Ben Cardin

On navigable waters, put me down for the Senator who believes that traditional understanding is what should be done.

Chairman Boxer and Ranking Member Vitter, your recent work on the Water Resources Development Act of 2013 is a tangible demonstration of working together for a common goal.

And they expect that our toxics and our chemicals are handled in a safe manner in order to protect the welfare of our community.

I repeat our thanks for your patience and your willingness to put your names forward to serve our Country in a very important agency, the Environmental Protection Agency.

People want to make sure that, when they turn on their tap at home, the water that they get is safe for them to drink.

It is our responsibility to make sure that the Senate takes up these positions for up or down votes.

Stop the delay. Two years for this position to be filled is outrageous.

They expect that when they breathe the air, that the air will be safe.

I think some of the proudest moments in the history of America is that the Democrats and Republicans, working together to pass the Clean Water Act, to pass the Clean Air Act.

I deeply respect all three of you, but two of you have the distinct good sense to be Marylanders.

I thank the two Marylanders that are here. Nothing against Oregon, but we do take care of our own State's people first.

The loss of sea grasses by warmer water is affecting the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay.

People say, oh, 1 degree, what does that mean? But when you see the types of storms that we have seen...

Rising sea level is creating a security problem for us as we are losing more and more of our shoreline.

This climate crisis is already happening, and the extreme weather that we have been experiencing as a nation makes it clear.

These extreme weather events and increased temperatures are not theoretical. They are happening to us right now.

We need national policies to deal with these issues.

We are involved, I serve on the Senate Foreign Committee with Senator Boxer and others on this Committee.

If you do not respect our environment, you cannot grow the economy.

It is time that we get serious with three key responses to the climate threat.

It is urgent that we act and we act now.

Governance is extremely important and the corruption issue I would point out I think we have not taken aggressive enough steps during these years to give a better opportunity for good governance.

I certainly share the concern about clarity and transparency with the Congress as we move forward on the removal of our combat troops from Afghanistan.

I think every member of this committee wants to see more clarity on how the decisions are being made on troop levels as we go into this critical year.

The removal of the international military presence is going to have a major impact on the economy of Afghanistan.