DV Journal

U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester/Berks) and Republican challenger Neil Young debated Wednesday.

Reading NAACP President Stacy Taylor moderated the discussion on Berks Community TV.  The two candidates discussed war, inflation, immigration, the border, and tax policy.

Young, a high school social studies teacher, made the case that he’s the person to represent the 6th District. Higher prices, increased chaos abroad, and an education system that has traded “excellence for equity” are issues he’d handle differently than Houlahan.

Houlahan, who has represented the district since 2019, defended her record of voting for various Biden-Harris administration bills like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Chips and Science Act, which added trillions to the national debt.

Houlahan, a former Air Force officer and business owner, argued she has the experience needed to keep the country strong.

She wrote legislation to combat inflation and gun violence. A bill she authored to stop fentanyl from coming into the U.S. was signed into law, she said.

Neil Young

“I’m recognized as one of our most bipartisan legislators in Congress,” said Houlahan.

Young began the forum by introducing himself in Spanish.

He said the Biden-Harris administration has redefined Title IX and “intentionally hid critical information from parents.”

“The truth is that we could have secured our border.  The truth is there was a House bill but it wasn’t voted for by my opponent. We could have protected our girls on the sports field. We could have kept them from being drafted onto the battlefield. We could have sanctioned Iran and reduced their ability to fund terrorism. We could have passed the parents’ bill of rights.  We could have distanced ourselves from anti-police, anti-Israel colleagues, like AOC, who was on the steps of Reading High School just this past weekend. We could have been honest about what the Inflation Reduction Act actually was. And that was a backdoor Green New Deal that has driven inflation and restricted American energy,” said Young.

Asked about the three most important issues, Young cited foreign wars, inflation, and illegal immigration.

“We’ve crept precipitously close to World War III,” said Young.

“Inflation is completely out of control,” he said, adding that groceries now cost 21 percent more in Pennsylvania, and gas prices have doubled.

“We’ve got over 10 million people who have come into this country. We don’t know who they are. We don’t know if their asylum claims are correct. And we’ve lost 300,000 unaccompanied minors. We’ve got a disaster at our southern border.”

Houlahan agreed that “we are in a precarious time in terms of our peace on the global stage.

“I believe in precipitous time in terms of what’s going on in Ukraine, what’s happening in Israel, what could possibly happen in the Indo-Pacific. And as a consequence, I believe we are at an important time to have people at the table, myself included, who have deep background on this issue. I serve on the Armed Services Committee, I’ve served on the Foreign Affairs Committee, I now serve  on the Intelligence Committee.”

Houlahan said the COVID pandemic was “a big shock to our economy.”

“But luckily, we’re at a place where inflation is abating, largely because of some of the things that we did to make sure we could keep our roofs over our heads, to make sure that we could put food in our stomachs, to make sure that we kept the schools safe with things like the Inflation Reduction Act, with things like the American Rescue Plan, and things like all of the funding we did for the paycheck protection program.”

America must continue to grow its economy, she said.

“And some of the things we’re doing with the Chips and Science Act, for example, reshoring, onshoring, peer-shoring, all of the jobs we need to, the technologies that we need to aggressively seek, the things we’re also doing to make sure that we complete on the stage with the skills and jobs that will bring us into the next century.”

Asked what she would do about systemic racism, Houlahan said the federal government should make sure “we have equal access to education” and that the criminal justice system treats everyone equally. Adults need to have the skills for jobs, she added.

Young said, “Our schools are failing” –including those in Chester and Berks Counties, where most have decreased in performance.

“There’s nothing that is exasperating wealth gaps and wealth divides more than a lack of school choice,” he said.

Houlahan opposes school choice.

“I am not in favor [of sending] money to follow a child into a faith-based school. I don’t believe that is the role of the government. The government’s role is to educate all children and keep them [in] a very strong public school system.”

They also sparred on abortion.

Houlahan’s daughter was about to give birth to her granddaughter.

“And the idea that she is going to be born into a world where she has fewer rights, fewer bodily [autonomy] rights than I do, is something that’s really, really worrisome,” said Houlahan.  “This is a conversation a person should have with their family, their faith, their doctor, and our government should stay out of this.” She said 30 percent of military women do not have access to birth control.

Young agrees with the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg that Roe v. Wade was “on shaky legal ground.” And while he is personally pro-life, he would leave the abortion decisions to the states. Since Roe was overturned, there are now more elective abortions than ever, and most are chemical abortions in the early months of pregnancy, he said.

“I’m always going to fight that we are a family-friendly environment,” he said. “That we’re not struggling with the cost of groceries, with the cost of gas.”

The U.S. is experiencing a population decline, he said.

Young noted 10 million people have illegally crossed the border since Biden-Harris took office.

“That House bill my opponent voted against had a provision, remain in Mexico. This [provision] takes care of a whole lot -to see if your asylum claim is going to be granted. That saves us a whole lot of resources. It would have increased border patrol agents. It would have criminalized visa overstays. It would have resumed construction of a border wall.”

Houlahan said she voted against that bill because it would allow children crossing illegally to be held for a month, “which I felt was an atrocity,” but she supports a “bipartisan” bill that failed to pass in the Senate.

Young said the bill’s author said the final bill was “unrecognizable” and voted against it, as did six Democrats. It would have allowed 5,000 people a day to cross the border and permitted them to claim asylum.

“Sometimes bipartisan only serves two parties, and it doesn’t serve the American people,” said Young.

Asked to discuss the high cost of housing, the pair differed on the causes.

Young said the average cost of a house in Pennsylvania has risen from $195,000 to $300,000.

He believes that the Biden-Harris “war on fossil fuels that we use to transport 90 percent of everything we make” is the main cause. He pointed to restrictions on drilling on federal land and on exporting natural gas, along with “massive government spending.”

Also, illegal immigrants compete for rental housing in Reading and Coatesville, he said.

“Rental prices and home prices are inextricably tried,” Young said.

Houlahan disagreed, saying migrants play no role in housing costs.

She’s met with organizations like Habitat for Humanity that receive government funding to help people with affordable housing. She said Vice President Kamal Harris proposed government help with down payments.

Houlahan said the “Biden administration has done a wonderful job bringing allies in” to help with the Ukraine War.

“These are very dangerous times, and we need to be working with our allies to make sure we are as safe and secure as possible,” said Houlahan.

Young said Russian President Putin annexed Crimea when President Obama was in office. And now he’s invaded Ukraine under Biden.

“There is a penalty to weak leadership,” said Young, who brought up “the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.” That withdrawal had “long-lasting foreign policy effects in places like Russia (and) in empowering Hamas.”

Please follow DVJournal on social mediaX@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

The state Senate Monday adopted a measure urging Congress to provide lifesaving therapy to Americans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The resolution, sponsored by Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery), calls on Congress to pass the Treatment and Relief through Emerging and Accessible Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act, also known as the TREAT PTSD Act.

It would require the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to provide veterans suffering from PTSD with access to a lifesaving therapy known as stellate ganglion block (SGB). SGB works by applying an injection into the bundle of nerves that send signals of fight or flight to the body. The treatment relieves feelings of stress quickly for those with PTSD and provides them with a renewed chance to heal. The procedure has been used for nearly 100 years for pain conditions, including shingles and phantom limb pain.

“Our veterans who suffer from trauma deserve the best available care,” said Pennycuick, a U.S. Army combat veteran. “The battle isn’t over for them. Congress must approve the TREAT PTSD Act to provide this critical therapy and send the message that we’re not leaving any of our fighting men and women behind.”

PTSD is more common among veterans than civilians. At some point in their life, 7 out of every 100 veterans (or 7 percent) will have PTSD. In the general population, 6 out of every 100 adults (or 6 percent) will have PTSD in their lifetime. PTSD is also more common among female veterans (13 out of 100, or 13 percent) versus male veterans (6 out of 100, or 6 percent), according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Pennycuick (R-Montgomery) said she is “passionate” about finding treatments for PTSD because she’s been diagnosed with it herself.

“I’m a veteran who has PTSD,” said Pennycuick. “You never get rid of PTSD. You can get better and get stable.”

The Veterans Administration is very slow to approve treatments.

“The VA list of drugs, its formulary has not changed since the Vietnam War,” she said. So many veterans have turned to nonprofits for help.

“If veterans are suffering and if a treatment can help, why aren’t we doing it?” she asked. “If it’s a possibility for treatment, we need to look into it. We need to look at everything that’s on the table.”

The federal legislation, H.R. 3023, is before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester) are cosponsors of the legislation.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: X@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Neil Young, a father and social studies teacher in the Great Valley School District, believes America is headed in the wrong direction and knew he had to do something about it.

So Young, who never ran for elected office before, threw his hat into the ring for Congress to represent Chester and part of Berks Counties.

Young, a Republican, is concerned about education, the border, energy, and the economy. He is challenging incumbent Democrat Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, who portrays herself as a moderate.

“She votes with Harris-Biden 99.1 percent of the time,” said Young.

Dr. Raffi Terzian, chair of the Chester County Republican Committee, said, “Neil Young is a great husband and father, as well as a dedicated lifelong educator. His authenticity, earnestness, and strong work ethic shine through in all he does. Actively involved in his community, Neil is deeply committed to enhancing the lives of everyone in the 6th Congressional District.”

“Our current representative is not effectively serving us, as she prioritizes divisive and partisan interests over the needs of her constituents,” Terzian said. “As a member of Congress, Neil will undoubtedly work tirelessly to steer our community and nation toward a brighter future.”

The district is rated D+4, although Republican voter registration activist Scott Presler has put it on his list to flip. Presler recently announced voter registrations in Bucks County flipped to Republican and Luzerne County is close to changing.

The Young family

“I think more teachers involved in politics would offer a better solution than life-long politicians,” said Young. “A lot of teachers would make great public servants.”

In Chester County, school districts spend more than $20,000 per year per pupil,  but “less than half of them read, write, or do math at grade level. To me, that’s not a good return on anyone’s investment.” Depending on the study, U.S. students rank from 18th to 30th in the world.

“I don’t want to do away with public schools, but I think public schools can be improved if they compete [with alternatives],” he said. “I think a lot of parents could find better options that fit their child’s learning [style].”

Houlahan touts the importance of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. However, “we have only one dedicated STEM high school in all Chester County with 300 kids a year getting in,” he said.

Regarding the borders, Young said, “Almost anybody can look around and say this is a broken system. We’re seeing an influx of illegal immigration that we’ve never seen before. And we’ve got to fix that. It’s not sustainable.”

“You know, we’re restricting our energy output,” Young said. “What the current administration did on Day One. They opened the border and restricted energy output by not renewing leases and canceling pipelines.”

Those actions are helping to fuel inflation, he said.

“It’s one of the biggest drivers of inflation and increases in the cost of living,” said Young. “It’s unsustainable, particularly for lower and middle-class people living paycheck to paycheck.”

Vice President Kamala Harris said the border is secure. “You know that is not true,” said Young.

He said Houlahan voted against House Bill 2, which could have secured the border. It would have reinstituted the remain-in-Mexico policy, among other provisions. She also voted against six other border security bills [Res 1065, HR 7511, 957, 5283, 5525 and Res. 461], Young said.

Young said Houlahan’s votes are “against American energy independence are votes against national security.”

On April 4, 2023, Houlahan voted against keeping Title IX for girls in sports [HR724]. That law protects girls in education and sports. Still, the Biden-Harris administration has changed the law to force students to use certain pronouns, affirm queer theory, and not allow sex-segregated spaces. Moms for Liberty obtained an injunction to stop the changes in schools their children attend.

Guy Ciarracchi, a political commentator, ran against Houlahan in 2022.

“Critics focus on Neil being a first-time candidate—what he doesn’t know. But what Neil Young does know as a history teacher, wrestling coach, and dad is that America is in trouble because Democrat politicians are making bad decisions. What he knows is that we might be the generation that leaves our children worse off. And, he has commonsense solutions to make things better.”

Young grew up in Coatesville and Downingtown. He went to college at West Chester University.

“Everything good in my life happened here in Chester County,” said Young.

His wife, Jill, teaches art at High Point Baptist Academy in Berkes County, where their two youngest children, 13 and 11, are students. His oldest son is 20 and attends Williamson College of Trade in Media. His second son is 19 and at Liberty University.

“My wife and I struggled for a while with infertility,” said Young. “Our first child was born through IVF [in vitro fertilization]. We adopted our second child from Ethiopia. Then our younger two came naturally, and we decided long ago that we’re going to have however many we have, and we’re going to care for them.”

Young traveled repeatedly to Afghanistan to train teachers there how to teach. More teachers were needed to teach “the large influx of girls.”

“There was tremendous progress being made,” he said. Then, the Biden-Harris administration decided to withdraw.

“We didn’t break Afghanistan,” Young said. “We didn’t go in to colonize or take over. I think that’s what makes the United States unique. We went to help people and we stuck around and poured money into the economy of Afghanistan.”

“For me, it’s more personal and more tragic to see [what happened] because of political expediency,” he said. “We put a lot of lives at risk. I think it’s important that our politicians know that.”

Please follow DVJournal on social media: X@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Local U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester) both participated in the boycott of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday, sending a political message to their Delaware Valley constituents.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) was on hand to hear Netanyahu’s remarks, as were Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman — the latter abandoning his usual sweats-and-shorts attire and donning a suit and (Israel-blue) tie.

The Democratic Party has been roiled by divisions since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel and the Jewish State’s military response. Democrats are divided over how to respond to protests in which young, politically progressive crowds chant, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Shall Be Free” — a phrase viewed by many as antisemitic.

Those protests continued outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, where anti-Israel activists burned the U.S. flag and defaced historic monuments. Some protesters even waved Hamas flags and declared their solidarity with the terrorist group.

Netanyahu called out the protesters during his speech.

“When the tyrants of Iran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots,” Netanyahu said.

“Some of these protesters hold up signs saying, ‘Gays for Gaza,’” he added. “They might as well hold up signs saying ‘Chickens for KFC.’”

About half the Democratic caucus in the House and Senate skipped Netanyahu’s speech, and Vice President Kamala Harris declined to perform her duties of presiding over the Senate. Instead she spoke at a sorority event in Indiana.

Dean made her reasons for boycotting Netanyahu clear in a post on X, “I respect our institution, open dialogue, and collaboration with allies. But a line must be drawn. I will not attend today’s address. Mr. Netanyahu will not lecture me on morality and justice.”

David Winkler, Dean’s Republican opponent, replied on X.

“You are one of the most Antisemitic congresswomen serving today. How dare you turn your back on Israel, a Major Non-NATO US Ally of the United States. This isn’t leadership; you hate Jews & just won’t say it outright,” Winkler said. “I stand in solidarity with our Jewish community & Israel against Hamas & the hateful Pro Palestine extremists.”

In a statement, Houlahan laid out her reasons for boycotting Netanyahu’s speech.

“I chose not to attend Prime Minister Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress. It was an enormously difficult decision. My priority with this conflict is and has always been, to use my position to aid in finding real solutions for enduring peace, a two-state solution, the release of hostages, and expanded humanitarian aid for those suffering in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel.

“I believe that centering attention on this speech at this time would not only be a distraction from these important goals, which include a ceasefire agreement, but may, in fact, make these goals less attainable,” said Houlahan.

Her GOP opponent, Neil Young, also responded.

“Chrissy Houlahan’s decision to boycott Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress is a disgraceful rejection of our valuable Jewish allies and friends. [Houlahan] explained that she didn’t want to be a distraction by attending but instead became a distraction by explaining why she didn’t want to be a distraction. Houlahan took a day off while Israel is fighting for [its] survival,” Young said.

In his speech, Netanyahu thanked both President Joe Biden, who calls himself an “Irish American Zionist,” and former President Donald Trump, the author of the Abraham Accords, for their support of Israel.

“For Israel never again must not be an empty promise,” he said. “It must always be a sacred vow. And after Oct 7th, never again is now.”

He also called out the protesters outside the Capitol while he spoke, who had camped out on university campuses this past spring.

Defeating the enemy requires both “courage and clarity,” he said. “And clarity begins with knowing the difference between good and evil. I think many anti-Israel protesters, many chose to stand with evil. They stand with Hamas. They stand with rapists and murderers.”

Netanyahu, a Cheltenham High School graduate, also condemned the university presidents, including from his alma mater MIT, who testified before Congress and could not condemn students calling for the genocide of Jews 80 years after the Holocaust, saying it depended on the context.

He pointed out the claim that Israel is a colonial state but pointed out, “for nearly 4,000 years, Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people.”

“It will always be our home,” he said.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: X@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

President Joe Biden’s threat to withhold some precision offensive weapons from Israel as it wages war on the terrorist army of Hamas has been met with an angry backlash from both political parties. And that divide among Democrats is on display in Pennsylvania, where U.S. Sen. John Fetterman has decried Biden’s “disappointing” decision, while local U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean and Chrissy Houlahan have endorsed it.

On Sunday, Biden’s Secretary of State Anthony Blinken repeated the administration’s threat, and said even more restrictions may follow if Israel pushes into the Gazan city of Rafah to wipe out what’s left of Hamas.

“If Israel launches this major military operation into Rafah, then there are certain systems that we are not going to be supporting and supplying for that operation,” Blinken told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

The backlash from supporters of Israel began on Wednesday when Biden said he had told the Israelis that going into Rafah would result in a loss of U.S. support.

“I’ve made it clear to Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and the war cabinet: They’re not going to get our support if they go [into] these population centers,” Biden told CNN.

Pennsylvania’s Fetterman responded via social media. “Hard disagree and deeply disappointing,” he tweeted.

“I strongly disagree with this decision and it should be immediately reversed. If there are any restrictions, it should be on Hamas, its enablers, and benefactors,” he added.

Montgomery County Democratic Congresswoman Madeline Dean, on the other hand, has been calling for Biden to restrict weapons to Israel for weeks. While her spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment, Dean signed a letter urging Biden to withhold “certain offensive weaponry or other military support that can be used for an assault on Rafah, including offensive weaponry already signed into law.”

Dave Winkler, the Republican running against Dean, called her letter “despicable.”

“Withholding aid from Israel would be an unconscionable betrayal that would embolden the forces of terror and extremism hellbent on delegitimizing and annihilating the Jewish state. As a stalwart ally, the U.S. has a moral obligation to steadfastly support Israel’s ability to defend itself against the existential threats of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Hezbollah’s missile arsenals, and the indiscriminate rocket attacks on civilians by the terrorist thugs of Hamas.

Dean’s fellow Democrat, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan issued a lengthy statement saying she also agrees with Biden’s decision to withhold arms from the longtime U.S. ally.

“Recently, President Biden decided to temporarily withhold specific U.S. weapons to Israel until such time as he receives further assurances about Israel’s military operations and humanitarian considerations, specifically in Rafah. I don’t agree with every decision the president makes, but I agree with him here,” Houlahan said.

Houlahan’s GOP challenger Neil Young disagrees. “President Biden withholding arms from Israel is not only completely reckless, but it undermines American credibility on the world stage. Israel is our most trusted ally and they should not be left to stand alone. This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Many Democrats, like our senator John Fetterman, have stood against Biden’s betrayal of Israel. Chrissy Houlahan’s support for this reckless policy prioritizes party allegiance over national interest. Her loyalty lies with her party, not with the American people or our allies.”

Both Houlahan and Dean are on the far-left Working Families Party list of congressional members who have demanded a ceasefire.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) declined to respond to a request for comment from DVJournal on the topic, but he told reporters late last week he disagrees with Biden’s decision to withhold weapons. However, he’s rarely mentioned the issue while Fetterman has spoken forcefully on behalf of Israel and its right to use force.

Casey’s Republican opponent Dave McCormick has praised Fetterman’s “moral clarity” regarding the Jewish state.

Nationally, both the Republican Jewish Coalition and Democratic Majority for Israel have issued statements opposing Biden’s treatment of the Jewish state.

“Joe Biden has cemented his legacy as the worst president for the Jewish community and the State of Israel ever,” said the RJC.

“We are deeply concerned about the administration’s decision to withhold weapons now and potentially impose further restrictions,” said the Democratic Majority for Israel’s Mark Mellman.

“A strong U.S.-Israel alliance like the one President Biden has created, plays a central role in preventing more war and making the path to eventual peace possible,” he added. “Calling the strength of that alliance into question is dangerous.”

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Montgomery County Democratic Congresswoman Madeleine Dean joined some of the loudest anti-Israel voices in Congress in a public letter urging President Joe Biden to cut off U.S. military support to Israel in the midst of a war with the terror group Hamas.

The April 5 letter was signed by 40 Democrats, including prominent pro-Palestine progressives like Reps. Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).

The letter, also signed by former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), mentions the accidental Israeli strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers.

“If this strike is found to have violated U.S. or international law, we urge you to continue withholding these transfers until those responsible are held accountable. We also urge you to withhold these transfers if Israel fails to sufficiently mitigate harm to innocent civilians in Gaza, including aid workers, and if it fails to facilitate – or arbitrarily denies or restricts – the transport and delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” the letter states.

It’s not the first controversial Democratic letter targeting Israel since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack.

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) drew heat in November when she signed a controversial letter calling for a ceasefire and condemning Israel’s military and accusing it of “grave violations against children.” The letter was penned by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), among other Democrats, and did not call for the release of Israeli hostages, who include women, children, the elderly, and Americans. After hearing from constituents with a hostage family member, Scanlon then condemned Hamas and called for the hostages’ release.

Calling for an end of military aid to Israel, one of America’s closest allies is the latest sign that the Democratic Party is abandoning its longtime history of supporting the Jewish nation.

The day before the letter was signed, Biden announced Israel must submit “without delay” to an “immediate ceasefire” with Hamas, even as the terror group holds more than 100 hostages and continues to attack Israel. And, Biden’s Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said, Israel is at risk of becoming indistinguishable from Hamas if it continues to fight in Gaza.

It’s language American presidential administrations of the past would never have used. But many Democrats agree, including here in Pennsylvania.

While Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) did not sign the April 5 letter, she’s called for a ceasefire in the war between Hamas terrorists and Israel, changing her initial support for the Jewish nation.

“I’ve long been calling for a negotiated, mutual ceasefire. But the urgency of getting the remaining hostages home, and getting aid to Palestinian civilians, makes it essential that a halt to this war happen now,” Wild posted on X.

Another Delaware Valley Democrat, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, issued a press release saying she supports “Israel’s right to protect its citizens and sovereignty against the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas.” However, since the airstrike that killed the aid workers, she said she was “outraged and heartbroken by the deaths of more than 30,000 people in Israel and Gaza since Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7 and was shocked to read about the Israeli airstrike in Gaza that claimed the lives of seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen. My heart is with the families and loved ones of those who were killed in this senseless act of violence; indeed, my heart remains with each and every family and loved one who has been affected since Oct. 7.” She demanded that Israel “can and must do better.” But one Pennsylvania Democrat who continues to call out Hamas’ terrorism and defend Israel is Sen. John Fetterman (D).

“In this war against Hamas—no conditions for Israel,” Fetterman posted on X. And instead of blaming Israel for civilian deaths, Fetterman pointed out it is Hamas that launched the war and used innocents as human shields.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking… it’s a war, and it’s absolutely terrible,” Fetterman said. “What is going on? Hamas is hiding behind civilians. Israel has the right to defend themselves and destroy Hamas.”

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

On Thursday, the U.S. House passed the Laken Riley Act, a bill named for a young Georgia student who was killed while jogging on campus, allegedly by an illegal immigrant.

The bipartisan bill passed 251-170, with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks/Montgomery) voting for it and all three Delaware Valley Democratic congresswomen –Mary Gay Scanlon, Madeleine Dean and Chrissy Houlahan—voting against it. All the no votes came from Democrats; 37 other Democrats voted for the measure.

“Congress must do everything it can to prevent another parent from losing his or her child,” Fitzpatrick told DVJournal. “Laken Riley’s death never would have occurred if our borders were properly secured and immigration laws enforced. I will continue to work in a bipartisan way to find a solution to protect our borders.”

Scanlon, Dean, and Houlahan did not respond to requests for comment.

The bill would require that any illegal immigrant who committed burglary, larceny, shoplifting, or theft be detained.

The murder of the 22-year-old nursing student, allegedly by an illegal immigrant, on the University of Georgia campus shocked the country.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan who came to the U.S. illegally, was charged with her murder.

Congressman Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) posted on social media, “Laken Riley was murdered in cold blood by Jose Ibarra – an illegal alien who had committed previous crimes in NY. This NEVER should have happened & today, we voted to to ensure ALL criminal illegals like Ibarra will be arrested & detained. 170 Democrats STILL voted against this.”

Along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) taking the immigrants charged with crimes into custody, the act allows state attorneys general to litigate against Homeland Security to enforce the removal requirements in the act.

The resolution was introduced by Georgia Rep. Mike Collins (R).

“While we can’t bring Laken back, we must now turn our focus to doing everything we can to prevent this from happening to another American,” Collins said in a statement. Collins had invited Riley’s parents to come to the State of the Union with him, but they declined.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said on social media, “170 House Democrats just voted against the Laken Riley Act, refusing to require the detention and deportation of illegal immigrants who have been caught committing a crime. Sadly, if these Democrats have their way, there will be more victims like Laken Riley.”

Also, on social media, Johnson said, “The Laken Riley Act is so important because we’ve got to ensure that this can’t happen again. Republicans will not stand for the release of dangerous criminals into our communities, and that’s exactly what the Biden administration has done. Laken is just one of the tragic examples of innocent American citizens who have lost their lives and been brutally and violently attacked by illegal criminals who are roaming our streets because they’ve allowed them in.

Republicans have called on President Joe Biden to mention Riley in his State of the Union speech.

He did mention her, briefly, in his remarks.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) joined a delegation of Republicans led by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to Eagle Pass, Texas, this week to call for an end to the border chaos and to decry President Joe Biden’s immigration record.

The lawmakers came to see the humanitarian and national security crises at the southern border, where migrant numbers reached more than 300,000 in December — the highest single-month number ever recorded. More than eight million migrants have entered the U.S. illegally under Biden’s watch. The trip included intelligence briefings related to trends in border security, according to Fitzpatrick’s office.

“The migrant crisis at the southern border is real and presents a grave national security threat to our nation,” said Fitzpatrick. “Our brave Border Patrol men and women are overwhelmed by a migrant surge that is a direct result of misguided policies from this administration. Over the past three years, we have witnessed the public health, humanitarian, and national security consequences that the porous southern border has created for our nation, and this Congress must come together and find real solutions to this crisis.”

The House Homeland Security Committee is also poised to begin hearings next week on whether to impeach DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the border.

The Biden administration threw out former President Donald Trump’s Remain in Mexico policy for asylum seekers, which had required them to stay in that country until their case was adjudicated. Another factor was Biden’s ending of Title 42, a Trump administration policy that allowed immigrants to be sent back due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-Berks/Montgomery), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester/Berks), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Philadelphia/Delaware) did not reply when asked whether they support the Biden administration’s border policies or defend its results.

The flow of millions of illegal immigrants across the border has garnered national attention, largely through the efforts of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who has sent busloads of migrants to Democrat-run “sanctuary” cities, including Philadelphia.  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican running for president, has also flown some undocumented immigrants out of Florida, notably to Martha’s Vineyard.

Johnson wrote on X (formerly Twitter) about the trip, “Yesterday, more than 60 House Republicans were in South Texas speaking with local landowners and law enforcement. We were shown firsthand how the president’s reckless open-border policies are devastating communities across the state.

“The Biden administration’s decision to sue the state of Texas for trying to secure its border is shameful. The first responsibility of leaders is to protect their citizens, and @GovAbbott has shown leadership where President Biden has been an abject failure. The Biden administration is showing once again it is obviously their deliberate strategy to keep the border open and continue the chaos and humanitarian crisis their policies have created.”

On X, Fitzpatrick added, “The Senate must take up the Secure the Border Act, which has already passed the House, and the administration must restore the Remain in Mexico policy and enforce 8 U.S.C 1325 and 1326. We are, and always have been, a nation of legal immigration. We must not be a nation of lawlessness.”

While Democrats in the Delaware Valley delegation declined to comment about the border today, they have spoken out in the past.

Scanlon’s website notes that as an attorney, she “worked for many years representing immigrants and asylum seekers. In Congress, Rep. Scanlon is committed to repairing our complex and broken immigration system through common-sense policy measures. She has cosponsored legislation to end inhumane family separation practices and will fight to protect Dreamers and TPS holders.”

She also visited the border in 2019 and “will continue working to ensure that Customs and Border Patrol and the Coast Guard have the resources they need to protect our borders and legal ports of entry while addressing the humanitarian crisis at our border.”

“Our failure to address this humanitarian crisis with diplomacy, foreign aid, and humane border policies has created a challenge for law enforcement officers. They need resources to address the facts, not a crisis dreamed up by those sowing racist division for political gain,” Scanlon said at the time.

On her campaign website, Dean said she “supports a strong legal immigration system and humane treatment for anyone seeking citizenship.” She supports “a path to citizenship for [illegal immigrants] who want to be part of our country, reinstating DACA to allow the Dreamers to be able to stay in our country without fear.” She promised to fight against “inhumane border policies” and “end the cruel practice of family separation and placing those seeking legal asylum in inhumane living conditions at the border or elsewhere in our country.”

Houlahan is “cosponsor and vote for the Dream and Promise Act. This legislation aims to secure permanent residency for immigrants protected under the Deferred Action for Children Arrivals (DACA) program, Temporary Protected Status, and Deferred Enforced humanitarian programs.”

Houlahan also cosponsored bills to help legal immigrants: H.R. 3648, the Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act, and H.R. 3897, the H-2B Returning Worker Exception Act of 2021.

“What is happening at our southern border should alarm all of us,” Houlahan said of the legislation. “When I visited the border in 2019, what was clear was that our facilities lacked, and have been lacking for years, the attention and resources they need. That needs to change, which is why I joined my colleagues across the aisle to vote for a 2022 spending bill providing additional funding for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to better manage immigration across our southern border.”

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

When the U.S. House of Representatives voted to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) “for promoting false narratives regarding the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and for calling for the destruction of the State of Israel,” 22 Democrats crossed party lines to pass the resolution.

None of those Democrats were from Pennsylvania.

All three local Democrats, Reps. Madeleine Dean, Mary Gay Scanlon, and Chrissy Houlahan voted against the censure resolution, which passed the House in a 234-188 vote. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) supported the resolution.

In particular, members of Congress were outraged by Tlaib’s use of the antisemitic phrase ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,’ a call to destroy the Jewish nation of Israel. More than 70 House Democrats took the unusual step of releasing a statement condemning the language as “a rallying cry for the destruction of the state of Israel.”

“We reject the use of the phrase “from the river to the sea”— a phrase used by many, including Hamas, as a rallying cry for the destruction of the State of Israel and genocide of the Jewish people. We all feel deep anguish for the human suffering caused by the war in Gaza. Hamas started this war with a barbaric terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and neither the Palestinian nor Israeli people can have peace as long as Hamas still rules over Gaza and threatens Israel,” the statement read in part.

Tlaib has made no secret of her animosity toward Israel. The only Palestinian-American currently serving in Congress, Tlaib claims, “‘From the river to the sea’ is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate.”

Supporters of Israel note that it is a common chant of terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah and is usually accompanied by maps with Israel wiped out and replaced by a nation called “Palestine.”

“This phrase means eradicating Israel and Jews. Period. Dressing it up in a new PR ploy won’t change that,” says Florida Democrat Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. 

Houlahan said in a statement that, while she “wish[ed] Rep. Tlaib hadn’t defended this particular charged phrase,” she accused Republicans of also making offensive statements and argued that censoring members of Congress over “essential freedoms, including speech and expression,” is a mistake.

“As a veteran who has sworn the oath to defend the constitution many times, I support those freedoms, even if I vehemently disagree with what’s being said.”

As for the Democratic letter regarding the phrase, a spokesperson for Houlahan told DVJournal, “There was particular phrasing” in the statement with which she disagreed.

Dean issued a statement saying, “As a longtime supporter of a two-state solution — as someone who works in the pursuit of liberation for Palestinians and long-term peace for both Israelis and Palestinians — I do not believe the phrase ‘from the river to the sea’ has a place in our discourse.” And, she added, she believes the phrase “has been co-opted by terrorist groups like Hamas to mean complete and total destruction of the Jewish state.”

But she also refused to sign the Democratic letter of condemnation or vote for censure.

“That’s not to say some of these censures aren’t warranted — but this is not the best use of our limited time,” Dean said via social media.

Scanlon did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.

The only Pennsylvania Democrat who didn’t vote against the resolution was embattled Rep. Susan Wild (D-Allentown).

She voted “present.”

Saturday’s shocking attack on Israel by the Iranian-backed terror organization Hamas has flipped the script on the vote to oust Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). With one of America’s closest allies at war and the danger of a wider regional conflict looming, the U.S. needs authorization to act. But under House rules, no action can be taken as long as the speaker’s chair is vacant.

The decision of all 208 House Democrats to support Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and vote out McCarthy has left Congress “effectively frozen until it elects a new speaker, delaying action on pressing matters,” according to The Wall Street Journal. As a result, some Republicans are talking about voting McCarthy back into the speakership so Congress can take any necessary action related to Israel’s security.

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), a moderate, tweeted on Saturday, “This is why you don’t remove a speaker mid-term without cause. What an unmitigated sh*t show. Removing ⁦Speaker McCarthy from office, mid-term, was idiotic.”

“A short window is all we need in the House to reinstate Kevin McCarthy and change the rule,” Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.) told the news site Politico.

Bucks County U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R) was ahead of the curve, appearing on “Fox and Friends” Friday morning to suggest Republicans would regret the vote and, possibly, undo it.

“This all happened so quick,” said Fitzpatrick. “A deal was pulled together [Sept. 29], which was consistent with the Problem Solvers (Caucus), we don’t believe in government shutdowns…ultimately, there was a House bill that was put on the floor.

“Speaker McCarthy pulled a rabbit out of his hat. He saved our country from the shutdown. The Senate stood down and took up the House bill. And we were under the logical assumption that that kind of behavior would be rewarded.”

But a few days later, every House Democrat — including the three members from the Delaware Valley — joined Gaetz and seven other fringe GOP members to vote McCarthy out. At the same time, 210 Republicans voted against the Gaetz move.

“The motion to vacate [the speakership] gets put on the floor, and we went to our (Democrat) colleagues and said, ‘Can you at least buy us some time?’” said Fitzpatrick. “Forty-eight hours. We can’t rewrite a 300-page rules package to make the House work more in a bipartisan manner in eight hours. It’s impossible.”

So they asked their Democratic colleagues in the Problem Solvers Caucus, “Can you vote to table it, just this one time?” said Fitzpatrick. They knew that Gaetz would not stop after one try to oust McCarthy.

Fitzpatrick said Republicans asked Democrats in the Problem Solvers Caucus to vote ‘present’ instead of advancing the motion to vacate. They refused.

“That’s all we were asking for was some time…And that’s why there are so many Republicans in our group that are very, very upset, and add me to the list.”

Asked if they might decide to end the Problem Solvers Caucus “because when you need them most, they collapsed under the pressure from (Minority Leader) Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.),” Fitzpatrick said he did not think it would end.

“There always needs to be some forum where Democrats and Republicans talk,” Fitzpatrick said. However, “The members are going to decide what that’s going to look like.”

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester/Berks), a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, did not respond to requests for comment.

The politics may have changed in the wake of the attack on Israel. Republicans appear unwilling to go through another chaotic vote like the 15 it took to seat McCarthy as speaker in January.

On Sunday, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), one of the eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy, told ABC News he wanted the next speaker to be picked by the party in private.

“It makes a lot more sense to do this behind closed doors and get it finished before we go to the floor,” Buck said, adding: “We’ll agree on a candidate by the end of the week, or we’ll agree on a candidate over the weekend. I think we lock the doors, and we have very limited bathroom breaks and food breaks and make sure we get the job done.”