Barbara Boxer

Astronaut Safety--The safety of our astronauts is my number one priority.

We have made a lot of progress, a lot of scientific progress on fuels reduction.

I want to applaud Senator Feinstein for her leadership on the original Lake Tahoe Restoration Act.

We simply can't lose these magnificent treasures.

I am so happy that Senator Feinstein is here, great leader on so many of these issues and on the issue of Lake Tahoe in particular today.

You are a great Subcommittee Chairman, and I say that really from my heart because you are moving so much good legislation through this Committee.

Thank you very much, Senator Cardin, for taking the lead on this hearing today.

Catastrophic fire is still an incredible threat.

Thank you so much, and to you both, you're courageous; you're brave; you're direct; you're helpful to us.

Let the Afghan Government know that women in Afghanistan cannot be used as a bargaining chip in this reconciliation process

Participation in political life and decisionmaking level is very, very important because we should not only have women as a token in some places.

Hold these people accountable for what they've done

I think we have to be skeptical about the degree to which President Karzai is himself committed to women's rights.

This is the moment. If this moment passes, we're back where we started, and that's disastrous.

Do you agree with the access to education for women, access to health care, freedom to work, freedom to participate in political life?

There can't be reconciliation unless there's certain changes in the treatment of women.

Women have to have that right, and we have to do everything in our power to ensure it.

We would like to trust him, but we--the verification of that trust will come from other things.

We can't have half the population subjected to becoming nothing and no one.

If a peace process is to endure, women need to have a voice in the decision-making about the future of their country.

Now there's a new law--but it means zero if they don't implement it.

We are dependent on the elevation of women to realize change in Afghanistan.

Women must play a role--a key role--to ensure that the protection of their rights is a priority.

Thank you. Thank you so much. We're going to let you have 7 minutes for questions.

We know that development change can happen in Afghanistan only if women are central catalysts to it.