Bricklayer's Son Makes Good
Strong Voice for Working Families in Congress

From left, BAC Executive Vice Presidents Gerard Scarano and Gerald O’Malley, Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY), President John J. Flynn, and Secretary-Treasurer James Boland at the national Building Trades’ Legislative Conference.

Speaking before a large group of IU and BAC officials on April 18th at the BCTD Legislative Conference, Representative Brian Higgins’ (D-NY) opening recollection was one that many in the audience could identify with. “Like most children of bricklayers,” Higgins began, “I grew up driving around in the family car with my father pointing to a building, and telling me he built that…and that…and that!”

Higgins’ labor roots, however, go far deeper than an occasional car ride and a family anecdote. Elected in November 2004 to represent New York’s 27th Congressional District (Buffalo/Western NY), Higgins, a former state legislator, battled a crowded field for the seat left open by retiring Republican Jack Quinn. Many credit his win to reaching out to union members and their families by making a convincing case, based on his record and background, that their priorities were his priorities.

Higgins’ father, Dan, and several uncles are longtime BAC members, as was his grandfather. His Uncle Jim even served as President of former Local 45 (Buffalo). Dan Higgins, too, was active in the Local, and went on to serve as a member of the Buffalo Common Council and as a Commissioner of the state’s Workers Compensation Board.

As a youngster, Higgins often worked as a laborer for his father and uncles. He not only learned the value of hard work, but the value of completing a job.

In addition to his personal connection to BAC, Higgins touched on a number of vital issues now before Congress, including the need for responsible Social Security reform, the problem of mushrooming trade and budget deficits, and the pressing need to reauthorize transportation and infrastructure funding.

In response to the Bush Administration’s insistence that Social Security’s collapse is imminent, Higgins said, “Stating that there is a crisis is wrong…the real crisis is the growing trade deficit – $600 billion – the largest in U.S. history.” He also pointed out the tremendous cost of a whopping “$350 billion a year in interest because of the budget deficit.” As a result of those interest payments, there’s no money left to reform the current health care system in which “45 million are uninsured, and eight out of ten of the uninsured are employed.”

Higgins looks forward to the day when our tax policies work for working people not against them. “The last five years of supply side economics shows that it does not work,” he said. During that time, we’ve seen “the largest tax cuts go to the wealthy who do not invest in the economy, record budget deficits, and a record number of job losses.”

“The one constant in the country is that people want to work!” said Higgins. That’s another statement all BAC members can identify with.