Barbara Boxer

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to 35 young Americans who have been killed in Iraq since July 23, 2007. This brings to 812 the number of soldiers who were either from California or based in California that have been killed while serving our country in Iraq. This represents 21 percent of all U.S. deaths in Iraq. Hospitalman Daniel S. Noble, 21, died July 24, as a result of enemy action while conducting security operations in the Dilaya Province of Iraq. Hospitalman Noble was permanently assigned to 1st Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force Pacific, Camp Pendleton, CA. He was from Whittier, CA. SSG Joshua P. Mattero, 29, died on July 24, in Baqubah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol. Staff Sergeant Mattero was assigned to the 725th Ordnance Company, 63rd Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group, Fort Drum, NY. He was from San Diego, CA. CPL Matthew R. Zindars, 21, died July 24, while conducting combat operations in the Diyala province of Iraq. Corporal Zandars was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. SPC Jaime Rodriguez, Jr., 19, died July 26, in Saqlawiyah, Iraq of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Specialist Rodriguez was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA. He was from Oxnard, CA. CPL Sean A. Stokes, 24, died July 30, from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Corporal Stokes was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. He was from Auburn, CA. SPC Daniel F. Reyes, 24, died July 31, in Tunis, Iraq, of wounds suffered from enemy indirect fire. Specialist Reyes was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, Airborne, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, AK. He was from San Diego, CA. LCpl Cristian Vasquez, 20, died August 2, from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Lance Corporal Vasquez was assigned to 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. He was from Coalinga, CA. SGT Jon E. Bonnell Jr., 22, died August 7, from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Sergeant Bonnell was assigned to 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. SGT Michael E. Tayaotao, 27, died August 9, from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Sergeant Tayaotao was assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. He was from Sunnyvale, CA. SSG Sean P. Fisher, 29, died August 14, in Al Taqqadum, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his helicopter crashed. Staff Sergeant Fisher was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49, Fort Wainwright, AK. He was from Santee, CA. SGT Matthew L. Tallman, 30, died August 22, in Multaka, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his helicopter crashed. Sergeant Tallman was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 6th U.S. Air Cavalry Regiment, Fort Lewis, WA. He was from Groveland, CA. SSG Jason L. Paton, 25, died August 22, in Multaka, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his helicopter crashed. Staff Sergeant Paton was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, HI. He was from Poway, CA. CPL Nathan C. Hubbard, 21, died August 22, in Multaka, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his helicopter crashed. Corporal Hubbard was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, HI. He was from Clovis, CA. LCpl Matthew S. Medlicott, 21, died August 25, from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Lance Corporal Medlicott was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. LCpl Rogelio A. Ramirez, 21, died August 26, while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Lance Corporal Ramirez was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. He was from Pasadena, CA. CPL John C. Tanner, 21, died August 29, while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Corporal Tanner was assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. SGT Michael J. Yarbrough, 24, died September 6, while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Sergeant Yarbrough was assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. SSG John C. Stock, 26, died September 6, while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Staff Sergeant Stock was assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. CPL Bryan J. Scripsick, 22, died September 6, while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Corporal Scripsick was assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. CPL Christopher L. Poole Jr., 22, died September 6, while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Corporal Poole was assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. SPC Marisol Heredia, 19, died on September 7, at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, of injuries sustained on July 18, in Baghdad, Iraq, from a non-combat related incident. Specialist Heredia was assigned to the 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX. She was from El Monte, CA. CAPT Drew N. Jensen, 27, died September 7, in Seattle of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations May 7 in Ba'qubah, Iraq. Captain Jensen was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, WA. He was from Clackamas, CA. LCpl Lance M. Clark, 21, died September 7, from a non-hostile incident in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. CPL Carlos E. Gilorozco, 23, died September 10, while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Corporal Gilorozco was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, NC. He was from San Jose, CA. SPC Nicholas P. Olson, 22, died September 18, in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations. Specialist Olson was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Lewis, WA. He was from Novato, CA. CPL Anthony K. Bento, 23, died September 24, in Bayji, Iraq, of injuries sustained when his dismounted patrol encountered small arms fire. Corporal Bento was assigned to A Company, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC. He was from San Diego, CA. SGT Robert T. Ayres III, 23, died on September 29, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained when he encountered small arms fire while on dismounted patrol. Sergeant Ayres was assigned to A Company, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany. He was from Los Angeles, CA. SPC Avealalo Milo, 23, died October 4, in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. Specialist Milo was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany. He was from Hayward, CA. LCpl Jeremy W. Burris, 22, died October 8, while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Lance Corporal Burris was assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. CPL Gilberto A. Meza, 21, died October 6, in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit. Corporal Meza was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany. He was from Oxnard, CA. SPC Frank L. Cady III, 20, died on October 10, in Baghdad, Iraq, when his vehicle overturned. Specialist Cady was assigned to B Company, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, KS. He was from Sacramento, CA. SPC Vincent A. Madero, 22, died October 17, in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Specialist Madero was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX. He was from Port Hueneme, CA. CPL Erik T. Garoutte, 22, died October 19, in Baghdad, Iraq. Corporal Garoutte was assigned to 1st Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Company, Marine Corps Security Force Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Norfolk, VA. He was from Santee, CA. SPC Wayne M. Geiger, 23, died October 18, in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Specialist Geiger was assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany. He was from Lone Pine, CA. SSG David A. Wieger, 28, died November 1, near Balad Air Base, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. Staff Sergeant Weiger was a special agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and was assigned to Detachment 303, Travis Air Force Base, CA. I would also like to pay tribute to the five soldiers from California who have died while serving our country in Operation Enduring Freedom since July 23. SGT Travon T. Johnson, 29, died on July 23, in the Sarobi District of Afghanistan of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his mounted patrol. Sergeant Johnson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, Caserma Ederle, Italy. He was from Palmdale, CA. MSG Patrick D. Magnani, 38, died September 4, near Bagram, Afghanistan, in a non-combat related incident. Master Sergeant Magnani was assigned to the 31st Medical Support Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy. He was from Martinez, CA. CPL Travis M. Woods, 21, died September 9, from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in the Northern Helmand province of Afghanistan. Corporal Woods was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. He was from Redding, CA. PFC Mathew D. Taylor, 21, died September 26, in San Antonio of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle July 23, in the Sarobi District of Afghanistan. Private First Class Taylor was assigned to the 1st Battalion, Airborne, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy. He was from Cameron Park, CA. SSG Joseph F. Curreri, 27, died October 27, in Siet, Lake Jolo Island, Philippines, from injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident. Staff Sergeant Curreri was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Airborne, Fort Lewis, WA. He was from Los Angeles, CA.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I am joined by my colleague, Senator Feinstein in introducing legislation to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 16731 Santa Ana Avenue in Fontana, California, as the ``Beatrice E. Watson Post Office Building.'' Beatrice ``Bea'' Watson was a former city clerk and councilwoman of Fontana who volunteered tirelessly for her community. In an Inland Valley Daily Bulletin profile last year, fellow Fontana residents described Bea as a generous person who was devoted to her city, her friends, and the many organizations with which she worked. Over the 40 years of her residence in Fontana, Bea was involved with numerous civic and community service organizations, including the Fontana Woman's Club, the Fontana Historical Society, Chamber of Commerce, the Fontana Exchange Club, Parks and Recreation and the Fontana Parent Teacher Association. Bea also was responsible for the continued existence of the Fontana Days Parade, the annual summer celebration of the city's 1913 founding by A.B. Miller, even dipping into her own pocket at times to keep the parade going. This August, Bea Watson, ``Mrs. Fontana,'' passed away, and I know her loss has been deeply felt by her family and the community. The Fontana City Council asked Congress to honor Bea for bringing the whole community together for the betterment of Fontana. I am proud to introduce this bill, and encourage my colleagues to join me in recognizing Bea Watson's example of dedicated service.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I am joined by my colleague, Senator Feinstein in introducing legislation to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 16731 Santa Ana Avenue in Fontana, California, as the ``Beatrice E. Watson Post Office Building.'' Beatrice ``Bea'' Watson was a former city clerk and councilwoman of Fontana who volunteered tirelessly for her community. In an Inland Valley Daily Bulletin profile last year, fellow Fontana residents described Bea as a generous person who was devoted to her city, her friends, and the many organizations with which she worked. Over the 40 years of her residence in Fontana, Bea was involved with numerous civic and community service organizations, including the Fontana Woman's Club, the Fontana Historical Society, Chamber of Commerce, the Fontana Exchange Club, Parks and Recreation and the Fontana Parent Teacher Association. Bea also was responsible for the continued existence of the Fontana Days Parade, the annual summer celebration of the city's 1913 founding by A.B. Miller, even dipping into her own pocket at times to keep the parade going. This August, Bea Watson, ``Mrs. Fontana,'' passed away, and I know her loss has been deeply felt by her family and the community. The Fontana City Council asked Congress to honor Bea for bringing the whole community together for the betterment of Fontana. I am proud to introduce this bill, and encourage my colleagues to join me in recognizing Bea Watson's example of dedicated service.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a resolution to encourage the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, to take action to ensure a peaceful transition to democracy in Burma. In late September, tens of thousands of Burmese citizens, including thousands of Buddhist monks, took to the streets to demand a return to democracy in Burma. Tragically, the world watched in horror as Burma's military junta implemented a brutal and ruthless crackdown resulting in the death of hundreds and the detention of thousands. The current Burmese government, the State Peace and Development Council, SPDC, is a military dictatorship that refused to relinquish power even after the Burmese people voted them out in a democratic election in 1990. The winner of that election, the National League for Democracy was not allowed to take power, and its leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was placed under house arrest, where she remains today. The world must not stay silent while the people of Burma struggle for democracy and basic human rights. We have a moral responsibility to speak out for the Burmese people who have been silenced by the junta. The events of the last several weeks are reminiscent of the crackdown on a similar uprising in the summer of 1988, in which an estimated 3,000 people were killed. Today, the remaining leaders of that uprising, known as ``The 88 Generation Students,'' issued a letter to the Chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, asking that it ``consider suspending the SPDC's membership in ASEAN if it continues to ignore the requests of the international community.'' This resolution echos that suggestion. ASEAN has expressed ``revulsion'' over reports that the SPDC is using deadly force to suppress demonstrators. I appreciate this strong statement. Unfortunately, it is clear that words alone are not enough to force change within Burma. Later this month, ASEAN will hold its regional summit--a prime opportunity for ASEAN to back its words with concrete action. Yesterday, it was reported that the Buddhist monks were again marching in the streets of Burma in clear defiance of the military junta. It is time for Burma's neighbors to apply real pressure on the military government so that future violence can be avoided. I urge my colleagues to stand with the people of Burma and support this resolution.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, over the past 2 weeks, residents of San Bernardino, San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, and Santa Barbara counties in southern California have faced some of the most horrific wildland fires in California's recorded history. At one point, as many as 1 million Californians were forced from their homes and communities by flames driven by Santa Ana winds of up to 100 miles per hour. To date, 14 people have lost their lives, almost 3,000 structures, two-thirds of them homes, have been destroyed and more than 500,000 acres have burned. Over 100 people have been injured, some seriously. The consequences to people's lives will be long term, and we will do everything we can to bring comfort to victims and regeneration to affected communities. Throughout these fires, which are only now being subdued, thousands of firefighters, mostly Californians, but some from other States, have been on the front lines working around the clock to defeat the fires. They have been tireless and fearless. We owe these California firefighters, and those who traveled across the country, our deepest thanks and appreciation. Whether it was saving the lives of people in the path of the flames, or making a stand to protect a neighborhood or a whole town, these brave men and women were there selflessly doing their duty. CalFire, the California National Guard, county and local fire agencies worked tirelessly to get the job done. Thankfully, there has been no loss of firefighter lives, though several of our firefighters were injured, and to them I send my best wishes for a full recovery. I hope that today we all can recognize our firefighters' valor and steadfastness in the face of the threat. We must also commit ourselves to standing up for their health and welfare as they face health challenges that sometimes last a lifetime. They do a very difficult job and we must do everything possible to assure they have all the support necessary so that they can continue to be there when the next threat presents itself.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. I thank my dear friend, such a great leader on energy reform, for taking to the floor. I want to say to you, Senator Cantwell, in California we have kept our per capita energy use steady. In other words, each person's energy use over time has stayed steady for more than 30 years, while the per capita energy use in the rest of the Nation doubled. Now, we have done it in ways that were very comfortable for people. You know, you look at the energy for appliances, you look at building codes, you look at all the things that we have done, simple things, things you are trying to do in the Energy bill.

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I have been waiting to speak to the Senate to place in the Record the case that we have to make to take action to ease the impact of unfettered global warming. I think most Americans know by now--at least those who follow environmental issues--that on our committee, we have Senator Inhofe, who is the former chairman, in a very different place than the current chairman, myself. Senator Inhofe spoke for a couple of hours on this subject last week, and I told him I would come down and put forward my thoughts. I am sure he will want to respond to what I say. That is what the Senate should be. We should be able to debate. I have been looking forward to this debate because, frankly, there are very few isolated and lonely voices who keep on saying we do not have to worry about global warming. Those voices are getting fewer and fewer. The reality is that a growing and diverse group of voices has recognized the importance of addressing global warming. Here are a few calls to action. Some might surprise you. For example, President Bush, on September 28, said: [Y]ears from now our children are going to look back at the choices we make today, at this deciding moment. . . . He goes into it and says: . . . it will be a moment when we turn the tide against greenhouse gas emissions instead of allowing the problem to grow. . . . This is President Bush in September. Again, some of these voices are surprising as we build our case for action in the Senate. Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican Governor from Florida, said: We're all on the same planet. We need to work together to make sure the environment is an issue at the forefront. It shouldn't be a political issue. It's a global issue. It's not bipartisan. It's nonpartisan. Certainly, in my own State, Governor Schwarzenegger and the Democrats in the legislature have worked very closely to make sure we move against unfettered global warming. ``Vatican to Become World's First Carbon-Neutral State.'' This is very recent, this year: The Vatican is installing solar panels and purchasing greenhouse gas offsets to become the first carbon-neutral sovereign state. We can see that everyone is working together except for a few. It is unfortunate because in the Senate, a few can stop us from doing our work. We already heard about some of the problems we are having getting the Energy bill through. But I am very optimistic because we have had a bipartisan breakthrough in the Environment and Public Works Committee with Senators Warner and Lieberman getting together and putting forward a very solid bill which, if it is enacted, will be the most far- reaching global warming bill in the world today. Earlier this year, the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, known as USCAP, which includes major corporations, joined together with environmental groups to issue a call for action on global warming, calling for reductions of 60 to 80 percent in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. I thought I would go over some of the members of U.S. Climate Action Partnership because, again, there are just a few voices out there saying we are putting our head in the sand, this isn't a problem. But mainstream America is with the program. Let me tell my colleagues who they are. I am just going to read a few: Alcoa, Boston Scientific Corporation, BP America, Caterpillar, Inc., Chrysler, ConocoPhillips, Deere, Duke Energy, DuPont, Environmental Defense, Ford Motor Company, General Electric, General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, PepsiCo, Pew Center on Global Climate Change, PG&E Corporation, Shell, Siemens Corporation, Dow Chemical Company, the Nature Conservancy, World Resources Institute, and Xerox corporation. We can see the diverse members of the American family from corporate America to environmental organizations that have gotten together and have urged us to cap greenhouse gas emissions and cut them. It is very important that we think about the amazing coalition that is out there behind us addressing global warming. When we hear some Senators come down to the floor of the Senate and say this is ridiculous, this isn't an issue, just remember this list of mainstream America urging us forward, urging us to act. Why should so many industries be calling upon us to enact climate legislation? Because they recognize a couple of points. One, the science is strong, it is irrefutable, and a sound business future for America lies in dealing with climate change. We cannot grow, we cannot move forward if we all of a sudden turn around and our planet is under threat. We cannot have a business looking out 50 years that does not think about this. We have to think about our grandkids and our great- grandkids, and corporate America thinks about the people who are going to come forward to continue the work of that corporation. They recognize the threat, but they also recognize the opportunities. Let's read from USCAP's call for action. It is very clear: We believe that a national mandatory policy on climate change will provide the basis for the United States to assert world leadership in environmental and energy technology innovation, a national characteristic for which the United States has no rival. Such leadership will assure U.S. competitiveness in this century and beyond. This is a very strong call for action from Republicans, from Democrats, from Independents, from corporate America, from the environmental community, and others that have joined together. All you have to do, Madam President, is pick up a newspaper, any newspaper--I don't care if it is a Republican editorial board, a Democratic editorial board, or Independent--and you will see an amazing amount of evidence as to global warming and its potential impact. I am going to go through a few recent headlines. I asked my staff--and they do an amazing job for me--to follow the news and let me know what is being written, what the scientists are saying. So I am going to give you just an example of some of these headlines. If we can walk away from this, then it seems to me we are being irresponsible. We have to listen to them. Early warning signs: ``Greenhouse Gases Fueled 2006 U.S. Heat.'' This is Reuters. According to NOAA-- That is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That is the Bush administration's NOAA-- ``the annual average U.S. temperature in 2006 was 2.1 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average and the ninth consecutive year of above-normal U.S. temperatures'' and that this was a result of ``greenhouse gas emissions--not El Nino or other natural phenomena.'' This is our American Government under the President who has been very loath to move on global warming, warning us about these high temperatures. ``Scientists Report Severe Retreat of Arctic Ice.'' The Cap of floating sea ice on the Arctic Ocean, which retreats under summer's warmth, this year shrank more than one million square miles--or six Californias--below the average minimum area reached in recent decades. Again, these are scientists from the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, CO. This is not a matter of opinion; this is fact. They are measuring the ice. I was in Greenland. I saw it myself. Several of us went. It is the most awesome sight to behold, to see these icebergs, the size of a coliseum, bigger than this beautiful Senate floor, taller than this room, floating into the ocean. Each iceberg is an average of 9,000 years old, and they melt within 12 months from the time they get into the ocean. So let's not put our heads in the sand or under the water. More early warning signs: ``China Blames Climate Change for Extreme Weather.'' This is China. China doesn't really want to move forward. They have been slow to come to the table. According to an official from Chinese Meteorological Administration's Department of Forecasting Services and Disaster Mitigation, ``It should be said that one of the reasons for the weather extremes this year has been unusual atmospheric circulation brought about by global warming.'' A lot of people around here say: Let's not do anything until the Chinese come to the table. Now the Chinese are telling us we better watch out for this global warming. ``As Sea Level Rises, Disaster Predicted for Va. Wetlands.'' My colleague, John Warner, was present at a very important set of hearings where we looked at the impact of global warming on his State. It says: At least half, and perhaps as much as 80 percent, of the wetlands would be covered in too much water to survive if sea levels rise 1\1/2\ to 2 feet. The analysis was conducted by Wetlands Watch, an environmental group. Senator Warner and his colleagues from the DC area all came to that hearing and were very concerned. ``From Greenland to Antarctica, the world is losing its ice faster than anyone thought possible.'' This was in the National Geographic. Scientists are finding that glaciers and ice sheets are surprisingly touchy. Instead of melting steadily, like an ice cube on a summer day, they are prone to feedbacks, when melting begets more melting and the ice shrinks precipitously. This is what is happening. You can come down on this floor and you can put a blindfold over your eyes and you can put your hands over your ears and say: I see no problem, I hear no problem. Then you are not really taking in the signs. ``Fires a `Consequence of Climate Change.' '' This is touching my heart because my State has been burning, and all of my colleagues know this and all of them have been most wonderful to us--to Senator Feinstein and to me--about offering help and assistance. In the long run, we need to do something about global warming or we are going to have that horrible combination of drought, low humidity, high temperatures, and terrible winds--weather extremes, Madam President, that you have experienced from time to time. This is what we are going to see. Greek Prime Minister Costas Kerryman said: The weather phenomena this year favored, as never before, the outbreak of destructive fires. We are already living with the consequences of climate change. This gives you an idea. There are some more. ``Climate Change Pollution Rising--Thanks to Overwhelmed Oceans and Plants.'' This is the ``Scientific American.'' We are not taking articles here to show you where there is bias. The world's oceans and forests are already so full of CO2 that they are losing their ability to absorb this climate change culprit. This according to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. So, yes, someone is going to come to the floor and say: Oh, look at this great scientist, Mr. ABC, or whatever his name, and he is challenging this. Well, he is challenging the world's leading scientists. And I think it is very important to say there are always people who will say HIV doesn't cause AIDS; there are always people who will say, geez, cigarette smoking doesn't cause cancer; but thank God-- thank God--this Government has followed the preponderance of the science and we now are making progress. How sad it would be if America sits on the sidelines while the whole world looks to us for leadership on global warming. Here is this one. ``The Future Is Drying Up.'' According to Nobel Laureate Steven Chu, diminished supplies of fresh water might prove a far more serious problem than slowly rising seas. He also remarked: ``The most optimistic climate models for the second half of this century suggest that 30 to 70 percent of the snowpack will disappear.'' No wonder we have people visiting our offices who are already hurting from the recreation industry in this Nation. They see what is happening. They see the handwriting on the wall. We have to act. Here is this quote: There's a two-thirds chance there will be a disaster, and that's in the best case scenario. That is from a prize-winning Nobel laureate. Then this: ``Study Links CO2 to Demise of Grazing Lands.'' From the Los Angeles Times. Rising levels of carbon dioxide may be contributing to the conversion of the world's grasslands into a landscape of woody shrubs, much less useful for livestock grazing. So this has implications for the very way of life we have here in America. ``Parks Face Climate Threat.'' A report shows how climate change could have a huge effect on the Great Smokey Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway and other national parks. This according to a new report by--by whom?--the National Parks Conservation Association. Folks, this is mainstream thinking. Mainstream thinking. We have to act. ``Likely Spread of Deserts to Fertile Land Requires Quick Response, U.N. Report Says,'' New York Times. Enough fertile land could turn into desert within the next generation to create an ``environmental crisis of global proportions'' based on a new U.N. report. The report warns of large-scale migrations and political instability in parts of Africa and Central Asia. The report recommends national and international action to address global warming. Another call to action. And here, from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which just won the Nobel Peace Prize, along with former Vice President Al Gore: Projected trends in climate-change-related exposures of importance to human health will increase the number of people suffering from death, disease and injury from heatwaves, floods, storms, fires, and droughts. So to come down here and talk about the polar bear and say the polar bear is fine--A, the polar bear is not fine, and we will talk about it; but this isn't about the polar bear. This is about God's creation that is in jeopardy. We had testimony from scientists that 40 percent of the species that were created are going to be gone. Now, it is our turn to do our part. That is why I have been working so closely with the religious community, the evangelical community. They are concerned about God's creation, and we ought to be. We talk a good game about it. We talk about values. We talk about it, so let us do something to show we are willing to protect this gift from God we have been given. ``Why Frogs Are Dying.'' Climate change is no longer merely a matter of numbers from a computer model. With startling swiftness, it is reordering the natural world. Newsweek. That is a Newsweek article. We need scientific facts, not science fiction. In the past, we have had science fiction writers come and testify before our committee. Those days are over. ``Global Warming May Be Behind Increases in Insects and Disease- Carrying Animals,'' Newsday. Rising global temperatures may be helping to spark a population boom in insects and disease-carrying animals, creating unexpected threats to human populations, a number of scientific reports say. That is not a pretty future for my new grandson, to think about being exposed to all these vectors that have not attacked us, but this is what lies in our future if we do nothing. ``WHO--the World Health Organization--77,000 People Die Annually in Asia-Pacific Region From Climate Change.'' ``Pollution Cutting Life Expectancy in Europe.'' This was in USA Today. According to a Report by the European Environment Agency: ``Poor air and water quality, and environmental changes blamed on global warming, have cut Europeans' life expectancy by nearly a year, Europe's environmental agency warned.'' Well, Europe is moving forward. To be honest with you, the bills they are looking at in Europe don't quite match the bill we are looking at in the EPW Committee. That is why I am so proud of the work Senator Lieberman and Senator Warner have done, and we are only making this bill better. ``Report Calls on Europe to Move on Global Warming.'' The European Commission report warns that unless there is planning, European countries will face ``increasingly frequent crises and disasters which will prove much more costly and also threaten Europe's social and economic systems and its security.'' The point is, when you invest now, you save $5 later. That is a fact. We know that from Sir Nicholas Stern, who headed the World Bank. Now, how about national security? One of the reasons I got so concerned about this is when I learned what our own Pentagon and our own intelligence people are saying to us. And what are they saying to us? A report commissioned by the Department of Defense in 2003 found that the impacts of global warming would cause the U.S. to ``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.'' And, of course, our Pentagon and our Department of Defense are very concerned about that happening with our allies in Europe. ``Warming Will Exacerbate Global Water Conflicts.'' According to many studies, including the IPCC, changing weather patterns will leave millions of people without dependable supplies of water for drinking, irrigation, and power. Now, the reason I took so much time and made all these charts-- because it did take a while to get them done--is to show the breadth and the depth of the concern in this country, in the world, to make the point that there is a huge movement in this country and in the world to address global warming. We are not going to listen to those who have their heads in the sand or, frankly, have decided they want to leave this for another generation. That would be irresponsible. I know you, Madam President, and I share a conviction that this is our job. This information has been given to us on our watch, and we intend to stand up to the challenge. When Senator Inhofe came on the floor, he made a number of statements which were not true, and I am going to deal with a couple of them. He used an MIT report in a misleading fashion. Senator Inhofe has frequently claimed an MIT report shows the Boxer and Lieberman bills would lead to a $4,500 tax on a family of four. But the author of the MIT report, John Reilly, said: Senator Inhofe misread his findings. Rather than impose a tax of $4,500 as Inhofe described it, he said, the study shows the regulation could generate a substantial amount of Federal revenue for the government to give back to Americans. A family of four, Reilly said, could earn an additional $4,500 if the United States adopted a carbon tax or auctioned off carbon credits. So let us not misquote authors around here, because that is not the right thing to do for them nor is it the right thing to do to mislead our colleagues. I mentioned the polar bears before, and many of us have been touched to see the polar bears clinging to smaller and smaller pieces of ice in order to survive. Senator Inhofe has claimed--and he claimed it on the floor--that the polar bear populations are increasing. The best-studied population, in Canada's western Hudson Bay, fell by 22 percent from 1,194 animals in 1987 to 935 in 2004, according to--who--the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our own people are telling us that the polar bear is in trouble. The World Conservation Union projects that the bears' numbers will drop by 30 percent by 2050 due to continued loss of Arctic sea ice. I think it is important that we talk about facts. Science must dictate what we do, not ideological arguments that don't have any weight behind them. The leading scientists of the world, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which I earlier mentioned, and which won the Nobel prize along with Vice President Gore, and the IPCC included hundreds of scientists, the best scientists from 130 nations--they tell us clearly that global warming is happening now and human activities are the cause. I believe we can meet this challenge, with hope, not fear. I believe when we meet this challenge, we will be stronger as a nation and we will be healthier as a nation. And, by the way, we will create a whole new array of green-dollar jobs. My own State, a leader in the environment, has proven the point that when you step out and you address the needs of the environment, what comes with it are only good things--prosperity, job creation, and healthier families. We are doing it in our State with global warming and, by the way, many other States are following. If we did nothing, it would be a shame. It would be a shame if the America we love so much stood by and said: Well, gee, let a few States go off on their own. This is a seminal issue, and we need to do something about it, because doing nothing is not an option we can afford. The potential consequences will be devastating for our families in the future and for the world. We are seeing the early warning signs. People can come down to this floor and say whatever they want. We have seen melting of snow, we have seen melting of permafrost, increased temperatures, warming of lakes, rivers, oceans, changing in the seasons, shifts in the ranges of plant and animal species, rising sea levels. In the future, we can expect to see more extreme weather events, more severe heatwaves, droughts and flooding, increased storm surges and, sadly, an increased incidence of wildfires. We will see extinction of species, we will see freshwater resources at risk. By 2020, between 75 million and 250 million people will be exposed to increased water stress due to climate change in Africa. In Asia there will be problems. Warming in the western mountains of America is projected to cause decreased snowpack and reduced summer flows, resulting in even greater competition for already overallocated water resources. I mentioned this figure before--we did hold 20 hearings on global warming. At one of them, we had scientists who were experts on wildlife. I remember sitting there, being so saddened to hear that if we do nothing, 40 percent of God's species on planet Earth could face extinction. Now we hear our oceans are at risk as well. The British Royal Society projects that progressive acidification of oceans due to increasing carbon dioxide is expected to have terrible impacts on marine life, such as corals and their dependent species. You have heard of coral bleaching. It is cause by increased water temperatures as well as the oceans becoming acidic from storing excess carbon. The water becomes so acidic some marine life, such as shellfish and coral reefs, can no longer form their shell, as it dissolves in the acidic water. The IPCC found that pests, diseases, and fire are having terrible impacts on forests, with an extended period of high fire risk and large increases in areas burned. Again, I wish to use this moment to thank the firefighters in my State, all of them--local, State, Federal-- working seamlessly together. We have the most extraordinary heroic firefighters in California, as we do all over this country. Their jobs are becoming more and more dangerous as these fires are so strong and are fueled by droughts, high temperatures, low humidity, and high winds. I mentioned before that in July, I was in Greenland. I was there with 10 Senators and Dr. Richard Alley, an expert on ice from Penn State, who accompanied us on the trip. It was amazing to see this whole situation with him at my side. What I learned from him is Greenland's ice is melting faster than anyone thought. In some places, the glacier ice is moving so quickly, if you stand there you can actually observe it moving. In the past year, new islands were discovered that were previously connected to the main mass of ice. The Greenland ice sheet holds enough ice to raise sea levels globally by 23 feet. Think about 23 feet. Sea level increases of only a few feet will cause major disruptions. I wish to talk about public health. Public health officials have issued a call to action. We had a hearing the other day and we heard from the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unfortunately, her testimony was heavily edited by the White House. I am working very hard, with other colleagues, to get her original draft. Let me tell you, we are not going to rest until we get that. But the fact is the public has a right to know everything about global warming and the threat it poses to their families and to their communities. At the same hearing where we heard from Dr. Gerberding, the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health presented the committee with a position statement from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials on Climate Change and Public Health. Their statement was adopted unanimously. Yes, if a Senator wants to come down here and condemn all the public health officials in the country and claim they get some benefit out of this, let the Senator do it. The fact is, they have said they support the latest findings of the U.N., and they recognize that climate change has far-reaching implications for public health. According to the IPCC, climate change has already altered the distribution of some infectious disease vectors and the seasonal distribution of some allergenic pollen and increased heat wave-related deaths. We are already seeing and we are already feeling the difference. If trends continue, we could see increased malnutrition and related disorders, including those related to child growth and development. We will see increases in the number of people suffering from disease, injury, death because of heat waves and because of droughts and fires and all the things we mentioned. The World Health Organization has estimated that human-induced changes in the Earth's climate lead to at least 5 million cases of illness and more than 150,000 deaths every year already. We saw the European heat wave which caused countless numbers of illnesses and claimed 35,000 lives. That is accurate--35,000 lives were lost. You can come down to this floor and you can say everything is beautiful, but you are not in touch with reality. We are beginning to see right here in America what happens when the water warms. The Associated Press reported on September 27 that a 14- year-old boy died from an infection caused by an amoeba after swimming in Lake Havasu. According to a CDC official, these amebas thrive in warm water and as water temperatures continue to rise, we can expect to see more cases of these amoeba infections. We are going to see an increase of ground-level ozone or smog because that is formed at higher temperatures. We know smog damages lungs and can cause asthma in our kids. We already have asthma as the leading cause of school absences in my State. I cannot speak for other States, but we have major problems with dangerous smog days. We know about wildlife. We know, as I said, that 40 percent of the species are at risk of extinction if we do nothing to reduce global warming. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that shrinking sea ice is the primary cause for the decline in polar bear populations. Senator Inhofe comes down and says the polar bears are doing great: Wrong. False information. Listen to your own administration's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The shrinking sea ice is the primary cause for the decline in polar bear populations. Guess what. This administration--because it was threatened by a lawsuit--proposed listing the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. So come down here and show pictures of those magnificent polar bears, saying everything is fine--that is wrong. It is wrong by every measure, by every scientific account, by our own U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Global warming is a national security issue, as I mentioned before. People are telling me this current humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur is already linked to the extended drought in the region. The Secretary General of the United Nations said the Darfur conflict began as an ecological crisis, arising at least in part from climate change. This is happening right under our nose. The Senate and the House have been asleep at the wheel--until recently. A report commissioned by the Department of Defense found the impacts of global warming would cause the United States to ``find itself in a world where Europe would be struggling. . . .'' Projected global warming ``poses a serious threat to America's national security'' and ``acts as a threat multiplier for instability. . . .'' This is all from retired admirals and generals. This is not from Barbara Boxer. This isn't from Al Gore. This isn't from Maria Cantwell. This isn't from Senator Warner. It isn't from Senator Lieberman. This is from our own retired admirals and generals: Projected global warming poses a serious threat to America's national security. The United States, they said, could more frequently be drawn into situations of conflict ``to help provide stability before conditions worsen and are exploited by extremists.'' Such missions could be long and require the United States to remain for ``stability and reconstruction efforts . . . to avert further disaster.'' That report also warns of ``extreme weather events, drought, flooding, sea level rise, retreating glaciers, habitat shifts . . . the increased spread of life-threatening diseases'' and increased scarcity of clean water that could ``result in multiple chronic conditions'' and ``foster the conditions for internal conflicts, extremism, and movement toward increased authoritarianism and radical ideologies.'' I have never seen an issue such as this, where we have such a unanimous call for action, a unanimous call for action--from the business community, from environmental organizations, from admirals and generals, from the Department of Defense, from the Wildlife Service-- from all over the world. As yet we are nowhere, but we hope to change that. What are our States and our local governments saying? They are taking action. I have had the pleasure of having Mayor Gregg Nickels of Seattle before the Committee. He started the Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement in 2005. To date, mayors from nearly 700 cities across America, representing 75 million Americans, have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. So come down to the floor and say what you want. But 75 million Americans are already acting. Come to the floor, say what you want, but the world is passing you by if you close your ears, cover your eyes, and convince yourself that you know more than the scientists of the world know. California is the sixth largest economy of the world. I am so proud to represent California--37 million people and a spirit of entrepreneurship, a spirit of neighbor helping neighbor. It is an incredible place. California has set the gold standard with its landmark global warming program, Republican Governor Schwarzenegger and a Democratic legislature setting us on a clear path toward 80 percent cuts by 2050. You know, what is important about the California experience is look at what we have already done on per-capita energy use. I am so honored that you are in the chair, Madam President, because of your expertise on energy. We have kept our per-capita energy use steady for more than 30 years, while per-capita energy consumption in the rest of the Nation has doubled. If the whole country could have been as efficient as California, we would have saved an amount of energy equivalent to all the oil we import from the Middle East each year. Can you imagine that? So when people fight against doing something about global warming, I say: If you look at the low-hanging fruit, which is energy efficiency, and look at what my State has done and now other States are doing, we can get halfway there without one sacrifice. I don't think anyone has ever said that Californians do not lead a very happy, pleasant life. I don't think anyone looks at Californians: Oh, those poor people, they are so unhappy because they are energy efficient. On the contrary, we have a booming economy and we have people who are feeling good about themselves because of the contribution they have made. It does not take much to get a refrigerator that is more efficient or get a car that gets better mileage or get an air- conditioner that cuts your energy use in half. I have done it. I have done these things. I am saving money. I am driving my Prius, and I am waving to the gas station because I don't have to go in very often to fill up my car. People all over this country are already so far ahead of where we are. If you want to come down to the floor, if you want to take issue with 75 million Americans, be my guest. But you are not being honest with the facts. The facts are clear. Twenty-nine States have completed climate action plans and a number of States have established mandatory reduction targets, again including my home State. Last week, Gov. Kathleen Sibelius of Kansas wrote an open letter to the people of her State, expressing her support for clean energy. What is happening in Kansas? Good things. The State's environment secretary rejected applications to build two new coal-fired powerplants. They want cleaner energy. They want clean energy. They see they are going to move in that direction. The Governor of Kansas understands what we are facing. If you want to come down on the floor and tell her she is wrong, be my guest. It is a free country. But you know what? You are not going to change her mind and you are not going to change the minds in so many States that are moving so far past us it makes your head spin. Addressing global warming has major benefits. I have given you the truth about the dangers of global warming because a lot of people walk away. I wanted you to hear the truth about the dangers of global warming. Now I want to tell you what gives me hope. When we step up to the plate, we are going to benefit. We cannot only prevent the most dangerous effects of climate change, but we are going to be better off for it. I already mentioned Sir Nicholas Stern, former chief economist of the World Bank. He said: Spend a dollar now, save $5 later. So people are going to come on the floor and they are going to say: Oh my God, they are spending money on this. No, we are going to save money, because if we can avert the worst problems of global warming--you can't build a flood protection tall enough unless we do something now. Do you know what it costs to build that flood protection? We know because we passed the Water Resources Protection Act and we kept our promises to the people of New Orleans and the others from Katrina and Rita who suffered so much. To take a little segue, the President is threatening to veto that bill. Now, that is one where Senator Inhofe and I are exactly together. We cannot walk away from building an infrastructure, but the point is, building an infrastructure to protect against the type of floods that could come if we do not act is going to be so much more expensive than investing the dollars now. And that is the point. Since 1990, Britain has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent. Guess what. Britain's economy has grown 40 percent. So people can come down to this floor and say: Oh, it is going to wreck our economy. Wrong again. It did not happen in California; it did not happen in Britain. Britain's environmental industries are the fastest growing sector of the country's economy. I was just there a couple of months ago. They are so excited. Their environmental jobs grew to 500,000 from 135,000 in just the last 5 years. There is a study at UC Berkeley, University of California, Berkeley. They say that the State product in California, the gross State product, by 2020 will be up by as much as $74 billion, with 89,000 new jobs created because of our work on global warming and our laws. I have been to Silicon Valley. You are familiar with the entrepreneurial spirit there. They are just waiting to make the kind of investments necessary, but they need to have a clue as to what we are going to do. If we walk away from a cap-and-trade system, which will put a market price on carbon, they are not going to make those investments. The entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley are on the cutting edge. New companies are starting every day to respond to the growing demand for clean energy and more efficient vehicles and other technologies. Sun Microsystems is already reaping the benefits of greater efficiency. I just went to visit Sun Microsystems. They made some simple changes in the way they cool their computer servers. They have been able to cut their electrical consumption in half. I will tell you, simple things can save so much energy. Simple things can cut down on global warming. Tesla Motors, I would urge all of you to follow that company. They are producing an all-electric car with performance that rivals or even exceeds the world's best sports cars. It is exciting. It is in production. It is all electric.

Mrs. BOXER. I will yield to the Senator from Washington.

Mrs. BOXER. It created jobs. We have been a leader in jobs. We are very prosperous. We believe our landmark legislation on global warming, the studies show, will create thousands and tens of thousands of green- collar jobs. I think the point I would like to emphasize, and I know my friend from Missouri will be amazed at this, if every other State were just to emulate that, had emulated that, and we all did this as a national goal, not just one State's goal, we would have saved an amount of energy equivalent to all of the oil we import from the Middle East each year. That is the amount of savings from the simple things that we can do, some of the things that my friend is trying so hard to get done in the Energy bill. The fact is, when I look at the whole issue of global warming as a good news/bad news story, the bad news is we really have not tackled it here. The good news is there is so much we can do, so easily, with such benefits. Certainly, energy efficiency is one.

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, how much time do I have remaining?

Mrs. BOXER. Thank you very much. I would just say that the California story is a good news story. California is trying to do more. They have asked the Bush administration for a waiver to move forward in the transportation sector. That waiver has not been forthcoming. California has gotten 50 waivers in the past. For some reason now there has been a very slow-walking act that has gone along with this request for a waiver. I am hoping that our committee is going to invite many of the Governors of the various States to the Capitol to talk about why it is so key for the Bush administration to grant the waiver. When I started to talk about what is happening now with the entrepreneurial spirit in my State, I talked about Sun Microsystems reaping the benefits of energy efficiency to their plant. First of all, they were able to consolidate the space that houses all of their computers, which was a big help. Secondly, just by moving forward with a new way to cool their computers, cool their computers in a low-energy way, they cut their energy bills in half. I talked about Tesla Motors producing an all-electric car. It is a beautiful car. They are not marketing it as a way to fight global warming. They are marketing it as a beautiful car, one of the fastest cars in the world. Tesla Motors, I hope you will go and take a look. Their first model is going to be very expensive, we know that. But their next models are going to be half the price. And they hope in the future to get to the $30,000 range. Now, what we are talking about is clean automobiles, zero emissions of greenhouse gases. There is another company, Bloom Energy, in San Jose. They are creating the next generation of fuel cell electrical generation systems. I visited there and the scientists were explaining how all of this works. I can tell you this technology has the potential to revolutionize the way that electricity is generated. It holds the potential to bring clean electricity to parts of the world that have no electricity now. So what are the benefits, the benefits of new technology? New jobs, cleaner air as we reduce the pollution that causes global warming, by increasing our use of clean, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, driving more efficiently, less polluting cars and trucks, and increasing efficiency. We will reduce other forms of air population too: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury. These are issues about which Senators Carper and Alexander are very concerned. They sit on the Environment and Public Works Committee. With this bill we will see that those pollutants will be reduced as we cut global warming pollution. And that means cleaner, healthier air for us all to breathe. Now, the IPCC also concluded that household benefits from reduced air pollution as a result of action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can be substantial. So when I say: I meet this crisis with hope, not fear, I mean it. I think it is going to create jobs. I think it is going to make our communities healthier. I think it is going to make our air healthier. I think it is going to reduce our dependance on foreign countries to supply oil, which is now up to $90 a barrel. We know oil is a critical strategic interest of America. Our reliance on oil-rich rogue states and unstable regimes has been at the heart of wars and interventions in the Middle East. As we develop these clean, renewable sources of energy, which is all going to be done by the private sector, my venture capitalists at home cannot wait to make these investments, but they will not make them unless we take the lead on a strong anti-global-warming bill. Now, world leadership, the United States has always been the world leader on environmental protection. The core environmental laws that we created and enacted, most of them through the committee on which I am so proud to be a part of, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and others, have been models for environmental policy around the globe. The global warming legislation we pass will take its place alongside those landmark laws. It is time for us to step up and set the pace. Now, again, our States are doing it. I want our States to continue. I really do. But I really do believe this is an issue that belongs in the Senate. By leading now, we can ensure that the solutions to global warming are designed in ways that are good for America, good for our businesses, good for our consumers, good for our kids. We have the technology and know-how to export. Now is the time to move forward. Well, I have been working very closely with Senators Warner and Lieberman as they have assembled their bill. I was so impressed with the effort they have invested in seeking out the views of Senators and other groups, environmental organizations, business organizations. They have looked at all the other global warming bills that have been proposed: the Sanders-Boxer bill, the Kerry-Snowe bill. They have looked at the Lieberman-McCain bill and the Bingaman bill. I think those are all of them. There has been a broad range of views that they have reconciled in the process. I have laid out some important principles that I believe must be reflected in the legislation. Any bill has to have the emission reductions that will avoid dangerous climate change. It must be flexible to have look-back, to make sure we are on course. We need an emissions trading program so there is a price put on carbon by the private sector. We must protect the pioneering State efforts that are already underway. We need to ensure that other countries are stepping up and doing what they have to do. There are ways to enforce that, frankly, because a lot of folks want to trade with us. If they want to come in and trade with us, they better make sure they are not adding to this problem. Natural resources and wildlife concerns must be addressed. We must support American workers in their transition as we move to a greener economy and see, again, as they have in Great Britain, how many jobs would be created. I also want to express the moral imperative that was really brought to me by the religious community. The most vulnerable here and around the world have to be protected. I know we have colleagues who continue to say we have to do it, and they are absolutely right. There is no time to waste because the longer we wait, the harder it will be to achieve the goals we have to achieve--before we find we are spending a fortune on flood control and we are spending a fortune to try to mitigate the terrible ravages that global warming will bring. The point is, with good legislation we have these lookbacks. If we are on target, fine. If we are doing too much, we have a way to back off. If we are not doing enough, we could do more. That is the beauty of the Lieberman-Warner bill. I believe there is unprecedented momentum for change. Yes, you are going to have a few voices come down here and say this is ridiculous, this does not make any sense. That is fine. That is their right. But, again, in every great issues debate, you always have a few people who stand outside the mainstream, and I respect that. I absolutely give the folks who have that point of view all the time they want to express themselves. But the bill Senators Warner and Lieberman have crafted can set us on the path to achieving the goal of avoiding dangerous climate change. It is a bipartisan, mainstream breakthrough, and I am committed to further strengthening this legislation as we move forward because the legislation establishes a framework on which we can build. It embodies key concepts--such as cap and trade and lookbacks and it draws on the other strong global warming bills that have been proposed. It gets us started. Time is short. Now, there are a few who will say we should not do anything. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent for 60 seconds.

Mrs. BOXER. I thank my friends for yielding me that 60 seconds because what I want to do is wrap up. Some will say: This is not an urgent problem. Do nothing. Others will say: Do nothing until you go to the extreme, until you go to the 90-percent cut. Let's wait for a new President. Let's wait for a new Congress. Let's wait for a new day. Let's wait for the Sun to come out. Let's wait for the rain to fall. I do not ascribe to either of those extremes. We have the facts now. We have a good bill now. We have an unprecedented opportunity to send a signal to this country and to the world that we are ready, finally, to move to calm the effects of unfettered global warming. I think we can do it. I think we can be successful at it, and I do approach this with great hope. Some have tried to argue that we should not act now. These people say we should wait for a new President, a new Congress, another day. As I say, there is no time to waste. Right now, there is unprecedented momentum for change. We must harness that momentum to pass strong global warming legislation. We have a small window of time to get started down this path. The longer we wait to get started, the harder it will be to achieve the emissions reductions we know we need to reach. Starting now will send a signal to the world and the business community as they make their future plans that the United States is serious about its leadership role. Some have asked me, Why should we pass legislation now, when the President has said he is opposed to mandatory caps on global warming pollution and a cap-and-trade system? The President and I agree that technology is the solution. But he still won't accept that it won't happen on its own, not unless the price of carbon is built into the process. We still hope to change his mind, but even if we do not, we must begin the hard work of the legislative process. It takes time, patience, fortitude, and courage. Very few laws are passed the first time around. We must take good legislation as far as we can. It is our job to start down the path. I have a vision for my 11-year-old grandson and for my new grandson who was born a few months ago. My vision is that these children and yours will grow up and be able to know the gifts of nature that we saved for them, that they will understand we made the right choice for them--we protected the planet that is their home--that because of our action they will not be shackled into fighting wars over the last drops of water or oil or remaining acres of arable cropland. They will not have to spend their last treasure building higher flood walls, bigger levees, and fortified cities to escape rising seas and angrier hurricanes. Their cars will run on clean renewable fuels that do not pollute the air they breathe. The United States will lead in exporting clean technologies and products that are the engine of a new green economy. We will lead the world in showing the way to live well, in a way that respects the Earth. To make this vision a reality, we must face our challenge in a way that overcomes our differences, and that defies our party affiliations. Madam President, I yield the floor to my friend, Senator Inhofe.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I am pleased to recognize the 150th anniversary of the Sacramento Public Library in Sacramento, CA. The Sacramento Library opened on November 8, 1857, for members who paid dues equivalent to $300 a year today. It served 260 members with an annual circulation of 4,234 books. On June 14, 1879, the city of Sacramento assumed ownership of the library and residents were given the opportunity to utilize the library at no cost. In 1914, with the help of a grant from the Carnegie Corporation, the original building for the current Sacramento Central Library was built with a volume collection of 65,000. In addition to serving the reading needs of the community, the Sacramento Public Library also provides other important educational tools. It provides access to books on tape, learning exhibits, computers, and college and career counselors. The library also offers literacy services and has staff available to answer questions seven days a week. The Central Library has come a long way since its beginning; it had a multistory building addition in 1992 and now houses over 300,000 volumes, 1,000 periodical subscriptions and a garden reading area for an outdoor reading environment. Over the years, the Sacramento Public Library added locations in 11 other cities in Sacramento County, with 27 total branches and bookmobiles now serving over 1 million residents. As the community and staff gather to celebrate the Sacramento Public Library's sesquicentennial, I would like to congratulate the whole community on this wonderful achievement and wish them luck on another 150 years of successful learning.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I can hardly believe it has been 5 years since we lost Paul and Sheila Wellstone. It still seems like only yesterday that I would see Paul pacing up and down the aisles on the Senate floor, speaking out for Minnesota and what he so affectionately called the ``little fellers'' in the world. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss him and beloved wife and soul mate, Sheila, but the loss is especially poignant in these tough times our country faces. I remember during the Iraq war debate, Paul spoke out passionately against the resolution authorizing the go-it-alone military approach in Iraq. He spoke, almost prophetically, about the possible consequences of our actions--how it would impact the continuing war on terrorism and efforts to rebuild Afghanistan. He said that the gravest concerns were those raised about the possible loss of life--to our soldiers and innocent Iraqis. I can hardly imagine what he would think of the mess we are in today. That day, Paul was strong and unafraid, as he always was, even though he knew his ``no'' vote could cost him his Senate seat. He said then that the ``only way to do it, is to do what you honestly think is right, and then whatever happens, happens.'' I think history has shown that Paul was absolutely right. And my only regret is that he is not here today to continue speaking out against the war in Iraq. There are times when it is positively exhausting to keep fighting for just causes, especially against this administration. But then I look at the wall in my office and I see a beautiful picture of Paul and me together, and I think of what he would say if he was still here, and I am sure he would tell me to stand up and keep fighting. We all lost so much 5 years ago on that tragic day--Paul, a fighter, a hero, a friend, a father, a grandfather. And of course we lost Shelia, Paul's partner in life, their daughter Marcia, and three devoted staffers. My heart still aches. But what we gained, from Paul's life and legacy, cannot be erased by time. His passion and life's work is being carried on by his friends and colleagues, and by the good people of Minnesota, who I know miss him dearly. And I know that if he could, Paul would tell us that there is no time for tears, and as he said many years ago, this is no time for timidity.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I plan to vote in support of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2007, better known as the DREAM Act. The thousands of talented and hard working children and young adults who were brought to this country by their parents had nothing to do with the decision to disobey our laws. I strongly believe this bill will strengthen our communities, our economy, and our military by requiring that undocumented students demonstrate good moral character, prove completion of a college or graduate degree, or serve in the U.S. military for 2 years in order to earn legalized status. I urge my colleagues to support the DREAM Act.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I plan to vote against cloture on the nomination of Judge Southwick, and, if cloture is invoked, against the nomination itself. The Fifth Circuit serves one of the most racially diverse regions in the country. It is especially important, therefore, that a nominee to this court possess an unshakable commitment to equal justice and a willingness to protect the rights of all. Unfortunately, President Bush has chosen a nominee who does not pass this simple test. During his tenure with the Mississippi State court, Judge Southwick joined a ruling that reinstated a State employee who used a very charged racial slur about another worker. That decision was unanimously reversed by the Mississippi Supreme Court. In another case, Judge Southwick joined in an opinion that took into consideration the sexual orientation of a mother rather than her love for her child when deciding to deny her custody. On other occasions, he voted against the concept of ``a jury of our peers.'' I am deeply disappointed that President Bush has once again attempted to fill the Fifth Circuit vacancy with a nominee holding views far to the right of most Americans, and I do not support the nomination of Judge Southwick to the Fifth Circuit. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I thank Senator Harkin and my colleagues. Many of them have come up to Senator Feinstein and myself tonight and have expressed their concern about the fires that are raging out of control in our State, home to 37 million people, very dangerous fires, kind of a perfect storm of extremely high temperatures, very low humidity, and Santa Ana winds which gust up to hurricane-type winds, sometimes as high as 50, 60 miles an hour, with the average about 35 miles an hour. Senator Feinstein and I have heavy hearts as we talk with our Governor and our mayors. They are conveying to us that this is very serious because our firefighters are at a huge disadvantage because of the unpredictability of the winds. We don't know from one moment to the next whether the fires will turn on these firefighters. Last year was a very tough year for us in California. We had some horrific experiences, and we lost firefighters. We are not going to repeat that situation. We have to make sure we save lives, that we get people out of their homes. At this point, I can say people appear to be cooperating with the authorities. The most important point is we care about each other and we save lives. There are now more than a dozen wildfires burning, again, all being fanned by these hot Santa Ana winds, raging from as far south as the Mexican border to as far north as Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Governor Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in seven counties--Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. More than 250,000 people are evacuated in San Diego County alone, where blazes have torched more than 100,000 acres. Senator Feinstein and I spoke with Mayor Sanders today, and he told us that one condominium complex has burned with 400 units. Mayor Sanders warns we have tough times ahead. There are walls of flames 100 to 200 feet high. There are fires popping up everywhere, with eight separate fires burning in that region. More than a dozen people are being treated at the UC San Diego Medical Center Regional Burn Center for smoke inhalation and burns, including four firefighters who are seriously injured. One individual we know of has lost his life in San Diego. Our firefighters deserve our prayers, our help, and our thoughts, as do all the people in the southern California region. We have to remember that they go out there and do everything they are trained to do, and the last thing they think about is themselves. Yet and still, we have been trying for years to pass the Healthy Firefighters Act to follow these firefighters who work in these horrific situations, and some of them have absolutely no health insurance. We are trying to protect them and follow them so we can make sure that in future years, they are not plagued from the smoke inhalation. I wish to show a picture. I hope my colleagues will take a look at it. San Diego, this is one photo. We can see, if we look closely, the firefighters. From where they are getting any oxygen is hard to know. They are literally in the fires of hell right there. Then in Santa Clarita, more than 25,000 acres have burned and approximately 800 homes have been evacuated. I will show another picture. We can see the fire in the hills threatening the homes. Eight hundred homes have been evacuated in this region. Most of my colleagues have seen the reports of Malibu. More than 2,400 acres have burned. We can get a sense of what is happening there. This is a photo of a beach. This is the water, the Pacific Ocean. You cannot see in front of you the fires, the smoke, the wind blowing the sand. I was in southern California. I left this morning, and yesterday I was out in the Santa Anas. To give my colleagues a sense of what it is like, the winds are so strong in the desert areas and in the beach areas that you can taste the grit of the sand in your mouth and feel it in your eyes and certainly in your lungs. In Malibu, more than 2,400 acres burned. Several homes and structures have been destroyed, including the Malibu Presbyterian Church. My understanding is the church was able to remove computers and some other items they desperately needed, but that building is gone. The Pacific Coast Highway remains closed, and the evacuations continue as we speak. Again, thousands of our brave firefighters are frantically working in conjunction with the California department of forestry and the U.S. Forest Service, the California Highway Patrol, the U.S. Border Patrol, and FEMA to contain these fires. I thank all the dedicated Federal workforce who have joined in this effort. They deserve our prayers and support as well. People are escaping with only the clothes on their backs. Families have no time to gather anything as they flee from the inferno that engulfs everything it touches. This is only the most recent information. As I speak, these fires rage on. The Governor says they don't expect a diminution of these Santa Ana winds until at best tomorrow afternoon, maybe Wednesday. We pray these winds stop their fierce blowing. We need to make sure our communities have the resources they need now. California cannot fight this battle alone. I mentioned the agencies that are out there already helping. I know the equipment is being given as we speak. The Governor has declared a disaster in seven counties, and as soon as he asks the President for a Federal declaration, I know President Bush will act swiftly. There are certain areas where we have to work together where there cannot be an inch of distance between us. As I stand here, I look over at my friend, Senator Landrieu, and I see the compassion in her face because she is still working night and day, 24/7 to make sure her State is whole again. I, again, pledge to her--she knows I will be there with her every step of the way. So these are the times when we in this Senate have to cross over party lines, and we do, to make sure we make life livable for people who have lost, in some cases, everything--everything material. Again, I want to say the most important point is we save lives. I ask for an additional 1 minute, please.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, this isn't just a fight to contain wildfires. This is a fight to save lives. This is a fight to save schools and homes and businesses. Again, I thank all the firefighters, the local officials, the volunteers, my own staff who is out there working. I thank the President and FEMA and all the Federal workers. Right now we must contain these fires. Right now we must save lives. Right now we must provide shelter and hope for those displaced. I again thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle who have come up to me or have come up to Senator Feinstein and said to us: Please let us know what we can do. We will be calling on our colleagues. We know they care very much about the 37 million people of my State, and a large proportion of them in southern California being impacted by these fires. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BOXER

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

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that whatever time remains for the Republicans be reserved until the Democrats have finished our time.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, for me, today is one of the most important days in my career because, with the introduction of the Lieberman- Warner bill, today will be remembered, in my view, as the turning point in the fight against global warming. Let me explain why I make that very sweeping statement. First, this bill represents a bipartisan breakthrough on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. When I took the gavel of the committee 9 months ago, I said that global warming was the challenge of our generation, a challenge that I believed our committee could meet with knowledge, with bipartisanship, and in pursuit of that knowledge we have held 18 global warming hearings and 2 scientific briefings this year in the Environment Committee. At our very first hearing in January, we invited all Senators to come to the committee and share their perspectives. More than one-third of the Senate took part in that historic event. Since then, we have heard from more than 120 witnesses, ranging from utility executives, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, religious leaders, and Nobel Prize winners. Indeed, yes, we had Al Gore, we had members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and we also heard from business community leaders who have formed the U.S. Climate Action Partnership. We heard from mayors, Governors, and leaders of both parties, from many different States, cities, and counties across America. Then a wonderful thing happened: Senator John Warner, who is the ranking member on Senator Lieberman's Global Warming Subcommittee, decided it was time that he play a lead role in crafting a landmark environmental law which will take its place beside the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and other great bipartisan environmental legislation. Senator Warner, this decision of yours is giving heart and hope to literally not only the people of the United States of America but all the people who share our planet. I know in your beautiful State of Virginia how proud they are. We had a hearing with you and with Senators Mikulski and Cardin, and we heard about the impact of global warming already taking place on the Chesapeake. Your Governor was also there. So this is a great moment. I cannot tell you how touched and moved I am that Senator Warner has joined Senator Lieberman. It is a wonderful moment in history. This, I believe. We would never leave a child alone in a hot, locked car, and I believe the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will not leave this issue of global warming burning for another generation to address. It is our responsibility, and we must act. Today, with the introduction of this bill, we are taking the first immensely important legislative step to meet the challenge of global warming with hope and not with fear and with approaches that are carefully thought out and some already successfully tried out, like a cap-and-trade system that has been so successful in addressing acid rain. Also in this bill, which I am very proud of, is a section on energy efficiency, which has been so effective in lowering per capita energy use, costs, and greenhouse gas emissions in my own home State of California. For the past 50 years, the United States of America has been the world leader in environmental protection. Laws such as the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and the Superfund Act have achieved so much for our Nation and so much for our people. They have cleaned up our rivers and lakes, improved the quality of our air, and protected our drinking water supplies. Each of those laws--if you go back and study them--became a reality because Congress started on the path that, over time, would lead to enactment of strong legislation. The same is true for what we face today in global warming. We must start on the path to pass strong legislation. I have been working very closely with Senators Warner and Lieberman as they have assembled their bill, as have many other colleagues. I praise my friends for including so many people, including the occupant of the chair, Senator Casey, who was quite involved in crafting the green jobs portion of the bill. I have been so impressed with the effort they have invested, seeking out the views not only of other Senators but outside groups and business leaders, environmentalists, everybody, pro and con, with whom they have met. They have put great work into this effort. I am proud of that. In my own conversations with them, I have laid out some important principles that I believe must be reflected in legislation to address this challenge. First, the most important thing is that any bill has to include real, mandatory cuts in global warming pollution. Any bill we pass must set the Nation on the path to achieving the emissions reductions that will avoid dangerous climate change. Under the Lieberman-Warner bill, we anticipate reaching 1990 emissions levels by 2020. This will send a strong early signal to the marketplace, which is a very important part of getting where we need to go. The second necessary element is the flexibility to respond to new information because all of us know that daily we face new reports, new scientists telling us new things we didn't know before. So I ask my colleagues if they would include what I call a look-back provision in the bill. The bill must include provisions for continuing to review the science. We want to have our work based on science, and it has to happen at regular intervals. We have to know whether we are doing enough, too much, or if we have to do even more. Third, we must establish a cap-and-trade program for global warming pollution like the one that worked so well in curbing acid rain. A cap-and-trade system will put a market price on carbon, driving greater efficiency and new technology, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Fourth, we must protect the pioneering State efforts that are already underway. The States have been leading the way on this issue and doing it in the most bipartisan fashion. In my own State of California, we have seen trailblazing there with a Republican Governor and a Democratic legislature. I believe my State has the gold standard bill. A total of 29 States have completed comprehensive climate action plans, and many have set mandatory reduction targets. We don't want to interfere with their work. Fifth, it is a moral imperative to do what we can to ease the impacts of global warming--not only on the American consumer but on world populations suffering from drought, floods, and famine. The religious community has worked very closely with all of us on this moral imperative. Finally, a bill must take into account the actions of countries that are not making progress toward a clean, sustainable energy future and must help level the playing field. Countries that want to export goods into the United States must take steps consistent with our global warming policy or be accountable for their emissions. All of these elements I have mentioned are included in the Lieberman- Warner bill. Some of us may want to make them stronger, and some of us may want to make them weaker. But here is the important point: We have the framework. Every single issue anyone could raise about global warming has been raised and addressed in this bill, giving us a perfect place to start. I thank all of my colleagues who have introduced bills to deal with global warming. Each bill has made an important contribution to the debate, and I know each bill has helped Senators Warner and Lieberman craft an excellent piece of legislation. We have this framework. We can build on it; it embodies all of the key concepts. The bipartisan progress on the bill is a reflection of how far we have come and brings us that much closer to the day we will have comprehensive legislation to deal with this great challenge of our generation. It is with great pride that I yield the floor to Senator Joe Lieberman.

Mrs. BOXER. Yes.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. All right. Mr. President, I yield myself 7 minutes. The Vitter amendment is ``big brother'' at its very worst. It tells non-governmental entities how they should spend their own private funds. I wonder what the Senator has in mind next? Is he going to tell America's families what they can spend their private funds on? This is a dangerous amendment which will lead to more abortions. The Senator takes to the floor and he attacks an a private organization by name--an organization that over many years has had leading Republicans and Democrats on its board of directors. I think it is a very sad day when we have an amendment such as this. This amendment punishes the very organizations that work hard every day using their own funds to provide family planning services and reproductive health care, including legal abortion services. If Senator Vitter wants to deny these funds, he should work to outlaw all abortion. He should work to make women criminals who have abortions--throw everyone in jail. If he wants to go that way, that is an honest way. But to stand up here and say that a private organization that works so hard every day to give women the health care they need-- to punish them because they use their own funds to provide a full array of reproductive health care is really, I think, a very sorry idea. His amendment will do nothing to reduce abortions. It will make contraceptives harder to get, and that will increase the number of unintended pregnancies. It will increase the number of abortions, just as we have shown the global gag rule does. Make no mistake, he may not call it a gag rule, but in essence it is. When you tell a person or an organization how they can spend their own personal funds, that is interfering with their rights. What is going to happen? We are going to have less funding for breast and pelvic examinations, breast and cervical cancer screening, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS. We are going to see less counseling, less testing, and less referrals. This amendment is an attack on title X-supported health clinics. Title X was enacted in 1970 with strong bipartisan support to provide high-quality, comprehensive, and low-cost family planning and reproductive health care services to those in need but who cannot afford such services. Let's be clear. No title X dollars may be used for abortion care. We are going to have a vote that makes it very clear that nothing in this bill allows Federal funds to be used for abortion. No discretionary funding in this bill can ever pay for abortion. That has been illegal for quite some time. So again, the Vitter amendment punishes effective organizations that are working every day to provide a full range of legal, important health care to women. The consequence of passing this--which I don't think we will because it is so radical--are that women would have less access to reproductive health care. They would get sick. They would be suffering, and they wouldn't get access to contraception, which is so necessary. I reserve the remainder of my time.

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

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Yes.