Reply #10: Sen. Boxer threaten to hold up EPA confirmation [View All]

[Jeanette in FL]

Barbara Boxer as Erin Brockovich

It’s good to know that some senators are doing their research on President Bush’s nominees. Senator Boxer was the star of yesterday’s confirmation hearing for Stephen Johnson, Bush’s nominee to lead the EPA. She dug up information on a little-known program being sponsored by the EPA and the American Chemistry Council in Duval County, Florida.

The program targets low-income African-American families and asks parents to videotape their children crawling around a pesticide-infested environment (their homes). Scientists watch the tapes and regularly test the babies for pesticide exposure. In return, the families can keep the video camera and are paid $970 over two years.

~snip~

Sen. Boxer responded to Johnson’s affirmation that the program had been suspended but not cancelled by saying, “… you should pull the plug on that program tomorrow and if you don’t, I’m going to do everything in my disposal to make that happen.” A single senator can hold up Johnson’s confirmation, and from Boxer’s remarks it appears that she is ready to take this one all the way.

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/04/07/barbara-boxer-as-erin-brockovich/