Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today made the following remarks following President Bush’s speech before the Major Emitters Meeting:

Senator Boxer said: “I asked the President to call this summit with the hope that he would announce a new commitment to American leadership on the challenge of global warming. The rhetoric of the President’s speech today is an improvement, but unless it is followed up with mandatory cuts in global warming pollution, it will amount to little more than empty words.”

“The President claims he is committed to action on global warming, but he has failed employ the two most effective tools we have -- mandatory cuts in carbon pollution and a cap-and-trade system.”

“As Chairman of the Senate Environment Committee, I am committed to working with my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to pass global warming legislation that will include both mandatory controls on carbon pollution and a cap-and-trade system. I call on President Bush to work with us as we take the steps necessary to protect the planet.”