Brendan Boyle

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we celebrated Fourth of July, the 240th birthday of our Nation's independence, and the celebrations were quite vivid in my district, which includes parts of Philadelphia, the birthplace of our Nation. One refrain I got often when walking in parades in my district yesterday, and I was really struck by it, was people calling out: ``Thank you, thank you for the sit-in. I watched the sit-in. That's great.'' I was really struck because, frankly, I have not had that experience of people so finely tuned to what is being broadcast on C-SPAN. It speaks to the desire for people that we address this issue and the frustration that is out there that we just have moments of silence, and then total silence. This is the time to act. No more Orlandos, no more Sandy Hooks, no more Auroras. Let's call up today the two bills that are supported by 90 percent of the American people.

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 would be happy to speak on this resolution, but we are very privileged to have its author right here with us. So I will yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I thank my colleagues for bearing with me while I am a little hoarse in doing this duty here tonight. I had a little bit too much screaming at our 4th of July festivities and parades in Philadelphia and Montgomery County yesterday. Mr. Speaker, I really admire--and I am not sure if it was done intentionally this way--the wisdom of the chairman and those who scheduled these two resolutions coming in tandem because I think they are both important, and I am enthusiastic about both of them. It is impossible to tell the story of the United States of America without the enormous contributions and resilience shown by those who are the descendants of slaves who were brought here to our shores against their will. I am, like many of us, the descendant of immigrants who came here willingly. Though they came here with nothing, at least they came here willingly. And of course that does not represent the entire American experience. So I think that this is an important resolution. I commend my colleague from Virginia (Mr. Scott) as well as Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner for their championing of it. I am proud to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Frankie Prout, a young man from the Port Richmond area of Philadelphia described by his devoted mother Jacqueline as happy and well-loved by everyone who knew him. I also rise in honor of the 129 victims of drug overdose deaths each day; 78 of those from opioids. In February of 2012, at the tragically young age of 20, Frankie succumbed to a heroin overdose in a half-way house, preceded by his addiction to Percocet--an addiction that began two years earlier with a prescription from the dentist. After repeated attempts to seek rehabilitation and attempts to qualify for meaningful treatment, Frankie was denied the resources he needed to overcome his addiction. We must remind one another of people like Frankie, and put names and faces to the nearly 30,000 people who fall victim to opioid overdose each year. But we must also take action to make that tragic number zero. We as elected leaders must not abandon any more victims like Frankie. And we cannot stand by as mothers like Jacqueline bury their children.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman from New Jersey showing that those from Philadelphia and those from across the Delaware River, in New Jersey, can get along, and I appreciate his support on this issue. Just to continue and conclude with what I was saying, the Navy and National Guard have taken responsibility for contamination and have agreed to pay approximately $19 million to provide replacement water, install filtration systems on affected public wells, and hook homes with affected public wells into public water systems, but the community is seeking information regarding their years--possibly decades--of past exposure due to our military's contamination. I think the amendment that Mr. Meehan and I are offering for $7 million in the context of a $32 billion operations, maintenance, and defense-wide account for screenings is reasonable. I understand, though, the recent Defense Department concerns. I look forward to working with the chairman, as well as the ranking member, to ensure that we continue to fight for and advocate for our constituents in Montgomery County and Bucks County and all those potentially across the country who may be affected by this same issue. It is an issue that this body must pay closer attention to. Let's inform communities as the Defense Department investigates the potential scope of this issue.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague who also represents Montgomery County and parts near Philadelphia, Mr. Meehan. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with him on this issue on a bipartisan basis, as well as our colleague, Mr. Fitzpatrick, from Bucks County. Mr. Chair, PFOA and PFOS are chemical compounds, PFCs, that are found in the firefighting foams that have been used on military bases throughout the country. The EPA and other agencies are testing these chemicals for suspected links to cancer and other serious health impacts and recently lowered advisory levels for drinking water. This past March, the DOD released a list of 664 sites nationwide where these firefighting foams might have been used and similarly infiltrated local groundwater. Every State in the Union has at least one of these sites. The DOD is currently investigating. To date, 16 public wells and 140 private wells in our area have been taken offline because of the Navy's contamination at and around the former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove in my district. This list will likely grow.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate National Police Week and to honor police officers killed in the line of duty. Sobering stories of everyday heroes lost in the line of duty led me to introduce H.R. 2350, Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act, along with my fellow Pennsylvania colleague, Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick. This is a commonsense bill that would ease the financial burden of families of fallen law enforcement as well as other first responders by increasing Federal student aid opportunities for those children to pursue a college education. Every child should have a fair opportunity to pursue a college degree, especially those who have suffered the unimaginable loss of a parent in the line of duty. I commend the Senate for passing our companion bill earlier this week, and I call upon the House to pass our bill immediately.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, in this often colorful Presidential election, which has gotten much attention not only here in the United States but around the world, it occurred to me in watching the coverage last night that there is actually something the majority of Americans and probably a majority of both those who are supporting Donald Trump and those who are supporting Bernie Sanders agree on; that is that they believe Washington, D.C., is bought and paid for. Mr. Speaker, as someone who has chosen public service as a profession, that deeply concerns me. A majority of Americans believe right now that we are all tainted by this campaign finance process, even though I believe that most who have chosen this profession are good and honorable people who are wanting to do the right thing. The fact is we are all tainted by the way in which our campaigns are financed, but we can change that. It is time for public financing of elections. It is time for H.R. 20, Government By the People Act. Let's get all of the outside money entirely out of the system and return the confidence that the people will have in their elected officials.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this week, we recognize Equal Pay Day--a somber reminder of the intolerably wide wage gulf that still exists between men and women. This is not just a ``woman's issue.'' It affects every working family throughout our economy from top to bottom. The average woman in America today makes 79 cents for every dollar a man makes--even less for women of color. That disparity, when spread across the course of a woman's working life, can deprive her and her family of over $430,000, which is nearly $11,000 annually. Nobody can afford such dispossession, especially families who are already struggling to survive. The gender pay gap will not fix itself without there being immediate congressional action. We already have a bill that is designed to right this wrong--the Paycheck Fairness Act--which is cosponsored by every single House Democrat. Mr. Speaker, I implore my colleagues to enact it so that all American women can at least know they are worth equal pay for equal work.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on March 23, 2016 I traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to attend the funeral of my dear friend, John Sullivan, who lost his battle with cancer. For this reason, I missed rollcall vote Number 136 through 138 on the floor of the House of Representatives. Had I been present, I would have voted yea, nay, yea, respectively.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), my friend.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson) in order to speak and elaborate a little more on Officer Ortega's life and his sacrifice and service.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, like we heard previously about Officer Holloway, Officer Francis Manuel Ortega is clearly worthy of this honor. My heartfelt sympathies go to his family. I hope today it might bring them some small measure of comfort. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

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

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Adams), my fellow freshman colleague.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R. 3735, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 200 Town Run Lane in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as the Maya Angelou Memorial Post Office. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1928, Maya Angelou is best known for her literary talents as an author and poet. While the 1970 autobiography that recounts her life, ``I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,'' remains her most notable work, Maya Angelou authored dozens of other award-winning novels, essays, and poems, many of which reflect on her own life and experiences as well as on broader social and political issues. Prior to her prolific literary career, Angelou also experienced success as a singer, actress, civil rights activist, and educator. Her many accolades include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was bestowed upon her by President Barack Obama in 2010. Dr. Angelou passed away in May 2014. Madam Speaker, we should pass this bill to honor the legacy of Maya Angelou and the countless contributions her life and work made to the many facets of American society. I urge the passage of H.R. 3735. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, again, I urge passage of this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am happy to echo and second the eloquent words that were just said by my colleague on the other side of the aisle. Rather than repeat them or preempt the next speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond).

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, clearly, as we just heard, Officer Holloway is exactly the kind of person that we should recognize as a country. It is also a reminder--and I say this representing hundreds, if not thousands, of Philadelphia police officers in my district. It is a reminder of just how dangerous the job of being a police officer is in our society. It is quite clear that Officer Holloway paid the ultimate sacrifice to Louisiana and also to our country. He is worthy of this honor. I urge all those in this House to adopt this bill. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, it is clearly a busy day in New Orleans. Much like the previous bill, rather than speaking and simply repeating the eloquent words that were previously spoken, I would rather yield such time as he may consume again to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond), my colleague, who proudly represents his State.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, but I will be brief. One of the nice things about doing this is getting to hear the stories of ordinary Americans who make tremendous sacrifices. And clearly, Second Lieutenant Ainsworth was an extraordinary American who made such a sacrifice. I am proud to support this resolution, and I urge its adoption. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

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