Madam President, I come to the floor this afternoon with mixed emotions--mixed emotions because I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude but also sadness because at the end of this month, tomorrow, after more than a decade of working…

it isn't true that the outbreak is over in New Jersey.

this is a public health problem for which science has already provided a solution: a safe and effective vaccine.

I would love to ask you, are you concerned about that the continued distrust of vaccines like the MMR or hepatitis B will detract from efforts to vaccinate for future maladies?

the outbreak in New Jersey is now over.

the reemergence of this highly contagious vaccine-preventable disease poses a threat beyond the pockets of communities.

I want to increase their faith in the U.S. immunization program and in the immunizations that are part of it.

I am deeply troubled by the role digital media plays in perpetuating myths and fears regarding measles.

When I try to talk to families and parents about immunization, I don't want to scare them into getting measles vaccine.

Thanks to the introduction of the MMR vaccine, 56 years ago the vast majority of families in the United States have never had to experience firsthand.

It is a really important concept and it is why we as a society need to take care of those most vulnerable children.

EPA employees point to budgetary uncertainty and staff loss as factors that help explain the downturn in enforcement under the Trump administration.

But without deadlines, not much happens in government agencies.

the Trump EPA's enforcement record is abysmal--the worst in decades.

This extreme budget proposal was essentially a message from the Trump administration to EPA employees.

If those cuts were enacted, they would push the EPA's budget to its lowest level since 1991.

EPA must have a robust enforcement presence.

Thank you for continuing to protect human health and the environment through the hard work you do each and every day.