New Jerseyans know all too well that our industrial state has its share of chemical facilities. While they create good jobs and boost our economy, they also increase the danger of environmental disaster and terrorist attack. With the safety and security of our residents is at stake, New Jersey has wisely enacted the strongest chemical security laws in the country.

But New Jersey’s strong chemical security laws didn’t make George W. Bush or his friends in the chemical industry very happy. So Bush issued a Federal regulation that would wipe out New Jersey’s laws.

We wouldn’t stand for it – and I pledged to reverse Bush’s action in Congress.

Well, we beat them, and New Jersey is safer. In late December, Congress passed my law to nullify President Bush’s regulation, and allow New Jersey to continue to enforce its chemical security rules.

The Bush Administration and the chemical lobbyists fought us hard, but I’m proud to say that working together with a number of local legislators, governors and labor and environmental groups across the nation, we stood up to the powerful special interests and stood strong for New Jersey - and we won.