I am doubly excited to help unveil the web portal that we’ve been working on for the past two years with the U.S. Water Partnership. It feels good to finally show off our hard work! I also have the pleasure of introducing Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment, Catherine Novelli. I think it’s particularly fitting that Cathy has been able to join us today. Having spent many years at Apple and in the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Under Secretary Novelli feels passionately about the power of information technology to change people’s lives for the better. I also know that she is passionate about water. Please welcome Cathy Novelli.

 

Closing:

How exciting is this! And think, this is just the beginning. Some of you may know the Department of State provided seed funding to get the basic framework of the web portal up and running, but it is the contributions of the members of the U.S. Water Partnership that has really given life to this idea.

I hope all of you are equally encouraged with what has been accomplished thus far and will give serious thought to what content you can contribute. I want to give a special thanks to all of the speakers and to our distinguished guests.  

Thank you all for joining our celebration today. Let’s have a final round of applause for the Team who put the website together and all the people who made today possible.

Please join us in the reception area for refreshments to see the exhibits and to try out H2infO yourselves. Our security folks want us out of the building by 5:00 pm, so let’s go get the party started!