Brendan Boyle

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, both of whom have served as not only Members of this House and members of the parliamentary assembly, but both have led that body as president emeritus and our current president, Mr. Connolly. I was there in Brussels with my colleagues just a month ago in the days immediately preceding Vladimir Putin's brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. And there our delegation, on a bipartisan basis, made the case for this resolution, made the case for why such a center is needed now more than ever. We are seeing an attack not only on the people of Ukraine, but on our democratic values. They are at stake in a way today that they haven't been since the fall of the Berlin Wall. And in some sense, they haven't been under this sort of attack since 1945. I am proud to be a part, as Mr. Connolly mentioned, of our NATO Parliamentary Assembly. We will be going this weekend to another such NATO PA meeting. This association, this alliance is needed now more than ever. I am so proud to see this country redouble its commitment to the alliance, but as Mr. Connolly has said time and time again, this cannot just be an alliance built on our shared interest, it must be an alliance based on our shared values. So I strongly support this resolution, and I urge its unanimous bipartisan adoption.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, last week marked the 11-year anniversary of the beginning of the conflict in Syria. Now over a decade old, the crisis in Syria grinds on. Despite claims to the contrary, Bashar al-Assad has not won or extinguished the revolution. But he continues to weaponize and steal UN humanitarian assistance, something the United States must work to stop. Thousands remain in detention, including American citizens Majd Kamalmaj and Austin Tice, subject to brutal torture. The Caesar photos provided heart wrenching and damning proof of Bashar's crimes in regime jails. And more, Assad is flooding his country and the surrounding region with the lethal drug, Captagon, turning Syria into a narco-state. It is why I introduced legislation with my colleague to require the U.S. to prepare an inter-agency strategy to combat Captagon. Congress cannot remain silent on the atrocities of the Assad regime. To that end, we must remain dedicated to preventing the rehabilitation of the regime. Bashar al-Assad and his henchmen must be held accountable for the genocide they are carrying out on the Syrian people. It is why I am proud to serve as the co-chair and co-found of the Friends of a Free, Stable, and Democratic Syria Caucus. I was honored to work with my colleagues on the caucus in passing the Caesar Act, strong bipartisan legislation that punishes Bashar al-Assad for his crimes against humanity. The humanitarian dimensions of the conflict in Syria also extend to areas outside Assad's control. Millions struggle in the Northwest under harsh conditions, particularly the internally displaced who lack proper shelter living in tents with limited access to basic essentials. The U.S. cannot allow Russia to block reauthorization of the remaining cross-border point at Bab al-Hawa. The implications of denying much needed aid could produce the worst humanitarian disaster of the entire conflict. We must also push back against the resurgence of ISIS in eastern Syria. I applaud the Biden Administration for the resumption of funding stabilization projects to gradually rebuild ISIS-liberated areas. Stabilization efforts must be robust and sustained to achieve a positive outcome. Syria is a nation with many challenges but one that the United States and the world cannot ignore or look away from. I salute the efforts of the Syrian-American community's advocacy to address these challenges in calling for a free Syria and look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to achieve that goal.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as my fellow Pennsylvanian, another great Commonwealth. You know which one I am partial toward. Madam Speaker, I not only thank Chairman Keating for his leadership in pushing this resolution but also thank him for the eloquent words that he just spoke. He laid out the situation quite clearly. I would like to just briefly elaborate. Former British Prime Minister David Cameron, to his great credit, said these words about a decade ago: ``There is no doubt, there is nothing equivocal, there are no ambiguities. What happened on Bloody Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable. It was wrong.'' He further went on to say: ``I am deeply sorry on behalf of the British Government.'' Now, despite those truly admirable words and despite the findings and acknowledgment made by successive British Governments, shamefully, none of the individuals involved in the murder of 14 innocent civilians on Bloody Sunday have ever been held accountable. This resolution says: ``The lack of accountability and justice provided to those who perished from the unlawful use of force on Bloody Sunday is both shameful and dangerous.'' Madam Speaker, we remember those who perished. We also recognize the family members of those who were harmed and killed on Bloody Sunday who fought for decades and decades to finally get justice. But we must go further than that. A few weeks ago, I led a bipartisan letter--and, again, this whole effort has been bipartisan, which is always the case when it comes to the issue of peace in Ireland here in the United States. I led a bipartisan letter to object to the British Government's latest plan to institute an amnesty, a blanket amnesty. I quote from this resolution, which is similar to the letter that we sent. ``We oppose any attempt by the British Government to implement amnesty or statute of limitation laws that would end or inhibit investigations and prosecutions of crimes committed during the Troubles, including on Bloody Sunday.'' The resolution further goes on to talk about today and: ``Calls upon the involved parties to fully implement the Northern Ireland Protocol as agreed upon in the interest of maintaining peace and stability on the island of Ireland.'' Madam Speaker, today, in the United States and around the world, as we celebrate St. Patrick's Day, all of us, whether like me of Irish descent or not, let us also make sure that we don't lose sight of this important civil rights issue.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, the world right now, not just Ukraine, but indeed the world, is engaged in a fight between democracy and autocracy. That is what is at stake on what is now the battlefields of Ukraine. I was in Brussels 3 weeks ago at NATO, and I am proud to say I have never seen the West and the transatlantic alliance this united. Certainly, not since the days of the Cold War. Madam Speaker, our trade policy must work in sync with our foreign policy. That is what we are doing here today by revoking this status on Russia as well as Belarus. I strongly support it. I am proud of the fact that the United States and other countries have acted so quickly, in just a matter of a few weeks, to put the strongest sanctions on Russia in American history. We must do this, and we must do even more.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I recognize and celebrate Michael J. Bradley Jr., on the occasion of his service as Grand Marshal of the Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade. The United States Congress is privileged to honor individuals who work to enrich Philadelphia's communities, and is proud to honor our Irish and Irish-American communities as we celebrate St. Patrick's Day at one of the oldest and largest St. Patrick's Day parades in our country. Now, therefore, Congressman Brendan F. Boyle, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, offers his best wishes and appreciation to Michael J. Bradley, Jr., as he leads the Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade as Grand Marshal, and issues this proclamation on Sunday, March 13, 2022.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, the last President made the term ``infrastructure week'' a running joke. Under President Biden and Democrats in Congress, infrastructure decade is now a reality. That decade officially began yesterday afternoon when my colleague and I and many others were over on the South Lawn of the White House to watch President Biden sign into law this historic investment in our Nation's infrastructure. There are two points that I want to make about it. First, this was absolutely needed. Both the International Council of Engineers as well as the American Council of Engineers rated the state of America's infrastructure anywhere as good as a C-minus to as bad as an F, depending on the given year. If you went back a century ago, the United States of America was the unquestioned leader in infrastructure. That is how we were able to build the American century. The fact that a century later we don't lead in that area should bother all of us as Americans. I want America to be number one. That is what we are called to do, to lead. Yet, the state of our infrastructure over years and years and decades had been allowed to fall behind. Well, not anymore. That is point number one, that it is needed. Point number two, what it will produce is jobs. Frankly, the bipartisan infrastructure deal is a blue-collar blueprint for America. My family's background is one that is typical of so many of us in Philadelphia--blue-collar, working-class background. There used to be jobs aplenty if you didn't have a college education, but the reality is, as the United States and most of the West has transformed into a knowledge economy, if you are a blue-collar American, the last several decades have not been that good for you. Well, here is a piece of legislation to address that, to create millions of jobs that don't require a college degree. I passionately believe, as cofounder and co-chair of the Blue Collar Caucus, that it is not sufficient to say to a whole swath of Americans: Well, if you don't have a higher education, too bad. Just go get retrained, figure it out on your own. That is not good enough. We are talking about millions and millions of Americans who deserve to have family-sustaining jobs, who are smart, who are hard working. They just need their government to invest more in them, to create those opportunities. Well, sure enough, that is exactly what this bill does. My colleague, my fellow Pennsylvanian went down the list of the investments that we are making: Roads, bridges, rail, mass transit, replacing lead pipes, high-speed internet. The list goes on and on. It is an investment in America and our people. I am very proud that I voted in favor of this legislation, proud to have worked with my colleagues and this President to make this a reality. And, finally, I do just want to pay a special thanks to the 19 Senate Republicans and 13 House Republicans who did the right thing and joined with us. Obviously, the overwhelming majority of votes for this legislation came from Democrats, but it really says something in this highly partisan time that we were able to get a significant number of friends from the other side of the aisle to join with us and do the right thing on this piece of legislation.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Yes.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Let's face it, we are in a worldwide competition, especially against China. And let me be clear, I am speaking about the Chinese Government, not its people. The Chinese regime does not share our values. It is not committed to democracy. Far from it. President Xi or dictator-for-life Xi actually challenges whether or not democracy will survive. We know that China, through its Belt and Road Initiative, is making infrastructure investments not only in China but in other parts of the world because they want to gain a foothold. I feel passionately about this. As a proud American, I make no apologies for the fact that I want us to be number one in the world. But I believe that it is actually best, not just for the United States, but best for all people in the world who yearn to breathe free. This infrastructure bill will help us not just domestically, but I do believe that as the United States grows, as we grow our economy, as we make an investment in people for whom the modern economy has not necessarily been a good deal, I believe we will help set a shining example to the rest of the world.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th anniversary of a Philadelphia-founded institution: Pep Boys Auto Service and Tires. It was one hundred years ago that a group of Navy buddies with a passion for cars set out to make a living and, in the process, helped to invent the modern automotive aftermarket parts and service industry. As the industry and consumer preferences have changed, so too has Pep Boys. First providing just car parts, then parts and repairs, and now making the shift to providing primarily automotive service for a growing population of American vehicles and fast-growing fleets. To ensure there will be enough skilled technicians to keep our communities moving, Pep Boys also created a scholarship program for aspiring technicians, invested in training and, in a nod to its founders, pledged its loyalty and support to veterans causes. Today, Pep Boys has nearly 1,000 locations across the country and is now once again looking to the future, investing in the ability to service electric vehicles. Pep Boys is committed to serving its customers and communities into the next century with its promise: We go further to help you go farther. As the chair of the Auto Care Caucus and the representative for Philadelphia, I would like to recognize Pep Boys today before the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, we stand on a precipice in which shortly we are about to deliver truly a once-in-a- generation piece of legislation; action that will lower the everyday costs that burden working families in my district in Pennsylvania and throughout the Nation--from healthcare to childcare and more--and fully paid for by making corporations and the richest 1/10 of 1 percent pay their fair share. Here is what it does: First, lower healthcare costs: negotiating lower drug costs for seniors; halting Big Pharma's outrageous price hikes well above inflation; and expanding the Affordable Care Act to make coverage more affordable for those who buy their own insurance. Second, lower childcare and family care costs: expanding the basic promise of free schooling in America for the first time in a century with universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds. This is so critical. In my State, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, only 16 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds have access to universal pre-K. It also will slash families' childcare costs; extend the landmark Biden Child Tax Credit, which has helped reduce child poverty in this country this year by 50 percent; and will expand access to affordable home care for older adults and those with disabilities. Third, we are talking about the largest investment to combat the climate crisis in our Nation's history: cutting pollution; reducing energy costs; creating good-paying jobs with a transformational investment to ensure America leads the worldwide clean energy economy. Why would we want China to take the lead on that? They are already investing a ton of money in clean energy. It is time for the United States to catch up and take the lead. We are the number one country, but in order to remain the number one country, we have to get with it when it comes to where the jobs will be in this century. The Build Back Better Act lowers costs and fights inflation because-- and I hope everyone hears this--it is fully 100 percent paid for. Not one person who makes under $400,000 a year will pay one extra dime in taxes, not one. In fact, many, especially those families with children, will see their taxes go down. Mr. Speaker, I want to paraphrase--and I hope I have the quote exactly right; I am going on memory. I remember when I was growing up in Pennsylvania some decades ago in the 1980s, our Governor was Bob Casey, Sr., a legendary figure in Pennsylvania politics. He once said: What did you do when you had the power? That is a question that will be asked of all public servants. What did you do to help people when you had the power? That is what the Build Back Better Act is about, answering that question; delivering in all of these measures that I just cited. Once this passes the House, passes the Senate, and is signed into law, it will truly be the most important domestic bill in my lifetime. It will help ordinary people, from the Second Congressional District of Pennsylvania, to all 435 congressional districts in this Nation. Working families deserve it. Look at how hard it is today to achieve the American Dream. We know, based on statistics, that working families and middle class families are struggling out there. Yes, the unemployment rate is coming down. We are in such a better position right now than where we were a year ago. Every single statistic supports that. It is not enough. We need to build back and we need to build back better.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India, also commonly referred to as the ``Sikh Massacre.'' Sikhism, which originated in Punjab, India, saw its followers first begin immigrating to our shores nearly 130 years ago. The Sikh community is one of the largest in the world, with roughly 30 million followers globally and more than half a million here in the United States. The massacre against the Sikhs began in the capital territory of Delhi and a number of other major Indian cities on November 1, 1984, following the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The first Sikh life was tragically taken early that morning in East Delhi. The violence, which lasted 3 days, resulted in thousands upon thousands of casualties among the Sikh community. In the aftermath of the massacre, it was reported that nearly 20,000 were forced to flee the city, leading to countless displaced people. Madam Speaker, remembering the Sikh Massacre is a pivotal and historic step in the fight for justice and accountability for the families of all those victims.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to ask the House of Representatives to join me in honoring the life of Ethel Fran Eddy, a Holocaust survivor, who passed away on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at the age of 82 years old. Ethel was less than a year old when World War II began. She and her family were forced to flee Govorovo, Poland to escape the Nazis. They fled to Siberia for the remainder of the war. Two of her brothers were tragically killed by the Nazis while studying at Yeshiva. Once the war ended, Ethel and her family managed to make it to Paris, where her mother tragically passed. After being denied entry into Israel by the British, they eventually came to the United States through Brooklyn, New York. Ethel dreamed of becoming a Rockette and living the American Dream. She and her first husband had three children and resettled in the South Jersey area. She later married George H. Eddy. She later graduated from Temple University with a degree in Business. She taught Hebrew school and worked as a saleswoman for her husband's stationery supply company, selling to college bookstores. Later, following her retirement, Ethel moved to Del Ray Beach, Florida. She is survived by her children Laura Goldman, Jeffrey Goldman, Kevin Broadie, Barry Goldman and Jean Goldman, as well as her grandchildren, Theodore and Benson Goldman, and Zoe, Lucas and Dylan Broadie Goldman. I ask that my colleagues in the House take this opportunity to celebrate Ethel's life and legacy, and I offer my best wishes to her family during this difficult time.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask that the House of Representatives join me in honoring the life of Mark Miller, who passed away on Friday, September 24, 2021. He will be remembered as a leader and activist for public education. For decades, Mark has been a great force for positive change in the Philadelphia region. Most notably, through his vigorous advocacy for students, teachers, and public schools. He has inspired many to fight for quality, equitable and free education. He served on the Centennial School District School Board and was a Pennsylvania School Boards Association leader. Outside of his work on public education, he was also the commissioner and official for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, overseeing programs in soccer, basketball, and softball. He was a leader in our community and will be greatly missed. I ask that all of my colleagues in the House join me in celebrating Mark's life, as well as his legacy of public and community service.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I will attempt to address two things: the present and the future. First, on the present, there is no question, none--and let's not let the other side get away with this conflating of two different things-- this is not about adding new debt. It is about whether or not we are going to pay the bills for the old debt that was already rung up under all of the previous administrations combined, including, and especially, the last one. That is what this is about. Are we going to pay our bills? Of course, the answer is yes. I have voted to raise the debt ceiling under a Democratic administration, and I have done it under a Republican administration because it is the responsible thing to do. But the second thing is the future. Why do we constantly keep finding ourselves in this rather bizarre, counterproductive debate that achieves nothing? We always know the debt ceiling is ultimately going to be raised. The question is: How much of a political game of chicken will we have to go through? And that game of chicken comes at a real cost. The last time the United States came close to not raising the debt ceiling was exactly 10 years ago. The GAO found the cost at $1.3 billion, and, my God, just imagine if ever a miscalculation brought about an occasion in which by accident we truly didn't raise the debt ceiling. When on the Ways and Means Committee I asked Secretary Mnuchin what would happen, he replied that the consequences would be so dire he couldn't even imagine them. So let's fix this. I have a piece of legislation with Budget Committee Chairman Yarmuth that would take this out of the political sphere. It would depoliticize it. And instead, make this the responsibility of the Treasury Secretary--Democratic Treasury Secretary today, Republican Treasury Secretary tomorrow. That would be the responsible approach and end this game once and for all.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse), who does a wonderful job, as well as my friend, my fellow Pennsylvanian, Mr. Cartwright. I am glad to be here in this good fight with them, but I wish we didn't have to be here fighting this fight. I mean, why do we do this to ourselves? Here is what I mean. Congress does a lot of dumb things, historically, year in, year out. I think most people would agree on that. But of all the dumb things Congress does, this repeated political food fight over the debt ceiling is without question the dumbest, the most unnecessary, and the potentially most dangerous. Now, I want to point out, for the record, almost no other country on Earth even has this concept of the debt ceiling. In the few that do, none of them--none of them--have this sort of political fight where a figurative sword of Damocles is hanging over the entire country and its economy. It makes no sense, and there is no benefit to it, none. Now, year in, year out, when we have this, again, dumb and unnecessary debate over the debt ceiling, a lot of people, especially people who have been in town for a while, will say, somewhat cynically: Well, you know, eventually, they are going to raise it. What is the fuss? Eventually, they are going to raise it. Sure enough, every single time, it has finally been raised. But that kind of fight over seeing which side will give in first, that sort of political game of chicken, has a real cost. I want to cite this figure. It was 10 years ago, almost exactly 10 years ago, that we came the closest to not raising the debt ceiling. It was in the summer, late summer of 2011. The GAO found that that delay in raising the debt limit, that sort of uncertainty as we approached the deadline, that increased the Treasury's borrowing costs by $1.3 billion. Just imagine what we could do right now with $1.3 billion, what that would mean for my constituents in Pennsylvania or constituents in Colorado or in any State or any district in the country. This has a real cost and, of course, if we were to ever go over the edge and fall off, the effects, not just for the United States but for the worldwide economy, would be devastating. On the Ways and Means Committee, I have had the opportunity to interrogate a number of Treasury Secretaries over the years. Whether it was Trump's Treasury Secretary, Mr. Mnuchin, or President Biden's Treasury Secretary, Ms. Yellen, both have given almost verbatim answers when I asked them about what the consequences would be if we actually did ultimately default. Here we are again at this point. Madam Speaker, what I want to do then is solve this problem, not just for this latest instance, but for all future ones. So I am introducing legislation this week, along with Budget Committee Chairman Yarmuth, the two of us. Our bill works like this. It would give to the Treasury Secretary, now and in the future, the ability to raise the debt ceiling. If Congress disagreed with that decision, Congress could always overrule it by passage in the House and the Senate. But the authority would rest where it should, with the Treasury Secretary. This just makes sense. It would eliminate, once and for all, this dumb political food fight. It would also ensure that this is taken out of the political realm and put where, frankly, it should have rested back in the beginning, over at Treasury. Now, I have had a bill for years now, in many different sessions of Congress, to just scrap the debt ceiling altogether. The way it is practiced today was in no way envisioned when it came into existence almost 80 years ago. But I understand the practical political realities of that, so we are pragmatically putting in this alternate approach, this different piece of legislation. I would urge those in the House and Senate for whom raising the debt ceiling might be a politically difficult vote to consider this piece of legislation so that you, yourself, don't have to vote to raise the debt ceiling, but that the appropriate official, the head of Treasury, would have that authority, again, still reserving for Congress the ability to intervene if, for some reason in the future, we were to ever disagree with the decision of a future Treasury Secretary. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record an op-ed that I wrote on this subject just about a month or two ago, and I would urge all colleagues of mine, in the House and the Senate, to stop playing politics with this issue. The Debt Ceiling: A Broken Mechanism Why do we keep doing this to ourselves? Congress finds itself in an all too familiar position: working against the clock to reach a deal on the debt ceiling. Failure to raise the debt ceiling would bring default on our nation's debt, and likely worldwide economic collapse. I can't help but feel a sense of deja vu as I remember this scene unraveling two years ago, and too many times to count before that. The debt ceiling was created to put a cap on what the government can borrow--in order to pay its own bills. The government issues debt. Congress sets that debt limit. This explains why the debt ceiling needs to be raised or suspended continuously. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the government currently is $28.5 trillion in debt within this self-imposed limit. When the limit is reached, the Treasury Department can no longer pay its bills and risks defaulting on its own debt obligations. Looking back at its own history, the debt ceiling has been raised over 100 times. What once may have been a helpful lever that could be used in a thoughtful way is no more. That noble function, if it ever existed, is but a thing of the past. Instead, it has become highly politicized, costly, and downright dangerous. Even if the debt ceiling is ultimately raised, just the uncertainty alone is costly. During the 2011 debt ceiling negotiations, in which a compromise was struck only two days before Treasury's borrowing authority would be exhausted, the GAO found the delay in raising the debt limit led to an increase in Treasury's borrowing costs of $1.3 billion. The debt ceiling does nothing but create pointless panic, harming workers and businesses that fuel our economy. Factoring in our current recovery from the pandemic economy only exacerbates this self-inflicted Crisis. Many people have lost jobs or seen household incomes drastically cut. The June 2021 data from the Census Bureau revealed there are 25 million people who are unemployed, or who live with an unemployed family member. There is a lot at stake out there. It's clear we need to do everything we can to protect the integrity and fabric of our economy. Our current process of ``governing by a deadline'' does the opposite. The debt ceiling, and the recurring havoc it brings, is a completely broken mechanism. With Democrats in full control of the White House and Congress, we must seize the opportunity to finally fix this flawed policy--by simply getting rid of it. This is why I have introduced legislation, House Resolution 1041, to kill the debt ceiling once and for all. The time is now to make this common-sense change. We cannot wait a few more years. We need to work together to implement smart fiscal policies that grow our economy, and don't threaten to destroy it. It is long past time to permanently retire this sword of Damocles.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Yes, that is correct. It would apply to the Treasury Secretary, who currently is a Democrat, but also in the future, for years and years to come. So, inevitably, over the course of the decades and centuries, there would be plenty of Democratic and Republican Treasury Secretaries who would equally have that ability.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. If you don't mind, I want to answer in a slightly different way your question. I will tell what you Secretary Mnuchin said because that answer is more memorable to me. This was a couple of years ago, obviously. It was at least a couple of years ago now, and he was testifying in front of the House Ways and Means Committee, on which I serve. He was testifying in front of the House Ways and Means Committee, on which I serve. And I asked him: What would the specific tangible consequences be if we failed to raise our debt ceiling? For a couple of seconds, he just kind of paused, and he said: Congressman, the consequences would be so dire, just so unimaginable, that it is really hard to articulate just how bad it would be. So even he had difficulty going into the sort of ramifications that it would have.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. I was going to remind everyone--of course, as the gentleman knows--this was President Trump's appointed Treasury Secretary who was saying this.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, one thing I want to make clear, as Mr. Neguse very eloquently did, is that the position on this side of the aisle has been completely consistent, regardless of the political party of the occupant of the White House. I voted every single time to raise the debt ceiling while Donald Trump was President. I have served for 7 years, so 4 of those years under a Republican President, 3 of those years under a Democratic President. In fact, the majority of the votes I have cast to raise the debt ceiling have been under a Republican administration. For many of my colleagues on this side of the aisle, they can say the same thing. So I am being completely consistent; those of us on this side of the aisle are being completely consistent. It is the other side, especially in the Senate, that is playing this political game that is so dangerous and so unnecessary.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, we feel the wind of history at our back this week and next. This has been a long time coming. Not since the mid-1960s have we had such an opportunity to do so many big, bold, and historic things as we have in front of us right now; things like paid family leave; modernizing and rebuilding our K-12 public schools, tuition-free community college, universal pre-K; and injecting the single biggest investment in our infrastructure in our Nation's history, roads, bridges, rail, replacing water and sewer lines that have been there for over a century, taking out old gas lines that are dangerous, leaded pipes that have literally cost lives. This is all right in front of us right now, and here in the House, it hangs by perhaps a few votes. Just one or two votes may make the critical difference. Every single one of these measures I mentioned is popular, every single one. And it is not just Democrats. Sixty-six percent of Americans support the package I just described. That includes 61 percent of Independents, and even 39 percent of Republicans. The American people get it. They recognize that we must rebuild America, rebuild our infrastructure in terms of our physical infrastructure and the infrastructure of our society. Now, some might ask, understandably, okay, all these things sound great, but how are you going to pay for it? Well, in the Ways and Means Committee, we just put our money where our mouth is. We just put up vote after vote to raise taxes on the richest one-tenth of 1 percent; to raise the revenue necessary to fund every single one of the priorities that I just described. I understand there are those who want to keep things as they are; who don't believe we should invest in our infrastructure; don't believe we should have paid family leave, even though the rest of the industrialized world has it and has for decades; don't believe that we should have funding for child care. They want to keep the system the way it is. They like the idea that there was just a $2 trillion tax cut under the previous administration, none of it paid for and, according to CBO, 83 percent of it going to the richest 1 percent. They are fine with that. But in terms of reforming our tax system to make the richest Americans pay their fair share and to use that money to invest in the American people, they are opposed to that. Well, I proudly support it. This will be one of the best votes I cast in my career. This is an exciting, truly transformative time in our Nation's history. It is now incumbent upon all of us in the House, all of us in the Senate, to seize this moment. The rebuilding of America begins now.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to ask the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Emma C. Chappell, a pioneer in the banking community who passed away on March 16th at the age of 80. Mrs. Chappell was born Emma Carolyn Bayton in Philadelphia in 1941. Raised by her father after her mother passed away when she was 14 years old, Mrs. Chappell graduated from West Philadelphia High School. At the age of 16, her pastor and civil rights activist Leon H. Sullivan recognized her aptitude for mathematics and encouraged her to go into banking. After high school, Mrs. Chappell became a clerk photographer at Continental Bank in 1959. Mrs. Chappell set her sights on becoming a top bank executive, determined to use her grit and tenacity to succeed. As a newlywed to her husband, Verdayne, Mrs. Chappell attended Temple University at night for five years. In 1971, after completing an executive program that allowed her to work in several different departments and gain invaluable experience, she was promoted to Assistant Treasurer of Continental Bank. In 1977, she was promoted to Vice President at Continental, the first African American to serve in that role and the first female Vice President of a major bank in Pennsylvania. In this capacity, Mrs. Chappell oversaw the Community Business Loan and Development Department, granting more than $30 million in loans to African American and women owned businesses. In 1992, after a five-year effort to raise the $5 million that was then required to capitalize a bank, Mrs. Chappell founded the United Bank of Philadelphia, becoming the first African American woman to charter a commercial bank in the United States. At the same time, she began to expand her good work beyond the banking world. She was one of the founders of the Rainbow Coalition, the organization founded by Jesse Jackson to promote racial equality. She also worked to organize what would later become the Philadelphia Commercial Development Project. During her 20-year tenure in banking, Mrs. Chappell held an impressive record of a less than one percent loan loss ratio, despite offering loans to those who might be turned away by other financial institutions. Emma Chappell was a trailblazer in the banking community and leaves behind a legacy of using her position to bring new opportunities and resources to underserved Philadelphians. Although she is no longer with us, her work will continue to live on and inspire generations to come.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this is a historic day. Among other things, today, in this bill, we will be voting to cut child poverty by 50 percent in the United States of America. That is just one reason why this is the most popular economic rescue plan in my lifetime. I have voted for this bill three times already. The only thing better is getting to vote for it a fourth time. To the American people: Help is finally on the way.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Michael Hand before the United States House of Representatives in recognition of his retirement as Assistant Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (EASRCC). Mr. Hand, a Philadelphia native, has led a remarkable career defined by his ardent and diligent service to union members nationwide. Originally from the River Ward section of Philadelphia, commonly called the Flat Iron, Mr. Hand earned his start in the labor community as member of Local Union 1050, serving on its Executive Board in numerous capacities for nearly 30 years. Prior to being appointed to his leadership role at the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Mr. Hand served as one of the EASRCC's Senior Area Managers, expertly assisting the organization and its 40,000 members in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and 10 North Carolina counties. Throughout his accomplished and lengthy career as a skilled carpenter, Mr. Hand was involved in construction projects at some of Philadelphia's most well-known institutions, including at the University of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia International Airport, Luken Steel, the Philadelphia Convention Center, and Liberty II, among others. While Mr. Hand no longer resides in Philadelphia, he continues to selflessly give back to our community through his involvement with the ``Carpenters Who Care'' program, that helps carpenters struggling with addiction, and through his volunteer work with the Center of Support for Children's Advocates and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals (SPCA). I wish Mr. Hand and his family the best in their future endeavors. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our sincerest appreciation to Michael Hand for his extraordinary contributions to our society.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, after 12 months of death and despair, the American recovery begins tonight. Mr. Speaker, this is a big and bold plan, one of the largest bills in the history of Congress. It is exactly the sort of bold plan that is needed to meet the crisis of this moment. And unlike some on the other side, the American people understand it. That is why this plan is more popular than any economic package in my lifetime. A majority of Democrats, a majority of Independents, and even a majority of Republicans support this plan. Mr. Speaker, the time to act is now. Let us begin the great American recovery and pass this plan.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I was struck about 15 minutes ago when one of the speakers on the other side made the claim that the Democratic agenda was rejected by the American people in November. It was so rejected, Democrats won the House, the Senate, and the White House for the first time in a dozen years. That is rejection I can take. The reality is, the American people put us in charge because the previous administration's response to COVID was so weak and so ineffective. It is a sad fact that more than 400,000 Americans have died from COVID. This is now one of the four most deadly events in American history. We have 20 percent of the COVID deaths and 20 percent of the COVID cases worldwide. To deal with the enormity of the crisis, we need a big, bold plan, such as the Biden 1.9 plan. Mr. Speaker, economists are famous for not agreeing. Because economists were so famous for saying, ``Well, on the one hand, or on the other hand,'' Harry Truman, when asked, said the one thing he wanted was a one-handed economist. So it is striking that economists all across the ideological spectrum--liberal, centrist, conservative-- all favor going big in this moment. That is what this plan does. I am also struck by the fact that there must be a Democrat in the White House because the other side is suddenly talking about the deficit and the debt again. When there is a Republican in the White House, it is not a big concern. Again, Mr. Speaker, economists agree: This is not a moment that we should be concerned about the deficit and the debt. This is a moment when, once and for all, we need to finally tackle this pandemic.