Barbara Boxer

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I say to Senator Rockefeller, I thought it was 15 we had discussed.

Mrs. BOXER. Thank you. Mr. President, the reason I need the time is, every time one of my colleagues gets up, it just amazes me at some of the things they say. Now, my friend, the Senator from Alabama, is very worried about going into debt because of this economic recovery package. He is calling for a small package. I do not know what he believes a ``smaller package'' definition is, but we know from economists, Democratic and Republican, if the package is too small it does no good. He is very worried about the debt. We all are worried about the debt. Where were my Republican friends--and they are my friends; I work with them every day--where were they when George Bush took the debt from $5 trillion to $10 trillion over 8 years--doubled it--put it on the backs of every man, woman, and child--$17,000 of debt for every man, woman, and child? I never heard a word. They spent it on Iraq. I say it is time to spend it here and help our people. They spent it on tax cuts for the richest people, those who did not need it, and they did not care about the debt. I want to help the middle class and the working poor, the backbone of America, because without that backbone, we have nothing. So I think the record has to be set straight. I thank those Republicans who worked with us Democrats on coming up with a solution. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You stepped forward. You listened to President Obama. You stepped forward for positive change. You stepped forward to help America. We are in a deepening economic crisis. In my home State of California, the unemployment rate is 9.3 percent. We all know California is trend setting. This is one trend I hope the rest of America will not follow. But, by God, if we do nothing, if we do not embrace the bipartisan package--and I know it is not perfect--but if we do nothing, that is, in my view, a hostile act--a hostile act; not a passive act--because to do nothing endorses the status quo. I wish to spend a minute showing you some charts which illustrate the status quo. Since 2001, 4.1 million manufacturing jobs lost. In 2008, alone, 2,589,000 good-paying American jobs lost, just in 2008. For every 1 percent increase in the national unemployment rate, we see a 1 million increase in Medicaid, a 1.1 million increase in the uninsured, a $1.4 billion rise in State Medicaid and CHIP spending, a $200 billion rise in Federal Medicaid and CHIP spending. So what are we saying? If we do nothing, we are not going to save any money as a national government. We are not going to let people die on the streets or starve to death or not get health care. We will all pull together to help them. We need to reverse this so we do not spend money this way, so that we create jobs. Now, I have a picture to show you. I do not know if you have seen this, Mr. President. If you cannot see it from there, it is a crowd of people. It looks like folks trying to jam into a rock concert. Do you know what it is? One thousand applicants lined up for 35 firefighting jobs in Miami, on February 2, 2009. They had to call the police to control the crowd. Now, I have a list of the layoffs in my State. I ask unanimous consent to have some examples from that list printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, Target laid off 382 people in Sunnyvale; Harman Becker Automotive laid off 325 people in Northridge; Ghirardelli Chocolate laid off 107 people in San Francisco; Circle Foods laid off 112 people in San Diego. And it goes on and on and on: 500 laid off, 1,000 laid off, and on and on and on. What happens when someone loses his or her job? And what happens when the mom and dad lose their jobs? It is a life-altering change. We know this housing crisis got us into this jam, and we need to address it far more. That is why President Obama has said: Do this first, get this economic recovery on track. Then we will look at housing and do the things we need to do. Then we will look at the financial sector. So it is a three-legged stool. We have to do all of it. It is what the election was all about. But we need to step up to the plate now because it is one thing to lose your home because you were in a terrible situation with your mortgage and your interest rate kicked up to 8.9, 10 percent. That is awful. It is even worse to lose your home because you are two paychecks away from homelessness. We need to stem the tide. I do appreciate my Republican colleagues' newfound respect for fiscal responsibility. But we have to admit--admit--they never cared about it the last 8 years. And that is how I started off, challenging my friend from Alabama. The past 8 years: deepening, deepening debt. Imagine this: When George Bush took the oath of office, our budget was in surplus. We had a surplus in our yearly budget. The Republicans took that to $1 trillion of deficit. We had $5 trillion in debt. It was on the way down. Economists said it was going to go to zero. I remember saying to my husband, it is going to be so amazing when we do not even have to sell Treasury bonds because we are going to be out of debt. Well, because of the war in Iraq, and because of these tax cuts to the wealthiest, that debt turned around, and, as I said, is a huge burden on the backs of our taxpayers. So imagine if President Obama inherited a surplus and inherited a debt that was going down, and we had a recession, it would be so much easier, my friends, than it is right now. I do not like this. I voted for balancing the budget under Bill Clinton, and I believe we will get back to a balanced budget again. But we have to take care of a crisis. We have to stem the bleeding. Every economist tells us that. I could stand up and say I do not like the package. I would have had X more dollars here; I would have cut out this program there. I lost an amendment on the Senate floor with my friend from Nevada that I thought was a great tax cut. I got my clock cleaned. I could have taken my marbles and gone home, you know, sucked my thumb, pulled the covers over my head, and said: I am really mad. I was right and they were wrong. But the country is in trouble. Mr. President, 1,000 people are lining up for 35 firefighting jobs in one of our great States. So guess what. I have to put aside my ego, and I have to work with my colleagues. Again, I thank my Republican colleagues who moved forward and said: We know this election was about change, and we are going to give this President a chance. Thank you, I say to them. Our country is in economic trouble. The election was about the economy. The election was about the economy. I am going to remind people about that. It was just a little while ago. John McCain, September of 2008: ``The fundamentals of our economy are strong.'' Remember? The fundamentals of our economy are strong. His chief economic adviser said: We have become a Nation of whiners. Constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, American decline. You've heard of mental depression? This is a mental recession. Well, tell that to Mr. Arreola, 27 years old, of Boyle Heights, CA. He said: ``You've got to stay positive, but the economy is falling.'' He is looking for jobs. Every day he goes to north Los Angeles to a job center. Two months ago he lost his job at a computer warehouse. He said he has had to put his two children into foster homes until he can find a new job. He said: ``I'll take anything.'' Is that a mental recession? The chances of this man finding a job are getting slimmer. The pace of job losses has been accelerating. This thing is getting worse, the economists tell us. We had an election about this. Barack Obama, January 8, 2009: I know the scale of this plan is unprecedented, but so is the severity of our situation. We have already tried the wait-and-see approach to our problems and it is the same approach that helped lead us to this day of reckoning. So yes, I am mad that my amendment with the Senator from Nevada didn't pass. I thought we did a good job in debating it, but I am not taking my marbles and going home. I am working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. We have a chance now to get out of this recession. Will this package do it alone? It will not. I told my colleagues there are three legs to the stool, including the housing crisis and the financial crisis. I was an economics major a long time ago and I worked on Wall Street as a stock broker. In my lifetime, I have never seen a time such as this. So if we listen to our colleagues, we will either do nothing--and by the way, they are filibustering this bill; let's make it clear. We could have voted this out already, but they are filibustering it. That is their right. That is their right. I defend their right, but they have to take the consequences of stalling it. Maybe we will have to stay through the recess, and we will. We will get this done, thanks to some independent-minded people on the other side of the aisle working with all of us. One of my colleagues on the other side said the other day in a very emotional fashion: I feel left out of this process. As Senator Kerry has said, this is one of the most open processes I have ever seen here: amendment after amendment after amendment after amendment; several Republican amendments passed. Senator Coburn had one pass. Senator Specter had one pass. Senator Isakson had one pass. There were a couple of others. So the fact is it is an open process. When my Republican colleague held up the bill and he said I feel left out, you know what. I don't feel sorry for him. If he was on this floor, he could have offered his amendments. He could even pick up the phone and call the President of the United States or the Chief of Staff and he knows he could get through. He could talk to any one of us any day of the week and work with us, but he has chosen to stand apart. He says he feels left out. Well, I would rather be him than the family who is left out in the cold--in the cold winter because they lost their home, because they lost their job, because they lost their health care. So get over it. Get over it. Come and talk to us. Come and work with us. This election was about change, not the same old same old trickledown tax cuts that don't work. Yes, there is 42 percent tax cuts in this bill. That is not enough for my friends on the other side. They wanted all tax cuts or mostly tax cuts. We tried it. It didn't work. It has gotten us where we are today: huge debt, huge deficits, slow growth, no growth, recession. So in summation, we are headed to a better day. This Senate debate is very important. I thought it was terrific that John McCain led the debate yesterday. In essence, it relived the debate around the election: John McCain and his theory that the fundamentals of the economy are strong; we just need to do a few things around the edges, versus Barack Obama and his vision of boldness and change. I am glad this Senate in a bipartisan way has embraced that vision. I look forward to the passage of the bill. I thank the Senator from West Virginia for yielding me this time. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I would ask my leader from West Virginia if I could have my 15 minutes now since Senator Kyl did speak, and then I will be done with that 15 minutes.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I voted against Senate amendment No. 309 because the language of this amendment was too broad and would have excluded funding for important projects in California that will create jobs, help our veterans, promote tourism, protect our natural resources, and stimulate the economy. If the Coburn amendment had prevented economic recovery money from going to casinos, I would have supported the amendment. Gaming facilities and casinos do not deserve to receive funding in this bill. But by prohibiting funds for parks, highway beautification projects, and other community projects, the Coburn amendment would have eliminated from funding consideration important job-creating initiatives throughout California. It is important to note that there are no earmarks in this bill. No parks, community centers, casinos, swimming pools, or similar projects receive direct funding in the recovery bill. But there are some important investments that the Coburn amendment would prevent Federal, State, and local leaders from allocating resources to, such as construction and rehabilitation projects in State parks--which create jobs and protect natural resources--and highway beautification projects--which create jobs and help stimulate local economies. One example of how the Coburn amendment would prevent funding for worthy projects involves disabled veterans. There is $3.4 billion in this bill for construction and renovation of Veterans Administration hospitals. Because of the Coburn amendment, the VA will not be able to spend any of the funding it receives on construction of therapeutic recovery pools at trauma centers, spinal cord injury centers, and other medical centers for disabled veterans to use when recovering from traumatic injuries. Amendment No. 359

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the dedication of the Remembrance Plaza, a memorial to the Pinedale Assembly Center in Fresno, CA, on February 16, 2009. The Pinedale Assembly Center was a temporary internment site for nearly 5,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II. The dedication of Remembrance Plaza is a fitting tribute to a generation of Japanese Americans who stood tall in the face of adversity and injustice. The Pinedale Assembly Center was located 8 miles north of downtown Fresno on vacant land near an existing millworkers' housing facility. From May 7 to July 23, 1942, the Pinedale Assembly Center served as a temporary holding area for nearly 5,000 Japanese Americans, most of them were from Sacramento and El Dorado, as well as Oregon and Washington, before they were transferred to 1 of 10 internment camps throughout the Western States. Today, the former site of the Pinedale Assembly Center is a California Registered Historical Landmark. The Remembrance Plaza, a striking 7,000 square-foot memorial that features a fountain, a concrete plaza, Japanese landscaping, an interpretive wall, and ten prominently displayed story boards, will stand tall to tell the Japanese American story of internment and redress. The Remembrance Plaza is a testament to the determination of a generation of Japanese Americans and to the value of civil liberties, justice, and equality in our democracy. I would like to thank the Pinedale Assembly Memorial Project Committee, the Central California District Council of the Japanese American Citizens League, the Central California District Nikkei Foundation, the city of Fresno, and the many friends and supporters of this important project for their determined efforts to help make this beautiful and fitting memorial a reality. I am keenly aware of the historical significance of the Japanese American experience during World War II and this is why I was proud to introduce legislation with my colleague, Senator Dianne Feinstein, that would authorize a study that could result in the Tule Lake Segregation Center's designation as a national historic site. I am hopeful that this measure which passed the Senate in January will soon become law. The Remembrance Plaza provides a window for future generations to see the experiences of Japanese Americans during World War II. As supporters of this most worthwhile and fitting memorial gather to commemorate its dedication, I thank them for their support and wish them a successful and enjoyable experience.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mrs. BOXER. Would the Senator yield for a question?

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I think it is amazing that the Senator is holding up a bill--holding up a bill. Very theatrical. Did you ever do that when George Bush was President and he sent down a bill twice as big as that? Did the Senator ever do that? Because you can do that. That is theatrical. You can do that.

Mrs. BOXER. Will the Senator yield?

Mrs. BOXER. Thank you very much. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues. I think I can explain this amendment in 2 minutes, and then we can take a voice vote. I thank Senator Barrasso. He and I have a little different view on the importance of the National Environmental Policy Act in relation to this bill. Late last night he offered an amendment to essentially pretty much waive the protections of that act from this bill. Needless to say, as the chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I was concerned about the amendment. He and I have had extensive discussions, along with our staff, and we have reached an agreement on the way to proceed tonight. So, Mr. President, I am going to begin by carrying that out by sending a modification of my amendment to the desk that Senator Barrasso has approved. So if I might do that.

Mrs. BOXER. OK. I also thank--in addition to Senator Barrasso for working with me on drawing this up, I would say, perfecting this amendment--a lot of the groups out there who have been very worried and working and calling all my colleagues.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for an additional minute, if I might.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the list of these organizations, from the League of Conservation Voters to the American Lands Alliance; and there is even a group from Alaska that got involved.

Mrs. BOXER. I conclude by saying what I do in this amendment is to say that adequate resources within this bill must be devoted to ensuring that the applicable environmental reviews under NEPA are completed on an expeditious basis, and that we require a report every 90 days just to make sure these projects are moving forward with the protections of NEPA but no undue delays. So with that, I would ask for a voice vote, if I might.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. I object.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I thank Senator Barrasso. I didn't know about the Senator. As he knows, he is waiving the National Environment Act as it pertains to these projects. I will be glad to work with him to figure out a way to do a side-by-side, however he wants to deal with it, a second degree.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I am just waiting to take the Senate out tonight. But I did want to say there was a little bit of a surprise that happened tonight when one of my colleagues offered an amendment to essentially repeal environmental laws as they relate to this bill. All activities of this bill, if this Barrasso amendment were to pass, all the activities would no longer be covered by the National Environmental Policy Act. That is a very disturbing amendment and I was very surprised by it as chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee here. Thanks to the diligent staff--and I do appreciate them letting me know--I was able to craft another amendment that I hope will precede the amendment of Senator Barrasso and allow the Senate to express itself, saying that we do not intend to waive environmental laws that will protect the public health of our communities and, if there are projects that are such a harm to our community, they should be replaced by the many shovel-ready projects that our mayors are telling us are out there, that our Governors are telling us are out there. We will have that debate tomorrow but I wanted to mention why I was still here at 10 after 10, here protecting our communities across America. I have sent an amendment to the desk. I hope that amendment will be queued up as per the suggested list of Senator Baucus.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, Senators should expect rollcall votes throughout the day as we work to complete action on this important economic recovery legislation.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid on the table, and any statement be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 27, submitted earlier today.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 383, that was introduced earlier today.