Barbara Boxer: “I have never had such a fantastic, underpaid, assistant in my life. I will take a minute to explain why I am very…”

“I have never had such a fantastic, underpaid, assistant in my life. I will take a minute to explain why I am very delighted that Senators Gregg and Murray have signed off on this amendment we are about to adopt. Senator Schumer has worked very hard on this issue. Here is what we say. We say the inspector general did an investigation and found out that on the out-of-place assets list--these are assets that the Department of Homeland Security will protect--were places such as the Nestle Purina Pet Food plant, the Sweetwater Flea Market, petting zoo, the beach at the end of a street, the Pepper and Herb Company, Auto Shop, groundhog zoo, high stakes bingo, mule day parade. We wish we could protect every activity in America, but I think when you are looking at a budget that is limited, we should go after the targets that al-Qaida has told us--the bridges, the highways, the infrastructure, the chemical plants, the nuclear plants. We do not have to spend taxpayer money protecting the bourbon festival, as an example. The point is, we are going to ask the Department to either accept the recommendations of the inspector general or tell us why not. That is the essence of the amendment. I thank my colleagues. I don't know if I need to ask for the yeas and nays.”