Barbara Boxer: “They have come together behind Senators Cantwell and Dayton to say: Please, fix this bill. Do not do what California…”

“They have come together behind Senators Cantwell and Dayton to say: Please, fix this bill. Do not do what California did. Just because something is changing does not mean it is changing in a right way. We have to be very careful. Did we learn anything in California, Washington, and Oregon? The word ``deregulation'' is a beautiful word. I love it. I wish we didn't need regulations, and I wish everyone did everything right. However, in a society where you must have your heat and you must have your air because you must run a business, you must make sure an elderly person in summer does not suffer from the dangers of heat exhaustion, you have to have a way to make sure this important need is not forgone. I thank my friend. The California experience is forever seared in my mind and heart. I don't want other States to go through the same thing. This amendment will help in that regard. I hope the Senator wins this amendment. The way things are going, we may not make it. But we are on the right side. We are not going to give up. Just as we learned in California, we can vote a lot of things in, but when the people say, What are you doing, we come back here pretty darn quick. From my experience in California, this is not the way to go. This underlying bill is not the way to go. My friend has pinpointed the need for consumer protections. I thank the Senator.”