Barbara Boxer

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I wish to celebrate and thank the 13 outgoing Senators who have worked tirelessly to represent their home States in the Senate: Senator Mark Begich, Senator Saxby Chambliss, Senator Tom Coburn, Senator Kay Hagan, Senator Tom Harkin, Senator Mike Johanns, Senator Tim Johnson, Senator Mary Landrieu, Senator Carl Levin, Senator Mark Pryor, Senator Jay Rockefeller, Senator Mark Udall, and Senator John Walsh. I have worked side by side with these men and women for years--some for decades--and witnessed firsthand their extraordinary commitment to public service and the people they so proudly represent. Even when we didn't see eye to eye on every issue, I always deeply respected and admired their service to our Nation and their dedication to fight for what they believe in. It has been a privilege to serve alongside each and every one of these extraordinary colleagues. I will miss their leadership and their friendship, and I wish them all the best as they embark on the next chapter.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to engage in a colloquy with my colleage, Senator Mikulski.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I am joined by the chair of the Appropriations Committee to discuss a provision in the fiscal year 2015 Omnibus appropriations bill, which we will vote on shortly in the Senate. The provision is section 425 of division F of the fiscal year 2015 Omnibus appropriations bill, which preserves the status quo with regard to the regulation of the lead content of certain items. As House Report 113-551 and the Omnibus Joint Explanatory Statement each explain, section 425 prohibits the use of funds to regulate the lead content of: (1) ammunition, (2) ammunition components, and (3) fishing tackle. The Toxic Substances Control Act regulates the chemical content of products. However, the Environmental Protection Agency has denied petitions to regulate the lead content of ammunition and fishing tackle under this statute. The omnibus provision simply reaffirms EPA's decision not to regulate the lead content of ammunition or fishing tackle under TSCA. While I oppose restricting EPA's ability to regulate the content of bullets and fishing tackle, I think it is important to be clear about what this provision does. I would ask my colleague, Senator Mikulski, if she agrees with this interpretation of section 425.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to the life and extraordinary accomplishments of former Congressman John Krebs, who recently passed away at the age of 87 in Fresno, CA. John was born on December 17, 1926, in Berlin, Germany. After Hitler came to power, he escaped with his family to Tel Aviv. There, he became a diamond cutter and joined the Haganah, a Jewish underground organization that supported independence from Britain and the establishment of an independent Jewish state. John moved to California in 1946 to attend the University of California at Berkeley and after graduating in 1950, he became a United States citizen in 1952. Following two years in the U.S. Army, John graduated from the University of California Hastings College of Law and practiced law for three decades. Throughout his remarkable life, John Krebs sustained a strong commitment to public service. He worked on numerous state and local campaigns and was a respected Democratic activist and community leader before his 1970 election to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, where he was a courageous and eloquent advocate for his constituents. In 1974, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he successfully championed a bill to permanently protect 25,000 acres of the Sierra National Forest known as Kaiser Ridge, saving this beautiful area above Huntington Lake from logging. Then, in 1978, Congressman Krebs took on an even greater challenge: fighting for legislation to transfer Mineral King Valley from the Sequoia National Forest to Sequoia National Park, thereby blocking plans to build a ski resort that would have destroyed this pristine alpine valley in the southern Sierra Nevada. Facing significant opposition, this was the toughest fight of his political career--one that may have cost him his seat in Congress--but John was proud of what he accomplished in preserving this natural treasure for future generations to enjoy. Years later, I was honored to introduce legislation designating 40,000 acres of land, including the Mineral King Valley, as the John Krebs Wilderness. President Obama signed it into law in 2009, and that summer some 200 friends, family and admirers gathered in Mineral King Valley to dedicate this worthy tribute to John's courage and vision. On Friday, November 14, more than 250 of John's friends and family joined together at Temple Beth Israel in Fresno to share memories and honor this remarkable man's amazing legacy. John Krebs's extraordinary life was a uniquely American story, and he will be truly missed. I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife and partner of 58 years, Hanna, children Daniel and Karen, and their families.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Placer County Sheriff's Detective Michael David Davis, Jr., an experienced detective, dedicated public servant and beloved husband, father, brother, son and grandson who was tragically killed in the line of duty on October 24, 2014. Michael Davis, Jr. was born on October 29, 1971, in Bellflower, CA. After spending his childhood in Southern California, Michael moved to Placer County to pursue a career in law enforcement, continuing a family commitment to public service. Detective Davis's father, Michael Davis, Sr., was a Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy who also tragically lost his life in the line of duty. Detective Davis's aunt and uncle both retired from the Placer County Sheriff's Department, and Detective Davis's wife, Jessica, and his brother, Sergeant Jason Davis, worked by his side until Michael's life was so senselessly cut short on October 24. Following his graduation from the Butte College Law Enforcement Academy, Detective Davis began his career in public safety as a Reserve Deputy for the Placer County Sheriff's Department in 1996. He later joined the Auburn Police Department as a Patrolman before returning to the Sheriff's Department in 1999 as a Deputy. In 2005, he was promoted to become a Homicide Detective in the Crimes Against Persons Division. At a memorial service on November 4, Placer County Sheriff Edward Bonner recalled that Detective Davis approached his job with ``respect, tact, and empathy.'' Others remembered Michael Davis as a quick-witted family man who lived his life to the fullest, spending time with his loved ones at family gatherings, coaching Little League, rooting for his beloved San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Dodgers, and riding motorcycles with friends. On behalf of the people of California, whom Detective Davis served so bravely, I extend my gratitude and deepest sympathies to his wife, Jessica; daughters Angelique and Samantha; stepchildren Ivey and Chayse; mother Deborah; brother Jason; and grandparents Bob and Joan. We are forever indebted to him for his courage and sacrifice, and he will be deeply missed.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the memory of Martin Litton, a legendary conservationist and great outdoorsman who died on November 30 at the age of 97. Clyde Martin Litton was born in Los Angeles on February 13, 1917. As an English major at UCLA, he met his future wife, Esther, and became a conservation activist--forming a student group that kept roads out of California's wildlands. After graduating in 1939, he worked as the publicist for an Arizona dude ranch and as a tour guide at the Los Angeles Times. When war broke out, he joined the Army Air Corps and became a glider pilot flying missions behind enemy lines. In gentler times, he piloted his own plane and loved taking environmental and political leaders for wild rides into the wild. After the war, Martin returned to the Times as a freelance writer, filing stories and photos from long backpacking trips with his wife and young family. He later worked at Sunset magazine, first as travel editor and later as senior editor. In 1952, David Brower, the first executive director of the Sierra Club--which had hitherto been a hiking and outdoors group with little involvement in public policy--enlisted Litton to help him fight the Bureau of Reclamation's plan to build two dams at Dinosaur National Monument, and the group successfully lobbied Congress to scuttle the plan by 1956. That battle helped transform the Sierra Club into the powerful national advocacy organization we know today, with Litton supporting the Club's activism as a member of the national board from 1964 to 1972. Along with his good friend Brower, Litton is widely recognized as one of the founders of the modern environmental movement. Brower called Martin his ``environmental conscience'' because he never compromised his principles as he led the conservation movement to some of its greatest victories. With his eloquent writing, beautiful photographs, and fiery rhetoric, he inspired the efforts to keep dams out of the Grand Canyon, a ski resort out of the Sierras' pristine Mineral King Valley, and logging out of the Giant Sequoia National Monument. He was instrumental in the creation of Redwood National Park in 1968; 2 years later, dissatisfied with the park's boundaries, he led the successful fight to protect an additional 48,000 acres. A longtime oarsman and whitewater enthusiast, Litton also started a company in 1971 to take tourists through his beloved Grand Canyon in small wooden boats. He maintained an active role in Grand Canyon Dories and at 87 became the oldest person ever to pilot a boat through the Canyon. A fierce and determined defender of our nation's wildlands, Martin Litton was a force of nature--and a force for the preservation of nature. On behalf of the people of California, who have benefitted so much from his life work, I send my deepest gratitude and condolences to his beloved wife, Esther; children John, Donald, Kathleen, and Helen; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Martin's memory and legacy will live on with everyone who loves America's priceless natural heritage, which he did so much to preserve and protect.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputy Danny Oliver, an experienced peace officer, dedicated public servant, and beloved son, husband and father who was tragically killed in the line of duty on October 24, 2014. Danny Oliver was born on February 9, 1967, and grew up in the Del Paso Heights neighborhood of Sacramento. Both his father's career as a firefighter and his own experiences growing up in a high-crime neighborhood helped shape Danny Oliver's commitment to strengthening his community through public service. After graduating from the Sheriff's Academy at the top of his class, Danny joined the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department in 1999. During his 15-year career with the Department, Deputy Oliver worked in the main jail, patrol, and most recently as a member of the Problem Oriented Policing, P.O.P., team, working closely with the community to reduce crime and improve public safety. Deputy Oliver knew that this job came with great personal risk. He understood it required a unique ability to gain the trust of local leaders and residents. As Deputy Oliver's colleagues and family recall so admiringly, he excelled at it all--arriving to work an hour early, answering every email, and attending countless community meetings in the neighborhoods he worked so diligently to protect. Deputy Oliver's partner in life was his loving wife of 25 years, Susan Oliver. While Danny attended the Sherriff's Academy, Susan worked two jobs to support their family so her husband could follow his dream. Together they raised two beautiful daughters, Melissa and Jenny. The family enjoyed spending time together and traveling, making many happy memories before Danny's life was so senselessly and tragically cut short. On behalf of the people of California, whom Deputy Oliver served so bravely, I extend my gratitude and deepest sympathies to Susan, Melissa, Jenny, and Danny's parents, Bill and Jeri Oliver. We are forever indebted to him for his courage and sacrifice, and he will be deeply missed.

Mrs. BOXER

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

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be considered; the Carper- Coburn amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; the committee substitute, as amended, be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended.

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 526, S. 2519.

Mrs. BOXER. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported amendment be withdrawn; the Carper substitute amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time; and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended.

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 2952 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mrs. BOXER. I ask unanimous consent that the Carper substitute amendment be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time, and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 10, 2014, at 10 a.m., in room SR- 328A of the Russell Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Commodity Futures Trading Commission: Effective Enforcement and the Future of Derivatives Regulation.''

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 10, 2014, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Cybersecurity: Enhancing Coordination To Protect the Financial Sector.''

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 10, 2014, at 2:30 p.m., in room SR-253 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``Passenger Rail: Investing in our Nation's Future.''

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 10, 2014, at 10 a.m., room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on December 10, 2014, at 10:30 a.m., to hold a Subcommittee on African Affairs hearing entitled, ``The Ebola Epidemic: The Keys to Success for the International Response.''

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on December 10, 2014, at 10 a.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Executive Nominations.''

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on December 10, 2014, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Keeping Families Together: The President's Executive Action On Immigration And The Need To Pass Comprehensive Reform.''

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I am about to ask for unanimous consent to pass a substitute amendment to the Coast Guard bill. Senator Vitter and I hope to get into a bit of a colloquy over it, but first I want to explain what we are doing here. The Coast Guard bill includes the text of S. 2963, a bill that I introduced to permanently eliminate the requirement that small fishing boats obtain a permit for discharges incidental to normal operation. This is really important for our small boat fishermen. The bill has 14 cosponsors. I am very happy that Senator Murkowski is now a cosponsor of that important legislation. This substitute that is at the desk includes that permanent fix so that never again do small fishermen have to worry about being subjected to these permits. It exempts commercial vessels less than 79 feet from having to get this discharge permit. We first enacted a moratorium on permits in 2008. We have extended it twice. The current moratorium expires next week. If we don't act, these small vessels will require a permit for the first time. So instead of kicking the can down the road again with these moratoria, I think it is time to say, once and for all, these small vessels do not and will never need a permit. I think a temporary moratorium leaves thousands of the boat operators and the fishermen in limbo instead of giving them permanent certainty. They are different from large ships that discharge ballast water and introduce harmful invasive species into our coastal waters. That is why a broad array of groups, including the American Sport Fishing Association, Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, Marine Retailers Association of America, the National Marine Manufacturers Association, and many others, support this permanent exemption for our small boats. I hope colleagues will support this, but I understand there is another proposal coming forward. I ask unanimous consent that the Commerce Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 2444; the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration; that the substitute amendment containing a permanent exemption for discharges from small commercial vessels and fishing vessels--and that is at the desk--be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read three times and passed; the title amendment be agreed to; and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mrs. BOXER. I reserve the right to object, but I do not intend to object. I wish to say I am going to agree to this 3-year moratorium but I am a little stunned as to why we are doing this again. We could give these small boats a permanent exemption. It is an important economic issue. I don't like this approach, but it is the best we can do. I want the American people and the fishermen to know we tried so hard to get this fixed permanently. But I am glad we have a 3-year moratorium. It is better than nothing, and I will therefore agree to the modification.

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I want to make sure I thank Senator Murkowski and Senator Begich. When I started this, Senator Begich was my first cosponsor and Senator Murkowski made this bipartisan. I think the important thing was that we could have done it permanently and I just don't want that lost. We could have done it permanently, and we didn't, and that is sad. There are reasons for that. I wasn't born yesterday, as most of you can tell. I know why it wasn't done. People are going to use this as the little engine that could to drive some other stuff behind it which is not good stuff. I want to see that we can protect our small boats, and I am going to continue to do that. I hope we will work together as we move forward in this new Senate, run by--in the case of the committee I proudly chair--Senator Inhofe, who I think will be very good on this issue; Senator Thune, who we know is good on this issue. So we have the pieces in place. And whatever objections there were, I don't think they are really objections to the permanency, they are political objections to try and use this to get some other bad stuff attached to it, and I am not going to let that happen, let me tell you right now, no way, no how. So whatever someone has in their mind that they are going to connect to this little baby, it isn't going to happen, because we can't do that. We can't take one good thing and destroy it. I am not going to let that happen. Right now we have a 3-year deal put in place. We can breathe easy. If I am someone contemplating buying a small boat, this is one less worry I have. I could have had it permanently; I have it for 3 years. It is too bad, but at least I have it, and that is good.