Sen. Barbara Boxer called rumors that she planned to resign "bizarre" during a news conference in San Francisco's Ferry Building late this morning.
Boxer, 73, said she has no plans to leave a job she loves while serving her fourth term in the U.S. Senate and will decide next year if she will run for re-election in 2016.
Speaking to a crowd of reporters, the senator highlighted multiple regional, state, national and international issues she will address when Congress returns to session on Monday following a five-week recess.
She noted that this is the 54th straight month the country has experienced an increase in private sector jobs, with the unemployment rate at about 6 percent. She is pushing for Congress to increase the federal minimum wage for workers to $10.10 an hour.
She also said her thoughts are with residents of Napa, American Canyon and Vallejo who are suffering from the aftermath of a 6.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the region nearly two weeks ago.
Boxer said she sent her staff members to the area to help assess damage and commended Gov. Jerry Brown's declaration of a state of emergency for the region. She said she is waiting on President Obama to issue a major disaster declaration in order to provide affected residents with access to federal resources.
Boxer also touched upon immigration reform, ISIS and other state and national issues.
