Barbara Boxer: “So there are unanswered questions surrounding ethanol. There are unanswered questions according to the EPA special panel…”

“So there are unanswered questions surrounding ethanol. There are unanswered questions according to the EPA special panel in 1999, and all the Senator from California is saying to her colleagues is this: Just make sure this product, which is going to be a new product in several States, that it does not have special advantages so that if something happens, the makers of the product do not get off scott-free. That is not right. It is un-American. It is not fair. It is an unfunded mandate on our communities. I was happy to hear Senator Bond say he does not support a waiver for MTBE--good for him--because we need to strip that out of the House bill. But this is a new day. This is a new additive, and we should hold it to the same responsibility as we hold all other additives, all other products. Because if MTBE had this waiver, communities all over this country would be in trouble. I thank my colleagues very much for listening to me. I feel very strongly about this. I hope we will have a good ``aye'' vote.”