Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Brendan F. Boyle

Democrat on Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2027 2026-07-22

483 words · 31 sentences · 39 clauses

Statement grade

B+

Average 84 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Procedure 3%Claims 61%Positioning 6%Thanks 11%Reasoning 11%Promise 4%The ask 3%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. Chairman, Procedure · 9 wordsI yield myself such time as I may consume.Procedure Mr. Chairman, Procedure · 5 wordsI will correct the Record.Procedure Claims · 77 wordsMoments ago, the distinguished chairman of the Budget Committee referenced a letter from CBO on June 24, which he alleges, according to him, cited that the only people who lost their Medicaid coverage because of the bill they passed last summer were illegals. That is not at all what the letter says. I have it here in front of me, and I will be happy to submit it to the Record at the end of this debate. Mr. Chairman, Claims · 56 wordsit is quite clear, however, that what CBO has found is that the bill they passed last summer, reconciliation 1.0, will kick more than 15 million Americans off of their healthcare coverage.¹ Already, 8 million have lost their healthcare coverage with at least another 7 million to go.² This is a healthcare crisis in this country. Positioning · 8 wordsIt was entirely created by the other side.Positioning Mr. Chairman, Thanks · 17 wordsI thank all of the speakers who we have heard from in this debate for their comments.Thanks Mr. Chair, Positioning · 7 wordsthe choice could not be more clear.Positioning Claims · 145 wordsThe American people asked us to lower their costs. Instead, this Republican majority has delivered higher prices, less healthcare, more debt, and now tens of billions of dollars for a reckless and unnecessary war. This reconciliation effort does nothing to lower the cost of groceries or the cost of housing, healthcare, energy, or gas. Not one provision provides meaningful relief to working families. They don’t even attempt to do so. There is not one word on any of the things I just cited. What it does do, however, is add nearly $100 billion to the deficit, make new voting restrictions, ³⁴and hand President Trump another massive check to continue a war that is driving up prices here at home and exacting a devastating human toll. Sadly, three American servicemembers lost their lives this past weekend, bringing the total number killed in this conflict to 18.⁵ Thanks · 36 wordsWe mourn them. I think I can speak for the entire House when I say this.Unearned certainty We mourn them. We honor their service and sacrifice, and we keep their families and loved ones in our thoughts.Thanks Reasoning · 55 wordsYet, the best way to honor their memory and to protect the brave men and women who are still serving our country is not to continue sending them into harm’s way without a coherent strategy, a clear objective, and an achievable endgame. It is to end this war that President Trump has so badly botched.Off point Promise · 19 wordsDemocrats stand ready to work with anyone serious about lowering costs and improving the lives of the American people. Claims · 19 wordsThis resolution does neither. We have a gentleman in the White House who campaigned on the slogan: America First. Positioning · 14 wordsDoes the Chair remember that? Their bill in front of us is America last.PositioningOff point Mr. Chairman, The ask · 16 wordsI urge my colleagues to vote ``no,’’ and I yield back the balance of my time.

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 78

12 of 26 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I yield myself such time as I may consume.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I will correct the Record.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “It was entirely created by the other side.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I thank all of the speakers who we have heard from in this debate for their comments.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “the choice could not be more clear.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “We mourn them.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I think I can speak for the entire House when I say this.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “We mourn them.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “We honor their service and sacrifice,”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “and we keep their families and loved ones in our thoughts.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Does the Chair remember that?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Their bill in front of us is America last.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 73

13 of 26 deductions are Relevance

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the bill under debate.

Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Sadly, three American servicemembers lost their lives this past weekend, bringing the total number killed in this conflict to 18.”Recounts casualties of a foreign war rather than addressing the budget resolution.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “We mourn them.”Expression of mourning unrelated to the resolution’s contents.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “I think I can speak for the entire House when I say this.”A rhetorical claim about the whole House, not about the bill.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “We mourn them.”Repetition of mourning, not about the resolution.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “We honor their service and sacrifice,”Honoring servicemembers’ service rather than the bill under debate.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “and we keep their families and loved ones in our thoughts.”Condolences to families, not about the resolution.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Yet, the best way to honor their memory and to protect the brave men and women who are still serving our country is not to continue sending them into harm’s way without a coherent strategy, a clear objective,”Argues the war lacks a coherent strategy rather than addressing the budget resolution’s provisions.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “and an achievable endgame.”Continues the argument about an unachievable endgame in the war, not the bill.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “It is to end this war that President Trump has so badly botched.”Calls to end the war generally, rather than what the resolution does.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “We have a gentleman in the White House who campaigned on the slogan:”Shifts to a campaign slogan at the White House rather than the resolution.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “America First.”Quoting a campaign slogan, not the bill’s contents.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Does the Chair remember that?”A rhetorical aside to the Chair, not about the resolution.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Their bill in front of us is America last.”A slogan attack (America last) in place of engagement with the bill’s provisions.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 100

1 of 26 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “I think I can speak for the entire House”Claims unanimous House sentiment with no source or evidence for what all members feel.

Claims · 5

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“CBO has found is that the bill they passed last summer, reconciliation 1.0, will kick more than 15 million Americans off of their healthcare coverage”CBO found that the reconciliation bill passed in summer 2025 will cause more than 15 million Americans to lose their healthcare coverage.search
2“Already, 8 million have lost their healthcare coverage with at least another 7 million to go”8 million people have already lost healthcare coverage under the 2025 reconciliation bill, with at least 7 million more projected to lose coverage.search
3“add nearly $100 billion to the deficit”The resolution adds nearly $100 billion to the federal deficit.search
4“make new voting restrictions”The reconciliation effort includes provisions imposing new voting restrictions.search
5“three American servicemembers lost their lives this past weekend, bringing the total number killed in this conflict to 18”Three American servicemembers died over the weekend of July 2026 referenced in the speech, bringing total US servicemember deaths in that conflict to 18.search

Analyzed on 2026-09-15