Boxer writes op-ed on importance of laws protecting public health

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), ranking member on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, recently penned an op-ed for Huffington Post underscoring the importance of laws protecting American water quality and criticizing Republican committee members for trying to weaken them.

“At a time when Congress should be doing more to protect the American people from contaminated or polluted water, the Republican majority on the EPW Committee did the exact opposite,” said the op-ed. “They chose to vote for legislation to undermine the federal government's ability to protect drinking water supplies.”

Boxer’s frustration stems from a “poison pill” added to S. 659, recently approved by the Republican majority in the EPW, which would remove a requirement for a Clean Water Act permit from the Environmental Protection Agency for pesticides administered over a body of water.

“Our landmark environmental laws were designed to protect the health and safety of all Americans. The Clean Water Act protections are designed to safeguard drinking water for American families and businesses,” said the op-ed. “If we are serious about ensuring that the water supplies our children and families rely on for drinking water are free from pollution, we must uphold Clean Water Act safeguards.”