Robert Torricelli: “Yesterday, the Senate passed, by unanimous consent, an important amendment that will protect our children from pesticide…”

“Yesterday, the Senate passed, by unanimous consent, an important amendment that will protect our children from pesticide exposure in our Nation's schools. Inadvertently, Senators Boxer and Reid were left off this amendment as original cosponsors. I would like the record to reflect that Senator Boxer and Senator Reid should have been listed as original cosponsors of amendment #805 to H.R. 1, the Better Education for Students and Teachers Act. I regret this unfortunate oversight, as these two Senators are largely responsible for the passage of this amendment. They have as much claim to authorship of this important effort as any Member of this body. If not for their commitment to the protection of our Nation's children, we would not be celebrating the passage of this amendment today. Were it not for Senator Boxer's unwavering commitment to protecting our children, as she has done with the introduction of the Children's Environmental Protection Act, the Senate would not even be having this debate. Were it not for Senator Reid's understanding of the important issues facing the Senate, and his advocacy as a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, this amendment would not have enjoyed the support that it has. I thank my friends for their support and ask that the Senate recognize Senator Boxer and Senator Reid as original cosponsors of the School Environmental Protection Amendment.”