Brendan Boyle

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva), the ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, just to be clear, to correct the Record, three times under former President Trump, the debt ceiling was increased. Many of us on this side of the aisle voted for it, even though it was a President not of our own party. In those three debt ceiling increases, zero of them, zero included cuts to any government spending. In fact, two of them included increases to government spending. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I keep hearing this doom and gloom from the other side of the aisle that we are on the brink of catastrophe. Here is the headline in the world's leading economic magazine, a magazine that is considered right of center. This is their headline 2 weeks ago: ``The lessons from America's astonishing economic record. The world's biggest economy is leaving its peers even further in the dust.'' That is the accurate record of where this country and its economy stand right now. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes).

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

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, first, I thank my friend, Mr. Arrington, and truly, we have been friends for our entire time of service here. I respect his sincerity and how committed he is on this issue. I say to him, and I hope he will take this under consideration, that it is so irresponsible to use the debt ceiling in this way. Here is the analogy. I mentioned three times we raised the debt ceiling with a Republican President. Imagine if, in one of those debt ceiling debates, this side of the aisle said: ``Well, we care deeply about raising the minimum wage. Right now, we have the longest period in American history, for as long as the minimum wage has existed, without an increase, about 15 years.'' What if this side of the aisle said: ``We are not going to vote for a debt limit increase. We are going to use this as leverage, and in return, you need to raise the minimum wage, or you need to expand Medicare to those 55 and older.'' That would be irresponsible, as well. The debt ceiling is about past spending that both sides often voted for, that Presidents of both parties signed into law. Now, if we want to have a conversation about future spending, we welcome that. We will negotiate on that, but we will not negotiate on whether or not America pays its bills, period. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar), a member of the Budget Committee.

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

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, listening to all of the doom and gloom from the previous speaker, you might forget for a moment that right now, in the world, the greatest economic recovery from COVID is that of the United States of America, with the greatest job growth in my lifetime. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Levin).

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Craig), a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Ocasio-Cortez).

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

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman on the other side for this vigorous debate. Again, I would remind all of us about what is involved in the DOA act: the single biggest cut to nondefense programs in American history. It would, according to Moody's Analytics, lead to 800,000 job losses by the end of 2024 and a dramatically increased likelihood of a recession. It would do absolutely nothing to solve the real problems that we have in our society. Mr. Speaker, this is not good policy for the American people. This will jeopardize the record job growth that we are currently experiencing. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members of this House to make the DOA act exactly that, dead on arrival. Vote ``no.'' Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is my solemn honor to ask the House of Representatives to join me in honoring the life of Christopher Fitzgerald, a constituent of my district and Temple University Police Officer who was tragically killed in the line of duty in North Philadelphia on February 18th of this year. Officer Fitzgerald was a valued member of the Temple community, passionate about serving our city. He was a loving father, a dedicated husband, a committed son, brother, and a lover of Philadelphia sports. Officer Fitzgerald was born in the City of Philadelphia and comes from a family with a proud tradition of protecting and serving the public in law enforcement. Officer Fitzgerald entered the Philadelphia Police Academy in 2017, and served as a police officer for the Philadelphia Housing Authority before transferring to the Philadelphia Sheriff's Department. In 2021, Officer Fitzgerald joined the Temple University Police Department, where he served with distinction, being recognized with the 2022 Officer of the Year award. Officer Fitzgerald's commitment to serving the public was absolute, and he took great pride in his work protecting the Temple Community. He was loved and respected by his colleagues, and when presented with risks in the line of duty, he never hesitated for a moment in taking action to keep the City of Philadelphia safe. His conduct was and is an extraordinary example of absolute commitment to his community and city that we all should work to emulate. Even as we mourn, we profit from the example of selfless service Officer Fitzgerald leaves us with. So I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in offering our shared condolences to Officer Fitzgerald's family, and to join me in honoring his life and unwavering dedication to protecting and serving the Temple University community and the entire City of Philadelphia.

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 Margaret ``Peg'' Rzepski, a Constituent Services Representative in my Philadelphia offices, as she retires after 36 years of service to the House. A lifelong Philadelphia resident, Peg has dedicated her career to working for the people of Philadelphia. Beginning her service in the office of former Congressman Thomas Foglietta, Peg later worked for former Congressman Robert ``Bob'' Borski and former Congressman Robert Brady. Since January of 2019, Peg has faithfully served as a member of my staff, working tirelessly for the residents of the City of Philadelphia. Beyond her service to the House, Peg has also served for many years as the leader of Philadelphia's 31st Ward, in addition to her involvement in several community and civic organizations. Throughout her time serving the House of Representatives, Peg has approached her work serving constituents with unwavering commitment, an outstanding work ethic and a drive to make her neighborhood, city, and country a better place. Over more than 3 decades of service, Peg has personally helped 1000s of constituents, an extraordinary record of service attained by very few who have ever worked for this body. As Peg concludes her decades of public service at the end of this month, I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in thanking Peg for her work, and in wishing her all the best as she embarks on a new chapter in her life.

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 Annamarie Feeney, a Constituent Services Representative in my Philadelphia offices, as she retires after 35 years of service to the House. A lifelong Philadelphia resident, Annamarie has dedicated her career to working for the people of Philadelphia. Beginning her service in the office of former Congressman Robert ``Bob'' Borski in 1988, Annamarie later worked for former Congressman Joseph ``Joe'' Hoeffel and former Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz. Since January of 2015, Annamarie has faithfully served as a member of my staff, working tirelessly for the residents of Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties. Throughout her time serving the House of Representatives, Annamarie has approached her work serving constituents with unwavering commitment, an outstanding work ethic and a drive to make her neighborhood, city, and country a better place. Over more than three decades of service, Annamarie has personally helped 10s of 1000s of constituents, and her efforts have directly saved or recovered millions in taxpayer dollars, an extraordinary record of service attained by very few who have ever worked for this body. Her exceptional accomplishments were recently recognized by the Congressional Management Foundation, who honored her with their 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award, given to only 2 congressional staff members each year. As Annamarie concludes her decades of public service at the end of this month, I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in thanking Annamarie for her work, and in wishing her all the best as she embarks on a new chapter in her life.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the legendary career of Philadelphia news anchor Jim Gardner and to thank him for his remarkable contributions to the Philadelphia area and broadcast journalism. It was back in 1976 that Jim first started his career at Philadelphia's local ABC affiliate, WPVI. For more than 46 years now, he has helped bring the news, both good and bad, to millions of us who live in the Delaware Valley. Jim has been at the center of ensuring that Philadelphia and the entire region were proud in times of success, unified in moments of division, and calm during times of crisis. Mr. Speaker, as a lifelong Philadelphian, it is simply impossible to imagine Philadelphia TV without Jim Gardner. I thank him for his years of service and wish him and his family all the best.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, when most people imagine the American democracy at work, they picture this House--or the other chamber--and the work we do as lawmakers. Or they picture themselves or their neighbors in the voting booth, casting ballots to determine the make-up of government at the local, state, and federal levels. To me, however, American democracy also takes another form: the ongoing dialogue between citizens and public servants, like us, whom they elect to represent them. It is in these conversations that we truly learn our constituents' hopes and dreams for the future; it is where we learn to make their priorities into our priorities; it is where we truly live up to our founders' ideals that the people should be allowed--and encouraged--to petition their government. That is true civic engagement. And that premise is at the heart of BoricuActivatEd, a stellar volunteer-run organization that is now proudly celebrating its fifth anniversary. They are leading the way in fostering that active, ongoing dialogue. The group was created in the wake of Hurricanes Maria and Irma, which struck Puerto Rico with tragic ferocity. The group found immediate success in marshalling the combined voice of the Puerto Rican Diaspora, proving its impact and displaying the power of civic engagement. They grew from there. Through its civic engagement workshops, BoricuActivatEd has now supplied more than 2,000 people with the tools needed to make their voices heard. It has taught them how to advocate for their priorities and to garner the attention of their elected officials. I can personally attest, having participated in their workshops, just how effective and valuable these sessions can be. To their credit, just as it was born during a moment of tragedy, BoricuActivatEd continued to grow its programs during another challenging period--the COVID-19 pandemic. Remarkably, during the past two years, it has developed a curriculum enabling the next generation of citizens to become engaged in their government. BoricuActivatEd has brought its lessons to students at the high school level, including Esperanza Academy in my district. By training people of all ages, and by securing the active participation of elected officials at all levels of government, BoricuActivatEd represents civic engagement and empowerment at its best. I am proud to congratulate BoricuActivatEd on its fifth anniversary and wish them every success as they embark on new accomplishments in the years ahead.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, Democrats are working for safer communities by investing in safety and justice. We believe that every American deserves to live in a safe community where they and their families can thrive. That is why we are fighting for strong, commonsense action to give our law enforcement the tools they need to prevent crime. Just this month, Democrats passed the: Invest to Protect Act, which funds the police with grants to help small, local law enforcement agencies retain and recruit officers. The Mental Health Justice Act, which helps send unarmed mental health professionals to respond to mental health crises and save lives from potentially fatal encounters with armed police officers. The Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which invests in effective, evidence-based community violence intervention initiatives. And fourth, and finally, the VICTIM Act, which bolsters the ability of police to solve homicides, sexual assaults, and other violent crimes. Mr. Speaker, we do not have to choose between safe communities and justice for all. We are delivering on that promise with these bills and more.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, as the Chaplain just previously mentioned, we recently celebrated the 235th anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution in Philadelphia. As the Member of Congress who represents the Independence Hall where it was drafted and adopted, it is a great honor for all of us in my district to know that our city played such an important role in the history and founding of our country. It is now up to all of us to again read our Constitution and bring it close to not only our minds but our hearts. Every single day we must work to uphold it and uphold our democracy.

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, the word ``historic'' is probably overused at times. Really, it is a day like today when the word ``historic'' is warranted. For decades, politicians of both parties talked about giving Medicare the ability to negotiate prescription drugs to bring down the costs for seniors. Today, in this bill, we are doing it. For decades, politicians talked about capping the amount of money seniors paid every year on prescription drugs. Some in my district in Philadelphia pay $5,000 a year, $10,000 a year. This bill caps it at no more than $2,000 a year. Again, for decades, politicians talked about the need to address climate change and to make a large investment, so that we can finally tackle this existential challenge for America and for the world. Here in this bill we are doing it: the largest single investment to address climate change in our Nation's history. I know that on social media and on TV, it tends to be the performative politics that get most of the attention, that helps breed cynicism within our constituents. It is legislation like this that makes a difference in people's lives. This is why we are here as lawmakers: to do the people's business.