Washington, D.C. -- Today, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the statement below following the Committee's passage of a bill introduced by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), S. 1140. The legislation, which passed on a party line vote of 11 to 9, would undermine one of the nation's landmark laws - the Clean Water Act - and roll back protections for millions of Americans who need safe drinking water and safe swimming waters.

Senator Boxer and her Democratic colleagues tried to safeguard the current protections in the Clean Water Act. However, all of the amendments were defeated on a party line vote.

Senator Boxer said: "It is shocking that the Environment Committee is leading the way toward more pollution, illness, and death. It is one of the saddest, lowest days in the history of this Committee. We should be focusing on restoring much-needed certainty, consistency, and effectiveness to the Clean Water Act - not undermining our landmark environmental protections."

Link to Sen. Boxer's full opening statement on S. 1140 from the Committee's business meeting this morning.

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