Barbara Boxer

If confirmed, do you commit to help try to find ways to reduce pollution problems caused by heavy metals in coal combustion waste?

I think, frankly, the fact that you have lived with this, we do not ever have to say to you, you know, do you care about kids here because I know you know that kids are not little adults, they are different from us, and they need attention.

Will you commit to make the record of your office's participation in this group public?

I expect to know why because this has gone on and one.

If confirmed, do you commit to assess whether EPA has sufficient data to regulate perchlorate in drinking water?

I am worried about perchlorate in water.

I have great news from our Committee. The Big Four on this are myself, Senator Inhofe, Senator Crapo and Senator Cardin. We have reached an agreement to move a bipartisan bill through the Committee.

Protecting our Nation's waterways has been made much more challenging by Supreme Court cases that have undermined the historic scope and application of the Clean Water Act.

Again, congratulations on how smoothly this went. And you all just come to us so highly qualified.

We need to make sure our questions are submitted for two of the nominees by close of business tomorrow.

Well, Senator Lautenberg, you speak for us all when you talk about your grandkids always. And that is what our work is really about.

I expressed my concern that we have slowed these cleanups dramatically by half.

The way we are going to proceed now is each of us will have 5 minutes to ask questions.

I want to say to each of you, congratulations on these nominations. You have the opportunity to rebuild the Agency's ability to safeguard communities, revitalize our economy, and restore the public's faith in the EPA.

The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance is the safety net that backs up all of EPA's efforts to clean up the environment and protect public health.

Cleaning up these sites not only protects public health and safety, but provides jobs and helps to revitalize local communities.

During the Bush administration, the pace of cleanups declined by 50 percent compared to the Clinton administration.

One in four people live within four miles of a Superfund site, including 10 million of our children.

The three offices administered by these positions are central to the Agency's mission to protect the public health and to protect the environment.

The days of U.S. inaction--and leadership failure--on climate change have ended.

The best and most flexible way to deal with this serious problem is to enact a market-based cap-and-trade system.

U.S. climate policy and legislation must respond to the impact that climate change will have on people.

The President has made it clear that enacting a market-based cap on carbon pollution is one of his top priorities.

I applaud President Obama's pledge to prioritize climate change.

Global warming presents a grave threat to our planet.