Cory Booker: “I am very grateful that my chairman of my committee, Environment and Public Works, spoke so eloquently about the issues…”

“I am very grateful that my chairman of my committee, Environment and Public Works, spoke so eloquently about the issues surrounding this bill. I am new to the Senate--at least in Senate terms--because I have been here for 2\1/2\ years, but I have never seen such a broad-based coalition involved in supporting a bill-- a coalition that extends from the far right to the far left, a coalition that brings industry and activists together, a coalition that brings environmentalists together, as well as those who seek economic growth. This is a tremendous coalition. But even more so for me as a relatively new Senator, it has been one of the greatest privileges I have had in the Senate to work together in such a cooperative way to bring about legislation for which you really could build such a broad base of support. I applaud my colleagues, and I applaud the chairman and the ranking member. I applaud all the members on the EPW Committee and others for working on a bill that does earn, in my opinion, speaking as a man from New Jersey, the right to have the name of my predecessor Frank Lautenberg on it. Senator Lautenberg was a giant in New Jersey. He served this country with distinction. He was a veteran. He was a public servant. He actually ran a business and grew it to be a mighty one in my State and beyond.…”