Barbara Boxer Quotations

Law enforcement officers are never 'off duty.' They are dedicated public servants who are sworn to protect public safety at any time and place that the peace is threatened. They need all the help that they can get.

We are all different. Yet we are all God's children. We are all united behind this country and the common cause of freedom, justice, fairness, and equality. That is what unites us.

I am sure that every one of my colleagues - Democrat, Republican, and Independent - agrees with that statement. That in the voting booth, every one is equal.

Every citizen of this country should be guaranteed that their vote matters, that their vote is counted, and that in the voting booth, their vote has a much weight as that of any CEO, any member of Congress, or any President.

When you take a stand out of deep conviction, people know. They may not even agree, but they ask, 'Do I want someone who is willing to take a hard stand and someone I can trust to do that when the chips are down?' They want that.

We have the greatest hospitals, doctors, and medical technology in the world - we need to make them accessible to every American.

Those who survived the San Francisco earthquake said, 'Thank God, I'm still alive.' But, of course, those who died, their lives will never be the same again.

It is in Saudi Arabia's best interest to allow women to fully participate in its society, and this includes the right to vote and run for office.

I think Democrats are right. We fight for the American dream, for the environment, for privacy rights, a woman's right to choose, a good public education system.

The American people need to know the truth. The American people need to see the truth. In a democracy, letting the people know the truth is the essence of what it means to be free.

We have fought for social justice. We have fought for economic justice. We have fought for environmental justice. We have fought for criminal justice. Now we must add a new fight - the fight for electoral justice.

Could you say 'senator' instead of 'ma'am? It's just a thing. I worked so hard to get that title. I'd appreciate it

I know from my constituency what is going on. Doctors that are told, begged, by mothers, 'Please don't write down that my child as asthma. Please lie and say it's bronchitis, because if you write down asthma, when my child turns 18 or 20 and has to get his or her own insurance, it will be a pre-existing condition.'

With so many of our fundamental rights hanging in the balance, it is not good enough to simply roll the dice, hoping a nominee has changed his past views. It's not good enough to think, 'This is the best we can expect from this president'.

The Saudi government's denial of basic rights to women is not only wrong, it hurts Saudi Arabia's economic development, modernization and prosperity.

Iraq made commitments after the Gulf War to completely dismantle all weapons of mass destruction, and unfortunately, Iraq has not lived up to its agreement

We know no document is perfect, but when we amend the Constitution, it would be to expand rights, not to take away rights from decent, loyal Americans. This great Constitution of ours should never be used to make a group of Americans permanent second-class citizens.

I was a stock broker once. I think there is an absolute place for market investments. But they should never be the basis of one's retirement. They should be an additional piece on top of a basic, secure, guaranteed retirement benefit.

When service members are discharged, we should express our gratitude for their profound personal sacrifice, not hand them a bill for their hospital food.

Medical professionals, not insurance company bureaucrats, should be making health care decisions.

Even if I have to stand alone, I will not be afraid to stand alone. I'm going to fight for you. I'm going to fight for what's right. I'm going to fight to hold people accountable

Really, life is complicated enough without having a bunch of Senators deciding what we should do in the privacy of our own homes.

If you don't move to protect copyright, if you don't move to protect our children, it's not going to sit well

Americans have long recognized the need to protect our public lands and their vast resources

More than anything, I think as our country matures, we recognize that women deserve to be treated with respect and dignity

Our democracy is the centerpiece of who we are as a nation. And it is the fondest hope of all Americans that we can help bring democracy to every corner of the world.

The White House has embarked on a mission to convince the people of our country that Social Security is in dire need of drastic change in order to save it for all workers

To win the cause we all believe in, the spread of true democracy all over the world, we need to win by example, not just with speeches but by example; not just with military might but by gaining the respect of the world.

Tonight, you are hearing from the Democratic women of the Senate... We stand together on so many issues: economic prosperity, quality education for all, protecting a woman's right to choose

If we turn our back on the people of this country who need to work for a living, we shouldn't be here, to be honest, because that has to be an essential part of what we do to protect the country, from the standpoint of defense, protect workers and make sure they have jobs.

I would love to see a march on Washington that says 'Save our Social Security'

I would not run for president. I really like what I'm doing now. People say I'm giving them energy and hope.

President Bush in his inaugural address talked about bringing freedom to countries that don't have it. He didn't specify how.

For the sake of the troops, for the love of the troops, we must not add yet another casualty to this war. We must not let truth be a casualty of this war.

So when you go up against the Far Right you go up against the big financial special interests like the Halliburtons of the world, the big oil companies, the big energy companies who work so hard to rip us off.

You know, I wish the world well. I want Iraq to have democracy and the Haitians to have democracy. I want the people of Afghanistan to thrive. Lord knows, we spend enough money there to help them. What about people at home? Isn't that our first responsibility?

Look, all this is about is utilizing the rules of the Senate, using a majority of the senators, to make sure that we get health reform done. We cannot wait another day.

Since 1980, we've used reconciliation 22 times, and out of those times, Republicans used it 16 times. So, earth to my Republican friends, you can have your option but you cannot change these facts. They're in the Congressional Record

We need to give the Iraqis a chance to build their own future. It should be in their hands. It must be in their hands. That is what democracy is all about. We can teach it, we can explain it, but they must want it enough to make it work for them.

To my constituents, today's hearing is about shared sacrifices in tough times versus oil company greed, ... Working people struggle with high gas prices and your sacrifices appear to be nothing.

Our message will be that we're going to make federal government buildings a model - an energy-efficient model - and also start matching grants for cities and counties so that they can also do the same with their government buildings.

I'm hopeful that the energy efficiency and public buildings bill will have their endorsement.

I'm a very big believer in collaboration and teamwork.

The combined efforts of millions of concerned citizens could do wonders to help the impoverished. The American people are ready for action!

Some people play golf. Some are artists, Some jog. I like to write.

Iraq was a war of choice, not necessity.

There are many faces to war. There is the face of courage, of bravery, of fellowship.There is the face of fear. Above all, there is love of country.

What they [Jim deMint and the oil lobby] do care about is the precedent. If they open up ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge), they'll think they can do anything to the environment - anything at all. Drilling in Yosemite? In the Grand Canyon? What's next?

We have to be realistic about what we can achieve in Afghanistan. The notion that the United States can build a Western-style democracy there is a myth

If you want to be a leader, it doesn't mean that you have to have an opinion on everything. But if you do have an opinion and it is clear and you feel strongly about it, then you should say it.

Just look at the Judiciary Committee, You have some people on the Judiciary Committee who may well decide not to send the nomination to the floor, and now it all depends on what Democrats do.

I think the scientists have really caught the attention of the people of this country, and of course, they elected representatives by their very clear pronouncement that if we don't do something, we'll be in a lot of trouble.

Perhaps, one of our greatest challenges as a nation, as a people, as human beings making sure that our grandkids can live on this Earth.

[On going into politics:] My husband went to bed with Debbie Reynolds and he woke up with Eleanor Roosevelt.

Voting against the resolution authorizing the use of military force in Iraq was one of my proudest moments as a senator. It is long past time to close this tragic chapter in American history.

The difference between the very wealthy and the working poor has grown. We raise that minimum wage and we move forward with the vision of this president that we have, which is everyone pays their fair share.

I have to say that after chemotherapy, Barbara Boxer just isn't that scary anymore.

The Violence Against Women Act protects the lives of tens of thousands of domestic violence victims. But the U.S. must also support gender equality around the world, and that means acknowledging that some nations we consider to be our friends are no friends to women.

In the early stages of a pregnancy, the Government cannot intervene with a woman's right to choose. That is it, plain and simple. Guess what. We are not going to be big brother or sister, as the case may be. We are going to allow a woman, her doctor, and her God to make that decision.

Let's not rewrite history, it's too soon for that,

Let me be very clear: I will never be a rubber-stamp for any President. That would be contrary to the Constitution of the United States.

Many of us warned that it would be a mistake to do so without considering the impact on (the agency's) ability to manage disasters.

One thing is clear. It must be changed dramatically from the version E.P.A. forwarded to O.M.B. just a few weeks ago. If not, it will be a direct attack on our most vulnerable citizens.

On the other side of this debate they are very good at getting votes. And they are very good at being politicians, but I don't think they are worth a wit in the gynecological operating room! I don't want them in that operating room, telling a doctor what procedure to use for my daughter, or my niece.

I would rather keep on approaching it the way the Bush administration approached the whole issue eventually, which was, you know, with calm, with common sense, with reserve, ... And I think that is the first thing we need to do before we move forward on anything else.

But it's hard to believe that Californians are going to go into a voting booth and say, 'I'm going to vote for Matt Fong because I am mad at Bill Clinton.

He's a wonderful uncle to my grandchild, and Hillary's a wonderful aunt to my grandchild, so I have a very soft spot for that relationship, ... Now, having said that, I have a bright line between my work as a United States senator from the largest state in the union, and what the president has to do.

He (Craig) got caught weakening the gun laws. A lot of people here got sucked in and got upset.

I would tell her to do everything she could to spare other families this grief, to get us off this cycle of violence.

Just look at the Judiciary Committee, ... You have some people on the Judiciary Committee who may well decide not to send the nomination to the floor, and now it all depends on what Democrats do.

People are concerned about fairness and justice at a time of sacrifice. ... Your sacrifice appears to be nothing.

Our country is sick at heart at the spin and false expectations. They want the truth, and they deserve it.

Paul was never afraid to speak out when it might be unpopular, nor was he afraid to be on the losing side of a Senate vote.

My overall assessment, Mr. Bolton, is that you have nothing but disdain for the United Nations.

I think everybody remembers when Dr. Rice went on television and talked about the mushroom cloud that we could get, courtesy of Saddam Hussein,

I think Mr. Bolton needs anger management at a minimum, and he does not deserve to be promoted,

I would hope we would give equal attention to other factors,

You can count on Social Security, and with every fiber of my being, I will make sure it is there not only for my generation, but for my children's generation and for my grandchild's generation.

While we have men and women dying to bring democracy abroad, we've got to make it the best it can be here at home, and that's why I'm doing this.

We don't have a party stand on the bill,

When the people take a look at this plan and they see that the people in our country -- the elite few who earn over a million dollars get back a hundred thousand a year, and the average family gets back a few hundred dollars a year -- they'll realize that this plan isn't fair,

To call a doctor an executioner is wrong.

What's important to me is that justice be done, ... and that people who are alleging that they were abused in anyway, you know, have a process, and that whatever that process is and the results of it is, has to be accepted. That's the way we operate in this country.

Today, we simply don't have a system to catch the illegal use of genetically engineered ingredients. We don't even have a system that requires mandatory safety tests, Mr. Chairman, to make sure that genetically engineered products, when they are used properly, are safe.

What George Bush did is he picked his tax cut and then sort of built a budget around it, ... Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer.

We didn't learn our lesson after the '93 World Trade Center bombing; we didn't learn our lesson after Sept. 11. We don't need anymore failures.

Ellen is like me in the sense of her passion for the issues, ... But this is a woman who goes into the Senate kicking and screaming, she really doesn't want to do this at all.

I very much respect Cindy Sheehan's decision to continue her work as an advocate for our service men and women and our veterans. There can be no higher cause than a mother who has lost a son working night and day to ensure that others do not have to suffer the same way.

These measures are all about a power grab by Gov. Schwarzenegger that hurts our children, our schools and our teachers.

Now, in an unbelievable rewriting of history, you talk about this bolder mission we undertook in response to 9/11 to transform the Middle East with Iraq as an anchor,

A proposed rule on human pesticide testing that fails to protect children and families should be shelved immediately. A protective rule must be issued in its place,

The White House did make some proposals which didn't really do it, but they're reaching out a little bit.

This bill will finally provide the permanent protection against future drilling that Californians have demanded for a generation.

You don't unite this country when you pick someone for your Cabinet who is so far out of the mainstream that it really divides the country,

They are going to feel very frightened and anxious.

They will experience some increased anxiety ... going to school. They will be more frightened than they might normally be, and it's up to the parents to ask the children what they are feeling.

I have not been silent. I said he was wrong and I still think he was wrong. He was right to take responsibility for his actions, and he was wrong,

I'm very fearful, very fearful that a lot of people who are going to depend on this trust fund are going to find out it's not what it's cracked up to be.

If you can't repeal her right to choose, take away her ability to pay for what is legal,

If you can't admit to this mistake, I hope that you will rethink it,