Barbara Boxer: Bulletins from Barbara

Statement of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer on the McCain Acceptance Speech

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

For Immediate Release
September 5, 2008

Last night at the Republican National Convention, John McCain used the word "fight" more than 40 times in his speech.

In the 16 years that we have served together in the Senate, I have seen John McCain fight.

I have seen him fight against raising the federal minimum wage 14 times.

I have seen him fight against making sure that women earn equal pay for equal work.

I have seen him fight against a women's right to choose so consistently that he received a zero percent vote rating from pro-choice organizations.

I have seen him fight against helping families gain access to birth control.

I have seen him fight against Social Security, even going so far as to call its current funding system "an absolute disgrace."

And I saw him fight against the new GI Bill of Rights until it became politically untenable for him to do so.

John McCain voted with President Bush 95 percent of the time in 2007 and 100 percent of the time in 2008 -- that's no maverick.

We do have two real fighters for change in this election -- their names are Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

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Back From Denver

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Last week, I joined thousands of Democratic delegates, candidates, and colleagues at the Democratic National Convention -- and Thursday night, in an atmosphere of energy and excitement that our nation hasn't seen in decades, Barack Obama officially accepted our Party's nomination for President. Barack delivered a thrilling speech that inspired more than 80,000 people at Mile High Stadium and tens of millions more watching on TV, mobilizing all of us for the important work that lies ahead.

I'd like to congratulate Senator Obama on his historic victory and also thank Senator Hillary Clinton for running such an incredibly strong and powerful primary campaign. Now, after a tremendous Democratic Convention, our Party is truly united and ready for the general election in November. Working together, we can take back the White House and gain greater majorities in the House and Senate in order to carry out President Obama's ambitious agenda and bring America the change we need.

It was so thrilling to be in Denver last week, and I wish that all of you could have been there. Among many other activities during this busy week, I hosted a reception with supporters; spoke to the California Democratic delegation; attended events with EMILY'S List and Feminist Majority; appeared on Hardball, Morning Joe, and other TV programs; and was honored to give a speech on the Convention floor. I hope you'll take just a couple minutes to watch my speech, as well as check out my video diary, photos, and brief text message updates from Convention week.

Click here to watch my Convention speech and other updates at www.barbaraboxer.com/convention today!

Democrats, Independents -- and yes, even some Republicans -- from across the country rallied around Barack Obama last week as the general election campaign now launches into full swing.

California sent a great delegation to Denver to represent the Golden State. And as you may have seen from television footage of the Convention, based on the energy and intensity I experienced in Denver, Democrats are more ready than ever to fight to deliver America a huge victory this November.

You can get a taste of it all on our website at www.barbaraboxer.com/convention.

Thank you so much for your continued support!

In Friendship,

P.S. I hope you'll spread the word about my special DNC page to everyone you know. Click here to invite your friends and family to check out www.barbaraboxer.com/convention today!

Statement of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer on the Palin Acceptance Speech

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

For Immediate Release
September 4, 2008

Last night, Sarah Palin proved that she can throw a punch -- one packed with sarcasm to divert attention from her lack of experience.

Palin didn't even attempt to make the case to the American people that she is ready to be Vice President or President, should that become necessary.

Sarah Palin is a great candidate for the far right, but after examining her slim record in office, I cannot imagine mainstream Americans would support a Vice Presidential nominee with such extreme views.

Palin would criminalize abortion, even in cases of rape or incest, and does not believe insurance companies should cover birth control.

Palin remains unconvinced that human activity is the cause of global warming, even though the world’s leading scientists unequivocally agree that it is.

Palin has a one-dimensional answer to our energy crisis - the Exxon policy of giving more leases to Big Oil. She has no concern about our thriving coastal, tourism-based economy and no requirement that they drill in the millions of acres where they already hold undeveloped leases.

Sarah Palin is a candidate who is extreme, not mainstream.

In addition, Palin is under investigation by her state legislature for abusing her executive power and when she was mayor, she left the people of Wasilla in debt.

The choice of Sarah Palin by John McCain shows a real lack of judgment.

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Reject Bush's Big Oil Math

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

8 years in office divided by 2 oil men in the White House equals $4 gas -- and $5 gas may be right around the corner.

George Bush's big oil math has been great for the oil company executives, but it's been terrible for everyday Americans. Gas prices have already skyrocketed by more than 300% on George Bush's watch -- and now he wants to give oil companies another huge gift that threatens our coasts, our economy, and our jobs by trying to prod Congress to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling. That's ridiculous.

Already this week, more than 30,000 people in our BarbaraBoxer.com community -- including you -- have signed my petition, urging the House and Senate leadership not to lift the Congressional moratorium on offshore drilling. Thank you so much for your support!

But we need even more signatures on our petition before I share it with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.

Click here to invite your friends and family to sign our petition today -- and send a loud message to the House and Senate leadership to stand firm against lifting the offshore drilling moratorium!

There is no reason to open our sensitive offshore areas to drilling when oil companies haven't begun drilling on more than 68 million acres of federal land they've already leased. Lifting the moratorium on offshore drilling will only add more assets to the corporate balance sheets of oil companies, and it won't do a thing to reduce gas prices for American working families.

President Bush should be worried about protecting our thriving coastal economy, worth $70 billion and almost two million jobs. He should be presenting real solutions that will lower gas prices without irreversibly damaging our environment. When it comes to gas prices, President Bush should be going after speculators, urging oil and gas companies to drill on the leases they already have, and releasing some oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve -- not asking Congress to lift the offshore drilling moratorium.

Instead, President Bush is proposing to present big oil with another huge gift -- while ignoring millions of Americans who need real relief at the gas pump.

We can't let him get away with it.

With your help, we'll send a loud message to Congress and make sure they stand firm against President Bush's outrageous proposal.

Thank you so much for your help on this critical issue.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. We may not be able to change the President's mind, but we can stop Congress from doing the wrong thing. With your help, we can make sure my colleagues in Congress hear from tens of thousands of Americans, speaking out against President Bush's proposed big oil gift. Click here to invite your friends and family to sign our petition today!

Say no to Bush's offshore drilling

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I've been working with many of you to protect our coasts for decades. Now, after today's shocking news from the White House, I'm outraged. It's time to take our fight to the next level.

Today, running contrary to every shred of common sense, President Bush lifted the presidential moratorium on drilling for oil off our precious coastline -- a moratorium his own father put in place. And now he wants Congress to lift our own moratorium as well.

It's unbelievable. In the final months of his failed presidency, George Bush wants to give the oil companies a huge gift that threatens our coasts, our economy, and our jobs -- while not doing one single thing to lower gas prices.

Tell my colleagues in Congress to stand firm: Sign my petition to the House and Senate leadership, urging them not to lift the Congressional moratorium on offshore drilling!

There is absolutely no reason to lift the offshore drilling moratorium -- not one. It's just the latest example of President Bush trying to shift the blame for the 300% increase in gas prices from himself to the Congress.

You would expect such a policy to emanate from the CEO of an oil company -- not from the President of the United States.

After all, oil and gas companies already hold leases to 68 million acres of federal land, where they haven't yet even begun to produce oil. The oil companies have been derelict in drilling on the land they already have access to -- and now they just want more leases to add as assets to their corporate balance sheets.

Why do we need to open our sensitive offshore areas to drilling when the oil companies don't drill on the land they already have -- and when the impact of any new drilling won't have any effect on gas prices, while putting our coastal environment at risk? It's ridiculous -- and President Bush should be ashamed for even proposing it.

Tell my colleagues in Congress to stand firm: Sign my petition to the House and Senate leadership, urging them not to lift the Congressional moratorium on offshore drilling!

The President didn't follow his father's policy on Iraq and now he's not following his father's policy on offshore oil drilling. It's time for Congress to stand firm.

It's time to protect our thriving coastal economy, worth $70 billion and almost two million jobs.

It's time for real solutions on gas prices, not political posturing and last-minute gifts for President Bush's big oil buddies.

Congress should be going after speculators, urging oil and gas companies to drill on the leases they already have, and releasing some oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve -- not lifting the offshore drilling moratorium.

Tell my colleagues in Congress to stand firm: Sign my petition to the House and Senate leadership, urging them not to lift the Congressional moratorium on offshore drilling!

I really need you now. Please take the time to sign this petition and forward it to your friends, so I can share it with the House and Senate leadership in Congress.

Thanks so much for speaking out.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
 U.S. Senator

P.S. After you've signed my petition to Congress, urging the House and Senate leadership to stand firm against lifting the Congressional moratorium on offshore drilling, please forward this email to everyone you know. We need to get tens of thousands of Americans on record, opposing President Bush's ridiculous proposal.

P.P.S. The other day, Senator Durbin, Senator Whitehouse, and I were talking. We came up with this appropriate equation: 8 years in office divided by 2 oil men in the White House equals $4 gas. I guess it's no surprise that George Bush is so desperately looking for a scapegoat for his failed policy.

A Top Target

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Today, June 30th, is a major reporting deadline for House and Senate candidates all across the country -- including me.

My re-election isn't until 2010, but in a big, expensive state like California, we've got to start gearing up right now for what could be a tough fight. We absolutely must prepare for anything -- and anyone -- that the right-wing will throw at us, while letting our opponents know that they're facing a huge uphill battle.

Today, we've set a $10,000 online grassroots fundraising goal -- which will help us reach a big internal fundraising milestone -- and with the midnight deadline just hours away, it's going to take the help of grassroots supporters like you to reach it.

I know we can reach the $10,000 mark in less than 12 hours -- but I need your help to get there.

Contribute today -- and help us raise $10,000 online before midnight!

You know that I am not afraid to stand up for what is right -- even if I wind up standing with very few others.

Last week, I stood with only 14 other Senators to vote against proceeding to consideration of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) -- unless and until we reject granting immunity to the telecom companies who illegally spied on Americans at the request of the Bush-Cheney Administration. We cannot close that ugly chapter in our history without allowing Americans whose privacy rights were violated to have their day in court. That's the only way we will ever get to the entire truth.

But make no mistake about it, last week's FISA vote -- along with my votes to oppose going to war in Iraq, defend a woman's right to choose, reject the Defense of Marriage Act, and many others -- has made me a top target of the Republican leadership in Washington. The right-wing is going to be coming after me harder than ever in 2010 -- and we need to be ready when they do.

Contribute today before midnight -- and help us raise $10,000 online in less than 12 hours!

The stakes are too high, and the issues too important, to take my 2010 re-election for granted. President Barack Obama is going to need strong Democratic majorities in the House and Senate for the next 8 years to work with him on Iraq, on global warming, on health care, and on so many other issues to get America back on track.

There's no question about it: it's critical that we head into my re-election cycle with a great start and send a tremendous message about the strength of our campaign at this early stage.

But with spending on the 2010 Senate race in California expected to be in the tens of millions of dollars, we've still got a lot of work to do.

So let's get started.

Contribute today -- and help us raise $10,000 online before the midnight deadline!

Thanks so much for all of your support!

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. The June 30th midnight deadline is just hours away. Please contribute now -- and help us raise $10,000 online in less than 12 hours!

Senate Debate A Sign of Readiness to Tackle Global Warming

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Last week, the United States Senate had a landmark moment in the fight against global warming when 54 senators came down on the side of tackling this issue now.

While the floor debate on the Climate Security Act was ultimately cut short by a Republican filibuster, our strong vote proves that we are moving in the right direction.

When a comprehensive global warming bill last came to the floor in 2005, only 38 senators voted in favor of it. Today, our nation is poised to confront this challenge and once again become an environmental leader in the world.

In remarkable contrast to President Bush - who fiercely defends the status quo and threatened to veto the bill even before he saw the final product - both presidential candidates said they are in favor of addressing the issue now.

It is imperative that we move forward - not just for the sake of our planet, our children and grandchildren, and all of God's creatures threatened by global warming, but also for the sake of our economic security.

The best hope we have for affordable energy is to pass a bill like the Climate Security Act, which will allow the free market to put a price on carbon and send a signal that it is time to invest in alternative energy and new technology. Continuing to rely on big oil and conventional coal would be the worst scenario for the American people, who are paying more than $4 a gallon at the pump and being held captive by hostile Middle East regimes that have too much control over our energy policy.

What better time to encourage the development of alternative fuels and energy efficient technology than when oil is nearly $140 a barrel?

Silicon Valley leaders have told me that when we enact a strong, federal cap-and-trade law, they anticipate billions of dollars in investment in green technology, which will create millions of "green jobs" here in America. And, if we take those steps now, we will be able to export that technology to other nations.

The Senate debate, however abbreviated, gave us a road map for the future. But until we have a new president who is willing to work with us to confront this challenge, we must continue to push policies forward at the state level.

One of the central fronts in that battle is California's efforts to obtain a waiver from the Clean Air Act so that we can implement standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.

California has been granted a waiver from the Clean Air Act more than 50 times by both Republican and Democratic administrations, but President Bush and political operatives at the Environmental Protection Agency for the first time outright denied California's request for a waiver, overruling the unanimous opinion of EPA's career scientists and lawyers.

EPA's decision means that California, and at least 14 other states that adopted California's standards, cannot act. The states, led by California's attorney general, are suing EPA, and I will file an amicus brief supporting them in their efforts.

I hope the courts will act quickly to reverse EPA's outrageous decision so that California can get started on this problem and continue to set an example for the federal government.

Our generation has been handed a tremendous challenge. Legislation to combat global warming will not happen overnight; it took 10 years to pass major Clean Air Act legislation. We started voting on comprehensive global warming legislation in the Senate five years ago. We must get there - scientists have told us clearly that time is not on our side.

We must convince the negative voices that we need to act now to avert the dangers of global warming.

Neutral Democratic Senators Call For Unity in November

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Immediate Release

Contact: Rose Kapolczynski (Boxer) (213) 820-6930
Matt Paul (Harkin) (515) 229-012
Lautenberg for Senate (973) 849-1800
T. Bradley Keith (Landrieu) (504) 708-2874
Sue Walitsky (Cardin) 202-320-0819

June 4, 2008

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Tom Carper (D-DE), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) today issued the following statement:

The Democratic nominee for President has now been chosen after a breathtaking and historic race.

As Senators who remained neutral in this contest, we are proud of Senators Obama and Clinton for breaking down barriers that some believed were unbreakable and for inspiring millions in our country to participate in our political process, many for the first time.

Our focus now is on victory in November and on giving Barack Obama every ounce of our support, every bit of our energy, and our total commitment to do everything in our power to win the Presidency.

In order to do that, we are going to spend the next days and weeks leading up to the convention working toward one goal: UNITY IN NOVEMBER.

We want to say, to the Clinton supporters who worked their hearts out and whom we know are very disappointed, that their extraordinary effort on her behalf has strengthened our party and strengthened our nation. They should be proud of her groundbreaking candidacy and her tireless fight for America’s families.

We look forward to bringing everyone together so that we can finally put an end of the destructive and devastating policies of the Bush years, which would continue under John McCain.

It is time for positive change in our nation, and nothing could bring about that change more than victory the November election.

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The day we've been waiting for

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Today, the U.S. Senate begins debate on the Climate Security Act, a critical bill that will address the global warming crisis head-on. After many months of committee hearings and testimony, our bill has finally reached the Senate floor. It's a day we've been waiting for a long time.

This is our chance, at long last, to put America on the path to stopping global warming. But make no mistake about it -- the far-right in the Senate is organizing a brutal fight against this bill, which, if enacted, would be the strongest global warming legislation in the world.

We're going to have to fight hard to get the Climate Security Act passed -- and I need your help to do it.

Please forward an email to your Senators right now: Encourage them to support the Climate Security Act on the Senate floor this week!

The Climate Security Act would enact the world's most far-reaching program to fight global warming, instituting an economy-wide cap on emissions that would cut greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2020 and slash emissions by nearly 70% by 2050.

In addition to fighting global warming, our bill will provide cleaner air, greater energy efficiency, relief for consumers, and the alternative energy choices that American families deserve -- significantly reducing America's dependence on foreign oil. What's more, by acting wisely on global warming, America will regain much of the leadership and respect we have lost around the world these past seven years.

This will be one of the toughest fights of our generation. Getting the strongest global warming bill possible passed through the Senate will send a strong message that we do not intend to stand idly by while scientists warn us again and again that our planet is in jeopardy.

Now we need 60 Senators to join us.

Please forward an email to your Senators right now: Encourage them to support the Climate Security Act on the Senate floor this week!

Some will say that the Climate Security Act would be better if it was strengthened. I agree, and that is why I will be supporting amendments to make the bill even stronger on the floor of the Senate. In addition, I will be fighting weakening amendments from our right-wing opponents to ravage the bill.

Here's the bottom line: It's so critical to start fighting the global warming threat right now. We can't afford to wait another year or two and hope for the best.

The Climate Security Act is a good bill that will put America on the path to solving the global warming crisis. It's time to get started.

Please forward an email to your Senators right now: Encourage them to support the Climate Security Act on the Senate floor this week!

This is a critical week in our fight to address the global warming threat. With the far-right gearing up for a bruising battle on the Senate floor, I need your help like never before. Please speak out.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. Senate debate on the Climate Security Act has already begun, so we don't have much time to act. Please forward an email to your Senators right now: Encourage them to support the Climate Security Act on the Senate floor this week!

My radio address today

Sat, 31 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I was so honored to be asked to deliver the Democratic Radio Address today on a topic that you and I know is one of the greatest challenges facing us: Global Warming.

In today's radio address, I tried to make the case that it is time to act... NOW.

If you didn't get a chance to listen to this morning's address broadcast nationwide on the radio, please click here to listen to it now. I hope you felt I made the case.

Stay tuned -- I'll be back to you in the coming days to ask for your help as I lead the climate bill through the Senate's treacherous tracks. Knowing you are behind me gives me the courage to fight hard.

Have a great weekend!

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

Be A Boxer

Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Flyweight. Middleweight. Cruiserweight. A successful boxer in any weight class is a fighter who prepares for and dedicates him or herself 100% to the battle ahead.

In 2010, our BarbaraBoxer.com community will face our own fight against the right-wing, a race that promises to be one of the most expensive and hard-fought campaigns next cycle. You and I know that our opponents will come after us with everything they've got, so we're going to need the resources to counter them every step of the way.

That's why today, I'm asking you to join the "Be a Boxer" program -- and sign up for automatic monthly contributions of $5 (Flyweight), $15 (Middleweight), or $35 (Cruiserweight) to sustain us all the way through November, 2010.

Click here to learn more about "Be a Boxer" right now -- and support my re-election campaign with as little as $5/month!

No matter which "Be a Boxer" tier level you join, from $5 a month on up, we want to recognize you for making a sustaining financial commitment to our campaign.

So to thank you for signing up, we'll mail you a welcome package with a special "Be a Boxer" lapel pin and an "Elections Have Consequences" button, while regularly sending you special email messages to keep you updated on our campaign. "Be a Boxer" members in higher tier levels will also be able to choose between a tote bag and our trademark Boxer Shorts, as well as participate in exclusive conference calls with me and senior strategists on my campaign team.

But "Be a Boxer" is about so much more than that.

By joining "Be a Boxer" today, you'll help us show the press and pundits that we have a solid base of steady, dedicated support that will carry us all the way through Election Day in 2010 -- and we'll show our right-wing opponents that we're already gearing up for a tough battle, taking absolutely nothing for granted.

Click here to learn more about "Be a Boxer" right now -- and support my re-election campaign with as little as $5/month!

By joining "Be a Boxer" today, you'll be putting us on a path towards victory in 2010, while helping us build a recurring stream of grassroots financial support that we'll be able to count on through all the ups and downs of the next 30 months.

Any support you can provide -- from $5 a month on up -- will really add up as our campaign heats up over the weeks and months ahead. And through our "Be a Boxer" program, we'll be able to thank you and recognize you for your support.

So learn more about "Be a Boxer" right now -- and join our team of sustaining grassroots donors who will power our campaign to victory in 2010!

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. You can truly "Be a Boxer" for as little as $5 per month, helping us gear up for what promises to be a tough campaign next cycle. Click here to sign up as a Flyweight, Middleweight, or Cruiserweight today -- and learn more about how you'll be recognized for your ongoing financial support.

Bush Or Nero

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

On Wednesday, President Bush delivered what was billed as a major speech on global warming.

What a disaster!

Rather than staking out a set of ambitious goals for America to strive for, the President argued that the United States should do nothing about global warming until 2025. I can't believe he said it with a straight face.

That's completely irresponsible -- and President Bush needs to hear it.

Sign my petition to President Bush now -- tell him to stand up and join the fight to stop global warming!

Global warming is the biggest challenge of our generation. The decisions we make today will have an impact on our planet for generations to come.

That's why I've been infuriated by the Bush Administration's failure to take the global warming threat seriously over the past 7 years. They've relentlessly blocked, delayed, and rebuffed our efforts to step up and really do something about climate change at every turn.

Unfortunately, Wednesday's speech from President Bush was no different. Rather than supporting our legislation in Congress to cut greenhouse gas emissions by close to 70% or more by 2050, President Bush unbelievably suggested that America should merely try to stop the growth of emissions by 2025. No cap on emissions, no cut in emissions -- merely stopping the growth -- and not even doing that for almost 20 years.

With global temperatures increasing, ice caps melting, and sea levels rising every day, President Bush's proposal fails miserably. He needs to get the message. That's why I'm going to deliver our petition to the White House later this month -- and I want your name on it.

Sign my petition to President Bush now -- tell him to stand up and join the fight to stop global warming!

President Bush's plan to do nothing while greenhouse gas emissions reach dangerous levels and threaten our planet is the height of irresponsibility. It's akin to Nero fiddling while Rome burns.

The cap & trade legislation we're currently considering in Congress is a solid first step towards tackling the global warming threat. It will make America a global leader on this critical issue -- and it will also provide huge benefits to our economy by spurring the development of new, green technologies and green jobs all across our country.

In the closing months of his failed presidency, it's time for George Bush to wake up and face facts. We can't afford to wait any longer.

Sign my petition to President Bush now -- tell him to stand up and join the fight to stop global warming!

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. President Bush's global warming speech on Wednesday was a disaster, and he needs to get the message. I'm going to deliver our petition to the White House later this month, and I want your name on it. Sign my petition to President Bush now!

We did it again

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

We did it again, and I am so grateful.

Thanks to the strong support of the BarbaraBoxer.com online community, we exceeded our ambitious $50,000 end-of-quarter grassroots fundraising goal before Monday's reporting deadline!

We knew that hitting the $50,000 mark in our grassroots fundraising drive over the closing weeks of the first quarter wouldn't be easy -- but our BarbaraBoxer.com community has proven yet again how you come through when I need your help the most.

Each time I'm up for re-election, the right-wing pours millions of dollars into my opponent's war chest, hoping that it will be enough to defeat us. But thanks to friends like you, our campaign has emerged victorious every time -- giving me the chance to continue to stand up and fight for a woman's right to choose, a clean environment for our children, and a better world for all of us.

This time, we're once again preparing for a tough race -- and thanks to our BarbaraBoxer.com community, we're off to a tremendous start as we look ahead to the 2010 campaign.

I'm proud of our community and the passion that friends like you bring to our growing progressive movement. Thanks again for always supporting me when I need you most.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. Can you help us continue to grow our BarbaraBoxer.com online community? Invite 5 friends to sign up and join us today!

Don't miss out

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

It cost over $15 million to fight off the right-wing when they tried to win back my seat in 1998. Six years later, it took $16 million more to defeat our opponents for another term in the U.S. Senate.

The right-wing targets my seat every time I'm up for re-election, and 2010 won't be any different. That's why we've launched a $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal before the end-of-quarter reporting deadline -- at midnight tonight.

Thanks to the BarbaraBoxer.com community, we're almost there. To show my appreciation, and update you on the progress of our campaign, I'm inviting every one of our grassroots donors who contributes towards our $50,000 end-of-quarter fundraising drive to join me on a conference call next month. Will you join us?

Don't miss out next month: Please contribute $100, $50, $25, or whatever you can afford before midnight tonight -- and join me for a Boxer campaign conference call in April!

You know I've never been afraid to stand up to the right-wing -- especially when it comes to defending a woman's right to choose, opposing the war in Iraq, or fighting an Administration that refuses to deal with global warming. It's not always easy to take those tough stances when you're one of the few lonely voices speaking out.

But it's the support of friends like you that gives me the strength to keep fighting -- even when we're going against the tide. That's why, despite likely being the right-wing's #1 target, I know we can work together and emerge victorious for a fourth straight time in 2010.

But I need your help to do it.

Don't miss out next month: Please contribute $100, $50, $25, or whatever you can afford before midnight, and join me for a Boxer campaign conference call in April!

Why is tonight's reporting deadline so important? Because the press, the pundits, and our right-wing opponents are watching these reports like hawks, looking for any sign -- any inkling -- of weakness.

We need to show them that we're strong, that we're just getting stronger, and that we're building the momentum we need for the tough 2010 election that lies ahead.

So please contribute today -- and let me fill you in on the latest news about our campaign on a conference call next month.

Thank you so much for your support.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. The fundraising deadline is just hours away: Please contribute towards our $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal, and join me for a Boxer campaign conference call next month. A contribution of any size will make a huge difference. Thank you!

Barbara Boxer wants to talk to you

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

No matter who wins the White House this November -- and no matter how many seats Democrats pick up in Congress -- you and I know that Barbara Boxer is likely to be the right-wing's #1 target in 2010.

So we can't afford to just sit and wait for 2010 to roll around, and Barbara wants to get on the phone with you to tell you why.

That's why we're inviting every donor who contributes towards our $50,000 grassroots fundraising drive to join us for a special conference call next month where Barbara will update you on the progress of our campaign, fill you in on some of her activities in Washington, and thank you more personally for your help.

Can you join us?

Please contribute $100, $50, $25, or whatever you can afford right now -- and join us for a conference call with Barbara in April where she can thank you for your support!

Next Monday, March 31st marks the end of the next fundraising quarter -- and we need to post strong numbers to show the press, the pundits, and our potential opponents that we're already working hard to position Barbara for victory in 2010.

We've already raised more than $20,000 towards our March 31st goal in just the past few days -- which is terrific! -- but we've still got a ways to go.

Please contribute $100, $50, or $25 right now -- and help us reach our $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal before the March 31st deadline!

Your support is critical to the success of Barbara's 2010 re-election campaign -- and since Barbara is likely to be the right-wing's #1 target, we can't afford to wait.

We've got to gear up, right now, for what we know will be a tough, hard-fought campaign -- especially here in a state like California, where it takes many millions of dollars to reach every voter.

Please contribute to our $50,000 end-of-quarter fundraising drive now -- and then join Barbara on a conference call next month!

Thanks so much for your help.

Sincerely,

Rose Kapolczynski
Campaign Manager
Friends of Barbara Boxer

P.S. Our March 31st deadline is just 6 days away: Please contribute to our $50,000 end-of-quarter fundraising goal right now -- and then join us for a conference call with Barbara in April where she can update you on the progress of our campaign and thank you more personally for your support. Thank you!

Back In The Ring

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

This year's huge Democratic turnout from coast-to-coast has been thrilling! More than 28 million Americans have voted in Democratic primaries and caucuses so far -- 10 million more than have voted in Republican contests. The enthusiasm for our Democratic presidential candidates clearly shows that America is ready for change.

While we know there's a lot of work ahead, I'm excited about our prospects in 2008 -- the chance to win back the White House and expand our Democratic majorities in the House and Senate.

But no matter what happens this November, I do know one thing for sure: I'm going to be the right-wing's #1 target in 2010. So as the March 31st quarterly finance reporting deadline rapidly approaches, I'm kicking off a $50,000 grassroots fundraising drive -- to prepare for a bruising campaign and get ready to jump back in the ring in 2010. Can you help?

Please contribute today -- help us reach our $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal before March 31st so we can prepare for a tough campaign in 2010!

I've already stepped into the ring three times to seek election and re-election to the U.S. Senate -- and each time we've won, the right-wing has called it a "fluke" or claimed that we "got lucky." But I can tell you from experience that three straight victories in U.S. Senate campaigns is not a fluke -- and it takes a lot more than luck to win close elections.

Like my past three runs for Senate, it is going to take the support and hard work from friends like you to prevail in the ring once more -- and the stakes couldn't be higher: Ending the war in Iraq, getting our economy back on track, fighting global warming, protecting a woman's right to choose, providing quality health care for all Americans, and many others.

So today, as we near the March 31st reporting deadline, please help me show the press, the pundits, and our potential opponents that we're not counting on a "fluke" or "luck." No, we're gearing up for a tough campaign in 2010 -- and the strong grassroots support from you and thousands of other friends across America will lead us to victory.

Please contribute today -- to help us reach our $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal and get me back in the ring for 2010!

Believe me, with the presidential campaign in full swing and many other important campaigns for the House and Senate underway, this isn't an easy time to be raising money. But I wouldn't be asking you unless it was so important.

We can't afford to be behind the eight-ball after the 2008 campaigns wrap up, no matter who wins the White House this November. We know that the 2010 Senate race in California is going to be one of the most expensive statewide campaigns ever run.

That's why we're already getting ready, right now, to prepare for a grueling, hard-fought campaign -- to make sure that we have the resources we need to ward off potential right-wing opponents and ultimately walk out of the ring victorious for the fourth straight time in 2010.

Please contribute $100, $50, $25, or whatever you can afford right now -- and help us reach our $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal before the March 31st deadline!

Thank you so much for helping me prepare to jump back into the ring again in 2010.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. Our $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal is ambitious, but with thousands of friends like you all across America, I know we can make it. So whether you can give $100, $50, or $25, please contribute what you can before the March 31st reporting deadline -- and the combined strength of our BarbaraBoxer.com community will help us reach our goal. Thanks again!

He's back

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Slowly but surely, we're getting to the truth behind Bush EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson's terrible decision to block an effort by California and 18 other states to fight global warming.

While carefully peeling back white tape on redacted documents -- and with EPA personnel peering over their shoulders -- staffers from the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee have been closely reviewing additional documents dribbled out from the EPA over the past few weeks.

And what have we learned? Administrator Stephen Johnson clearly overruled the unanimous recommendations of his legal and technical staff who advised him to grant California's waiver request to regulate greenhouse gas emissions -- putting partisan politics ahead of science, the law, and the health & safety of the American people.

Ultimately, I'm convinced that Administrator Johnson's decision will be overturned -- either by the next President or the courts. But we can't afford to wait that long.

That's why I recently introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate to reverse Administrator Johnson's decision and give California and 18 other states -- representing more than half of our country's population -- the right to fight global warming. Will you help me get this critical bill passed?

Please forward an email to your Senators now, encouraging them to co-sponsor my bill to grant California's greenhouse gas emissions waiver and overturn Administrator Johnson's terrible decision!

On Wednesday, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson came back to testify before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Once again, I confronted him with the facts and challenged him to explain how he could make a decision that ignored the science and the law, discarding the recommendations of his own experienced staff.

Here's what we learned in the latest documents that the EPA shared with us:

A senior aide to Administrator Johnson wrote that "it is obvious to me that there is no legal or technical justification for denying" California's request -- and that he "will face a pretty big personal decision about whether [he is] able to stay in the job" if he rejects California's waiver.

Another senior aide described the "compelling and extraordinary" conditions that make California particularly "vulnerable to climate change" -- including water resources, wildfires, long coastline, large population, and many others.

Administrator Johnson didn't just overrule his own staff: He also disregarded the advice of former EPA Administrator William Reilly -- appointed by President Bush's father -- who urged Johnson to approve California's waiver.

Unfortunately, Administrator Johnson still refuses to change his mind, even when confronted directly with the cold, hard facts at Wednesday's hearing -- and he still hasn't even turned over all of the documents we asked for, including information about contact he had with the White House, missing the original deadline he agreed to. I guess I'm not surprised, but I am disappointed.

Well if Administrator Johnson won't do his job, then it's time for Congress to step up and do his job for him.

Please forward an email to your Senators now, encouraging them to co-sponsor my bill to grant California's greenhouse gas emissions waiver and overturn Administrator Johnson's terrible decision!

Administrator Stephen Johnson's decision to overrule his staff and tarnish the reputation of the Environmental Protection Agency by standing in the way of the fight against global warming is unconscionable. It's politics at its worst.

Now it's up to Congress to fix his mess. Will you help me do it?

Please forward an email to your Senators now!

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

Stop the Bush EPA white-out

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

We asked the Bush EPA for answers. Instead, we got white-out.

Last Friday at 5pm, 11 days late, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson finally turned over some documents about his terrible decision to reject an effort by California and 18 other states to raise vehicle emissions standards and fight global warming.

However, the materials the EPA sent to the Environment & Public Works Committee were heavily redacted with white tape, providing censored page after censored page rather than the facts we deserve -- and literally obscuring the agency's real decision-making process. What's more, we're still waiting on hundreds more documents to be handed over.

The American people deserve to know why EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson put politics over science and blocked the efforts of 19 states to fight global warming -- with no ifs, ands, buts...or white-out.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson right now, demanding that he produce full, complete, and uncensored documents explaining his decision today!

Yesterday, we called Administrator Johnson to appear at a hearing before the Environment and Public Works Committee and explain his decision. Unfortunately, his frustrating testimony generated even more questions than answers.

Administrator Johnson refused to acknowledge that global warming is a threat to human health -- an embarrassing and dangerous response from the head of the EPA. He refused to acknowledge any politicization of his decision to deny California's waiver -- even though it was "coincidentally" announced at 6:30pm on the same day that President Bush signed the Energy Bill in an effort to minimize public backlash.

Administrator Johnson would not even acknowledge any conflict between his recent behavior and his prior assurances during his confirmation process that he would pursue as open and transparent a decision-making process as possible. If Administrator Johnson continues to censor these documents, my committee staff has to spend more endless hours removing tape and painstakingly transcribing information that belongs to the American people.

We now know why Administrator Johnson and the Bush Administration want to keep these documents from us: Simply put, the documents show that the overwhelming consensus of EPA legal and scientific staff is that California, and the 18 states following California's lead, should be granted a waiver.

These documents undermine Administrator Johnson's shameful denial. That's why the American people deserve to see them -- full, complete, and uncensored.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson right now, demanding that he produce full, complete, and uncensored documents explaining his decision today.

BarbaraBoxer.com community members have already sent 40,000 emails to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, protesting his terrible decision. Now I'm urging you to help me send thousands more messages to the EPA, demanding a full, uncensored accounting of Administrator Johnson's decision to put politics ahead of science.

The American people -- who pay Administrator Johnson's salary -- have a right to know how he could make a decision that is so far removed from the facts, the law, the science, and the precedent.

The EPA is accountable to the American people -- not the other way around. It's time for EPA Administrator Johnson to come clean, stop the censorship, and tell the truth -- once and for all.

Please forward an email to the EPA now.

Why should taxpayers, already in debt due to a never ending war, and an economic downturn, have to pay millions of dollars for a lawsuit -- a lawsuit that has already been filed by the state of California to overturn the EPA's decision, and that the EPA's own legal staff says they will not win?

We have one planet, and that planet must be saved. The Bush Administration must change course and grant California's waiver.

Many thanks for caring about global warming and for supporting my work on this critical issue.

What's your #1 issue?

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Time and again, on issues ranging from global warming to the war in Iraq, I've invited you and other members of our BarbaraBoxer.com community to help me make a difference on important issues that I'm working on in the Senate.

Now I want to hear from you: What do you think is the most important issue facing America today?

Tell me which issue is most important to you and why. Click here to participate in my online poll today!

I've set up a new online poll, powered by our friends at Sodahead, where you can tell me what you think the most important issue facing America is. We've included a wide range of choices, including civil liberties, the economy, global warming, Iraq, healthcare, and many more.

It's one simple question -- but the answers are complicated. So, after you cast your own vote, you can also post a comment explaining more about why you think that issue is the most important -- and then embed our online poll widget onto your blog or MySpace page so your friends can participate as well.

I'm so fortunate to have hundreds of thousands of friends like you, helping me push through critical pieces of legislation in Congress. But our BarbaraBoxer.com online community isn't just about legislation that I want to pass into law: It's also about exchanging ideas and connecting to other members in our network.

So make your voice heard and tell me which issue is the most important to you. Click here to take my new online poll today!

As a Senator, I'm always interested in hearing what supporters like you think about the major challenges of our time. This is your chance to speak your mind and hear what other supporters have to say about each issue in an engaging and interactive way.

We'll be introducing several more "Web 2.0" tools in the days and weeks to come, so I hope you'll get started and make your voice heard.

Click here to take my new online poll today!

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. This isn't our first online interactive tool we've launched to the BarbaraBoxer.com community. If you haven't already, click here to add yourself to my Supporter Map and show how expansive our BarbaraBoxer.com online community really is!

Why was Mr. Johnson missing?

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

It's time for the Bush EPA to come clean with the American people.

Last Thursday, I chaired a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee field briefing in Los Angeles to investigate why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rejected California's plan to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles. California Attorney General Jerry Brown, California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols, the Sierra Club's Carl Pope, the NRDC's Fran Pavley, and Congresswoman Hilda Solis all appeared as witnesses. Unfortunately, one chair at the briefing was noticeably empty: the seat we reserved for EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson.

Clearly, EPA Administrator Johnson does not want California and 18 other states to implement California's higher emission standard for automobiles -- a key part of our fight against global warming -- but the public deserves to know why. We can't let Administrator Johnson hide the truth from the American people.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson now, demanding that he release all the documents about his decision and come clean with the American people!

Two years ago, California filed a waiver request with the EPA, seeking permission to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles -- like similar waivers which have been issued to California 50 times in the past and never denied. The agency dragged its feet for two years and faced a lawsuit for the delay, only to deny the waiver request in December.

The Bush Administration argues that granting California's waiver request would establish a complicated "patchwork" of state regulation standards. But in reality, there are only two standards: the federal standard (which is the minimum standard) and the California standard, which is stronger. 14 other states have joined California and would use our higher standard, and 4 more states intend to do the same. The federal government should encourage -- not stymie -- the efforts of 19 states, representing more than half of all Americans, to fight global warming.

Last year, Administrator Johnson told our Committee that the EPA needed more time to make a decision on California's waiver request because it was "performing a rigorous analysis." However, according to an article in the Washington Post, the EPA Administrator ignored the advice of his technical and legal staff and denied our waiver request anyway.

It is outrageous that the Bush EPA has denied California's legitimate waiver request, overruling the advice of its own staffers. We deserve to know why.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson now, demanding that he release all the documents about his decision and come clean with the American people.

The Committee has given the Bush EPA plenty of opportunities to explain its outrageous decision. We asked EPA Administrator Johnson to attend Thursday's briefing and explain why, over the unanimous recommendations of technical and legal staffers at the agency, he denied California's common-sense waiver request. He refused.

I asked him to send someone in his place to explain the EPA's ruling. He refused.

We requested that Mr. Johnson release all documents surrounding the agency's decision to deny California's common sense waiver. Once again, he has failed to respond.

Why did EPA Administrator Johnson overrule all of his legal and technical experts? What role did the White House, the automobile industry, and Vice President Cheney have in politicizing a decision that should have been based purely on science and legal precedent?

The EPA is accountable to Congress and to the people of the United States, and it's time for Administrator Johnson to tell us the truth.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson now, demanding that he release all the documents about his decision and come clean with the American people!

Thank you for your help.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

What better way

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Last May, I announced my intention to run for re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2010. I'm excited to be running again, but I know it’s going to be a tough campaign.

So what better way could we have ended 2007 than by meeting -- and exceeding -- our $50,000 end-of-year grassroots fundraising goal?

I'm so grateful to the hundreds and hundreds of friends from our BarbaraBoxer.com community who contributed and helped us break the $50,000 grassroots fundraising mark, demonstrating the strong support for our campaign even at this early point.

After all, it's never too early to start preparing for a tough race, especially when we know that the right-wing has been eyeing my Senate seat ever since I took office in 1993. They come after us every time I run for re-election, and they'll be on the offensive for 2010 soon.

But knowing that I have the support of people like you inspires me to keep speaking out against the war in Iraq, defending a woman's right to choose, and fighting to stop global warming. I'm able to stand up for California and all Americans because I know you and all the members of our wonderful BarbaraBoxer.com community are standing with me.

We have some tough battles ahead -- right now, we're challenging the Bush Administration's baseless decision to prohibit California from enacting stronger vehicle emissions standards and slowing global warming. If you haven't already emailed EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, urging him to reverse his decision, please click here to do so.

I'll be in touch with you more in the weeks and months to come to keep you posted on how you can speak out on issues that we care about, but in the meantime I just wanted to thank you for your continued support and wish you a Happy New Year!

Thanks again to everyone who contributed. Let's make 2008 even better than 2007!

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

A huge step forward

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Our progress on moving global warming legislation through the Environment and Public Works Committee this month and sending it on to the full Senate was a huge step forward for America, and personally, it was one of my proudest accomplishments over my 30 year career in public service.

But we've still got many more steps to take over the coming years to fight global warming and save our planet for our kids, our grandkids, and generations to come.

That's one big reason I've decided to run again for the U.S. Senate when my term expires in 2010 -- and, because we know that I'll be a top target for the right wing, I'm already preparing for a tough race.

Thanks to our BarbaraBoxer.com community, we've already raised $21,000 since last week towards our $50,000 end-of-year goal. I'm so thankful for this wonderful show of support. But I need your help to push us over the top.

Please contribute $100, $50, or $25 towards our ambitious $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal today -- and help us finish the year strong as we head towards 2010!

As Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, leading the fight against global warming will continue to be my top priority. And, if 2008 goes our way, I may soon be working
with a new Democratic President and expanded Democratic majorities in Congress who share our commitment to that fight.

But we're not going to solve the climate change crisis with just one bill, a better Congress, or a Democratic President. Fighting global warming is going to require many years of focus,
dedication, and leadership to see things through.

That's why I'm running for re-election to the Senate in 2010, why we're already gearing up -- right now -- for a tough campaign, and why I'm asking for your help today.

Please contribute $100, $50, or $25 towards our ambitious $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal today -- and help us finish the year strong as we head towards 2010!

We need to show the press, the pundits, and my potential Republican opponents that our campaign is already strong and getting stronger. And the best way to do that is to end the year with a solid fundraising boost, powered by the grassroots support of friends like you from across California and all across America.

I'm asking for your help, today, to help our campaign finish off a strong fundraising year -- helping us reach an ambitious $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal over these last two weeks of 2007. Your support will put the right-wing on notice that as we head towards 2010, they're going to have their work cut out for them if they want to come after me.

Please contribute $100, $50, or $25 towards our ambitious $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal today -- and help us finish the year strong as we head towards 2010!

We've still got a lot of work to do on fighting global warming, ending the war in Iraq, protecting our environment, defending a woman's right to choose, and so many other important issues -- and I'm going to need you with me every step of the way.

Thank you so much for your continued friendship and support.

Happy Holidays!

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

The Grinch who stole California's emission standards

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

At a time when Americans are celebrating the holidays with friends and family, on Wednesday the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Stephen Johnson, showed up as the Grinch.

Two years ago on this very day, California announced plans to combat the dire consequences of global warming by filing a waiver request with the EPA, seeking federal approval to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles. The Clean Air Act gives states the right to set stricter vehicle emissions standards as long as they obtain waivers from the EPA -- waivers which have been granted to California 50 times in the past and never denied. Now 16 other states are in the process of adopting similar standards as California, collectively covering nearly 150 million Americans.

Unfortunately, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson put politics over science and, in the dead of the night as lawmakers were leaving town for the holiday recess, announced that he planned to stand in the way of our fight against global warming by denying California's common-sense waiver -- a decision that would affect nearly half of the country as we work to combat global warming.

We can't let government bureaucrats like Stephen Johnson stand in the way of California's efforts to protect our environment and lead America's fight against global warming.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson now -- and urge him to reverse his decision on California's common-sense waiver request so 150 million Americans can fight global warming!

Under these standards, California would be cutting greenhouse gases by an amount equal to taking 6.5 million cars off the road by 2020 -- and if these 16 other states join California, emissions would be reduced by the equivalent of 22 million cars by 2020, cutting gasoline usage by up to 11 billion gallons per year.

Now, during a season when we all are thinking about how to make our world a better, safer, and more peaceful place, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson has delivered the worst possible news to the people of California and 16 other states who are leading the fight for the survival of our planet.

Administrator Johnson's ill-advised decision to deny California's waiver turns its back on science, turns its back on fairness, turns its back on states' rights, and turns it back on precedent. We can't let it stand.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson now -- and urge him to reverse his decision on California's common-sense waiver request so 150 million Americans can fight global warming!

Make no mistake about it -- the reason that EPA Administrator Johnson waited until late December to issue his controversial decision, overruling the unanimous recommendations of his agency's legal and technical staff, was to try to minimize public backlash.

Well, it's time that EPA Administrator Johnson knows that we're watching -- and we're outraged by his decision to put politics over science.

We won't let Stephen Johnson be the Grinch who steals California's emissions standards and sets back America's fight against global warming.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson now -- and urge him to reverse his decision on California's common-sense waiver request so 150 million Americans can fight global warming!

Thank you for helping me speak out on this critically important issue. I will not rest until Administrator Johnson's terrible decision is overturned so that California and every state can protect their citizens from the catastrophic effects of global warming -- and your voice will really make a difference.

Happy Holidays!

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. I know we're all busy during this holiday season, but taking just a minute to forward an email and place a phone call to Stephen Johnson's office will really make a huge impact. Please email EPA Administrator Johnson now -- and urge him to reverse his decision on California's common-sense waiver request!

If Ron Paul can do it...

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

With just 15 days until the Iowa caucuses, millions of Americans are starting to make decisions about who our next President should be. But believe me, while most of the country is thinking about the 2008 Presidential election, the eyes of the far right in California are already starting to focus on our next Senate race in 2010.

Thanks to your support, and the help of thousands of other friends like you, I've been able to win this Senate seat three times. Our right-wing opponents still claim that each victory has been a "fluke." They don't understand that the people of California agree with me that we need to do more to end the war in Iraq, protect our environment, provide access to affordable health care and create good jobs for our families. And they just can't get over the fact that the people of our state are pro-choice. When I stand up to defend a woman's right to choose, I am standing up for California.

The right-wing will never give up -- not when it comes to me, not when it comes to our progressive community, and not when it comes to this Senate seat that represents more than 37 million Americans.

That's why we've got to gear up, right now, for the tough fight that lies ahead. It's crucial that we show the press, the pundits, and my potential Republican opponents that our campaign is already strong and getting stronger. And the best way to do that is to end the year with a solid fundraising boost, powered by the grassroots support of friends like you from across California and all across America.

Help me gear up for the tough fight ahead. Please contribute towards our ambitious $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal today -- and help us finish 2007 strong as we head into the New Year!

We know that the far right will be coming after me with everything they've got -- because they can't stand what we stand for.

Just this past Monday, I joined with Senator Chris Dodd to demand that our government stop spying on Americans without a warrant and refuse to grant retroactive immunity to phone companies that broke privacy laws, because otherwise we will never find out what went on and which Americans were spied upon. I stood up and spoke out on the Senate floor because I believe deep in my heart that we can't win the war on terror when we walk away from the checks and balances in our Constitution. We must protect the privacy rights of our citizens.

It was a lonely vote. Only nine other Senators were there with me on this crucial issue, speaking out for our fundamental rights as Americans. But I'm not afraid to stand up for what's right, even if I'm standing alone.

You know that the right-wing will come after me in the next campaign and we need to be prepared.

So we need to start raising the funds we need, right now, to fight back against the right-wing attacks that we know are just around the corner.

Help me gear up for the tough fight ahead. Please contribute towards our ambitious $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal today -- and help us finish 2007 strong as we head into the New Year!

We've made significant progress together since gaining a narrow Democratic majority in Congress -- especially our recent success on global warming legislation in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, a huge step forward for America and one of my proudest accomplishments in over 30 years of public service.

But there's much, much more we need to accomplish on global warming, on Iraq, on health care, on education, and on so many other issues -- and because of that, we know that I'll be a top target for the right-wing in 2010. So I'm asking you to help me prepare for a big fight today.

Help me gear up for the tough fight ahead. Please contribute towards our ambitious $50,000 grassroots fundraising goal today -- and help us finish 2007 strong as we head into the New Year!

Thank you so much for your continued friendship and support.

Happy Holidays!

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. Just a few days ago, Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul raised over $6 million online in one day. But our BarbaraBoxer.com community never backs down from a challenge! If Ron Paul can raise $6 million in one day, I'm confident we can raise $50,000 before the year ends. Click here to contribute $100, $50, $25, or whatever you can afford to my campaign today! I know I can count on you.

The biggest week of my life

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

What a landmark day in our fight against global warming!

Yesterday, by an 11-8 vote, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee passed America's Climate Security Act, the world's most far-reaching global warming program -- critical legislation that would cut greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2020 and slash emissions by nearly 70% by 2050.

It may sound like an exaggeration, but it's true: This has been the biggest week of my life. I'm so grateful to all of you who stood with me and helped us reach this moment.
With yesterday's vote, America has taken a huge step towards showing real leadership on the critical issue of climate change. That's the message we're sending to a United Nations conference in Bali this week, where more than 10,000 participants from nearly 190 countries are meeting to work towards a new international agreement to fight global warming. The world has waited long enough for America to act -- and I'm so gratified that yesterday we took a giant step forward.

Now our bill heads to the Senate floor for consideration. We've still got a lot of work to do to convince enough of my colleagues to support this critical bill and get the 60 votes we'll likely need to overcome a Republican filibuster. Over the coming weeks, I'll be asking for your help once again as we work to pass our bill in the full Senate.

But for now, I just want to thank all of you who spoke out and supported me in this fight over the past 10 months. In just the past few days alone, our community sent more than 12,000 emails and made more than 4,000 phone calls to EPW Committee members. That strong support made a real difference as my colleagues and I assembled in the hearing room on Wednesday, showing us clearly that the American people are standing with us in this fight.

I'm so proud of what we accomplished yesterday. Passing the world's most far-reaching global warming program through the EPW Committee and sending it to the full Senate is a huge milestone. We couldn't have done it without your support.

Thanks again for standing with me and helping America lead the fight against global warming.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

Help me pass global warming bill this week

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

We're on the verge of a breakthrough moment in our fight against global warming. After more than 10 months of hearings, testimony from hundreds of scientists and experts, and many hours of debate, the Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee may be only a few days away from sending the most far-reaching global warming program in the world to the Senate floor.

America's Climate Security Act, S. 2191, would cut greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2020 -- and cut emissions by nearly 70% by 2050.

This is a critical step in our fight against global warming, but as EPW Committee Chair, I'm working with only a one vote margin. We're so close to passing this bill through the Committee and sending it to the Senate floor, with a vote coming as soon as Wednesday, but it's going to be difficult. That's why I'm asking for your help today.

Forward an email to the members of the Environment and Public Works Committee now, urging them to pass our global warming bill and send it on to the full Senate!

Global warming is only becoming more urgent by the hour. The world's leading scientists on the International Panel on Climate Change recently reported that without bold action, 40 percent of the species in the world would be threatened with extinction. And global warming does not just threaten the environment: Economist Jeffrey Sachs warns that climate change may have depleted many resources in the Darfur region and been a root cause of the genocide in Sudan. This gives a terrifying look into the future.

But I approach this issue with hope, and not fear. We can do this. If our bill passes, it will send an incredible signal to the world that America, the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and the only major industrialized nation that has failed to sign the Kyoto Protocol, is finally acting. Together, we can save our air with clean energy sources and stop our dependence on foreign oil. In short, we can be healthier and stronger, with good green collar jobs and new technologies to export.

But for this bill to make it to a Senate vote, I need you to speak out and urge my fellow Committee members to support America's Climate Security Act today.

Forward an email to the members of the Environment and Public Works Committee now, urging them to pass our global warming bill and send it on to the full Senate!

We're already seeing the effects of global warming, and it is past time that we start working against more severe consequences.

Our bill recognizes that there must be a smooth transition in our industrial and economic sectors, and we have been very mindful of helping our consumers and businesses change in a positive way. America's Climate Security Act takes strong action on an urgent and dangerous matter without crippling our economy.

We're so close to passing this bill through the Environment and Public Works Committee -- the same committee that wrote every major piece of environmental legislation, including the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Superfund Act, and many others. We're poised to make history again, but I need your help in this last push today.

Forward an email to the members of the Environment and Public Works Committee now, urging them to pass our global warming bill and send it on to the full Senate!

I am so proud that so many have urged members of the EPW Committee to vote in favor of this key global warming legislation, including a broad bi-partisan group of leading elected officials in California, as well as a long list of well-respected environmental organizations, leaders of the faith community, and many others.

I've been Chair of the EPW Committee for less than a year -- and this week, my dream for the Committee may well come true, with your help.

The world has waited long enough for America to take action on this urgent issue. Now is our chance to lead the fight against global warming.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. The special interests are already running attack ads against this important bill, and I need your help to counter them today. Please take just a few seconds, right now, to urge the Senators on the EPW Committee to support America's Climate Security Act before Wednesday's expected vote -- and then invite everyone you know to do the same.

Add yourself to my new Supporter Map

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Ever wondered how big our BarbaraBoxer.com community is, and how far across America -- and around the world -- we span?

It's time to find out.

Today we're asking you to plot yourself on our new BarbaraBoxer.com Supporter Map, powered by Platial, and include a message -- along with a photo, if you'd like -- to tell us why you're a part of this wonderful community.

Add yourself to our BarbaraBoxer.com Supporter Map now!

Adding yourself to our map is simple. Just move and zoom the map to where you live, drop a placemark to mark yourself as a Boxer supporter, add a comment and even a photo, and that's it!

Then, over the coming days, keep an eye on the map and watch as it grows automatically as more and more people add themselves. You can even grab the code for our BarbaraBoxer.com Supporter Map and embed it on your own website, blog, or MySpace page so your friends can plot themselves too.

Our new Platial map is just the first of many other new "Web 2.0" tools that we'll be introducing over the coming weeks to give you new ways to get involved, connect with other Boxer supporters, and spread our message across the internet.

So check it out, and plot yourself on our new map.

Add yourself to our BarbaraBoxer.com Supporter Map now!

In the future, we'll use Platial maps for many other things too -- to visually demonstrate nationwide support when we circulate petitions on new legislation, or to conduct online polls that show graphically what people think about specific issues in different parts of the country.

Using online, interactive tools like Platial will help us spread the word about what we stand for and provide a visual representation of our growing community.

So please add yourself to our BarbaraBoxer.com Supporter Map now -- and then invite your friends and family to add themselves too!

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

President Bush, stop muzzling scientists

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The wildfires in California are a great tragedy. And unfortunately, as global warming increases the likelihood of extreme weather conditions -- hurricanes, droughts, floods, and others -- these kinds of disasters may become even more frequent.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, forestry experts believe rising global temperatures will result in an increased risk of fires. And news that the Bush Administration censored a climate change report by the Director of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) last week confirms -- again -- that the President refuses to face the dangers of global warming.

Tell the Bush Administration to come clean on all of the facts surrounding global warming: Forward an email to the President and demand the full truth about the CDC Director's testimony today!

Last week, the Director of the CDC, Dr. Julie Geberding, testified at a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing that I chaired. Before the hearing, Dr. Geberding provided the White House with a copy of the testimony she was preparing to deliver about the health risks associated with global warming -- but Administration officials slashed her report in half.

What information was included in the pages that were deleted from Dr. Gerberding's testimony? Many details that attributed potential public health problems to global warming -- as well as statements like, "Scientific evidence supports the view that the earth's climate is changing...CDC considers climate change a serious public health concern."

A CDC official familiar with both versions of Dr. Gerberding's testimony said that the Director's findings were "eviscerated."

Tell the Bush Administration to come clean on all of the facts surrounding global warming: Forward an email to the President and demand the full truth about the CDC Director's testimony today!

President Bush cannot continue to muzzle scientists -- especially on one of the most critical environmental challenges that we have ever faced.

We deserve a full accounting of what happened during this White House review process, and who was involved, to make sure that this kind of scientific censorship from the Bush Administration never happens again.

This is just one more example of how the Bush Administration is hiding the truth from the American people -- changing scientific reports to fit their policy, rather than fitting their policy to science.

Tell the Bush Administration to come clean on all of the facts surrounding global warming: Forward an email to the President and demand the full truth about the CDC Director's testimony today!

Thank you for your help.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

Update on the California Wildfires

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

My heart goes out to the thousands and thousands of families living in Southern California who have lost loved ones, their homes, or been evacuated as a result of the terrible wildfires that struck this week.

I flew back to California on Wednesday to see the disaster first-hand and speak to evacuees, relief workers, National Guard troops, and local elected officials about what they have gone through and what more we can do to help. Some good progress is being made, though several fires are still not contained. There is still much work to be done.

While I was saddened to hear about all of the destruction and talk to families who have suffered tremendous losses, I was grateful to see all of the federal, state, county, and local officials coming together to address this tragedy. I was especially heartened to see the spirit of Californians alive and well. Many firefighters have been working around-the-clock for more than five days.

Thousands of volunteers -- many of them evacuees themselves -- were helping neighbors with food and supplies at local shelters, like Qualcomm Stadium. It's this California spirit -- of neighbors helping neighbors -- that makes me so proud to represent this great state.

Now, in addition to fully containing the wildfires, we must also begin the process of helping all of our displaced neighbors rebuild their homes and livelihoods. Many local assistance centers have opened throughout Southern California to provide help with home loans, small business loans, rental resources, and other critical services -- all in one place.

It's been a very difficult week for tens of thousands of families in Southern California -- but I'm so proud of how the people of our state have responded. Everyone is working their hearts out.

I'm going to continue to monitor the wildfires and the recovery very closely. I'll be back in Southern California next weekend to make sure that everyone is getting the support they need to get back on their feet.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

Thank you, Al Gore

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Click here to watch the video from last Thursday's event with Al Gore and sign the thank you card!

Last Friday, Al Gore was named the winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to fight global warming, sharing this tremendous honor with the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

I join millions of people around the world in offering my hearty congratulations to Vice President Gore for this well-deserved award.

But there's something else I'd like to say, and I hope you'll join me:

Thank you, Al Gore, for everything you've done -- and everything you continue to do -- to save our planet from global warming!

Please join me in thanking Al Gore: Sign our BarbaraBoxer.com online thank you card to Al Gore now!

Thank you, Al Gore, for speaking out about global warming before it was popular to do so.

Thank you, Al Gore, for producing "An Inconvenient Truth," a movie that has educated millions of people around the world about the dangers of global warming.

Thank you, Al Gore, for appearing before my Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in Washington last March to share your insights with my colleagues, even in the face of outspoken skeptics.

Thank you, Al Gore, for leading the effort to fight global warming.

Please join me in thanking Al Gore: Sign our BarbaraBoxer.com online thank you card to Al Gore now!

I don't think there is any single person who has done more to educate people about global warming and to put this issue onto the political agenda than Al Gore. Thanks to him, millions of Americans understand that we must act now if we hope to head off the dire consequences of global warming.

Recently, a right-wing blog launched a scathing attack on me, but I wear the headline of the blog post as a badge of honor: "Barbara Boxer, the Senate's new Al Gore!"

I got to tell him that Thursday night, just hours before he learned that he'd won the Nobel Peace Prize, when Al Gore joined me at an event in San Francisco along with hundreds of friends and supporters.

What a terrific night it was. I was so thrilled that he was able to attend so that he could share his insights with us -- and so hundreds of us could thank him for all of his hard work in-person.

Please click here to watch a video from last Thursday's event -- and while you're there, sign our BarbaraBoxer.com thank you card to Al Gore!

I want to send Al a copy of our thank you card, with tens of thousands of signatures and comments on it. So please add your name now.

I know that not many things can stack up to receiving a Nobel Prize -- but hopefully a thank you card from the BarbaraBoxer.com community will finish a close second!

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

17,013

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Let's keep our community growing.
Invite 5 friends to join us today!

Thank you -- you've done it again!

Once again, you and our entire BarbaraBoxer.com community really stepped up when it counted. In the closing days of the third quarter, hundreds and hundreds of people -- including you -- came online to contribute and help us finish strong before the September 30th reporting deadline.

Thanks to this tremendous community, we were able to raise critical funds to get our campaign off to a great start and continue to build momentum towards my 2010 re-election. I'm truly grateful for your financial support.

But do you know what I'm proudest of? Already, 17,013 friends like you have contributed to our grassroots, people-powered campaign -- and we're just getting started.

That's an amazing total. With three more years to go, this is the kind of grassroots strength that will carry us to victory in 2010. I'm so humbled by the support.

Knowing that you're standing with me is truly what keeps me fighting, every day, for Californians and all Americans on the floor of the United States Senate. And we still have so much work to do. I'll be in touch with you over the coming days and weeks on the issues we care about.

Thanks, again, to you and to everyone else who contributed -- and to every member of our BarbaraBoxer.com community who gives me strength and support every single day.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. Let's keep our BarbaraBoxer.com community growing. Invite 5 friends to join us today as we fight to put America back on the right track!