Norton Praises Boxer on Retirement as One-of-a-Kind

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today offered her thoughts on the announcement that her friend, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), will not be seeking reelection to the U.S. Senate.

"California will have a hard time replacing the courageous spunk, progressive legislative and strategic intelligence, dedication, and accomplishments of Senator Barbara Boxer. Barbara's leadership on the environment in our era of climate change denial in Congress will be especially missed. Most recently her leadership was essential to the passage of the Water Resources Development Act for the first time in seven years. It was a privilege to work with Barbara on the MAP-21 surface transportation reauthorization bill in 2012 as she worked with her Ranking Member, Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), showing the House how Democrats and Republicans can get important things done.

As Barbara leaves the Senate, the Congress will lose a women's rights leader without a peer. I first worked with Barbara, who was in the House, when I was elected. Seven of us walked over from the House to the Senate to stop the Senate from confirming Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas without so much as hearing Anita Hill's testimony of sexual harassment by Thomas. The Senate is fortunate that Barbara herself was in the wave of women elected to the Senate in 1993 as a result of the Thomas episode.

Barbara Boxer's record in Congress has more than earned her the right to retire. We take solace in this one-of-a-kind colleague's assurance that she will never retire from the work that has made her such a remarkable senator."