Barbara Boxer

I urge my colleagues in the Senate to move quickly to confirm Michael to the Federal bench.

He has deep roots in the city of Los Angeles.

Michael has remained committed to public service during his time in private practice.

It is an honor to support the nomination of Michael Fitzgerald.

We have to go out on the highway. That is all we can do is escape that way.

Whether you love nuclear energy, don't like it or you are agnostic, it ain't going anywhere if it isn't safe.

Do you think it is complex to ask the operator who is operating a plant on or near an earthquake fault or near a possible tsunami zone to ask them every 10 years to reassess the safety of their plant?

Well, all I can say is if I am the people of California and I am watching this, right now I am not so sure about whether I want that plant to operate, because it is very simple.

I have 7 million people who live within 50 miles of San Onofre.

It is not red tape at all. It is 12 recommendations. They make sense.

I want assurances from each of you that you will not allow that to happen.

I want all of you to know we are going to have you back every 90 days until I know what you are doing.

That says a lot for the fact that we have an independent agency protecting the health and safety. They said the same thing in Japan until recently.

I can tell the people in Japan would have got down on their knees and prayed God that they had more safety measures in place.

The fact is, nuclear power plays a great role, a critical role in our Country and it is an emissions-free energy source that provides one-fifth of our Nation's electricity.

Delay is not an acceptable option, and I look forward to hearing from the Commissioners.

It is not good news from this commission.

I urge you Commissioners to act quickly, to take the next steps to make sure that nuclear facilities are prepared and that the public is fully protected.

I think it is important that these differences not become personal. If Inhofe and I can do it, we are really good friends, then anybody could do it.

I have asked the NRC to heed the wake-up call and reevaluate our current safety and security measures that are at our nuclear power plants.

I want to repeat that any task force recommendations be implemented as soon as possible since millions of people live close to those plants.

I have a few questions because what my colleague is doing right now is stepping back and looking at the bigger economic view of where we are. Having come out of the 2010 election, where, frankly, the only issue I faced day after day was…

I thank my colleague because I think it is important for the people to understand. I would hope Senator Reid will keep his amendment on the floor. It is the last vehicle standing to avert a default, and I thank my colleague for yielding.

I want to make sure the people listening to the Senator-- because he is such an expert on what goes on around here--understand this and make sure I understand it too. The Senator is saying that when 1 a.m. this morning comes, we will have…

Reserving the right to object--I shall not object--but I would like to add 3 minutes to my time as well.