[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 87 (Thursday, June 10, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S4836]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL

  Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I wish to thank my colleagues from the 
bottom of my heart for this vote. This was, in many ways, a turning 
point for the Senate, because what was before us was unprecedented, the 
first time we had ever been asked to repeal a health finding, a 
scientific finding, a finding that was made by scientists and health 
officials in the Bush administration and the Obama administration.
  That finding, as we know, is the predicate, is the basis for curbing 
pollution, carbon pollution, that we know is harmful to our families. 
We see what carbon pollution is doing in the gulf, to the wildlife. We 
know what it is doing to an entire way of life. We know what it is 
doing to the fishermen, to the people who rely on recreation for jobs, 
to the people who rely on tourism.
  Tonight we had a choice. We could have decided to stand with the 
polluters, big oil mostly, who were behind the Murkowski resolution, or 
we could have decided, which we did, to stand with those who are 
looking out for our kids, the doctors, the physicians who treat them, 
the pediatricians, the Lung Association, the public health agencies in 
all of our States.
  We did the right thing, and this was important. It also means we are 
going to move to alternative energy. We are going to move to the 
millions of jobs that will come about when we have technologies made in 
America for America. I want to see the words ``Made in America'' again. 
So we are on that path right now.
  I want to thank the extraordinary leadership of our leaders, Senators 
Reid and Durbin. They went that extra mile. I want to thank the staff 
of the Environment and Public Works Committee, headed by Bettina 
Poirier, extraordinary staff. I want to thank the cloakroom here and 
all the people here who helped us make sure that every Senator was able 
to be heard.
  Senator Murkowski and I worked very well together debating this in a 
civil manner. I want to say, as I note Senator Lautenberg standing 
here, I felt the moment this debate came together was when he came to 
the floor to make a statement, brief though it was. He talked to us not 
from his notes but from his heart, about what it means to him as a 
grandparent to watch a grandchild suffer and struggle through asthma, 
and as he has noted on this floor on more than one occasion, his family 
making sure that when this child plays in an athletic tournament or 
goes somewhere, how close is the emergency room.
  This is what we are dealing with today, pollution. And today we said: 
We stand with the physicians, we stand with the scientists, and we are 
going to move forward toward a clean energy economy and all of the jobs 
that will come with it, and all of the technologies that will make 
America a leader in the world.
  At this time I yield the floor to my friend Senator Durbin.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.
  Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The remarks of Mr. Durbin pertaining to the submission of S. Res. 
549 are located in today's Record under ``Submission of Concurrent and 
Senate Resolutions.'')

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