Barbara Boxer

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, Senator Kerry wishes to question the Senator, if it is OK with the Senator from Tennessee. After that, I wish to be recognized for unanimous consent requests and perhaps an additional minute or two, to be followed by Senator Warner for 2 minutes and Senator Domenici for 2 minutes. And then----

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, we all respect each other, but I have to say, I don't think my friend from Tennessee understands this bill at all. All I can say is, he couldn't understand it because the biggest piece of this bill, OK, is funds for the American people, a big tax cut. If my friend opposes a tax cut, he ought to say it. It is a huge tax cut for the American people to help them deal with the increases in gas prices. Right now, under this President, we have seen a 250-percent increase in the cost of a gallon of gas, just in 7 years. We have no resources. This bill gives us the resources. It gives us consumer relief. My friend from Tennessee used very harsh words, in my opinion, to attack a bill that really does address the issue of global warming, addresses the issue of energy independence. And for him to call it command and control is rather a joke since we specifically rejected a carbon tax and we allowed the free market to set a price on carbon. As to Senator Domenici's statement, again, he says it will do nothing. Read the modeling. We do what we have to do in this country to exert the leadership to decrease these greenhouse gases, and we do it in a way that has won the support of business, labor, and huge numbers of people across this country, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Republican and Democratic Governors. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when we resume after lunch that I be recognized to speak for up to 30 minutes, followed by Senator Inhofe to speak for up to 30 minutes.

Mrs. BOXER. The Senator does.

Mrs. BOXER. If my colleague agrees.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I say that my friend from Pennsylvania has been a great leader on this, and I am ready right now, as is Senator Warner, as is Senator Lieberman, to start debating amendments. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership has said we need to run out 30 hours, so we are not going to be able to begin the amendment process. But it runs out tonight and, hopefully, first thing in the morning we will start with the amendment process. Mr. President, I have a unanimous consent request, signed off on by Senator Inhofe and myself, and I ask unanimous consent that the order of speakers for this afternoon's debate on the motion to proceed to the climate bill be as follows: Boxer, 20 minutes; Inhofe, 30 minutes; Kerry, 20 minutes; Barrasso, 15 minutes; Whitehouse, 15 minutes; Grassley, 15 minutes; Casey, 15 minutes; Enzi, 20 minutes; Carper, 30 minutes; Alexander, 20 minutes; Warner, 20 minutes; Bond, 20 minutes; Lieberman, 30 minutes; Vitter, 15 minutes; Nelson of Florida, 15 minutes; and Craig, 15 minutes. Further, I ask unanimous consent that following each speaker, the bill manager or their designee from the opposite side of the previous speaker have up to 5 minutes for a rebuttal statement prior to the next speaker listed above being recognized.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. He is going to speak.

Mrs. BOXER. Yes, I do. Mr. President, I wonder how much time I have left of my time?

Mrs. BOXER. OK. Senator Warner is speaking on my time, then? Which is fine.

Mrs. BOXER. No, it is fine. I say to Senator Warner, I believed we were slow-walking it only because we are so anxious to get to the amendments. But I hear what you are saying--if this is real. We are going to have some good debate today. This is the list of Senators on both sides. This is good.

Mrs. BOXER. Well, let me say, I welcome everyone to the floor. Let me conclude my little part today at this time by saying we have seen the faith communities come out very strongly for the Boxer- Lieberman-Warner bill--the Evangelical Environmental Network, the Evangelical Climate Initiative, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Council of Churches, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the Interfaith Power and Light Campaign. These are just some. I think we have had some very wonderful meetings with them and press conferences with them. The way they look at the world is this: It is God's creation that is at stake, and they feel very moved and very bound to respond. It is rare you see this kind of coalition coming forward. But they look at God's creatures, and they say: We have a responsibility. They look at human beings all over the world who will suffer mightily if we do not get a grip on this global warming because we know, with rising sea levels, we will have refugees who will be stranded. We know in our own country we will have thousands die of heat strokes. We will have many thousands die from vectors and problems of new kinds of amoebas and so on that will now be present in the warmer waters. We had an incident, and I believe it was at Lake Havasu, where we had some little child who went swimming and got a brain infection, who got that because the waters are getting warmer. So this is not theoretical. It is real. Here, as shown in this picture, is a beautiful creature, the polar bear and people say: Oh, is this all about saving the polar bear? It is about saving us. It is about saving our future. It is about saving the life on planet Earth. And, yes, it is about saving God's creatures. I remember sitting just a few feet away, at our hearings, from the scientists who said 40 to 50 percent of God's species could be extinct if we do not act. Now, that is not something we can turn away from, at least in my opinion. Here is this magnificent creature in peril because of the disappearing ice. I also think we have to remind ourselves that global warming is a national security issue. I know when Senator Warner became involved in it, it was in great part because of this. A report conducted by the Center for Naval Analysis found that the United States could more frequently be drawn into situations of conflict to ``provide stability before conditions worsen and are exploited by extremists. . . . The U.S. will find itself in a world where Europe will be struggling internally, with large numbers of refugees washing up on its shores, and Asia in serious crisis over food and water. Disruptions and conflict will be endemic features of life.'' Look, this is not a quote from Senator Boxer or Senator Kerry or Senator Lieberman or Senator Warner, who care about this bill. This is a quote from the Center for Naval Analysis. This is very serious. This is, Implications for U.S. National Security, commissioned by the Department of Defense in October 2003. Here we are in 2008, and we have a long way to go to get this bill done. So I would say in my remaining few minutes that you are going to hear people come to the Senate floor and say: If we do this bill, it is going to imperil jobs. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. You look at Great Britain, where they have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent since 1990, and their economy grew 40 percent. Mr. President, 500,000 new jobs were created. The Apollo Alliance here at home said we are going to see thousands and thousands of new jobs created. We have a study of the impacts of California's global warming law: 89,000 new jobs projected. I can tell you right now, we are in a tough time in California because of the housing crisis, OK. A lot of folks being laid off are going to work for the 450 new solar companies that have sprung up in California. If you look at the top manufacturing States for solar, it is Ohio, Michigan, California, Tennessee, and Massachusetts. So these jobs are going all over America. Look at all of labor supporting our bill. It is remarkable: the Operating Engineers, the Building and Construction Trades, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. They understand we will be building a new infrastructure for our new energy which is going to result in lower energy prices. Our local governments support action--the Conference of Mayors; the National Association of Clean Air Agencies; the Climate Communities, which is a coalition of cities, towns, counties, and other communities. Not only will we see lower gas prices as a result of this legislation, but we are going to see amazing job growth. It occurred in Germany, just as it occurred in Great Britain. Here we see this group that came together to support us saying: ``Prompt action on climate change is essential to protect America's economy, security, quality of life and natural environment.'' I want to reiterate this. You are going to hear predictions of gloom and doom. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for 20 more seconds to close.

Mrs. BOXER. You are going to hear predictions of doom and gloom. But do you know what? Either these folks have not read the bill or they are reading off talking points that were made to start a political fight. We should come together across party lines. We should pass this bill. I look forward to hearing from the rest of my colleagues. Before I yield the floor, I ask the Presiding Officer, since we do not have anyone to rebut us, is it possible to go to Senator Kerry at this time? Would that be possible? I ask unanimous consent that we go to Senator Kerry, since we do not have the other side here. Or, actually, I ask unanimous consent to go to Senator Lieberman for 3 minutes, followed by Senator Kerry for 30 minutes.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, to quote part of what Governor Freudenthal said: I am not urging continued inaction. The lack of a federal plan essentially paralyzes the other players, both private and public sector. The problem at hand is enormous. Climate change does not wait for us and we cannot afford to delay. I have had many conversations with the good Governor, and let me tell you why he is upset. The West has got problems. In my friend's own State, the average temperature rising in the Colorado River Basin, which stretches from Wyoming to Mexico, is more than double the average global increase. So his State is facing real problems, and essentially he gets up here, and has every right, and reads off the National Association of Manufacturers' talking points. I thought the West was independent. I am a little stunned. We are hearing the same things now over and over: Raising gas prices. Let us look again. Under George W. Bush, we have had a 250-percent increase in gas prices. Where was my friend when we tried to do a windfall profits tax and give back the money to his poor working people he is crying about today? He wasn't with us on this. He has never been with us on this. The fact is, we know if you look at this administration's own charts, not the National Association of Manufacturers', we will lower gas prices, because clearly we are going to have other technologies--other technologies. And the fuel economy standards that we passed here--and I don't know if my friend supported them; I hope he did--are going to make it cheaper for folks to drive because their cars will do better. So if there is a 2-cent-a-year increase--which is the outside limit, by the way--as Senator Lieberman says, at the end of the day it won't be an increase for our families. Now, my friend talked a lot about working people, so let's talk about working people. Let's see the working people who support this bill. My friend says he talks for working people, so I will tell you who is supporting the Boxer-Lieberman-Warner bill. The International Union of Operating Engineers. They see jobs, jobs, jobs. The building and construction trades. They see jobs. The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers; the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators; the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron, Shipbuilders, Blacksmiths. I don't have enough time. I don't have enough time. The Laborers International Union of North America. It goes on and on. So when folks on the other side get up and say they are crying for working people, why don't you listen to working people? Because they see what is happening. Let me tell you, my friend, what is happening in California, where we have a cutting-edge global warming law, and whether this bill passes or not, they are moving forward. So are the western States, I say to my friend. The fact is, let me tell you what is happening. We have a terrible recession in my State because of the crash of the housing industry. We are hoping we come out of this, but in the meantime, I am told by my Governor, who is a Republican, Governor Schwarzenegger, who supported this bill, that 450 new companies, solar companies, have set up shop and they are hiring those workers. Then my friend says: What are you doing for the workers? Take a look in this bill. We have worker training. My friend actually wrote one of the pieces of this part of the legislation. Universities have think tanks, and they have job training. We are very excited about the jobs that will come. We are excited about the fact that finally we will get energy independence. Really, in a way, I smile. I am not happy about it, but I have to smile when my colleagues on the other side complain about gas prices when they stood there and supported George Bush through his whole term when gas prices have gone up 250 percent. What was his answer? He went across to the Middle East and held hands with a Saudi prince and begged. It did not work. Let's forget about these phony arguments and support this bill. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BOXER. Why don't you take 2 minutes.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I was hopeful to have 5 minutes, and I know Senator Inhofe is going to take a lot of time to rebut, so I ask unanimous consent to take 5 minutes now.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I have to say it is amazing to me how a Senator from a place that is almost ground zero on global warming could stand up here and be so negative, very unlike his Governor. I ask unanimous consent to place in the Record the testimony of the Hon. David D. Freudenthal, Governor of the State of Wyoming, before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, if the Senator has completed, it is my understanding I will have a 5-minute rebuttal time; is that correct?

Mrs. BOXER. I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mrs. BOXER. I am going to make a few comments and then turn to Senator Lieberman. Can you tell me when I have used 2\1/2\ minutes, please. Let me say, new speaker, same talking points. Unbelievable. Not one of my friends on the other side, not one, in my opinion, has offered anything to combat global warming, to get us off foreign oil--not one. It is unbelievable. I checked the record. Let's hold up these charts on oil. Here we go again. It has been 7 years since George Bush took office, and gas prices have gone up 250 percent. I did not hear my colleagues on the other side of the aisle saying: Oh, my people are hurting, let's go to the oil companies; we know the executives are earning many millions. Nothing. Let's look at what happened in the past 9 months, since January 7: an 82-cent increase. My colleagues, silent. Now they are worried, just when we can get off foreign oil, just when we have a plan to do it, we can say goodbye to big oil, out of the stranglehold, oh, they are suddenly concerned because gas prices could go up 2 cents a year, which, by the way, is the outside limit and we know, because of fuel economy we passed, is not going to impact our people. Let's look to June 2007. The Senate rejected an effort by Senator Baucus to provide tax credits to renewable energy by closing loopholes for the oil industry that is taking all the money from my people and your people and the hard workers of America: 47 Democrats said yes; 34 Republicans said no. In November 2005, an amendment by Senator Cantwell to establish a national goal of reducing our dependence on foreign oil so the President does not have to go hold hands with a Saudi prince, let's see what happened then: 45 Democrats voted yes, but 52 Republicans said, no, they don't want to be energy independent. That is what this is about. All these crocodile tears, and you will hear it time and time again. Where were they when we tried to do something about oil prices? How about in November 2005, an amendment by Senator Cantwell to create a new Federal ban on price gouging: 45 Democrats yes; 42 Republicans no. Don't listen to this. This is a phony attack just when we are ready to get off foreign oil.

Mrs. BOXER. I yield to the Senator from Connecticut.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, Senator Lieberman and I had planned to share this, but if Senator Warner wishes to jump in, we will try to yield him some time. Let me say this one more time: Every Republican speaker who has come to the floor has talked about a gas tax. It in a way is so ironic, because when they had a chance to help us deal with gas prices, where were they? My friend, Senator Alexander, says gas prices are going up 52 cents. He didn't tell you it is over 20 years, folks. He didn't tell you that, 2.5 cents a year, if he is right, and he is not right. That is the outer limit. The automobile fuel economy standard we passed will negate that, even if it is true. But where was he? Where were they? We had three initiatives, we Democrats. They said nothing. Now, when we are on the brink of getting off foreign oil, getting off big oil, suddenly we can do nothing. It is sad, but that is the case. What we are forgetting--and not one Republican has talked about this issue except for Senator Warner, and I am happy to say Senator Snowe is on her way to speak--the National Academy of Sciences concluded that climate change is real, attributed to human activities, and that global warming is unequivocal, and we need to do something about it. The human health impacts, these come straight from the Bush administration people: Increase in the frequency and duration of heat waves and heat-related illness, increase in waterborne diseases, increased respiratory diseases. All they can talk about is 2 cents a year on gas prices, which isn't going to happen because we are going to get off foreign oil. Increased respiratory disease, lung disease, asthma, if we don't act. Children and the elderly are vulnerable. I don't hear any talk about that. All we hear about is 2 cents a year on gas, which we are not going to see either. The polar bears, we know they are in deep trouble. They are God's creatures, God's creatures. We have a responsibility to protect the 40 percent of the species that could be extinct. Let me close my part by saying this. Evangelicals, the Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Council of Churches, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the Interfaith Power and Light Campaign--these dedicated religious leaders have joined hands with us. Why? Because they feel this is a moral issue. We believe jobs will be created. Businesses will be created. Technologies will come to the fore and will solve the global warming problem. I yield the remainder of my time to Senator Lieberman, if he wishes to share it.

Mrs. BOXER. That is fine with me.

Mrs. BOXER. Will the Senator yield for a question on his time?

Mrs. BOXER. I was asking if the Senator could use some of his own time.

Mrs. BOXER. It is the colloquy that I believe is important because my friend is so right. We approach the future with hope. We are not going to pull the covers over our heads. This is America. We need to lead, and we need to lead in technology. We know venture capitalists have told us they are waiting for this bill. They are going to invest more in new technologies than they ever did in biotech and high tech. I wish to ask my friend this question: It is true that we do have a very large tax cut in this bill; is that not so?

Mrs. BOXER. Is it not so that we have a large, almost a trillion dollars of consumer relief that goes through the utilities to help our consumers; is that not correct?