Brendan F. Boyle
Boyle was the only Pennsylvania Democrat to vote against the July 2026 amendment. He said the U.S. "must change course in response to the far-right Netanyahu government's conduct," but "this sweeping amendment was not the answer."
Boyle has represented Pennsylvania's 2nd District, in Philadelphia, since 2015.
On the July 2026 amendment he was the only Democrat in Pennsylvania's delegation to vote no, and he explained it in a statement to the Philadelphia Inquirer: "This amendment would have forced the closure of the U.S. Embassy in Israel, ended refugee resettlement programs, cut off vital humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, and weakened our ability to combat terrorist organizations."
He then said what he does think should change: "The United States must change course in response to the far-right Netanyahu government's conduct, the settler violence, and the devastating suffering of Palestinian civilians. But this sweeping amendment was not the answer."
His earlier record runs the other way and predates the war. In 2017 he co-introduced a bill to add precision-guided munitions to the U.S. war reserve stockpile in Israel, and in 2021 he backed funding for Iron Dome, describing it as a vital defensive system that has saved thousands of Israeli lives. That release was not opened, so it is summarised rather than quoted.
In January 2025 he welcomed the agreement to pause fighting and release hostages.
His recorded votes appear as badges on this card, and the July 2026 statement is his own explanation of the most recent one.
Tracked votes: opposed sending U.S. weapons or funding to the government of Israel in 3 of 6 recorded votes.
Research
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- [Position, 2026-07-16] The Philadelphia Inquirer, opened and confirmed word for word. The paper reports that he "was the only Pennsylvania Democrat who voted against" the amendment, that "the six other Pennsylvania Democrats supported the measure, while all Republicans present from the state voted no," and that Reps. Scott Perry and Ryan Mackenzie missed the vote. It also records that the amendment "would have cut $3.3 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Israel" and failed 104 to 314.
His statement to the paper, verbatim: "This amendment would have forced the closure of the U.S. Embassy in Israel, ended refugee resettlement programs, cut off vital humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, and weakened our ability to combat terrorist organizations." And: "The United States must change course in response to the far-right Netanyahu government's conduct, the settler violence, and the devastating suffering of Palestinian civilians. But this sweeping amendment was not the answer."
- [Prior, 2017-12-21] Co-introduced the Procure PGMs for Israel Act, authorising precision-guided munitions to be added to the U.S. War Reserve Stockpile in Israel. Nine years old, prior band. Not opened.
- [Prior, 2021-09-21] Statement on Iron Dome funding, as reported describing it as a vital defensive system that has saved thousands of Israeli lives. Prior band, not opened, so summarised rather than quoted.
- His recorded votes appear as badges on this card.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- [Position, 2026-07-16] His stated objection names refugee resettlement and humanitarian efforts among what the amendment would have cut, and "the devastating suffering of Palestinian civilians" among what should change (confirmed verbatim, above).
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2026-07-16] "The far-right Netanyahu government's conduct, the settler violence" (confirmed verbatim).
- [Position, 2025-01-15] Statement welcoming the agreement to pause fighting and release hostages. Not opened.
- [After October 7, 2023-10-07] Statement on the attacks, as reported condemning them as "barbaric" and "reminiscent of ISIS" and saying "Israel has every right to respond accordingly in defense of its citizens." From the weeks right after October 7; not used on the card.
- [Prior, 2021-05-20] Statement on the ceasefire, as reported noting that "innocent lives, both Israeli and Palestinian, have been lost." Prior band.
- [Prior, 2019-05-05] Statement on rocket strikes from Gaza, as reported saying "Israel, like any other country, has a right to defend itself." Prior band.
- [Prior, 2015-10-22] Remarks at a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on incitement. Eleven years old, prior band.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Prior, 2019-02-11] Statement on antisemitic comments and support for Israel, as reported saying "one can criticize the Israeli government without necessarily being anti-Semitic" while arguing certain views invoke tropes, and restating support for a two-state solution. Prior band. Not opened.
- [Undated] A page on socialistdemocracy.org was returned among his sources. Third-party advocacy writing; consulted, never a card source (C3), and no claim about him is drawn from it.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [Position, 2024-10-23] Statement on vandalism at Congregation Mikveh Israel, also carried via Legistorm. Safety context, never an answer about U.S. weapons or funding.
⚠ Note on the sources
- Three of the sixteen entries are **paginated issue-index pages** on his own site (national-security-and-foreign-policy?page=7 twice, and ?page=12). Paginated indexes are listing pages and cannot support a claim about anyone; nothing is drawn from them. The same shape appeared on oh3-beatty.
Also in this race: Jessica Arriaga (Republican) · All Pennsylvania candidates.
See the full record →But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Every claim on this page goes through at least two verification steps. Open the interactive card for votes, funding and contact details.