Brendan Boyle

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. I would like to recognize Congresswoman Virginia Foxx and Ranking Member Eliot Engel, along with Congressmen Randy Hultgren and James McGovern, for their work on this bipartisan piece of legislation. The War Crimes Rewards Expansion Act would clarify the War Crimes Rewards Program. This program is an important tool for bringing to justice the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Under current law, the United States uses the program to pay rewards for the arrest or conviction of foreign nationals who commit some of the most heinous acts. In the past, bounties have helped find fugitives from the former Yugoslavia to Rwanda. The statute providing authorization for this program specifies that rewards can be paid to individuals who furnish information leading to arrests or convictions for war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide, as those terms are defined under the statutes of international tribunals. H.R. 3851 clarifies that the Secretary of State can also choose to pay rewards for arrests and convictions that take place under the laws of the United States as well as other individual countries. Under certain circumstances, prosecutions will have the greatest impact when they take place in domestic courts within the societies in which those crimes occur. Doing so can help ensure the parties understand the law, witnesses have access to the trials, and public awareness is maximized. The clarification provided in this bill will help build on the program's success, providing the State Department with clear authority to use rewards for a wide range of prosecutions, when appropriate. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend for his belief early on in the season in the Eagles, despite the fact he is a die-hard Broncos fan. The Super Bowl will be a nice diversion from the seriousness of the subject that we are discussing and debating tonight. Let me take us back a bit to a couple of events that, yes, may have happened a little bit before I was born, but I know well as a student of American history. I fear that we are on the verge of repeating them, possibly only days away on the verge of repeating them. In October 1973, the Watergate investigation was being conducted by the special counsel, Archibald Cox. It had been going on, at that point, for most of 1973. On a Saturday night, President Nixon decided to fire the special counsel, in part, because the special counsel was doing his job and was getting too close to uncovering the conspiracy. President Nixon ordered his Attorney General to fire the special counsel. The Attorney General proved to be a profile in courage and refused. It then went to the Deputy Attorney General. The Deputy Attorney General refused. Finally, the number three man, the Solicitor General, named Robert Bork, decided that he would follow what President Nixon wanted and fired Archibald Cox. That became known as the Saturday Night Massacre. When John Chancellor, then the anchor for NBC News, came on the air-- and I was recently rewatching this--he said: Tonight, I utter words I never thought I would say, but we are in the midst of the greatest constitutional crisis in the history of the Republic. I fear that history may very well repeat itself. We now know, since we were last in session--and it has been reported and confirmed by many media outlets, including FOX News--that President Trump has ordered his own White House attorney to fire the special counsel. Why? If the President really has nothing to hide, then why would he fire the special counsel and want to bring this process to an end? It gets back to the very first question that my colleague from Colorado has asked: What does he have to hide? I sincerely hope that the special counsel will find and will prove that nothing happened. That would be the best outcome and best course for all of us as Americans. But, boy, if the President is innocent, he sure isn't acting like it. We must come together--as Democrats and Republicans second, but as Americans first--and do what is in the best interest of justice and of this country and say that the special counsel must be allowed to continue his work until its natural conclusion. If the President moves to fire the special counsel, that, by its very definition, is obstructing justice. This body and the other body on the other side of this building cannot allow that to happen. Here is the good news. In Watergate, ultimately, the American people didn't let it happen. There was such an outcry on a bipartisan basis that, within 48 hours, President Nixon had relented and appointed another special counsel, Leon Jaworski, who ended up being just as dogged, pursued the President all the way to the Supreme Court. Then the Supreme Court ruled, unanimously, that President Nixon had to hand over the tapes even though three of the eight Justices were Nixon appointees. President Nixon, actually, to his credit, complied with that Supreme Court order and released the tapes, including a few tapes that clearly proved he was guilty--the so-called smoking gun--and, within about a week or two, resigned in August of 1974. We can prevent that history from repeating itself if we act here in Congress to ensure there is a proper procedure in place to protect the integrity of this investigation. If that does not take place, there will be, I predict, an outcry of the American people you have not seen or heard since October 1973. This country and its institutions are a heck of lot more important than any political party, and it is about time all of us in this body act in such a way that shows we believe in those words.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the midst of yet another looming government shutdown and an impending nightmare for DREAMers created by those who run Washington. Republicans control the House, the Senate, and elected the great negotiator in the White House, yet here we are again. It is time they come to the table in good faith to provide our Nation fiscal certainty and lay down their threats against DREAMers in this country, those who were brought here as children and live as upstanding members of communities across our Nation. Our priority should be strengthening American families, not ripping them apart. Just this week, as we have all seen on the news, ICE officials forcefully deported Jorge Garcia, a 39-year-old man from Michigan with a wife and kids. He has lived in this country almost his entire life and made an honest living after being brought here as a child. He has hardly a parking ticket on his record. I call on the President and my Republican colleagues to work across the aisle in good faith and lead for the good of our Nation rather than their political base.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to a dangerous backlog at the Social Security Administration that is harming millions of Americans across the Nation, especially in and around the city of Philadelphia. Philadelphians face the longest delays in the Nation, where thousands of applicants wait as long as 26 months, on average, for a basic preliminary hearing. Last year alone, 9,000 Americans died awaiting an SSA benefits determination. In 1974, we made a promise to be there for our elderly, blind, and disabled Americans who have little or no income. They, in turn, rely upon the Social Security Administration to approve their eligibility and administer these life-sustaining benefits. On Monday, I led a letter with my Democratic colleagues from the Philadelphia area and New Jersey demanding answers from the SSA's leadership. Today I rise to stand up for the millions of Americans who are on their own, suffering from a crisis of public service that threatens their ability to afford basic necessities through no fault of their own. I will not stand down until this problem is fixed.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, with the Christmas season upon us, a favorite tradition in my family every year is to sit around the television and watch one of our favorite movies, ``It's a Wonderful Life.'' Like most people, it is hard not to get a lump in your throat at the end as George Bailey and his family prove triumphant. But it occurred to me this week in reading the Republican tax plan that I guess not everyone roots for George Bailey when watching that movie. There are a few people pulling for Mr. Potter. Well, here we have a tax plan that is written for and to the benefit of Mr. Potter and the rest like him: the wealthiest one-tenth of 1 percent. The richest 1 percent in our country are going to get 83 percent of the money in this tax plan, and the wealthiest one-tenth of 1 percent will get the majority of the money in this plan. Today, do you know how much you have to make in order to be in the wealthiest one-tenth of 1 percent in our country? $5 million a year or more. So the Mr. Potter we have in the White House these days is going to be pretty happy, and his family is going to make out. But the working people of Pennsylvania and the working people of America are getting stiffed. Income inequality is higher today than at any point in American history. Many Americans haven't received a pay raise in decades, in real terms, and here we have a tax plan that is going to take that existing problem and make it much worse. This is wrong. This is unfair. It does nothing for the hard-pressed, hardworking middle class of our country who deserve a pay raise. Let's give them a Christmas gift. Let's give them the happy ending that they deserve, the Hollywood movie ending. Let's say that the Mr. Potters of this country have had it damn good for the last 20 years, and let's help out the George Baileys, especially at this Christmastime. Let's say ``no'' to this tax bill.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on December 18, 2017, I missed rollcall vote No. 685, No. 686, and No. 687 on the floor of the House of Representatives. Had I been present, I would have voted Nay, Yea, and Yea, respectively.

Mr. BRENDON F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDON F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to Wawa, Inc., a Pennsylvania based company that will be opening up their very first store in our nation's capital tomorrow. The citizens of Pennsylvania are well acquainted with Wawa food stores; it's where many of them go for their morning coffee as well as a common destination for fresh food at lunch or dinner time. Therefore I would like to recognize Wawa as a Pennsylvania company with a firm commitment to fighting hunger and serving the greater good. At Thursday's grand opening, Wawa will announce its ``Lending a Helping Hoagie Program,'' which will donate a portion of the new location's first week of hoagie sales to the Capital Area Food Bank. Along with that program, Wawa will present the food bank with a grant of $10,000 to help launch its sustainable ``Fresh Community Market'' initiative. Wawa's efforts in the fight against hunger do not end there. Its Share Donation Food Program is a smart, compassionate program that quickly distributes leftover hot food--that would otherwise go to waste--to the communities that need it most. Additionally, until the end of this year, Wawa will continue its ``Check Out Hunger'' campaign that allows customers to donate to Feeding America Food Banks at checkout. I am proud to say that this Pennsylvania institution, with the help of its loyal customers around the country, directly fights hunger in the communities it serves. Wawa stands as an example of a company that recognizes that its obligations do not end at its bottom line. It demonstrates that corporations do not have to choose between being prosperous and undertaking initiatives to help communities. I applaud Wawa for its commitment to fighting hunger, and hope that other companies will follow its example and find innovative ways to make a difference in their community.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, Caitriona Perry has been the Washington Correspondent for RTE, Ireland's public broadcaster, since 2013. She will soon be leaving D.C. to take up a new role as co-anchor of Six-One, the main evening news in Ireland. As the paragon of 21st century multi-media journalism, Caitriona has provided high quality coverage and commentary on the many facets of American life via television, radio, and online content. She has provided live updates to bulletins throughout the day and night from Washington and from major events throughout the United States and overseas, including the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, the Oscars, and the Papal visit to Cuba. Caitriona has been featured in, shot, edited, and produced everything from radio reports on the political happenings of the day, through television packages on the 2016 election to full programs on the Irish in the White House, the Irish in Canada, and the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. She has reported on humanitarian and political stories from throughout Europe, from Australia, Canada and from the UK. She grew up in Knocklyon, Dublin attending Sancta Maria College before receiving a First Class Honours degree in Journalism and a Masters in International Relations from Dublin City University. Prior to joining RTE, Caitriona was with the Irish national radio stations, Today FM and Newstalk. A proud Irishwoman, Caitriona has strongly contributed to Ireland's links with the United States. She has hosted, contributed to and compered various Irish-American events throughout the country on behalf of the Ireland Fund and the Irish Network amongst others. Caitriona also founded the DCU Alumni Chapter in Washington, D.C. Most recently, she fulfilled a life-long ambition when she penned her first book, ``In America: Tales from Trump Country'', published by Gill. A bestseller, `In America' was nominated for an Irish Book Award in November 2017. In acknowledgement of her many achievements Caitriona was named a DCU Distinguished Alumni in 2015. She has also won several awards for her journalism, including multiple National Justice Media Awards for her television work and a PPI National Radio Award for her radio news reporting. During her time in the United States, Caitriona has done meaningful work to shed a spotlight on modern U.S.-Ireland relations. Through her work, she has highlighted important issues, and informed audiences in both America and Ireland. Caitriona will be greatly missed in Washington, D.C. I am grateful for her efforts and know that she will continue to make a meaningful impact in her new role.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Prematurity Awareness Month. Today, we think of infant mortality as a problem of the past, but according to the World Health Organization, complications of pre-term birth now outrank all other causes as the world's number one killer of children under the age of 5. Prematurity is a serious global problem affecting families from every nation and every facet of society, even here in the most developed nation in the world. In the 2017 March of Dimes' Premature Birth Report Card, the United States was awarded a C grade due to the persistence of high pre-term birth rates. However, up to 75 percent of all deaths due to pre-term birth can be prevented through relatively low-cost interventions. We have the resources to address this problem, but we must also have the will. Let's recognize November as Prematurity Awareness Month by supporting efforts at home and abroad to reduce the impact of pre-term births, honor those working on this issue around the globe, and promote policies that will prevent pre-term births and improve outcomes for affected infants. My resolution, H.R. 625, I believe, would do just that.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on November 6, 2017, I missed Roll Call vote No. 607 and No. 608 on the floor of the House of Representatives. Had I been present, I would have voted yea and yea.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from not too far away in Trenton, New Jersey, as well as my colleague from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Today, I rise in support of H.R. 2873, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 207 Glenside Avenue in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, as the Staff Sergeant Peter Taub Post Office Building. Staff Sergeant Taub, a constituent of my 13th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, was a shining example of the best our country has to offer. He exemplified unwavering patriotism and heroic bravery. Peter made the ultimate sacrifice for his country when a suicide bomber took his life in Afghanistan in December 2015. Renaming the Wyncote Post Office in his hometown is really the least we can do to honor him. It is a small but important symbol of our eternal thanks. I am here today urging the House to pass my legislation to do just that. Peter was born on November 2, 1985, in my hometown of Philadelphia, to his parents, Joel Taub and Arlene Wagner. Peter was then raised in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Cheltenham High School in 2004. His mother, Arlene, and brother, Jonathan, run the very popular Washington, D.C., sandwich shop called Bub and Pop's. Peter was inspired by his grandfather's service in World War II, so he enlisted in the Air Force in December of 2007 after attending community college for some time. During his career in the military, Peter was assigned to a base in Japan, where he loaded missiles onto F-15 fighter jets. Three years later, he was transferred to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, where he specialized in arming B-1 bombers. Peter went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity and was hired as a special agent in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations in December 2013. During his service, Peter participated in more than 12 combat missions in hostile areas. Peter was killed, along with four other airmen, in a suicide ambush attack in Afghanistan on December 21, 2015. Peter is survived by his wife, Christina; their 3-year-old daughter, Penelope; and another daughter, Petra, who was born after Peter's death in the summer of 2016. President Obama paid tribute to Peter, as well as the other troops who were killed in the attack, calling their service ``outstanding'' and ``brave.'' I second those descriptions. Posthumously, Peter was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Air Force Combat Action Medal. It is my hope that, with this legislation, the 13th District of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will pay daily tribute to the memory of one of our heroes, Staff Sergeant Peter Taub.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 3441, cripples the right to bargain for better wages and conditions when workers have joint employers. By narrowing the definition of a joint employer, this bill deprives thousands of workers of their right to negotiate with the parties that really exercise control over their wages and conditions; and by undermining collective bargaining, this bill suppresses wages. One of the biggest problems, if not the biggest problem in the economy today, has been the lack of wage growth over the last decade to two decades. This bill will not improve that problem. It will take an existing problem and make it worse. Today, workers are under a direct threat from reckless, misleading legislation like this; and that, ultimately, will do nothing to improve their wages, improve their benefits, or improve their working conditions. Let's reject this bill and, instead, discuss and debate and craft legislation that can improve workers' wages.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this week we honor America's veterans, a group of men and women with unparalleled courage and love of country. We owe our veterans an eternal debt of gratitude. We made a promise to look out for them in exchange for their promise to defend our freedom, but gratitude is not enough. That is why I am fighting to maximize the care homeless veterans receive with my bill to improve reporting from our VA hospitals, to make sure no veteran, at any stage in life, falls through the cracks. I also helped introduce the Patriot Employer Act, which would give tax incentives to American businessowners who employ veterans. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I would like to thank all of our Nation's veterans for their service on this Veterans Day and every day.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the billionaires' budget. That is exactly what the Republican budget is. 79.7 percent of it goes to the richest 1 percent. On top of that, who pays for it? The middle class and working class families of my district. Some 50 million Americans will be paying more in taxes, not less, as a result of this tax plan. Now, I have nothing against the billionaires that my friends on the other side are so eager to help. I just don't think the working class and middle class families of my district should be paying for their tax cuts. We should instead have a budget that focuses on building the middle class out, on lifting up those who have been working for the last 15 years and not getting a pay increase. This budget does absolutely nothing for those families, zero. On top of all of this, it adds $1.5 trillion to our national debt. It is wrong. It does not do anything to help the great American middle class, and it must be rejected.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, the President and congressional Republicans claim they want to, ``Put more money in the pockets of average Americans.'' Well, the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center analyzed their plan, and they found out what it really does, put billionaires first. They found that 80 percent of the Republican tax cuts would go to the richest 1 percent. But that is not all. Also, under their plan, 50 million Americans will see a tax increase. Many of them happen to be constituents of mine, middle class families and working families in Pennsylvania. It is wrong to raise the taxes of my constituents to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. That is wrong, it is bad economics, and it will crush our economy. We need an economy that works for everyone. Let's focus tax relief where it counts, and that is on the middle class.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of our nation's most dedicated advocates for doctors and patients, Dr. Ted Christopher of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, who is to be sworn in on October 14, 2017 as the 168th President of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. As a leader in emergency medicine, Dr. Christopher is the epitome of a physician who goes above and beyond--who uses his or her talents to not only serve individual patients, but also the practice of medicine as a whole. Not only has he been a trustee of the Pennsylvania Medical Society since 2011, but he has also served as president of the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, and the Philadelphia County Medical Society. Dr. Christopher's invaluable contributions to the field of emergency medicine are displayed through his robust academic research. As Professor and Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, he has long been a leader in his field and an inspiring mentor to countless students. I am confident that Dr. Christopher will bring his extraordinary skills and experience to this new position to the benefit of all advocates of best-practices in medical care, and represent Pennsylvania's doctors with honor and distinction. On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I wish him my utmost congratulations and all the best for his coming term.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize MaST Community Charter School, an incredible institution in my district that was just named a 2017 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the Department of Education. MaST is a groundbreaking educational community that emphasizes collaborative, technology-driven, hands-on learning. They are preparing the next generation of American leaders and visionaries who will change the future in ways we can only imagine. Blue Ribbon schools are characterized by the highest level of academic excellence and by their success in closing achievement gaps across student populations. These elite institutions are a gold standard of instruction, inclusion, and innovation. MaST Community Charter School was one of only 342 schools across the country to earn this honor this year. I want to congratulate the teachers, staff, administrators, parents, and students of the MaST Community Charter School on their remarkable and well-deserved achievement.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding. Before I have the opportunity to speak about that, I just want to say briefly what a contrast we see between the Republican tax plan that was released last week and the bill that my colleagues, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey), and I will be talking about. The Republican tax plan that was released last week, I think everyone has acknowledged by now that it is a massive giveaway to the wealthiest 1 percent. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates that 79.7 percent of the top 1 percent would get the benefit. But what most people don't realize is that, under that same tax plan, many middle class families and working class families would see their taxes go up, not down. The same nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates that 30 percent of middle class families would see their taxes go up. We did an estimate of my district in northeast Philadelphia, and suburban Philadelphia. A majority of middle class and working class families in my district would see their taxes go up, all to pay for a massive tax cut for the wealthiest 1 percent. That is wrong. Now, contrast that approach with what we are introducing this week, and I especially praise the leadership of my colleague, Congresswoman Schakowsky, who was the first one to introduce this idea. We are introducing the Patriot Employer Tax Credit Act. It has always bothered me, as someone who has seen jobs leave my district and go overseas and go abroad, that our Tax Code gives an incentive for that sort of behavior; that a company like Mondelez International that closed the factory that existed for more than half a century in Philadelphia, and shipped over 300 jobs to Mexico, that they are able to claim a few tax deductions while doing that. The Patriot Employer Tax Credit Act closes those deductions, and it takes the money and devotes 100 percent of it to benefit those responsible employers, those companies that are providing jobs here at home in America, that are well paid with good benefits. Now, my colleague, Congresswoman Schakowsky, will go into greater detail about some of the aspects of the Patriot Employer Tax Credit Act. But I really think that this should be a bipartisan bill. It is a chance for our colleagues on the other side, even this administration, that says it is concerned about losing American jobs overseas, to join with us on the Democratic side of the aisle. Support the Patriot Employer Tax Credit Act and reject the sort of Wall Street-driven tax cockamamie ideas that give a massive tax cut to the wealthiest 1 percent and require working class and middle class families to pay for it.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, we are right now witnessing a humanitarian crisis--not in some far-flung corner of the world, but right here at home. Mr. Speaker, 3\1/2\ million of our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico, fellow U.S. citizens, are without water and without electricity, cut off from the rest of the world. These are our fellow Americans. Puerto Ricans are just as American as we are. They have fought in every single one of our American wars. They need our help now. This is what we do best as Americans. When there is a crisis, we come together and help our fellow Americans. We must act now. This should be the number one priority of Congress and the White House this week, and we should not leave here until we have let the millions of people in Puerto Rico know that we will be there for them.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on September 7, 2017 my vote on Roll Call 473 on Grijalva Amendment No. 18 to H.R. 3354 was recorded as Nay, but I intended to vote Aye.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, a deep, unbreakable bond unites the United States and Ireland. We are linked through many sectors--historical, cultural, social, sporting, business and political. I would like to congratulate Ambassador Daniel Mulhall as he presents his diplomatic credentials to President Donald Trump. Ambassador Mulhall will be Ireland's 18th Ambassador to the United States. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a Member of Congress with an Irish born parent, I look forward to working with closely Ambassador Mulhall on the U.S.--Ireland relationship. After joining Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs in 1978, Ambassador Mulhall has gained extensive experience working in New Delhi, Vienna, Brussels, Edinburgh, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Germany and then London. During his diplomatic career, Ambassador Mulhall has also held a number of positions at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including as Director-General for European Affairs. He also served as a member of the Secretariat of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation which was set up in 1994 in order to promote political dialogue between different political traditions in Ireland. From 1994 to 1998, he was the Department's Press Counsellor and in that capacity was part of the Irish Government's delegation at the time of the Good Friday Agreement 1998.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, the U.S. Institute of Peace gives people in conflict abroad the skills and techniques to solve their conflicts without resorting to violence. The Institute owes its creation to the many men and women who came before us and worked hard in its creation during the Reagan administration. One of the early founders and board members at the start was Father Ted Hesburgh, who many in this body knew as the president of the University of Notre Dame. Father Ted, as we all called him, sadly, passed away in 2015. Back in 2011, when the Institute was similarly threatened, he wrote this: ``. . . That Congress would seek to eliminate funding for the United States Institute of Peace is abhorrent and unthinkable.'' ``. . . As a man of faith and reason, I know that we need to balance our budget. But I also know that you cannot balance a budget on the backs of our men and women in uniform. Nor can we take the risk of making our country less safe. We need the tools of diplomacy and peacebuilding to stop international conflict before it starts and to manage its aftermath.'' Mr. Chairman, I include in the Record an op-ed Father Hesburgh wrote, dated February 27, 2011. [From the Washington Post, Feb. 27, 2011] The U.S. Can't Turn Its Back on Peace (By Ted Hesburgh) Some would say that by the time you have lived almost a century, you have seen it all. But what I saw the House of Representatives do with its continuing resolution is beyond the pale. That Congress would seek to eliminate funding for the United States Institute of Peace is abhorrent and unthinkable. Congress should know better: The last century marked the most violent and destructive era in human history. Wars great and small cut short the lives of more than 100 million people. We learned a great deal from those wars and, fortunately, we now have a vibrant and active field of peacebuilding. As recent events have shown, there is hopeful progress for peaceful management of conflict but more violence is certain to come in a world where disputes are fueled by religious intolerance, ethnic divisions, failing states, terrorism, intractable territorial conflicts and the uncontrolled proliferation of highly destructive weaponry. The young field of international conflict management is just beginning to bear fruit. Now is not the time, in the face of global adversity, to cut peace. The United States must be a leader in nonviolent international management. This conflict-ridden world needs an organization committed to peacemaking: one that can deploy teams of specialists to conflict zones; create and implement methods of resolving disputes before guns are drawn; and train leaders who can mediate conflicts and make civil societies work. That is why Congress created the U.S. Institute of Peace in 1984. President Ronald Reagan's wise investment continues to pay dividends in the training and education of peacemakers, facilitators, trainers and other experts. As a man of faith and reason, I know that we need to balance our budget. But I also know that you cannot balance a budget on the backs of our men and women in uniform. Nor can we take the risk of making our nation less safe. We need the tools of diplomacy and peacebuilding to stop international conflict before it starts and to manage its aftermath. We have wonderful institutions in the State Department and the Pentagon but they alone cannot deal with every foreign affairs issue. There are times when you need nongovernmental organizations, legislative agencies and the help of those who have relationships on the ground in conflict zones to run interference or to pave the way for officials. We must never suffer from pride and hubris, thinking that only Washington has the answers. All the global conflicts raging around us may have seemed of little consequence to earlier generations. In the new century, however, even small conflicts risk growing to a scale that can destroy lives and economies around the world. In the U.S. Institute of Peace we have an organization that understands the sources of violence as well as the tools to prevent international conflict. If the United States is serious about peacemaking, its citizens and national leaders must defend the institutions that are doing the hard work of transitioning societies from war to peace. The U.S. Institute for Peace should have a permanent home in the nation's capital from which to teach, inspire and prepare current and future generations of peacemakers--and to be a symbol of America's commitment to reducing violent international conflict in the 21st century. We must, as a nation, show courage, steadiness of purpose and commitment to core principles. We cannot afford the alternatives.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3364, the Russia, Iran, and North Korea Sanctions Act. These sanctions are critical to countering aggressive and destabilizing actions by Russia, Iran, and North Korea, sending a strong message at a critical moment. Iran has continued its illegal ballistic missile program, its support for terrorism, and its atrocious human rights record; North Korea has continued to pursue its dangerous development of nuclear weapons; Russia has maintained its aggression in Ukraine, its illegal occupation of Crimea, and its destabilizing actions in Syria. These sanctions also send a long overdue response to the Kremlin's attacks on our elections here at home. I commend this body for coming together on this important American national security issue. I call upon the Senate to pass this legislation and for the President to sign it.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.