Barbara Boxer: “I thank my friend. It is obvious he sees it the way I see it. We were called up to a secret meeting today to hear about…”

“I thank my friend. It is obvious he sees it the way I see it. We were called up to a secret meeting today to hear about all the threats on our Nation. That is not an idle trip up to that room. If it is to mean anything, we better get busy. I meet with my local police and fire. Do you know what? When there is a terrorist attack, the White House does not get the call; the Senate does not get the call; the House does not get the call. They dial 911, and our local people--be they in Nevada, be they in New Mexico, be they in California--get the call. They are hurting. The bill I wanted to get us to vote on today--and I have a couple of others I am going to ask since we got objection to this one. The Rail Transportation Security Act--this is one that passed out of the Commerce Committee, I say to the assistant Democratic leader, unanimously. It is very important. I will tell my friend what it does. The bill authorizes grants to all of our railroads and to hazardous material shippers for freight and passenger rail security. It is a critical bill. We saw what happened in Madrid. You do not have to haul me up to any secret room. The minute we saw that happen in Madrid, the Commerce Committee, which the Presiding Officer of the Senate is on and participated in this, we for the second time voted in a unanimous fashion--100 percent of the committee--for this rail security bill.”