Barbara Boxer

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the Rules of the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise to discuss liquified natural gas projects in California. As of August of last year, there are five potential liquified natural gas projects in California. The projects include the Cabrillo Deepwater Port LNG Facility, Clearwater Port LNG Project, Long Beach LNG Facility, Ocean Way LNG Terminal, and the Pacific Gateway LNG Facility. LNG is natural gas in its liquid form. When natural gas is cooled to minus 259 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes a clear, colorless, odorless liquid. Natural gas is transferred into LNG to transport it more easily. Although there is a need for natural gas, there are potential safety concerns with the siting of new LNG facilities. According to the California Energy Commission, ``LNG hazards result from three of its properties: cryogenic temperatures, dispersion characteristics, and flammability characteristics. The extremely cold LNG can directly cause injury or damage. A vapor cloud, formed by an LNG spill, could drift downwind into populated areas. It can ignite if the concentration of natural gas is between five and 15 percent in air and it encounters an ignition source. An LNG fire gives off a tremendous amount of heat.'' This is why many people who live near a potential LNG facility have safety concerns. As a result, many companies try to ``sell'' the projects to communities. That is why today I am introducing this common sense bill. This bill is identical to legislation that I introduced in the 109th Congress. It would require any company seeking Federal Government approval to submit, as part or its application, the names of employees and business agents who are trying to persuade communities of the benefits of the LNG facility. This bill does not stop anyone from reaching out to local communities. What this bill says is that if you are trying to get approval for an LNG facility, whether on- or off-shore, you have to be public about it. Today, if someone lobbies the federal government, he or she needs to register so their affiliation and interests before the government are publicly known. We should do the same for these projects. As I said, it is common sense. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I ask unanimous consent that the text of my bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise to discuss liquified natural gas projects in California. As of August of last year, there are five potential liquified natural gas projects in California. The projects include the Cabrillo Deepwater Port LNG Facility, Clearwater Port LNG Project, Long Beach LNG Facility, Ocean Way LNG Terminal, and the Pacific Gateway LNG Facility. LNG is natural gas in its liquid form. When natural gas is cooled to minus 259 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes a clear, colorless, odorless liquid. Natural gas is transferred into LNG to transport it more easily. Although there is a need for natural gas, there are potential safety concerns with the siting of new LNG facilities. According to the California Energy Commission, ``LNG hazards result from three of its properties: cryogenic temperatures, dispersion characteristics, and flammability characteristics. The extremely cold LNG can directly cause injury or damage. A vapor cloud, formed by an LNG spill, could drift downwind into populated areas. It can ignite if the concentration of natural gas is between five and 15 percent in air and it encounters an ignition source. An LNG fire gives off a tremendous amount of heat.'' This is why many people who live near a potential LNG facility have safety concerns. As a result, many companies try to ``sell'' the projects to communities. That is why today I am introducing this common sense bill. This bill is identical to legislation that I introduced in the 109th Congress. It would require any company seeking Federal Government approval to submit, as part or its application, the names of employees and business agents who are trying to persuade communities of the benefits of the LNG facility. This bill does not stop anyone from reaching out to local communities. What this bill says is that if you are trying to get approval for an LNG facility, whether on- or off-shore, you have to be public about it. Today, if someone lobbies the federal government, he or she needs to register so their affiliation and interests before the government are publicly known. We should do the same for these projects. As I said, it is common sense. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I ask unanimous consent that the text of my bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I offer a few words in observance of the passing of Norman Livermore, Jr., a man who dedicated his life to the preservation of beauty in the natural world and left us a magnificent legacy of protected natural resources throughout the State of California. I extend my deepest sympathy and most sincere condolences to Mr. Livermore's family, especially his wife, Virginia Livermore, and their five children. My thoughts and prayers go out to them as they struggle with the death of a man they loved dearly. Norman B. ``Ike'' Livermore, Jr. was a successful businessman with a profound appreciation for his surroundings and a passion for environmental advocacy. The son of an engineer and an environmental activist, he learned at an early age to infuse a respect for the bottom-line with a deeply held reverence for the sanctity of nature. Throughout his life, Mr. Livermore would use this remarkable ability to form an environmentally conscious vision of the future that appealed to Californians of all ideological persuasions. As a youth, Mr. Livermore spent countless hours exploring the Sierra Nevada, beginning a love affair with the mountains that would guide him along his path in life. Strong and athletic, at age 15 he rode 200 miles on horseback and climbed the Grand Teton in tennis shoes. Mr. Livermore would continue to display a robust vigor and zeal for life in early adulthood, representing our nation as a baseball player in the 1936 Olympics and serving with great distinction and honor in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Before and after the war, Mr. Livermore operated an outfitting business that took people into the Sierra. He ran the business for 20 years, during which time he crossed all 50 Sierra passes over 10,000 feet. Mr. Livermore's outstanding business sense and intimate knowledge of the Sierra and the northern woods of California made him a valuable asset to a wide array of groups seeking to shape the future of the state. He was an active member of the Sierra Club starting in the 1930s and later, in the 1950s and 1960s, he served as treasurer of the Pacific Lumber Company. With self-effacing modesty, he once referred to himself as a living contradiction, but it was evident for everyone to see that all Mr. Livermore's actions were firmly rooted in a commitment to preserving the environment he encountered in his youth. His capacity to understand and engage the concerns of the industrialist and the environmentalist is what enabled him to be one of the most effective conservationists in California history. Recognizing Mr. Livermore's extraordinary ability and the high regard in which he was universally held, Governor Ronald Reagan tapped him to serve as Secretary for Resources in 1967. While serving on Governor Reagan's Cabinet, Mr. Livermore played an indispensable role preserving the state we know and love today. California is filled with testaments to his incredible achievement. The Redwood National Park is a product of Mr. Livermore's efforts to protect the forest and the jobs of lumberjacks by arranging an exchange of federally owned land for private plots that included the most magnificent old growth trees. With similar resolve and resourcefulness, Mr. Livermore successfully led the campaign to preserve the Eel River. The Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Water Resources were supporting the construction of the Dos Rios Dam on the middle fork of the Eel River in an effort to minimize the risk of flooding to areas downstream. The proposed dam would have flooded the Round Valley, home to the Yuki, a Native American Tribe that had lived in the valley for 9,000 years. Arguing that the dam would have traded ``permanent destruction'' for ``occasional protection'', Mr. Livermore fought vigorously against the proposal and arranged a meeting between Governor Reagan and members of the Yuki tribe. The meeting had such a profound impact on the governor that he withdrew his support for the project, saving the Round Valley and preserving the natural state of the middle fork of the Eel River. Mr. Livermore combined well-reasoned arguments with emotionally compelling appeals to win the hearts and minds of those inside and outside the conservation movement. He recognized that we all care deeply about that which we are familiar and that effective advocacy depends on one's ability to draw connections between experiences. He is known by many as ``Reagan's environmental conscience'', but his impact on our State is not confined to the policy of one administration. Mr. Livermore's legacy is in the beauty of our state and the joy and inspiration it invokes in 37 million Californians.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. (When her name was called). Present.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce the Healthy Students Act, a bill that addresses the rising epidemic of childhood obesity. Over the past 30 years, obesity rates have doubled for teenagers and tripled for children ages 6 to 11. Today, more than 30 percent of children in America are overweight and more than 15 percent are obese. As a result, more children are suffering from traditionally adult diseases--including type 2 diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol--and putting their health in great danger. While the reasons for the growing number of obese children problems are complex, the underlying problem is simple. Children are becoming obese because they are eating too much unhealthy food and getting too little exercise. Vending machines are in too many of our schools. Children today eat five times as much fast food as they did 30 years ago. And the number of students who eat green vegetables ``nearly every day or more'' has dropped to only 30 percent. Children are getting too little exercise. Nearly 23 percent of children ages 9-13 do not engage in any free-time physical activity during the school day, and nearly 60 percent do not participate in any kind of organized sports or physical activity program outside of school. Also, the lack of qualified health professionals (school nurses)-- compounded with the access to them--is taking an adverse toll on children's health in our public schools. With just one licensed nurse for every 1,155 students, too many children don't have access to a caring health care professional who can diagnose illness, administer medicine, handle emergencies, or treat injuries. We should ensure that during the school day, children have access to better nutrition and health care, more physical activity, and the skills necessary for a lifetime of good health. And that's what the Healthy Students Act will do. First, the bill creates a commission of children's health experts to review existing school nutrition guidelines and develop new, healthier standards that provide more fresh fruits and vegetables and eliminate food of minimal nutritional value. Second, the bill creates a grant program for school nutrition pilot programs that promote alternative healthful food promotion in its curriculum and lunch program. I have seen firsthand what can be accomplished with such innovative programs. For example in Berkeley, California, the ``Edible Schoolyard'' program is changing the way kids eat and learn about nutrition. Schools in the Edible Schoolyard program maintain an organic garden and integrate the garden into both the curriculum and lunch program. This hands-on approach educates students on healthy eating--from planting, to harvesting, to their plates. By teaching kids about the connection between what they eat and where it comes from, we can help them develop good nutrition habits that will last a lifetime. Third, the bill creates a ``Healthy Hour'' pilot program that provides funding for an additional hour to the school day either before, after or during school--set aside specifically for physical activity. As more and more schools have cut recess and physical education classes, the bill provides funding for programs that extend physical activity time and highlight the importance of exercise for children in schools across the country. Fourth, to make sure that children have the equipment they need, the bill provides tax incentives to individuals and businesses to donate exercise and gymnasium equipment to schools and organizations serving students. And fifth, to address the shortage of qualified health care professionals in schools, the bill creates a tuition loan forgiveness program for those who earn a degree in nursing and make a minimum 3- year commitment to work in a public elementary or secondary school. We are saying to prospective nurses: If you make an investment in helping kids, then we will make an investment in you. Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic that we must address now. I urge my colleagues to support the Healthy Students Act to ensure that all children have the health they need to achieve their dreams.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, last year many Americans paid over $3--and in some places in California, $4--for a gallon of gasoline. At the same time, oil companies made record profits. Enough is enough! We need to help the American public and reduce our dependence on oil. The Federal Government should be taking the lead on this issue. Sadly, it is not. In 2005, the Federal Government purchased 64,000 passenger vehicles. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average fuel economy of the new vehicles purchased for the fleet in 2005 was an abysmal 21.4 miles per gallon. Today, hybrid cars on the market can achieve over 50 miles per gallon and SUVs can obtain 36 miles per gallon. The Government's average of 21.4 miles to the gallon is too low. Instead, our government needs to purchase fuel-efficient cars, SUVs, and light trucks. This can be done today. I drive a Toyota Prius that gets over 50 mpg. The Ford Escape SUV can get 36 mpg. The Federal Government should be a leader in protecting our environment and national security. That is why I am reintroducing the Government Fleet Fuel Economy Act. The bill requires the federal government to purchase vehicles that are fuel-efficient to the greatest extent possible.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation that would order EPA to promptly establish a health advisory and then a drinking water standard for perchlorate. I am pleased that the Senior Senator from California, Mrs. Feinstein, and the Senior Senator from New Jersey, Mr. Lautenberg, have joined as original cosponsors of this measure. This legislation will require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a standard for perchlorate contamination in drinking water supplies by December 31, 2007. EPA still has not committed to establishing a tap water standard for this widespread contaminant, decades after learning that perchlorate is a problem in our drinking water. Perchlorate is a clear and present danger to California's and much of America's health. We cannot wait any longer to address this threat. EPA needs to get moving and protect our drinking water now. Drinking water sources for more than 20 million Americans are contaminated with perchlorate. Perchlorate is the main ingredient in rocket fuel, which accounts for 90 percent of its use. Perchlorate is also used for ammunition, fireworks, highway safety flares, air bags, and fertilizers. It dissolves readily in many liquids, including water, and moves easily and quickly through the ground. Perchlorate was first discovered in drinking water in 1957, and at the latest in the mid-1980s, EPA was aware that perchlorate contaminates drinking water. Since 1997, when California developed a new, more sensitive testing method that can detect perchlorate down to 4 parts per billion, perchlorate has been found in soil, groundwater, and surface water throughout the U.S. According to a May 2005 report from the Government Accountability Office, perchlorate contamination has been detected in water and soil at almost 400 sites in the U.S., with levels ranging from 4 parts per billion to millions of parts per billion. GAO also said that limited EPA data show that perchlorate has polluted 35 States and the District of Columbia, and is known to have contaminated 153 public water systems in 26 States. Those data likely underestimate total exposure, as illustrated by the finding of the California Department of Health Services that perchlorate contamination has affected at least 276 drinking water wells sources and 77 drinking water systems in California alone. The Food and Drug Administration and other scientific researchers have detected perchlorate in the United States food supply, including in lettuce, milk, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, wheat, and spinach, and in human breast milk. Perchlorate can harm human health, especially in pregnant women and children, by interfering with thyroid gland, which is needed to produce important hormones that help control human health and development. The thyroid helps to ensure children's proper mental and physical development, in addition to helping to control metabolism. Thyroid problems in expectant mothers or infants can affect babies, and result in delayed development and decreased learning capability. The largest and most comprehensive study to date on the effects of low levels of perchlorate exposure in women was recently published by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC found that there were significant changes in thyroid hormones in women with low iodine levels who were exposed to perchlorate. The CDC researchers also found that even small increases in low-level perchlorate exposure may affect the thyroid's production of hormones in iodine deficient women. About 36 percent of women in the U.S. have iodine levels equal to or below those of the women in the study. EPA has not established a health advisory or national primary drinking water regulation for perchlorate. Instead, the agency has established a ``Drinking Water Equivalent Level'' (DWEL) of 24.5 parts per billion for this toxin. The agency's DWEL does not take into consideration all routes of exposure to perchlorate, and has been criticized by experts for failing to sufficiently consider the body weight, unique exposure, and vulnerabilities of certain pregnant women and fetuses, infants, and children. It is based primarily upon a small human study by Greer et al., which tested a small number of adults. The DWEL also does not take into account the new much larger studies from CDC, and other data indicating potential effects at lower perchlorate levels than previously found. Alarming levels of perchlorate have been discovered in Lake Mead and the Colorado River, the drinking water source for millions of Southern Californians. Communities in the Inland Empire, San Gabriel Valley, Santa Clara Valley, and the Sacramento area are also grappling with perchlorate contamination. My bill will ensure that EPA acts swiftly to address this threat to our health and welfare. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this important piece of legislation. I ask unanimous consent that the text of my bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I rise to reintroduce the Early Education Act. This bill will enable children across our nation to be prepared with the initial skills and abilities to successfully begin their education. I strongly believe that there should be a national commitment to establish that all children have access to high quality prekindergarten programs. This bill is a step forward in making that possible. Of the nearly 8 million and 3- and 4-year-olds that could be in early education, fewer than half are enrolled in an early education program. In my State of California alone, just 65 percent of 4-year-olds are in preschool. The result is that too many children come to school ill-prepared to learn. They lack language and social skills. Almost all experts now agree that an early education experience is one of the most effective strategies for improving later school performance. Researchers have discovered that children have a learning capacity that can and should be developed at a much earlier age than was previously thought. The National Research Council reported that prekindergarten educational opportunities are critical in developing early language and literacy skills and preventing reading difficulties in young children. Furthermore, studies have shown that children who participate in prekindergarten programs are less likely to be held back a grade, show greater learning retention and initiative, have better social skills, are more enthusiastic about school, and are more likely to have good attendance records. In fact, prekindergarten programs pay for themselves in long-term benefits. It is estimated that for every dollar invested in early education, about $7 are saved in later costs. My bill, the Early Education Act, would create a program in at least 10 States to provide one year of prekindergarten early education in the public schools. There is a 50 percent matching requilement, and the $300 million authorized annually under this bill would be used by States to supplement--not supplant--other Federal, State or local funds. This bill would serve approximately 136,000 children. Our children need a solid foundation that builds on current education system by providing them with early learning skills. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I introduce the Healthy Firefighters Act, an important bill that would protect the firefighters who respond to emergencies. The bill is inspired by the brave firefighters from the San Jacinto Ranger District, who responded to the Esperanza Incident wildfire in southern California in October of 2006. We rely on firefighters to protect us when disaster strikes, and they selflessly place themselves in danger to provide that protection. One danger they face in the course of performing their duties is exposure to toxins--including fine particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur, formaldehyde, mercury, heavy metals, and benzene--that can have a significant negative effect on their health. We owe it to this country's brave firefighters to minimize their sacrifice for our safety, to the greatest extent possible. My bill would require the U.S. Fire Administrator to contract with a medical research university to conduct long-term medical health monitoring of firefighters who responded to emergencies in any areas declared a disaster by the Federal Government, and provide healthcare for those firefighters who suffer health problems as a consequence of their work in those disaster areas. Pulmonary illness, neurological damage, and cardiovascular damage are examples of illnesses for which firefighters would be monitored and treated under this bill. I urge my colleagues to consider and pass this bill to benefit firefighters, who are among this country's most heroic citizens.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Cellulosic Ethanol Development and Implementation Act of 2007. As a Nation, we should be striving for greater energy independence and for more environmentally friendly sources of fuel for our automobiles. Cellulosic ethanol is fuel ethanol made from glucose, a sugar derived from the cellolose in biomass. It is chemically identical to ethanol made from food crops like corn and sugar cane. Cellulosic ethanol is more difficult to make, because cellulose is a tough structural material that gives plants their strength. However, making ethanol from cellulose lets us tap into a much larger source of sugars, and, therefore, potentially make much larger amounts of fuel ethanol, tens of billions of gallons or more. An additional benefit is that cellulosic ethanol made from biomass is likely to produce smaller amounts of greenhouse gases than corn ethanol, and far less greenhouse gases than gasoline it will replace. With continued technology improvements, it should be cheaper than gasoline. Because it is locally made, it reduces the need for oil imports. An April 2005 study by the Department of Energy and Agriculture indicates that the country currently has a supply of biomass sufficient to displace 30 percent of the country's present petroleum use. I am introducing this bill because I believe we should be doing more to harness our Nation's cellulosic ethanol potential. I have been a strong proponent of using alternative transportation fuels and efficiency measures to reduce oil dependence. Last Congress, we took a good first step in the development of cellulosic ethanol. The Energy Policy Act of 2005, known as EPAct 05, requires that at least one-third of the Nation's ethanol be produced from cellulose by 2013. In addition, EPAct 05 also created a new ethanol section of the Clean Air Act (Section 212). In that section, one subsection, section 212(e), includes language I authored to establish a new cellulosic production conversion assistance grant program. That program, housed at the Department of Energy, provides financial assistance to encourage the building of new cellulosic facilities in the U.S. The program was authorized to receive $250 million in fiscal year 2006 and $400 million in fiscal year 2007. Though Congress has taken the steps I've just described, I believe we can and should do more, and the bill I introduce today does just that. It would add two new cellulosic ethanol programs to the Clean Air Act. The first is a new competitive grant program for cellulosic motor vehicle fuel research and demonstration projects. Funded at $1 billion over 6 years, universities, Federal and State research labs, private industry, nonprofit groups, or partnerships between any of these groups, would be able to compete for funds. My bill would also create a new pilot program for the installation of ethanol fuel pumps at gas stations or any other needed infrastructure required to dispense ethanol fuel, such as a storage tank, for example. Funded at $1 billion over 6 years, the same entities that would participate in the research section of the bill would also be able to compete for funds under this program. Successful applicants would have to provide 20 percent of the grant in matching funds. Finally, my bill also extends the authorization for the original cellulosic grant program that is currently authorized in EPAct 05. The authorization expires at the end of this year, and the bill I introduce today would extend it at $400 million per year thru 2010. This extension will ensure the program continues. As Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I believe that our Nation's energy policy must focus on conservation, improvements in energy efficiency, and the development of clean, renewable energy technology. I continue to support measures to accomplish these goals, including the promotion of cellulosic ethanol. I believe this bill is an important next step in achieving these objectives. I ask content that a copy of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, it is wonderful to see you sitting there and to tell you, as I know you will be very pleased with this news, that S. 6, which has been introduced by Leader Reid, is called the National Energy and Environmental Security Act of 2007. That means Senator Reid is sending a signal to all of us here, both sides of the aisle, that we are going to put the environmental issue back front and center and we are going to put the energy issue front and center and we are going to do everything we can do to become energy independent and to preserve this planet for future generations. This is a very emotional day for me in a very good way because I am assuming the Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, which is a dream come true for me. Since I started my career, the environment has always been one of my signature issues. In California it is a bipartisan signature issue. We all work together, Republicans and Democrats and Independents, because we understand that the health of our planet and the health of our families is very important. America has always taken the lead. Somehow, recently, we have lost our way. Oftentimes when I speak about the environment, people are stunned to see that, indeed, Republican Presidents have taken the lead on the environment. Dwight Eisenhower set aside the area that is now part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and said we should not destroy this beautiful part of the world. Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency, and then you look at Jimmy Carter who I believe created Superfund. Presidents of both parties worked with Congress to write the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act--it has been, I think, a backpedaling of environmental laws and regulations that has undermined the bipartisan issue of the environment. I have three goals for this committee. No. 1 is to protect this planet. I think that is our moral obligation. I view it as a spiritual obligation. No. 2 is to protect the health of our families, the health of our children. I view that as a moral obligation and a spiritual obligation. My third goal for the committee is to bring back bipartisanship. We have had, in this great committee, great leaders from both parties. Already I have begun reaching out to Republican friends. Of course we know there will be disagreements. But I can tell you, and I want to reassure the American people, that we are working together. Today I had an open house at the committee room and in walked my Democratic colleagues and my Republican colleagues. My former chairman, James Inhofe, was the first Senator to come by and we had a series of Senators come by--Senator Isakson, Senator Obama, Senator Lautenberg, Senator Alexander, Senator Vitter, and Senator Warner. It was a wonderful experience for me to sit there and see that in fact we are getting off on the right foot. I cannot tell you how good I feel about S. 6 because it lays down a marker and it says we have to do something about energy efficiency and we have to do something about global warming. If we do not act on global warming, our children and our grandchildren will wonder why we walked away from them. How could we have walked away from them? We do not want to walk away from them. I don't know any Member of this Senate who would knowingly walk away from their future family. Scientists are telling us we need to take action soon in order to avoid dangerous global warming. If we fail to act, we could reach the tipping point with irreversible consequences. I say to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, today I believe we have no choice but to act to slow global warming. We should look at our actions as an insurance policy. Yes, scientists will disagree. Some will say horrific things will happen. Some will say bad things will happen. I don't know of any respected scientist who thinks nothing will happen. But for bad things or horrific things, we need an insurance policy. We need to be conservative. We need to do the most we can do so we protect those future generations so when they look back at us, they will say: They stepped up and did the right thing. It is hard to persuade people to act when the consequences of inaction lie down the road. But we are smart enough, we are wise enough to do something about global warming. Here is the good news. Whatever we do about global warming, to reduce greenhouse gases, has a beneficial effect on our society. That is why it is something I think we can wrap our arms around. When we do something for energy efficiency, to cut back on the carbon dioxide, what does it mean? It means we save money in our pockets, if we drive fuel-efficient automobiles, alternative fuel vehicles, hybrid vehicles, cellulosic fuel vehicles. It helps us keep money in our pockets. It says we don't have to rely on foreign countries. So that makes eminent good sense. It means we will be developing technologies that we can export to the rest of the world. Today, as the incoming Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I am embarrassed to say to the people of the United States that of the 56 emitters of greenhouse gases in the order of what they have done to help solve the problem, we are 53 out of 56. Only a few countries have done less than we have done and those countries are China, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia. I am embarrassed to stand here and say that to the American people, but I must speak the truth to the American people. We are the No. 1 emitter of greenhouse gases and we are 53rd out of 56 countries in doing something about it. All this is going to change. I think it is going to change because the people want us to change. The people want us to lead. I look around and see, for example, Wal-Mart--Wal-Mart, with whom I have disagreed on so many labor issues I can't even start to tell you the story about that, but here is what they are doing. They want to sell millions and millions of energy-efficient lightbulbs. These lightbulbs will save so much energy, these lightbulbs will save the consumer so much money, and I am very pleased to see that business is stepping up to the plate. I am also pleased to see the State of California passing landmark legislation to fight global warming--my State--and doing it on such a bipartisan basis. This is very exciting for me. We have a great bill that will be introduced by the Senator from Vermont, Mr. Sanders. That will be the same bill written by former Senator Jeffords, a great leader on the Committee on Environment and Public Works, before retirement. I have to try to fill his shoes. This great bill is modeled after the California bill and will tackle this issue in a way which will be good for the environment, good for the health of our families, good for foreign policy, and good for the export of new technologies, meaning more jobs here. We can do this. We can reduce costs for consumers, for businesses. Energy efficiency is the name of the game. It is the easiest way to get more energy. Everyone who knows me knows I want to pass the greatest bill in the history of mankind to fight global warming. Everyone knows I want to do that. Everyone knows I want us to go as far as we can go. I am an idealist when it comes to this, but I am also a pragmatist. So we will work our colleagues in the Senate, both sides of the aisle, Republicans, Independents, and Democrats. We will open the committee to all the Senators. We will listen to their ideas. We will listen to their views. We will take the best of those ideas, we will sit down, and we will work hard and get a bill. That day will come in the near future. At that time, the faith the people have placed in Congress, once again, that faith will be restored. Some of it was lost because in many ways we took our eye off of what we had to do. When people ask me, What is it like in the Congress, what do you like to do in the Congress, I say, Let's face it, the easiest thing is to do nothing. When you do something, somebody gets nervous about it, but when we have an issue such as global warming, which is a national security threat--and the Pentagon has told us it is a national security threat because if waters rise and there are refugees all over the world, the instability that will follow will be absolutely enormous; it will create a trend. There are predictions that if we have bad global warming, we will have weather extremes with droughts and floods and all the problems we have been getting a little look at through the lens of the last couple of years. Fate has thrown us together, I say to my friends on the other side of the aisle. You never know when you will be born or whom you will come to know. I have gotten to know the Senator presiding. I am fortunate to have friends on both sides of the aisle. I am fortunate to have the State that has as its core value protecting God's green Earth and this planet. I am going to bring all that enthusiasm to the committee. I am going to be patient. We are going to listen. We are going to write a bill and bring it here. I say to Majority Leader Reid, it means so much to me to have as one of the top bills a bill that uses the word ``environment'' in the title. I cannot state how long I have been waiting for that. We have it in S. 6. It is called the National Energy and Environment Security Act of 2007. It is an apt name because when we take care of the environment, we are taking care of our own security and the health of our families. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, it is with a heavy heart that I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring the memory of a courageous man, Police Officer Bryan Tuvera. Officer Tuvera was a member of the San Francisco Police Department who died in the line of duty on December 23, 2006. He was 28 years old. Officer Tuvera was a 4\1/2\-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department. He served with distinction and received numerous commendations during his tenure. He was shot and killed during the pursuit of an escaped convict. He died on the tenth anniversary of his beloved father's death, who had worked as a police dispatcher with the San Francisco Police Department. Before joining the San Francisco Police Department on July 1, 2002, Officer Tuvera received his degree in criminal justice from San Francisco State University. He is a 1996 graduate of South San Francisco High School. Officer Tuvera was married to his wife Salina Tuvera 2 months ago. They had been preparing for their first Christmas together. He is remembered by friends and colleagues as a dedicated and professional police officer and a good friend who loved his job and was always a ``class act.'' Bryan Tuvera risked his life every day to make San Francisco safer. We will always be grateful for Officer Tuvera's heroic service protecting his community. Bryan Tuvera is survived by his wife and fellow police officer, Salina Tuvera; his mother Sandy; his sister Tracee; and his grandparents Shirley and Stanley Scovill.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, it is with a heavy heart that I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring the memory of an extraordinary Californian, Elizabeth Terwilliger. To the Marin County community, Elizabeth Terwilliger was a renowned naturalist and educator, beloved by schoolchildren and adults, who leaves an amazing environmental legacy. She died on November 27, 2006 at the age of 97. She is survived by her daughter Lynn, her son John, and several grandchildren. Elizabeth Cooper was born in Hawaii in 1909. She moved to the mainland to pursue a master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University in New York and then attended Stanford nursing school. While at Stanford, she met her husband, Dr. Calvin Terwilliger. After World War II, the couple settled in Mill Valley, California where they raised two children. Elizabeth took her children on nature walks throughout Marin County. Soon, she was leading nature walks for local Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops. Her unique hands-on style and storytelling ability became known throughout the community and soon she began leading field trips for area schools and environmental organizations. Leading such trips 5 days a week became her life's work. For the 50 years that followed, every child growing up in Marin County knew Mrs. Terwilliger. She was a famous and beloved educator who traveled across the county in her familiar van filled with life-like animal models to teach school children about nature. Upon sight of her characteristic floppy straw hat, children would come running and follow her through the woods with excitement and adoration. They would soak up her stories and bring them home to teach their parents. Those who knew Mrs. Terwilliger well recount her mesmerizing personality, her passion for nature and wildlife, and her openhearted way with children and adults alike. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan honored Mrs. Terwilliger as an outstanding volunteer. While accepting the award at the White House, she shared one of her famous stories about ``Mr. Vulture,'' and had President Reagan holding his arms over his head in the ``V'' position, representing a vulture in flight. In addition to leading nature education programs, Mrs. Terwilliger was an advocate for environmental conservation and open space. She campaigned for a monarch butterfly preserve, bicycle paths, wetlands and open space preservation. She received numerous awards and has two preserves named after her: Terwilliger Marsh in Mill Valley and Terwilliger Butterfly Grove at Muir Beach. She inspired Joan Linn Bekins to create the Elizabeth Terwilliger Nature Education Foundation, which later became known as WildCare. Using educational programs developed by Mrs. Terwilliger, the center provides nature programs for over 40,000 Bay Area schoolchildren each year. The center also treats thousands of wildlife each year, rehabilitating them and returning them to their natural environment. Mrs. Terwilliger often said, ``while you're learning, you're living.'' Her life's passion was to teach people how to embrace and love nature. She was a local treasure and a wonderful, inspiring woman. I knew Mrs. Terwilliger and respected and admired her greatly. She will be deeply missed. For those of us who were fortunate to know her, we take comfort in knowing that schoolchildren will continue to learn from Mrs. Terwilliger's unique educational style at WildCare. Her vision, her passion and her spirit will remain in the countless lives she touched.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I am introducing a bill that would require that tap water be tested for perchlorate, and would ensure the public's right to know about perchlorate in their drinking water. I am pleased that the senior Senator from California, Mrs. Feinstein, and the senior Senator from New Jersey, Mr. Lautenberg, have joined as original cosponsors of this measure. This toxin is a clear and present danger to California's and much of America's health, and EPA needs to get moving and protect our drinking water now. But until a perchlorate tap water standard is set, something must be done. Therefore, my perchlorate monitoring and right to know bill will require that: EPA first swiftly set a health advisory for perchlorate that protects pregnant women, infants and children; second, that EPA order monitoring of drinking water for perchlorate until an enforceable standard is set; and, third, that the public be told about perchlorate and its health effects, if it is detected in their drinking water supply. Drinking water sources for more than 20 million Americans are contaminated with perchlorate. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that perchlorate contamination has been found in water and soil at almost 400 sites in the U.S., with levels ranging from 4 parts per billion to millions of parts per billion. Perchlorate has polluted 35 States and the District of Columbia, and is known to have contaminated 153 public water systems in 26 States. As we know, perchlorate can harm human health, especially that of pregnant women and children. Therefore, all citizens whose tap water system contains perchlorate have a right to know about that contamination, and about its potential health consequences. Only if their water is tested, and only if all systems are obligated to disclose the contamination and its health effects, will we be assured that the public is given the information that they deserve to protect themselves and their families. EPA's original 1999 rule for monitoring of tap water for unregulated contaminants ordered testing for perchlorate. Just last year, on August 22, 2005, EPA proposed to extend the requirement that perchlorate be monitored in drinking water. However, on December 20, 2006, the Administrator reversed himself and signed a final rule removing perchlorate from the list of contaminants for which monitoring is required under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation. I was shocked by this action. As a result of this new rule, Americans will not be assured of up-to- date information on whether their tap water is contaminated with this toxin. Until EPA sets a tap water standard for perchlorate, at the very least we should know if it's in our drinking water. My bill will ensure that EPA acts swiftly to require water systems to test for and to inform the public about this threat to our health and welfare. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this important legislation. I ask unanimous consent that the text of my bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce the Healthy Students Act, a bill that addresses the rising epidemic of childhood obesity. Over the past 30 years, obesity rates have doubled for teenagers and tripled for children ages 6 to 11. Today, more than 30 percent of children in America are overweight and more than 15 percent are obese. As a result, more children are suffering from traditionally adult diseases--including type 2 diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol--and putting their health in great danger. While the reasons for the growing number of obese children problems are complex, the underlying problem is simple. Children are becoming obese because they are eating too much unhealthy food and getting too little exercise. Vending machines are in too many of our schools. Children today eat five times as much fast food as they did 30 years ago. And the number of students who eat green vegetables ``nearly every day or more'' has dropped to only 30 percent. Children are getting too little exercise. Nearly 23 percent of children ages 9-13 do not engage in any free-time physical activity during the school day, and nearly 60 percent do not participate in any kind of organized sports or physical activity program outside of school. Also, the lack of qualified health professionals (school nurses)-- compounded with the access to them--is taking an adverse toll on children's health in our public schools. With just one licensed nurse for every 1,155 students, too many children don't have access to a caring health care professional who can diagnose illness, administer medicine, handle emergencies, or treat injuries. We should ensure that during the school day, children have access to better nutrition and health care, more physical activity, and the skills necessary for a lifetime of good health. And that's what the Healthy Students Act will do. First, the bill creates a commission of children's health experts to review existing school nutrition guidelines and develop new, healthier standards that provide more fresh fruits and vegetables and eliminate food of minimal nutritional value. Second, the bill creates a grant program for school nutrition pilot programs that promote alternative healthful food promotion in its curriculum and lunch program. I have seen firsthand what can be accomplished with such innovative programs. For example in Berkeley, California, the ``Edible Schoolyard'' program is changing the way kids eat and learn about nutrition. Schools in the Edible Schoolyard program maintain an organic garden and integrate the garden into both the curriculum and lunch program. This hands-on approach educates students on healthy eating--from planting, to harvesting, to their plates. By teaching kids about the connection between what they eat and where it comes from, we can help them develop good nutrition habits that will last a lifetime. Third, the bill creates a ``Healthy Hour'' pilot program that provides funding for an additional hour to the school day either before, after or during school--set aside specifically for physical activity. As more and more schools have cut recess and physical education classes, the bill provides funding for programs that extend physical activity time and highlight the importance of exercise for children in schools across the country. Fourth, to make sure that children have the equipment they need, the bill provides tax incentives to individuals and businesses to donate exercise and gymnasium equipment to schools and organizations serving students. And fifth, to address the shortage of qualified health care professionals in schools, the bill creates a tuition loan forgiveness program for those who earn a degree in nursing and make a minimum 3- year commitment to work in a public elementary or secondary school. We are saying to prospective nurses: If you make an investment in helping kids, then we will make an investment in you. Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic that we must address now. I urge my colleagues to support the Healthy Students Act to ensure that all children have the health they need to achieve their dreams.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, last year many Americans paid over $3--and in some places in California, $4--for a gallon of gasoline. At the same time, oil companies made record profits. Enough is enough! We need to help the American public and reduce our dependence on oil. The Federal Government should be taking the lead on this issue. Sadly, it is not. In 2005, the Federal Government purchased 64,000 passenger vehicles. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average fuel economy of the new vehicles purchased for the fleet in 2005 was an abysmal 21.4 miles per gallon. Today, hybrid cars on the market can achieve over 50 miles per gallon and SUVs can obtain 36 miles per gallon. The Government's average of 21.4 miles to the gallon is too low. Instead, our government needs to purchase fuel-efficient cars, SUVs, and light trucks. This can be done today. I drive a Toyota Prius that gets over 50 mpg. The Ford Escape SUV can get 36 mpg. The Federal Government should be a leader in protecting our environment and national security. That is why I am reintroducing the Government Fleet Fuel Economy Act. The bill requires the federal government to purchase vehicles that are fuel-efficient to the greatest extent possible.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation that would order EPA to promptly establish a health advisory and then a drinking water standard for perchlorate. I am pleased that the Senior Senator from California, Mrs. Feinstein, and the Senior Senator from New Jersey, Mr. Lautenberg, have joined as original cosponsors of this measure. This legislation will require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a standard for perchlorate contamination in drinking water supplies by December 31, 2007. EPA still has not committed to establishing a tap water standard for this widespread contaminant, decades after learning that perchlorate is a problem in our drinking water. Perchlorate is a clear and present danger to California's and much of America's health. We cannot wait any longer to address this threat. EPA needs to get moving and protect our drinking water now. Drinking water sources for more than 20 million Americans are contaminated with perchlorate. Perchlorate is the main ingredient in rocket fuel, which accounts for 90 percent of its use. Perchlorate is also used for ammunition, fireworks, highway safety flares, air bags, and fertilizers. It dissolves readily in many liquids, including water, and moves easily and quickly through the ground. Perchlorate was first discovered in drinking water in 1957, and at the latest in the mid-1980s, EPA was aware that perchlorate contaminates drinking water. Since 1997, when California developed a new, more sensitive testing method that can detect perchlorate down to 4 parts per billion, perchlorate has been found in soil, groundwater, and surface water throughout the U.S. According to a May 2005 report from the Government Accountability Office, perchlorate contamination has been detected in water and soil at almost 400 sites in the U.S., with levels ranging from 4 parts per billion to millions of parts per billion. GAO also said that limited EPA data show that perchlorate has polluted 35 States and the District of Columbia, and is known to have contaminated 153 public water systems in 26 States. Those data likely underestimate total exposure, as illustrated by the finding of the California Department of Health Services that perchlorate contamination has affected at least 276 drinking water wells sources and 77 drinking water systems in California alone. The Food and Drug Administration and other scientific researchers have detected perchlorate in the United States food supply, including in lettuce, milk, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, wheat, and spinach, and in human breast milk. Perchlorate can harm human health, especially in pregnant women and children, by interfering with thyroid gland, which is needed to produce important hormones that help control human health and development. The thyroid helps to ensure children's proper mental and physical development, in addition to helping to control metabolism. Thyroid problems in expectant mothers or infants can affect babies, and result in delayed development and decreased learning capability. The largest and most comprehensive study to date on the effects of low levels of perchlorate exposure in women was recently published by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC found that there were significant changes in thyroid hormones in women with low iodine levels who were exposed to perchlorate. The CDC researchers also found that even small increases in low-level perchlorate exposure may affect the thyroid's production of hormones in iodine deficient women. About 36 percent of women in the U.S. have iodine levels equal to or below those of the women in the study. EPA has not established a health advisory or national primary drinking water regulation for perchlorate. Instead, the agency has established a ``Drinking Water Equivalent Level'' (DWEL) of 24.5 parts per billion for this toxin. The agency's DWEL does not take into consideration all routes of exposure to perchlorate, and has been criticized by experts for failing to sufficiently consider the body weight, unique exposure, and vulnerabilities of certain pregnant women and fetuses, infants, and children. It is based primarily upon a small human study by Greer et al., which tested a small number of adults. The DWEL also does not take into account the new much larger studies from CDC, and other data indicating potential effects at lower perchlorate levels than previously found. Alarming levels of perchlorate have been discovered in Lake Mead and the Colorado River, the drinking water source for millions of Southern Californians. Communities in the Inland Empire, San Gabriel Valley, Santa Clara Valley, and the Sacramento area are also grappling with perchlorate contamination. My bill will ensure that EPA acts swiftly to address this threat to our health and welfare. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this important piece of legislation. I ask unanimous consent that the text of my bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I rise to reintroduce the Early Education Act. This bill will enable children across our nation to be prepared with the initial skills and abilities to successfully begin their education. I strongly believe that there should be a national commitment to establish that all children have access to high quality prekindergarten programs. This bill is a step forward in making that possible. Of the nearly 8 million and 3- and 4-year-olds that could be in early education, fewer than half are enrolled in an early education program. In my State of California alone, just 65 percent of 4-year-olds are in preschool. The result is that too many children come to school ill-prepared to learn. They lack language and social skills. Almost all experts now agree that an early education experience is one of the most effective strategies for improving later school performance. Researchers have discovered that children have a learning capacity that can and should be developed at a much earlier age than was previously thought. The National Research Council reported that prekindergarten educational opportunities are critical in developing early language and literacy skills and preventing reading difficulties in young children. Furthermore, studies have shown that children who participate in prekindergarten programs are less likely to be held back a grade, show greater learning retention and initiative, have better social skills, are more enthusiastic about school, and are more likely to have good attendance records. In fact, prekindergarten programs pay for themselves in long-term benefits. It is estimated that for every dollar invested in early education, about $7 are saved in later costs. My bill, the Early Education Act, would create a program in at least 10 States to provide one year of prekindergarten early education in the public schools. There is a 50 percent matching requilement, and the $300 million authorized annually under this bill would be used by States to supplement--not supplant--other Federal, State or local funds. This bill would serve approximately 136,000 children. Our children need a solid foundation that builds on current education system by providing them with early learning skills. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I introduce the Healthy Firefighters Act, an important bill that would protect the firefighters who respond to emergencies. The bill is inspired by the brave firefighters from the San Jacinto Ranger District, who responded to the Esperanza Incident wildfire in southern California in October of 2006. We rely on firefighters to protect us when disaster strikes, and they selflessly place themselves in danger to provide that protection. One danger they face in the course of performing their duties is exposure to toxins--including fine particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur, formaldehyde, mercury, heavy metals, and benzene--that can have a significant negative effect on their health. We owe it to this country's brave firefighters to minimize their sacrifice for our safety, to the greatest extent possible. My bill would require the U.S. Fire Administrator to contract with a medical research university to conduct long-term medical health monitoring of firefighters who responded to emergencies in any areas declared a disaster by the Federal Government, and provide healthcare for those firefighters who suffer health problems as a consequence of their work in those disaster areas. Pulmonary illness, neurological damage, and cardiovascular damage are examples of illnesses for which firefighters would be monitored and treated under this bill. I urge my colleagues to consider and pass this bill to benefit firefighters, who are among this country's most heroic citizens.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Cellulosic Ethanol Development and Implementation Act of 2007. As a Nation, we should be striving for greater energy independence and for more environmentally friendly sources of fuel for our automobiles. Cellulosic ethanol is fuel ethanol made from glucose, a sugar derived from the cellolose in biomass. It is chemically identical to ethanol made from food crops like corn and sugar cane. Cellulosic ethanol is more difficult to make, because cellulose is a tough structural material that gives plants their strength. However, making ethanol from cellulose lets us tap into a much larger source of sugars, and, therefore, potentially make much larger amounts of fuel ethanol, tens of billions of gallons or more. An additional benefit is that cellulosic ethanol made from biomass is likely to produce smaller amounts of greenhouse gases than corn ethanol, and far less greenhouse gases than gasoline it will replace. With continued technology improvements, it should be cheaper than gasoline. Because it is locally made, it reduces the need for oil imports. An April 2005 study by the Department of Energy and Agriculture indicates that the country currently has a supply of biomass sufficient to displace 30 percent of the country's present petroleum use. I am introducing this bill because I believe we should be doing more to harness our Nation's cellulosic ethanol potential. I have been a strong proponent of using alternative transportation fuels and efficiency measures to reduce oil dependence. Last Congress, we took a good first step in the development of cellulosic ethanol. The Energy Policy Act of 2005, known as EPAct 05, requires that at least one-third of the Nation's ethanol be produced from cellulose by 2013. In addition, EPAct 05 also created a new ethanol section of the Clean Air Act (Section 212). In that section, one subsection, section 212(e), includes language I authored to establish a new cellulosic production conversion assistance grant program. That program, housed at the Department of Energy, provides financial assistance to encourage the building of new cellulosic facilities in the U.S. The program was authorized to receive $250 million in fiscal year 2006 and $400 million in fiscal year 2007. Though Congress has taken the steps I've just described, I believe we can and should do more, and the bill I introduce today does just that. It would add two new cellulosic ethanol programs to the Clean Air Act. The first is a new competitive grant program for cellulosic motor vehicle fuel research and demonstration projects. Funded at $1 billion over 6 years, universities, Federal and State research labs, private industry, nonprofit groups, or partnerships between any of these groups, would be able to compete for funds. My bill would also create a new pilot program for the installation of ethanol fuel pumps at gas stations or any other needed infrastructure required to dispense ethanol fuel, such as a storage tank, for example. Funded at $1 billion over 6 years, the same entities that would participate in the research section of the bill would also be able to compete for funds under this program. Successful applicants would have to provide 20 percent of the grant in matching funds. Finally, my bill also extends the authorization for the original cellulosic grant program that is currently authorized in EPAct 05. The authorization expires at the end of this year, and the bill I introduce today would extend it at $400 million per year thru 2010. This extension will ensure the program continues. As Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I believe that our Nation's energy policy must focus on conservation, improvements in energy efficiency, and the development of clean, renewable energy technology. I continue to support measures to accomplish these goals, including the promotion of cellulosic ethanol. I believe this bill is an important next step in achieving these objectives. I ask content that a copy of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I am introducing a bill that would require that tap water be tested for perchlorate, and would ensure the public's right to know about perchlorate in their drinking water. I am pleased that the senior Senator from California, Mrs. Feinstein, and the senior Senator from New Jersey, Mr. Lautenberg, have joined as original cosponsors of this measure. This toxin is a clear and present danger to California's and much of America's health, and EPA needs to get moving and protect our drinking water now. But until a perchlorate tap water standard is set, something must be done. Therefore, my perchlorate monitoring and right to know bill will require that: EPA first swiftly set a health advisory for perchlorate that protects pregnant women, infants and children; second, that EPA order monitoring of drinking water for perchlorate until an enforceable standard is set; and, third, that the public be told about perchlorate and its health effects, if it is detected in their drinking water supply. Drinking water sources for more than 20 million Americans are contaminated with perchlorate. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that perchlorate contamination has been found in water and soil at almost 400 sites in the U.S., with levels ranging from 4 parts per billion to millions of parts per billion. Perchlorate has polluted 35 States and the District of Columbia, and is known to have contaminated 153 public water systems in 26 States. As we know, perchlorate can harm human health, especially that of pregnant women and children. Therefore, all citizens whose tap water system contains perchlorate have a right to know about that contamination, and about its potential health consequences. Only if their water is tested, and only if all systems are obligated to disclose the contamination and its health effects, will we be assured that the public is given the information that they deserve to protect themselves and their families. EPA's original 1999 rule for monitoring of tap water for unregulated contaminants ordered testing for perchlorate. Just last year, on August 22, 2005, EPA proposed to extend the requirement that perchlorate be monitored in drinking water. However, on December 20, 2006, the Administrator reversed himself and signed a final rule removing perchlorate from the list of contaminants for which monitoring is required under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation. I was shocked by this action. As a result of this new rule, Americans will not be assured of up-to- date information on whether their tap water is contaminated with this toxin. Until EPA sets a tap water standard for perchlorate, at the very least we should know if it's in our drinking water. My bill will ensure that EPA acts swiftly to require water systems to test for and to inform the public about this threat to our health and welfare. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this important legislation. I ask unanimous consent that the text of my bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I am very moved by the words of Senator Mikulski. And as I look over there at the two of them side by side for so many years, I feel a void already because they have been so outstanding as a team. And I must say they are an inspiration to all of us who have watched their friendship, genuinely caring about each other and their amazing partnership for the people of Maryland. I certainly can't add anything more to what Senator Mikulski has said. I will try to say, from my perspective, a little bit about what Senator Sarbanes has meant to me. It is a story that not many people know. But when I was in the House of Representatives, I was called on to speak about the environment at the Democratic Convention when Geraldine Ferraro was the Vice Presidential candidate and Walter Mondale was the nominee. That was a long time ago. I was thrilled. I was an unknown House Member. Now, of course, I am so excited to be taking over the reins of the Environment Committee, but the environment has been a signature issue. Well, what happened that night, I was slated to talk in prime time. But something funny happened on the way to the forum, which was that Jesse Jackson spoke at the convention. And he spoke and he spoke and he spoke, and then he spoke some more. And then they cheered him on, and then he spoke some more. Well, this was my moment in the Sun. I had bought a new suit. I called my mother on the East Coast. I said: Ma, big time. She kept saying: When? And it kept going on and on. Now, when Jesse Jackson finished his amazing oratory, the entire place emptied out. There was no one left in this huge arena. The chair of the convention had to say: Please leave quietly, we have another speaker. And it was me. No one was left but my family and Paul Sarbanes. He knew me just a little at the time. He wanted to encourage me. And he sat down right in front of me with a sign that said something like: Go, Barbara, go green--or something like that. He stood there and cheered. Little did I know at the time that he would, many years later, welcome me to the Senate, as of course he did. I know there is other business coming before the Senate. So I am not going to speak very long at all except to say this: What a privilege it has been, Paul, to work with you. We are on the Foreign Relations Committee together. For a time we were on Banking and Budget. And I watched you like a hawk. You are a humble man, but you could quiz a witness like nobody else and with your quiet voice made your point and made a point for the people. I think you are one of the finest minds the Senate has ever had. I think that you have one of the finest hearts. You don't wear it on your sleeve, but you do. And I want you to know I have benefited so much watching you and learning from you, and even tonight as you made your farewell talk, you spoke so little about yourself. You spoke about your family, but the most important thing you spoke about is this great country that has lifted us all up, the three of us on the floor tonight. We know what it is like to be born in a lower middle class family and struggling our way up. We want to make sure that opportunity is there. That is what you spoke about tonight, in all your eloquence. So I will miss you very much. I thank the people of Maryland for being so wise to send us two such Senators. I know Paul Sarbanes has many wonderful days ahead and much work awaits him. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Yes. I commit to my friend from Florida, Senator Bill Nelson, that as the new chair of the Environment Committee, WRDA will absolutely be a priority for the committee. I look forward to working with him on projects important to Florida and passing WRDA as a whole as soon as possible in the 110th Congress.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. I have received the Senator's letter, and he has my assurances that these ideas will be considered as the EPW Committee looks at this issue during the next Congress.