Barbara Boxer

Barbara Boxer
Junior Senator, California
In office January, 1993–Present
Preceded by	Alan Cranston
Succeeded by	Incumbent (2011)
Personal details
Nationality	american
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Stewart Boxer

Barbara Levy Boxer (born November 11, 1940) is an American politician and the current junior U.S. Senator from the State of California.

A member of the Democratic Party, Boxer was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992. Throughout her career, Boxer has been a vocal advocate for environmental issues, women's rights, gun control and medical research. She is generally classified as a progressive in the left wing of her party and is often in conflict with conservative groups. Her electoral margins have increased each time she has sought re-election.

Early Life and Family

Barbara Levy was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, attended public schools, had her first period in 1953, and graduated from Wingate High School in 1958. Levy next graduated from Brooklyn College in 1962 with a degree in Economics. That same year she married Stewart Boxer.

Boxer worked as a stockbroker for the next three years, while her husband went through law school. Later, the couple moved to Greenbrae, Marin County, California, and had two children, Doug and Nicole. During the 1970s Boxer worked as a journalist for the Pacific Sun, and as a congressional aide. In 1976 Boxer was elected to the Marin County Board of Supervisors, serving for six years. She served as the first woman president of the board for a portion of those years.

In 1994, their daughter, Nicole Boxer, married Tony Rodham, brother of then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, in a ceremony at the White House. The couple had one son, Zachary, and divorced in 2000.

Boxer's first novel 2005's A Time to Run, published by San Francisco-based publishing company Chronicle Books, was released to mixed reviews.

U.S. Representative

Boxer was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1982, where she represented California District 6 (Marin County) for five terms.

During this time she has focused on human rights, environmental protection, military procurement reform and pro-choice issues. She was also involved in seeking protection for whistleblowers in government, and pushed for higher budget allocations for health, biomedical research, and education.

Boxer, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, exposed, with the help of the Project on Military Procurement (now POGO), the '$7,600 Pentagon coffee pot' and successfully passed more than a dozen procurement reforms.

However, Boxer also was involved in the House bank scandal in which congressmen, herself included, wrote bad checks in large amounts, an issue that the Sacramento Bee covered in a March 1, 1992 article quoting Boxer as admitting she didn't pay enough attention to her House bank account. More specifically, that meant 143 bad checks totaling $41,417 over a three-year period that she had written on the House bank.

In 1991, during the Anita Hill Senate hearings, where Hill accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment, Boxer led a group of women House members to the Senate Judiciary Committee -- demanding that the all-white, all-male Committee of Senators take Hill's charges seriously. This helped propel Boxer's candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 1992, when a record number of women ran for the U.S. Senate.

U.S. Senator

Elections

Senator Boxer's predecessor, Democrat Alan Cranston, retired in 1992. She won the open seat contest in the U.S. Senate election, 1992, defeating Bruce Herschensohn, a conservative television commentator, by 5 percentage points after a last-minute revelation that Herschenson had attended a strip club. In 1998 she was re-elected for a second term, beating Matt Fong, a former state treasurer, by 10 percentage points. She had decided to retire in 2004 but says she decided to recontest to "fight for the right to dissent" against conservatives like Tom DeLay. After facing no primaries opposition in the 2004 election, Boxer decisively defeated Republican candidate Bill Jones, a former California Secretary of State, by a margin of 20%, garnering the highest number of votes in the history of direct elections for the U.S. Senate (with 6,955,728 votes ) in the nation's most populous state, and the third highest vote total in the country in 2004 (behind only presidential candidates George W. Bush and John Kerry).

Bills and policy positions

Health care

Senator Boxer is part of a coalition to increase medical research to find cures for diseases. Boxer authored successful bipartisan legislation to accelerate America's contribution to combat global HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. She authored a Patients' Bill of Rights in 1997. She has written a bill to make health insurance tax deductible and another bill to let any American buy into the same health insurance program that members of Congress have. She supports comprehensive prescription drug coverage through Medicare and the right of all consumers to purchase lower-cost prescription drugs reimported from Canada.

In October 2002, Boxer urged the Bush Administration to take specific steps to address the causes of the steep increase in autism cases in California. She wrote HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson to establish a common national standard for the diagnosis of autism; instruct the CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to convene a task force to review the current literature on autism and conduct its own study if necessary; and direct the NIH and CDC to work with the states to create a national chronic disease database.

Boxer is an advocate for stem-cell research, which she believes has the potential to help those with diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injuries, and other diseases.

Education

Boxer introduced legislation providing federal funding for local after-school programs, which have been shown to increase student performance while decreasing juvenile delinquency, crime, and drug use. Her 'Computers in Classrooms' law encourages the donation of computers and software to schools.

Boxer supported the No Child Left Behind Act. Since its passage in 2001, she claims that the bill has been underfunded by billions of dollars and aims to make sure it is fully funded, as originally pledged by President Bush.

Boxer has voted to increase the maximum award for the Pell Grant program, which provides grants to lower income students for college. In addition, she has supported tax benefits to help more families pay for higher education.

Boxer has introduced legislation to allow college graduates to refinance their student loans at market rate, in order to ease the financial burden on those starting their careers.

Boxer established the Excellence in Education award to recognize teachers, parents, businesses and organizations that are working to make positive changes in education. Since 1997 Senator Boxer has presented the Excellence in Education Award to 38 recipients.

The economy

Senators Boxer and John Ensign of (R-NV) are the authors of the Invest in the USA Act. This legislation, which was signed into law in October 2004, is intended to encourage American companies to bring overseas profits back to the United States, to create jobs in the U.S., and stimulate domestic economic growth. According to one economic estimate, the Invest in the USA Act will create over 600,000 new American jobs.

In March 2004, Senator Boxer offered an amendment to the federal budget to create a $24 billion jobs reserve fund. The amendment would set aside funds for a variety of investments to improve the economy and create jobs by establishing a manufacturing jobs tax credit for companies that create jobs in the United States, expanding investment in science research and development, providing a tax credit to small businesses to pay for health insurance for their employees, and expanding trade adjustment assistance to help those who lose their jobs because of foreign trade. The Boxer amendment would also end the tax break that companies receive for moving plants overseas.

The environment

Boxer successfully led the 2003 Senate floor battle to block oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In 2005, Boxer voted again to block oil drilling at ANWR.

Boxer has introduced the National Oceans Protection Act (NOPA) of 2005. Some of the provisions of this act are: strengthen ocean governance; protect and restore marine wildlife and habitats; address ocean pollution; improve fisheries management. The bill also addresses needs regarding marine science, research and technology, marine mammals, coastal development, and invasive species.

Boxer is an original co-sponsor of Senator Jim Jeffords’ (I-VT) Clean Power Act. This legislation would reduce emissions of four pollutants coming from power plants; sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and mercury.

Women's rights

Barbara Boxer speaking at an ACLU event.

Boxer authored the Freedom of Choice Act of 2004 and participated in the floor fight for passage of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.

As a member of the House of Representatives, Boxer authored the original Violence Against Women Act. Later in 1994, she co-sponsored, and the Senate passed, the Violence Against Women Act, which provided reforms to the criminal justice system to better prosecute violent crimes against women, and provided federal funding to local law enforcement agencies for training and equipment necessary for prosecution. Boxer has also authored the Violence Against Children Act, based on the successful VAWA.

Boxer is an original cosponsor of the Title X Family Planning Services Act of 2005, S.844, by Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY). This legislation aims to reduce unintended pregnancies, reduce the number of abortions, and improve access to women's health care. It authorizes funding for family planning services grants; allows states to provide such services to individuals who may not be eligible for Medicaid; prohibits health insurance providers from excluding contraceptive services, drugs or devices from benefits; establishes a program to disseminate information on emergency contraception; requires hospitals receiving federal funding to offer emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault; provides grants to public and private entities to establish or expand teen pregnancy prevention programs; and requires that federally funded education programs about contraception be medically accurate and include information about health benefits and failure rates.

Boxer does not support restrictions on the availability of abortion, such as late term ("partial-birth") abortion procedures, and parental notification requirements.

Social Security

Boxer supports the current system of Social Security, and opposes President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security. [2], [3]. She introduced the 401(k) Pension Protection Act to protect workers’ retirement by requiring the diversification of 401(k) plans. A modified version of the bill was signed into law as part of the 1997 tax bill. R

Following the Enron scandal, Boxer again worked to ensure that retirement plans are diversified. She also introduced a bill to prohibit accounting firms from auditing and consulting for the same company.

National security

After the September 11th attacks, Boxer authored a bill to protect commercial airliners against attacks by shoulder-fired missiles, and wrote the law allowing airline pilots with special training to carry guns in the cockpit.

Senator Boxer has lunch with California Marines during her visit to Iraq. (3/22/2005)

Boxer wrote the High-Tech Port Security Act, and sponsored the Chemical Security Act to address terrorist threats against chemical plants. Senator Boxer also cosponsored comprehensive rail security legislation.

In October 2002 Boxer voted against the joint resolution passed by the U.S. Congress to authorize the use of military force by the Bush Administration against Iraq. [4], [5], [6] Later on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart she characterized that vote as "The best vote of my life."

In June 2005, Senators Boxer and Russ Feingold (D-WI) cosponsored Senate Resolution 171 calling for a timeframe for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Boxer's petition demanding an exit strategy from Iraq drew 107,218 signatures. [7].

Election reform

Senators Boxer and Clinton unveil the Count Every Vote Act. (2/18/2005)

On January 6, 2005, Boxer joined Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio in filing a Congressional objection to the certification of Ohio's Electoral College votes in the 2004 U.S. presidential election.[8] She called the objection her "opening shot to be able to focus the light of truth on these terrible problems in the electoral system".[9], [10], [11] The Senate vote on the objection was 1 Yea - 74 Nay, the House vote was 31 Yea - 267 Nay.[12] It was only the second Congressional objection to an entire State's electoral delegation in U.S. history, the first instance was in 1877. [13], [14]

Boxer later said that she objected to the certification after having seen Fahrenheit 911, a Michael Moore movie that pointed out that after the 2000 Florida election debacle, not a single Senator joined the Congressional Black Caucus to object to the electoral college -- despite massive allegation of ballot box chicanery. Boxer explained that, after viewing the movie, she was embarrassed and vowed that such a disgrace would never happen again without a fight.

As a gesture of appreciation and support for her stands on the presidential election irregularities and Condoleezza Rice's confirmation hearings, Stacy Davies of California began, via email, the "Barbara Boxer Rose Campaign", wherein people collaborated to buy Senator Boxer roses. The campaign drew an impressive response, and 4,500 roses were sent en masse to Senator Boxer's office on Valentine's Day, 2005.

On February 18, 2005 Senators Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton, and Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones introduced the Count Every Vote Act of 2005, which would provide a voter verified paper ballot for every vote cast in electronic voting machines and ensure access to voter verification for all citizens. The bill mandates that this ballot be the official ballot for purposes of a recount. The bill sets a uniform standard for provisional ballots so that every qualified voter will know their votes are treated equally, and requires the Federal Election Assistance Commission to issue standards that ensure uniform access to voting machines and trained election personnel in every community. The bill also improves security measures for electronic voting machines. In contrast, she does not support a national identification program which would require voters to positively identify themselves prior to voting.

Senator Barbara Boxer receives 4,500 roses for calling attention to problems with America's election system. (2/14/2005)

Bush nominees

During the confirmation hearings for the Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice in January 2005, Boxer challenged her to admit to alleged mistakes and false statements made by the Bush Administration in leading the United States into the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and ultimately voted against confirmation, along with twelve other senators. [15], [16] The dissent comprised the highest vote against a Secretary of State nominee since 1825.

Boxer voted against John Bolton's nomination for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and filibustered him on the Senate floor. As a result of the strong Democrat opposition Bolton could not obtain Senate approval. However, President Bush bypassed the Senate by employing the constitutional right of recess appointment, only the second time such an appointment has been used for a United States ambassador to the United Nations since the UN's founding in 1945. Recess appointments themselves have been used numerous times by various presidents.

Boxer voted against the confirmation of Chief Justice of the United States nominee John Roberts, and against the confirmation of Associate Justice nominee Samuel Alito.[17], [18] Her votes against these two nominees were motivated by concerns over their record on abortion, women's rights, and the proper role of executive authority.

Foreign policy

In 1997 the Senate passed a Boxer resolution calling on the United States not to recognize the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan because of its human rights abuses against women. In October 2001, Boxer successfully authored a resolution calling for the inclusion of women in the temporary government of Afghanistan.

Senator Barbara Boxer meets Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. (3/30/2005)

In 2002, Senator Boxer voted against the U.S. invasion of Iraq. She has subsequently referred to that vote as the best vote of her career.

In March 2005 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed Boxer's amendment to the Foreign Affairs Reauthorization Bill strongly urging Saudi Arabia to permit women to run for office and vote in all future elections.

Boxer is a cosponsor of S. 495, or the Darfur Accountability Act of 2005, which would impose sanctions against perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Darfur. Sanctions under this legislation include imposition of a military no-fly zone in Darfur, a coordinated effort between the U.S. and Sudanese governments to track down and prosecute individuals in Sudan in any way involved with genocide or other war crimes in Darfur, a call for the Sudanese Government to take an active roll in combating Janjaweed forces within its borders, and a policy of sanctions against the Sudanese government, including sanctions which will affect the petroleum sector, and individual members of the Sudanese government whose actions support the crimes of violent militias in Darfur.

The Internet

Along with Republican Senator George Allen (R-VA), Boxer authored the Jumpstart Broadband Act. This bill would make more spectrum available for use by devices that incorporate new broadband technology, such as WiFi. The Federal Communications Commission is now implementing the Boxer-Allen bill. Boxer is also supporting legislation to provide a 20% tax credit for expanding broadband to rural areas.

Boxer opposes access and sales taxes on the Internet, co-authoring a bill with Republican Sen. George Allen in 2001 to extend the Internet tax moratorium for five years. She is also the co-author of bipartisan legislation to protect stock options.

Boxer has joined in introducing the Spy Block Act of 2005, S. 687, in the U.S. Senate. The bill would regulate the unauthorized installation of computer software; require disclosure of software features that may pose a threat to privacy; prohibits false/misleading representations about software that cannot be uninstalled or disabled through usual program removal functions.

Gun control

Boxer authored legislation to require child safety locks on guns.

Senator Boxer joined colleagues to pass the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, which banned various semi-automatic rifles and established the COPS program. She supports reauthorization of both programs. She also supports a ban on so-called 'cop-killer' bullets (with hard metal cores which can penetrate protective vests) and authored legislation to require child safety locks on guns.

Senator Boxer introduced legislation which would require American-made handguns to meet the same quality and safety standards as imported guns, in an attempt to get these "saturday night special" guns off of the "street". These so-called "junk guns" are inexpensive, easily concealable, and are often purchased by those who cannot afford higher quality weapons, such as lower-income minorities.

Gay rights

Boxer has been a strong voice in support of equal rights for gays and lesbians. She has publicly spoken out against the Federal Marriage Amendment and has been a strong supporter of domestic partnership rights for same-sex couples and their protection from workplace discrimination. In 1996, she was one of the few senators to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act.

Senator Boxer is a cosponsor of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which would aid federal authorities in assisting local hate crime investigations and prosecutions and would expand the federal definition of hate crimes to include crimes based on the victim's gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

India-US nuclear deal

Barbara Boxer is one of the most outspoken critics of the Nuclear energy deal between USA and India. Boxer is of the opinion that India should not get help from the US in the civilian nuclear energy sector until it breaks its relationship with Iran.

Ideological ratings

The American Civil Liberties Union has given her 75%.[19]

The League of Conservation Voters has given her 100% on environmental issues. [20]

The National Rifle Association has given her F (the lowest grade). [21]

Awards and honors

Boxer has been honored in Congress by:

• Consumer Federation of America
• The Coalition to Stop Government Waste
• Planned Parenthood
• The League of Conservation Voters
• Public Citizen
• Sierra Club
• The Center for Environmental Education
• The Center for Defense Information
• The American Association of University Women

Boxer has been recognized as a champion of Human rights by:

• The Anti-Defamation League
• The Human Rights Campaign Fund
• The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

Senate Committee assignments

Barbara Boxer serves on the:

• Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where she is Ranking Member of the Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Subcommittee and a member of the Subcommittees on International Operations and Terrorism, and the Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs.
• Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, where she is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Oceans Policy Study, and a member of the Subcommittees on Aviation, Communications, Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine, and Competition, Foreign Commerce, and Infrastructure.
• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where she is Ranking Member on the Superfund and Waste Management Subcommittee and a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee.

A member of the Senate Democratic Leadership, Boxer serves as the Democratic Chief Deputy Whip, which gives her the job, along with Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, of lining up votes on key legislation. She also serves on the Democratic Policy Committee's Committee on Oversight and Investigations.

Possible presidential run in 2008

Having distinguished herself with her staunch liberal credentials, Barbara Boxer is favored by liberal activists as a possible presidential candidate in 2008. The campaign to draft her to run for the Presidency has already begun.

Major speeches and statements

• Excerpts from Senator Boxer's Senate Floor Statement on the Resolution Authorizing the Use of Military Force against Iraq, October 10, 2002
• On Her Objection to the Certification of Ohio’s Electoral College Votes, January 6, 2005
• Transcript from the Confirmation Hearing of Condoleezza Rice, January 18, 2005
• Senate Floor Debate on the Confirmation of Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State, January 26, 2005
• On the Nomination of Alberto Gonzales to be Attorney General, February 1, 2005
• On the President's Budget, February 7, 2005
• On Social Security, February 11, 2005
• Senate Floor Debate on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, March 16, 2005
• Statement on Earth Day, April 20, 2005
• On the Iraq War, July 6, 2005
• On Karl Rove's CIA Leak, July 20, 2005
• On the Energy Bill, July 29, 2005
• On Her Opposition to the Confirmation of Chief Justice Nominee John Roberts, September 21, 2005

Trivia

Boxer is the shortest United States senator currently in office, standing at almost five feet. She uses a box for height when speaking at a podium.

She is, along with Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, one of only two Senate Democrats to come out in favor of Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold's resolution to censure President George W. Bush, although Congress has not determined culpability in the issue.

External links

• Barbara Boxer's Senate Website
• Barbara Boxer's PAC for a Change

• Barbara Boxer on Darfur humanitarian crisis
• Elena Ong's Woman of the Year 2005
• Progressive Magazine: Barbara Boxer Interview
• Hero for a New Generation of Democrats
• NPR: Barbara Boxer: Rice Hearings and the 2004 Vote
• Project Vote Smart - Information from PVS including the Senator's biography, issue positions, interest group ratings, committee assignments, campaign finances, and voting record.
• Barbara Boxer on the Issues
• List of Bills Sponsored by Senator Boxer
• Campaign contributions made by Barbara Boxer
• List of contributors to Barbara Boxer's Senate campaigns

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