Barbara Boxer

Each of them has a family that is proud of them, each of them has worked hard in their life to get where they are

I have not seen, in my lifetime, three people who were overly qualified for the jobs for which they have been nominated.

It is critical that we move forward with these nominations so that Federal agencies can fulfill their mission to serve the American people.

I am grateful that you are having this hearing and I am hopeful that we can move forward on them because it is so critical to move forward with these particular people.

I will continue to point out where I think we can come together and not be so separated on this issue of protecting our people.

Let us look past the title. We have beautiful titles for bills but they are really not beautiful bills.

Let us not paint Gina McCarthy with this brush or anybody else. It is a disgrace to do it. It is awful to do it. It is wrong to do it.

The American people say, get out of the way here, have the EPA and the Corps protect our waters.

None of us wants a child to get sick. But the bottom line, let us recognize what you say in the name of deregulation and our authority over their authority, at the end of the day, what are we doing?

I think a child in Arkansas, Alaska, California, Maryland or any one of our States deserves to be protected.

I feel for those people who come to work every day whether it is the Army Corps or the EPA and come there for the right reasons, to do the right thing, to protect drinking water, to protect the vulnerable populations.

I am just expressing my frustration and support of the Boxer Amendment.

If you oppose increasing pollution in our Nation's waterways and if you oppose putting greater burdens on the States, I urge a yes vote on this amendment.

I do not think this will ever become law.

All we are saying is if there is an increase in costs and if it is going to take more time to obtain a permit or perpetuate the lack of regulatory predictability, the bill is null and void.

I hope we can all agree the EPA and the Corps should retain the authority to ensure that our drinking water supply is safe and clean.

I do not think the American people would stand for it 1 second if you tried to repeal the Clean Water Act, you would be voted out of office.

If we start taking streams out of this regulatory reach, if we start taking waters out, people can dump their sewage in there without any type of permit.

The final Clean Water Rule that S. 1140 will block clearly protects streams that provide drinking water to millions of Americans while establishing exemptions for numerous water bodies that do not impact downstream water quality.

This amendment simply says the bill is null and void if EPA or the Corps determines that implementation of the bill will increase costs.

The Clean Water Act is a critical tool for preventing pollution of water bodies that provide drinking water.

I want to thank Senator Cardin for his work on this.

Instead of advancing a bill that would allow more pollution of our waterways, we should listen to the wide variety of stakeholders that support the proposed clean water rule.

Unfortunately, the legislation before us today would take us in the wrong direction.

This bill rips the heart out of the rule and frankly, out of the Clean Water Act.