Brendan Boyle

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin), the distinguished ranking member of the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Amo), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting. I have been participating and listening to this entire debate. Actually, the President's name that has come up the most is President Biden. I think they actually miss him because they would like someone to blame other than the man who is in the White House right now. The American people make it clear with some of the worst approval ratings on the economy in 20-plus years by a 3-1 margin, that they disapprove of this President's handling of the economy--72 percent disapprove. Again, these are the worst numbers since the Great Recession. They need someone else to blame because they know just how poorly things are going right now under this President and Republican leadership. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. McGarvey), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett), who is a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko), who is a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu).

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentlewoman from Washington.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington State (Ms. Jayapal), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentlewoman from Vermont.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Vermont (Ms. Balint), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, we heard a lot of words there. What I didn't hear, though, was even one word, just one, about what this reconciliation bill would do to lower costs for the American people. I didn't hear one word for the 15 million Americans about to be kicked off their healthcare. I didn't hear one word about those who are paying 50 percent more for gas than what they were paying just a couple months ago because of this President's reckless war of choice. There are no words, no plans, nothing in their bill whatsoever to bring down costs for the American people. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries), the distinguished Democratic leader of the House.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), the distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Education and Workforce Committee and also a member of the Committee on the Budget.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I will start by reminding the American people that last year Republicans passed reconciliation 1.0, which President Trump and my Republican colleagues proudly boasted at the time was the big, beautiful bill. Notice, you don't hear much about it anymore. Why? Because the American people figured out what was in it. The bill became one of the most unpopular pieces of legislation to pass Congress in decades, with disapproval more than 2-1 over approval. The reason is simple: because it hurts America's families. The bill cut healthcare for 15 million Americans and raised healthcare costs for millions more. It made the largest cuts to food assistance in American history. It added trillions of dollars to the national debt and all to help pay for the largest tax breaks for billionaires in our Nation's history. That is the Republican record. They cut healthcare. They cut food assistance. They raised costs on working families. They exploded the debt, and then they handed the biggest benefits to billionaires. At the same time, this administration has failed miserably on the economy. We all remember Donald Trump campaigning in my home State, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and across this country, promising the American people he would ``lower prices on day one.'' Well, here we are, just past day 500, and costs are higher than ever. President Trump's reckless tariff taxes have driven up costs for families and businesses. As if that wasn't bad enough, his choice of war in Iran has helped send gas prices soaring, a more than 50-percent increase in just a matter of months. Families are paying more at the pump, they are paying more at the grocery store, and they are paying more for healthcare. With that, you would think that, in reconciliation 2.0, the Republican majority might actually want to do something to fix that situation, to fix the mess they created, but no. This bill does not include one dime to help American families pay for the crushing costs that they bear. On top of all of that, we have the President who is continuing to openly say he wants to give billions of taxpayer money to January 6 insurrectionists. Even though a vast majority of American people oppose that obnoxious notion, there is nothing in this bill to prevent that from happening. Madam Speaker, the American people deserve better than a bill that does nothing to lower costs, nothing to help families, and nothing to stop Donald Trump from rewarding violent criminals who attacked our Capitol. We deserve better. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Norma Ces, as she enters retirement from her long-time role at the Embassy of Ireland, USA. Her exceptional service over the years deserves celebration. I know I join many of my colleagues in commending her for all she has done to promote the relationship between the United States of America and Ireland. Norma first joined the Embassy of Ireland, USA in December 1984, first as assistant to the Deputy Chief of Mission. She then moved to the consular section in 2000, where she helped Irish citizens in need and assisted many Americans secure Irish citizenship and their first Irish passport. In 2010, she started in the Ambassador's office. She has since supported four different Irish Ambassadors to the United States, Michael Collins, Anne Anderson, Daniel Mulhall, and Geraldine Byrne Nason. Her exceptional dedication and passion for her work have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the Irish American community, especially in Washington, D.C. Norma played a key role in enhancing Ireland's political, cultural, and economic engagement in D.C. and across the United States. Her contribution to the Embassy has been essential in facilitating the vibrant transatlantic relationship between the United States and Ireland. The deep community that she helped foster is a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence in her daily life. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of Norma's retirement, we honor her contribution to the Embassy of Ireland, USA.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

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

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I hope and, indeed, urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this simple motion to recommit.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, right now, costs are going through the roof thanks to President Trump's tariff taxes and his reckless war in Iran. Families are paying more for gas, paying more for groceries, paying more for housing, and paying more for healthcare. The list goes on and on. Fifteen million Americans are about to lose their healthcare coverage because of that so-called Big Beautiful Bill Act that Republicans passed and the President signed into law last summer, which just happens to be one of the most unpopular pieces of legislation in modern legislative history. Millions are losing food assistance because of that disastrous law. Working families are stretching every dollar every day. While all of this is happening, Mr. Speaker, what is your President focused on? A ballroom. Mr. Speaker, this tells you everything you need to know about this President's priorities. The American people are asking for lower costs. Donald Trump is asking for a taxpayer-funded vanity project at the White House. Maybe we should start calling Republican reconciliation 2.0 what it really is: the billion dollar ballroom act. That is because this Republican agenda can somehow find money for Donald Trump's ballroom and his billionaire donors, but it can never seem to find a dime to lower costs for the American people. There is not enough money to protect healthcare, not enough money to protect food assistance, not enough money to lower the cost of gas, groceries, housing, or healthcare, but, somehow, there is more money for Donald Trump's big, beautiful ballroom. That is the problem with this entire agenda. It asks working families to pay more and get less, all while Donald Trump gets exactly what he wants. They can find money for tax breaks for billionaires. They can find money for giveaways to the well-connected, and they can find money for Donald Trump's ballroom. However, when it comes to helping families afford a gallon of gas, a bag of groceries, a doctor's visit, or a safe place to live, suddenly Republicans say: We have no money. Americans have been loud and clear. They want costs to go down, and they want it now. They do not want their taxpayer dollars spent on a ballroom so this President can host lavish events with his billionaire friends. If the President cared as much as about lowering costs for the American people as he does his precious ballroom, maybe 1 pound of beef would not cost more than 1 hour of work at the Federal minimum wage. For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. My amendment would simply prohibit taxpayer funding for Donald Trump's White House ballroom. It is simple. Not one taxpayer dollar, not one dime, should be spent on a vanity ballroom while Americans are losing healthcare, losing food assistance, and struggling to make ends meet. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Let me first state for the record that it is always a pleasure debating with Chairman Arrington. We have vigorous debates in the Budget Committee as well as here on the House floor, and it is always a pleasure to do so. I thank he and his staff who are always professional and courteous to us. Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot over the course of this debate. I would like to take a step back and put things in perspective. Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is this: Things are too expensive right now, and they are making it worse. Their policies are making it worse, which is remarkable because 2 years ago, being a resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I saw more TV ads--I should say was subjected to seeing more TV ads, especially during the sports games I watch--than any other State in the country. As different as the two Presidential nominees may have been from one another, one thing they actually agreed on is that the overwhelming majority of the ads from the Democratic nominee and the overwhelming majority of the ads from the Republican Presidential nominee were about the same thing: They were about costs. Everyone agreed that costs were too high, and they needed to come down. This President ran around my State saying: ``I will lower costs on day one.'' Remember when he said that? Here we are not on day one, not on day two, but on day 400, 500, whatever it is, of this Presidency, and costs aren't any lower today than 2024. In fact, they are higher. It is more for healthcare, more at the supermarkets, and more at the gas pumps. Unlike previous downturns in our economy, it is not because of an act of terrorism like 9/11, and it is not because of a downturn in the business cycle. No, it is specifically because of the reckless policies of this administration and those who have supported those policies here in Congress. His reckless trade war has only increased costs. He has doubled down on that policy by now launching a war in Iran that, in just 2 months, has brought gas prices from under $3 a gallon to now $4.22 just today and rising, perhaps approaching $5 a gallon this summer. What has he done on taxes and healthcare and spending? Their first reconciliation bill last year showered tax breaks by the trillions to mostly the wealthy, and it paid for it on the backs of the healthcare of the American people. Here we are now in reconciliation 2.0, and what do we find? There is nothing in here about the price of groceries, nothing to lower the price of gas, and nothing on housing, on childcare, or on healthcare. No, we have $70 billion more for ICE and CBP. We can do far better. The American people deserve better. Say no to their reckless policies. Vote ``no'' on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), a distinguished member of the Financial Services Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland.