Barbara Boxer: “If we simply did one thing, and that is, got the SUVs to have the same fuel economy as a sedan--and, by the way, that is…”

“If we simply did one thing, and that is, got the SUVs to have the same fuel economy as a sedan--and, by the way, that is quite doable--we would, in 7 years, have ``produced'' enough oil to equal that of ANWR by saving it. By the way, that happens exponentially. In the next 7 years, there is another ANWR. Every 7 years you save another ANWR. So to stand in this Chamber and say the only way to become energy independent is by drilling in a refuge I just do not think stands the light of scrutiny. I am looking forward so much to having the debate on the energy bill, as Senator Daschle has promised. He is very interested in having that debate, as well, but he does not want to have that debate up against the December timeframe when we have so much to do relative to economic stimulus, when we are looking at bioterrorism. We must get the vaccines in place for smallpox. There is so much we need to deal with, including the appropriations conference reports. So I think Senator Daschle has done the right thing by setting aside a time, within 60 days, when we can have this debate. The President, using his Executive powers, overturned a rule that President Clinton put in place that said that air-conditioners should become more efficient. That particular rule was even supported by many of the people in the industry itself. By canceling that, we are again being beholden to Middle East oil.”