Barbara Boxer: “thank you so much for your courtesy--and my colleagues. I wanted to be heard on this bill. I haven't spoken on it. It is…”

“thank you so much for your courtesy--and my colleagues. I wanted to be heard on this bill. I haven't spoken on it. It is a bill that I call a drilling bill; I don't call it an energy bill. I rise to speak against it, and I am against it for three very simple reasons. First, I have no assurances--nor does Senator Feinstein--that the California coast will continue to be protected from new offshore oil and gas drilling. That protection is crucial to my State, to my State's economy, and, of course, it is crucial to the promise that we made to our children and our grandchildren--that this coast will be forever protected. It is one of God's greatest gifts to our State. Every history book that writes about California talks about the beauty of our State--and it starts with the ocean. We know if we lose that beauty it is irreplaceable. I also wanted to make a point to my friends that in our State, offshore oil drilling is an issue that unites the vast majority of Republicans and Democrats. They do not want to see it happen, whether it is our Governor or our Democratic candidate for Governor. They are in full agreement. This is an issue that unites California. Clearly, we know that our economy is heavily reliant on tourism. It is reliant on fisheries. And offshore oil drilling threatens both of those economic engines. Second, this bill will drain billions of dollars from the Federal Treasury. That is indisputable.…”