Jan 23, 2025
Good on Gavin Newsom for being the bigger person to show up and say, Mr. President, I'm glad you're here.
Barbara Boxer
The Public Record
Barbara Boxer is a former United States Senator from California, serving from January 5, 1993, to January 3, 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 3, 1983, to January 5, 1993. Throughout her political career, Boxer was known for her strong advocacy on environmental issues, women's rights, and healthcare reform. She played a significant role in various legislative efforts, including those aimed at addressing climate change and protecting public health.
★ Featured Quote
January 23, 2025
We have to call out this president when he's not normal.
— Barbara Boxer
Most widely reported
by number of sources- I wish to say to the Senator from Oklahoma that standing and going through the list of things that offer opportunities for saving is very important. I have a list as well. For example, on my list, we know of well over $1 trillion of money owed to the United States of America by people who have not paid it. If we even got a portion of that over a 10-year period--that is over a 10-year period--we could do that. I look forward to working with the Senator on that. But tonight we are not facing a 3-week timeframe as my colleague perhaps suggested, we are just facing down a 5-day timeframe and we are facing a manmade crisis and, by that, I have to say a Republican-made crisis on raising the debt ceiling. We have never in the history of this country faced a situation such as this. Why do I say this? Because the debt ceiling has been raised 89 times--89 times--and I can tell you because I voted for it a number of times and voted no four times. Yes, on occasion you vote no on it and send a message, but you don't bring it down. I have never seen anything like this. We are going down a dangerous path. When I say we have raised the debt ceiling 89 times, that is in the Record--55 times under Republican Presidents, 34 times under Democratic Presidents. The debt limit was raised the most times during Ronald Reagan's Presidency. During his 8 years, the debt limit was increased by 200 percent.…2 sources2011govinfo.gov
- I want to say that I agree with my friend's comments about Senator Stabenow and Senator Roberts. I consider both my friends. They are terrific legislators. The Paycheck Fairness Act I do want to go back to the vote that just occurred. I would note that we had present in the Chamber some of the House Members, women of the House. I think they are gone now. It was to underscore the importance of this vote and what it means. My question goes to this: Is my colleague aware that women in their lifetime are so shortchanged that the average woman, in the course of her career, by the end of her career has made $400,000 less than her male counterpart? Is my friend aware of that?2 sources2012govinfo.gov
- Thank you very much. I wanted to get the order squared away so I could share the information with colleagues before Senator Coburn is heard on his amendments. Madam President, we are on the Water Resources Development Act--it is a great day for the Senate--because we have received a D-plus rating on our infrastructure. This is the greatest Nation in the world. If we cannot move people or products, if our ports need to be deepened--and because they are not deepened, we cannot move commerce in and out--we have problems. As we move into periods of extreme weather--there is some debate as to why, and I will not get into that because it is almost like a religious debate, so I will not go there. The fact is we have extreme weather, and now that we have some rules in place, this bill will make it a lot easier for people in the State of the Presiding Officer to deal with the corps after an extreme weather event. For the first time they will not have to come back for new authorizations. They can do some moves right then and there to improve the situation, and that is a reform I think is very necessary. I certainly thank Senator Vitter, my ranking member, and every member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. I want to thank all the organizations that have come to support this legislation. We have them listed, and I am just going to read a few of those. Madam President, may I speak for approximately 5 more minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.2 sources2013govinfo.gov
- If I might respond to my friend's request, the American people need to know that we are dealing on this Senate floor with a bill that is the Water Resources Development Act. This bill is about improvements in flood control so we don't have anymore Hurricane Sandys. This is also about port-deepening and about 500,000 jobs. This is about restoring the Chesapeake Bay and the Everglades in my friend's home State. What a beautiful spot that is, I say to my friend. It is not about the IRS scandal, although I could not agree more with my friend. Anyone who would play politics at the IRS is doing a disservice to this Nation. I am happy to look at this law. They ought to be canned. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that an inquiry which took place by the IRS into a church in my State--the All Saints Church--in the district of Adam Schiff be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: [From the Los Angeles Times, Dec. 9, 2005] Inquiry Into IRS Investigations of Churches Is Sought (By Patricia Ward Biederman) Expressing concern about the 1st Amendment rights of clergy, Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) and two Republican colleagues called Thursday for an investigation by the U.S. Government Accountability Office into the IRS' recent probes of alleged ``campaign intervention'' by churches, including Pasadena's liberal All Saints Church.…2 sources2013govinfo.gov
- colleagues, this is very important. Today, every single Senator is treated like every single person in the country who works for a large employer. Those large employers all make a contribution to their employees' health care. We don't get any subsidies. We don't qualify for subsidies. We are treated like everyone else in this country who has an employer contribution to their health care. Now, colleagues, you do not have to take that employer contribution. If you don't want it, give it back. You don't need this amendment to give it back. If you feel as strongly as Senator Vitter does that you and your family don't want or need this employer contribution, then give it back to the Treasury, as I assume Senator Vitter does. Again, we don't need this amendment. If you don't want your employer contribution, you vote yes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time for debate has expired.2 sources2015govinfo.gov
- I thank the Senator from Vermont, the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, for his remarks. I agree with him, and I will be speaking later on today on the same topic. I want to go back to speaking about the Transportation bill. I want to thank my colleagues for the strong show of support we had on this bill. We had 65 colleagues voting to end debate and get to a vote. We do expect a good vote tomorrow, but I have to say that the reaction of the House Speaker took me aback. Remember that the bill we passed was totally bipartisan, with a majority of Democrats and a strong majority of Republicans. Senators Inhofe, McConnell, Boxer, Durbin, and a host of others worked very hard on this bill. Why would the Speaker of the House be so negative about it? As a matter of fact, his comments that were reported in the Politico online version today were such that I can't repeat what was said on the floor of the Senate because I would be breaking the rules. I will leave it up to everybody to see exactly what he said about our bipartisan bill. Actually, the name on the bill is that of the Republican leader of the U.S. Senate. Yet the Speaker of the House demeans our bill. I want to be clear that I defend freedom of speech and I defend the right of Speaker Boehner to say whatever he wants; therefore, I can say whatever I want.…2 sources2015govinfo.gov
transcripts.cnn.com
Jan 23, 2025
I think what our governor is doing, he's saying to the president without so many words, this -- this is a moment we have to come together for the people who are hurting. And by the way, you don't attach strings about, you know, voting to…
Jul 13, 2022
We Democrats, we do have a very good and diverse coalition. It truly is diverse, everywhere you look at it. But in terms of leadership in Congress, it is true, they’re getting older.
Jul 13, 2022
The way the Senate works, as you know, it’s a supermajority to get anything done. It has nothing to do with age.
Jul 13, 2022
The way the Senate works, as you know, it`s a supermajority to get anything done. It has nothing to do with age.
Jul 13, 2022
The point -- but I do think there`s an important point to this poll. And that is, we Democrats, we do have a very good and diverse coalition. It truly is diverse, everywhere you look at it. But in terms of leadership in Congress, it is…
Apr 24, 2022
It's up to his colleagues to determine if they want such a coward, such a liar, to be their leader, and or maybe even speaker.
Apr 24, 2022
Frankly, anyone who runs on that as an issue should be defeated, overwhelmingly by everybody.
Apr 24, 2022
They've sold their soul, this party used to be called the Grand Old Party. And now it's a cowardly party of lies.
Apr 24, 2022
This is a sad moment, we always had two parties, one was to the right of center, one was to the left of center, and we never had a party, so extreme and so willing to become the party of grievance and anger and division.
Mar 24, 2022
I thought if Clarence Thomas had been a senator, and his wife was texting the president, the president’s chief of staff about overturning democracy, Clarence Thomas, if he were a senator would have been thrown out of the Senate, if he knew…
Mar 24, 2022
I still think it would be good for someone to introduce articles of impeachment, to lay out this abuse of power for everyone to stay.
Jan 9, 2022
I think Joe Biden is starting to channel Harry Truman. And anyone who knows a little bit about Harry Truman knows that Harry Truman in 1948 was giving a big speech, and he was going through the list point by point of how Republicans were…
Jan 2, 2022
when people lose hope that they can`t make it from poverty into the middle class, and then when they`re stuck in the lower middle class, they can`t make it a little bit higher, it`s a very unhappy place for the country.
Jan 2, 2022
It`s just not healthy for a society that prides itself on a thriving middle class to be losing the middle class.
Jan 2, 2022
that`s why it`s so important -- and I hate to shift to something more parochial -- that Joe Biden`s vision of this Build Back Better, because that`s investing in the human infrastructure.
Jan 2, 2022
Senator Boxer is here talking about whether it’s really time to take the obstruction filibuster away from Mitch McConnell.
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