Brendan Boyle | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official Portrait, 2018 | |
| Ranking Member of theHouse Budget Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Jason Smith |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Allyson Schwartz (13th district) Bob Brady (2nd district, redistricted) |
| Constituency | 13th district (2015–2019) 2nd district (2019–present) |
| Member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives from the170th district | |
| In office January 6, 2009 – January 3, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | George T. Kenney |
| Succeeded by | Martina White |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Brendan Francis Boyle (1977-02-06)February 6, 1977 (age 48) Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jennifer Boyle |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Kevin J. Boyle (brother) |
| Education | University of Notre Dame (BA) Harvard University (MPP) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Brendan Francis Boyle (born 6 February 1977) is aDemocratic Party member of theUnited States House of Representatives, since 2015 representing successive districts in thePhiladelphia area.
Since January 2023 he has been a ranking member of theUnited States House Committee on the Budget.
From 2015 to 2019 he representedPennsylvania's 13th congressional district, serving much ofNortheast Philadelphia and most of suburbanMontgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Since 2019 he has representedPennsylvania's 2nd congressional district, which is entirely within the City of Philadelphia, including all of Northeast Philadelphia and portions ofNorth Philadelphia andCenter City Philadelphia, largely east ofBroad Street.
From 2009 to 2015 Boyle had represented thePennsylvania House of Representatives, District 170.[1][2]
Brendan Boyle is the elder of two sons. His father, Francis (Frank), is an Irish immigrant who came to the United States in 1970 fromGlencolmcille, a district ofCounty Donegal, and works as a janitor for theSoutheastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). His late mother, Eileen, was the child of Irish immigrants fromCounty Sligo; she worked as aPhiladelphia School District crossing guard for over 20 years.[3]
Boyle was born and raised in Philadelphia'sOlney neighborhood. He attendedCardinal Dougherty High School before receiving an academic scholarship to theUniversity of Notre Dame, where he earned aBachelor of Arts degree in 1999, completing the Hesburgh Program in Public Service.
After working for several years as a consultant with theUnited States Department of Defense, includingNaval Sea Systems Command, he attended graduate school atHarvard Kennedy School, where he earned aMaster of Public Policy.[4]
In 2008, Boyle defeated Republican Matthew Taubenberger, son of2007 mayoral candidateAl Taubenberger, by a margin of 15,442 (59.2%) to 10,632 (40.8%), to win the election to succeedGeorge T. Kenney,[5] becoming the first Democrat ever elected to represent the170th district.[4][5][6]
In 2010, Boyle was reelected, defeating Republican Marc Collazzo, 64% to 36%.[5][7]
In 2012, Boyle ran unopposed and was selected as chair of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee, the campaign arm of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus.[8]
Boyle ran unopposed again in 2014 resigned his seat on January 2, 2015, before being sworn in as a member of theUnited States House of Representatives. He was succeeded byMartina White.
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As a state lawmaker, Boyle's focus was on greater educational access, healthcare and greater economic equality.
As the first member of his family to attend college, he prioritized greater access to higher education. During his first term in office, he introduced the REACH Scholarship program, which would offer tuition-free public college for qualifying Pennsylvania students.
He fought cuts to public K-12 and higher education funding, and supported greater investment in infrastructure, voting in 2013 for legislation (passed into law as Act 89) that provided the first comprehensive transportation funding overhaul in Pennsylvania in nearly 20 years, providing several billion dollars in new funds for roads, bridges and mass transit. He also founded the Eastern Montgomery County-Northeast Philadelphia Legislative Alliance, a group of local and state lawmakers who work across Northeast Philadelphia and Montgomery County on issues affecting both regions.
Boyle was a founding member of the LGBT Equality Caucus during his first term in office, voting in favor of legislation in 2009 prohibiting discrimination of LGBT Pennsylvanians in work, housing and other areas the only time it passed out of committee.[9] In 2014, he introduced legislation to amend Pennsylvania's hate crimes statutes to include crimes perpetrated based on sexual orientation.[4]
Boyle also introduced legislation in 2011 to makegenocide education a required part of Pennsylvania public school curricula, legislation that was eventually passed into law in 2014. In 2013, he introduced legislation to expand access to school counseling services, which resulted in him being selected as recipient of the 2013 Pennsylvania School Counselor Association's "Legislator of the Year" award. In 2014, he introduced the SAFER PA Act, which required timely testing of DNA evidence kits and that backlogged and untested evidence be reported to the state. It would also require that authorities notify victims or surviving family when DNA testing is completed. The SAFER PA Act was reintroduced and signed into law by GovernorTom Wolf in 2015.[10][11][12]
In April 2013, Boyle announced his candidacy forPennsylvania's 13th congressional district, which stretched fromMontgomery County to northeast Philadelphia. The incumbent,Allyson Schwartz, gave up the seat to run for governor. Boyle had the support of nearly 30 labor unions across the Philadelphia region.[6]
Boyle ran against former CongresswomanMarjorie Margolies, then state SenatorDaylin Leach and current Montgomery County CommissionerValerie Arkoosh for the Democratic nomination. Despite Margolies entering the race with a 32-point lead over Boyle in early polling, and having the endorsement of former PresidentBill Clinton, as well as support from former Pennsylvania GovernorEd Rendell and Congressman and Philadelphia Democratic ChairBob Brady,[13][14] Boyle won the primary with 41% of the vote to Margolies's 27%.[15][16]
Boyle won the general election on November 4, 2014, defeating Republican nominee Carson "Dee" Adcock with 67% of the vote.[17][18]
TheSupreme Court of Pennsylvania imposed a new map forPennsylvania's congressional districts in February 2018.[19] Boyle then announced that he would run for reelection in the new 2nd district.[20] This district had previously been the1st district, represented by retiring fellow DemocratBob Brady. But the new 2nd absorbed all of the Philadelphia portion of the old 13th, including Boyle's home.[21] PoliticsPA rated Boyle's district as not vulnerable (a safe seat).[22]
As of 2022, Boyle has voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time, according toFiveThirtyEight.[23]
AfterMondelez International announced that it would close a Philadelphia factory, Boyle announced his support for theOreo Boycott by appearing with a poster featuring an Oreo cookie red circle and line through it, accompanied by the message, "Say no to Oreo".[24][25] He noted that Mondelez's CEO had received a pay increase.[24][25]
Along with RepresentativeMarc Veasey (D-Texas), Boyle is co-founder and chair of the Blue Collar Caucus, which aims to promote discussion and develop legislation to help "addressing wage stagnation, job insecurity, trade, offshoring, and dwindling career opportunities for those in the manufacturing and building trades".[26]
Boyle filed the Standardizing Testing and Accountability Before Large Elections Giving Electors Necessary Information for Unobstructed Selection Act (Stable Genius Act) in 2018. The measure would compel "nominees of each political party to file a report with the Federal Election Commission certifying that he or she underwent a medical exam by the Secretary of the Navy" containing the exam's results.[27][28]
Boyle and other members of Congress' Philadelphia delegation sought federal funding to remove asbestos, mold, lead paint, and other environmental toxins from schools.[29]
Boyle was one of the first members of Congress to endorseJoe Biden for president in 2020, doing so the day Biden declared his candidacy.[30]
Boyle was selected as one of 17 speakers to jointly deliver thekeynote address at the2020 Democratic National Convention.[31]
On immigration, Boyle was one of 36 Democrats to vote in favor of the POLICE Act of 2023, which would make assaulting a first responder a deportable offense.[32] He also voted in favor of makingSocial Security fraud oridentification fraud grounds for inadmissibility and deportation.[33] He joined the majority of House Democrats in opposing theLaken Riley Act, a bill to require immigration authorities to detain migrants suspected of burglary and theft.[34][35]
Boyle was one of 74 Democrats who voted to classifyfentanyl-related substances as aSchedule I controlled substance.[36][37]
Boyle voted to provide support to Israel during theGaza war.[38][39]
Boyle voted in favor of three military aid package supplementals forUkraine,Israel, andTaiwan respectively in April 2024, along with most Democrats.[40][41][42] He stated that "This critical funding will protect our national security by supporting our democratic allies around the world. It will ensure that Ukraine has the support it needs to fight back against Vladimir Putin, and that Israel can continue to defend itself against Hamas while delivering vital humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza."[43]
On July 20, 2024, Boyle called on U.S. Secret Service DirectorKimberly Cheatle to resign in the wake of an assassination attempt against former PresidentTrump, making him the first Congressional Democrat to do so.[44]
In November 2024, Boyle praised the possible return ofRobert Lighthizer asUnited States Trade Representative, who served as Donald Trump's appointee during his first presidential term.[45]
In 2025, Boyle was one of 46 House Democrats who joined all Republicans to vote for theLaken Riley Act.[46]
Boyle is member of the centristMajority Democrats.[47]
Boyle has received the following ratings from advocacy organizations:[48]
Boyle and his wife Jennifer, a teacher, have one daughter. As of 2015[update], they reside in Philadelphia'sSomerton neighborhood.[60]
Boyle is aRoman Catholic.[61] He is known for his dedication tosocial justice, and was honored by the left-wing CatholicNetwork Lobby for Catholic Social Justice in April 2023 for his voting record.[62] Boyle's religion comes from his working-class Irish-American family; he was described as an Irish-Catholic Democrat who "married his economic populism with the defense and foreign policy preferences of an old-school Democrat".[63]
Boyle's brotherKevin also served as a representative of Pennsylvania's172nd House district having been elected in 2010 by defeating former Speaker of the HouseJohn M. Perzel.[64] Kevin lost his seat following a primary defeat in 2024.[65] The Boyles were the first brothers to serve simultaneously in the Pennsylvania House.[66]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle | 15,865 | 59.21 | |||
| Republican | Matt Taubenberger | 10,931 | 40.79 | |||
| Total votes | 26,796 | 100 | ||||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | ||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle (incumbent) | 10,860 | 63.59 | |
| Republican | Marc Collazzo | 6,219 | 36.41 | |
| Total votes | 17,079 | 100 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle (incumbent) | 18,612 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 18,612 | 100 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle | 24,775 | 40.61 | |
| Democratic | Marjorie Margolies | 16,723 | 27.41 | |
| Democratic | Daylin Leach | 10,130 | 16.60 | |
| Democratic | Valerie Arkoosh | 9,386 | 15.38 | |
| Total votes | 61,014 | 100 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle | 123,601 | 67.12 | |
| Republican | Carson Dee Adcock | 60,549 | 32.88 | |
| Total votes | 184,150 | 100 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle (incumbent) | 239,316 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 239,316 | 100 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle (incumbent) | 23,641 | 64.57 | |
| Democratic | Michele Lawrence | 12,974 | 35.43 | |
| Total votes | 36,615 | 100 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle (incumbent) | 159,600 | 79.02 | |
| Republican | David Torres | 42,382 | 20.98 | |
| Total votes | 201,982 | 100 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle (incumbent) | 198,140 | 72.54 | |
| Republican | David Torres | 75,022 | 27.46 | |
| Total votes | 273,162 | 100 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle (incumbent) | 141,229 | 75.65 | |
| Republican | Haroon "Aaron" Bashir | 45,454 | 24.35 | |
| Total votes | 186,683 | 100 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brendan Boyle (incumbent) | 193,691 | 71.46 | |
| Republican | Haroon "Aaron" Bashir | 77,355 | 28.54 | |
| Total votes | 271,046 | 100 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
In August 2008 Boyle was named "one of top 10 rising stars" in politics by thePhiladelphia Daily News.[78]
In 2011 theAspen Institute chose Boyle as one of its Rodel Fellows,[79] a program that "seeks to enhance our democracy by identifying and bringing together the nation's most promising young political leaders."[80]
Rep. Brendan Boyle resigned his PA House District 170 seat to serve as a member of the U.S. Congress.
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| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's 2nd congressional district 2015–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's 2nd congressional district 2019–present | Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Keynote Speaker of theDemocratic National Convention 2020 Served alongside:Stacey Abrams,Raumesh Akbari,Colin Allred,Yvanna Cancela,Kathleen Clyde,Nikki Fried,Robert Garcia,Malcolm Kenyatta,Marlon Kimpson,Conor Lamb,Mari Manoogian,Victoria Neave,Jonathan Nez,Sam Park,Denny Ruprecht,Randall Woodfin | Most recent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 133rd | Succeeded by |
