Senate Proceeding on Sep 16th, 2009 :: 3:38:10 to 3:44:50
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3:38:06 to 3:38:26( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: does. and time. mrs. boxer: madam president? mr. gregg: and i ask for yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the yeas and nays are ordered. mrs. boxer: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from california. mrs. boxer: madam president, i rise in opposition to

3:38:10 to 3:44:50( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Barbara Boxer

3:38:27 to 3:38:47( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: gregg's amendment and i want to say why i think there are many reasons not to support it. i started off my political career as a county supervisor, and it is true that when we're undertaking a major road project, we put up a sign, first of is underway and what it's about. okay?

3:38:48 to 3:39:10( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: because a lot of times people don't know it's going to be a month project, a day project. we would put up a sign, let people know who's funding the program, let people know whether it was a state project, a local project. no big deal. and with did this and we do this under republican leadership, under democratic leadership.

3:39:11 to 3:39:31( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: it's information. now, i think the true source of this amendment is a frustration. this is my own opinion. i'm sure my friend absolutely won't agree with me, but it's my sense that there's a frustration by the people who voted "no" on the economi stimulus bill, there's a

3:39:32 to 3:39:54( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: frustration that it's working. they predicted gloom and doom. and let me tell you what's happening in this great nation of o we have a long way to go to get jobs question about it, but the stimulus job has already saved or created a million jobs. and let me tell you what else. we're looking at growth for the

3:39:55 to 3:40:15( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: first time in this economy. and when we were faced with the worst recession since the great depression, madam president -- and i know it, because you have the same issue as you looked at what to do -- we whether it job creation here. and we didn't get many republican votes, but thank

3:40:16 to 3:40:36( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: goodness we got three. and thanks to those good people for joining us, because i can tell you this, in my home state, we're starting to see it happen. we're going to get tens of billions of dollars. so now i think the issue here is a frustration with the fact that we w that vote and we got that done and those jobs are being

3:40:37 to 3:40:57( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: created as we speak. slowly but surely, we're bei lifted out of of this dark bness. now, here we have a small amendment, i agree -- and do you know what,f it passes, no harm. but i have to say, why on earth would you want to hide from the american people

3:40:58 to 3:41:18( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: the recovery package we is putting people to work? people want to know. not everybody has a computer. not everybody is going up to follow the transparency that this administration has put in place. they're showing it every day happening and so on and so forth. not by name but how many jobs

3:41:19 to 3:41:39( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: are created and the like. so it seems to me, if you're improving our highways, our transit systems, our water infrastructure, our government buildings, and the source of funding is the stimulus program, the economic recovery act, let people know. why would werohibit funds under this act from being used

3:41:40 to 3:42:00( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: for these signs that simply informed taxpayers that a project is being made possible by taxpayer dollars from the stimulus i think it's a question of makingur people more informed, giving them information. and my friend says it costs money to do a sign. i couldn't agree more. everything costs money.

3:42:01 to 3:42:21( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: it costs money to do a sign. guess what? people work in those places where those signs are made. people proudly work on those jobs and get paid a good amount and can support their families. so this is a jobs program. part of it is to tell the

3:42:22 to 3:42:42( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: people, yes, w your -- the funding for this project is paid for by the stimulus program, the economic recovery program, and, yes, people were paid to work places that make these signs. it just seems to me -- just don't think it's logical to keep

3:42:43 to 3:43:04( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: this information from the people. what purpose is served? it's going to save a little bit of money, but matter is stimulus bill was to create jobs jobs. and you're going to take away jobs from people who are making those signs. so i think that's an antijobs

3:43:05 to 3:43:25( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: amendment that we have before us. look, the recovery act is working. i think it's frustrating those who predicted it would never work, and they'll predict it never worked till they have a last breath, because that's the nature of politics. you're going to spin it or another. but we know the econo is turning aro we also know we need to create many more jobs.

3:43:26 to 3:43:47( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: and th amendment will not create one more job i don't believe that it will. and, you know, the fact that we're doing some really good things with this buildings more energy firveght efficient, upgrading flood protection, let the american people know that their funds are being spent well. now, i think that's being spent well.

3:43:48 to 3:44:08( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: some of them may see a progra program -- by the way, i'd say to my good friend -- and they don't like it. they say, why on earth are they using my money t do this particular project? let them know. let tm know, so if they like what they see, they understand where it c if they don't like what they see see, they understand where it came from.

3:44:09 to 3:44:30( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: so i urge my colleagues to oppose the gregg amendment i don't think it's -- i agree with my friend, it's not a major amendment to t people should have an easy way of knowi recovery -- where these funds are going and the projects that they're building.

3:44:31 to 3:44:51( Edit History Discussion )

Barbara Boxer: we certainly had a big enough battle on the floor of the united s did we have a battle trying to find those three so it passed. it was controversial. you know? some in america don't support it. others in america do. but i think they should have the right to know if a project is being brought to them by way of