[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 24, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H801-H808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN TRIBUTE TO REPRESENTATIVE JOHN P. MURTHA OF PENNSYLVANIA
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 6, 2009, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kanjorski) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to honor our
friend and one of the outstanding Members of this House, Jack Murtha,
who represented Pennsylvania's 12th district, and to remember his
devotion to his work in this Congress, his strength of character, and
his hard-fought efforts for his district in Pennsylvania and our
country.
Additionally, I feel privileged to have called Jack my friend, and I
know that many other Members in this Chamber feel the same way.
As first votes were called this week and Members gathered on the
House floor, it was very apparent to most of us that someone was
missing. I walked in on Monday almost expecting to see Jack seated in
the far chair in the Pennsylvania corner as I had seen since I had
first joined Congress 25 years ago.
While Jack is no longer with us, his spirit will live in this Chamber
and in the Halls of Congress. For now, the chair will remain empty, as
he could never be replaced.
Jack left us too soon. But his legacy will surely live as a symbol of
the great work that one man can do and is something that we can all
strive to achieve. He will be sorely missed by all of his fellow
colleagues, his friends, and definitely, the Pennsylvania delegation.
Mr. Chairman, I'd like to yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Holden).
Mr. HOLDEN. I thank my friend from Pennsylvania for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, today we pay tribute to our departed friend and
colleague, Jack Murtha. Over 17 years ago, I heard Jack say that his
great-grandmother told him he was put on this Earth to make a
difference--and boy did he make a difference.
He loved his country and served it with distinction at many levels.
He served in the United States Marine Corps stateside during the Korean
War. When the Vietnam War broke out, he volunteered to go back and
served in Vietnam and received two Purple Hearts.
He was the first Vietnam veteran elected to the United States
Congress. He was the longest-serving Member in the history of the
Congress from Pennsylvania to serve in the House of Representatives,
and as Mr. Young mentioned during his remarks, he never forgot the men
and women in uniform and made sure that they had the tools to do the
job that they do so well. And our returning veterans as well, he was
always at the forefront of making sure they had the proper care and
treatment and visited them so many times at our military hospitals.
But he also cared so much about all of us. Everybody in this body has
an example where Jack helped them. And he helped me so many times over
the years, but there is just one that I want to share with everyone
today.
After the redistricting of 2000 and after the 2002 election, I found
myself serving in a district that was 60 percent new to me, and I
inherited one of the best medical facilities in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania--and actually in the entire country--the Penn State Milton
Hershey Medical Center. And after meeting with the leaders at the Penn
State Milton facility and seeing the quality of care that they provide,
he said, There's one thing that we're missing. We're missing a cancer
research and treatment institute.
{time} 1730
People that we serve, when they are diagnosed, all too often have to
go to Philadelphia or Pittsburgh or Baltimore for care. We need to have
a facility for literally millions of central Pennsylvanians, and we,
Penn State, are willing to put up more than our fair share or more than
the majority of the cost, but we are about $35 million short of getting
there.
I went to see Jack. I brought him to Hershey. He looked around at the
quality of care that was provided, made an agreement and said, it won't
happen in 1 year or 2 years, but it will happen. We, the Federal
Government, will be a partner and the people of central Pennsylvania no
longer will have to travel to Philadelphia or Pittsburgh or Baltimore.
I am proud to say today that as a result of Jack's efforts and his
desire to help me, we have the best quality cancer care in central
Pennsylvania. All of us could cite incidents like that where Jack cared
about Members and did things to affect the quality of life for their
constituents.
Our thoughts and prayers continue to go to Joyce and Donna and
Patrick and John and so many of Jack's former staffers and current
staffers that are with us today.
Jack, we miss you dearly.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I would like to introduce Mr. Mike Doyle.
Before he speaks a word, he was commissioned as the jokester of the
Pennsylvania Corner purposely to keep Jack in his good spirits during
his presence there.
Mr. DOYLE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I rise to honor the memory of my mentor and my dear friend,
Congressman Jack Murtha. This is a tough day for all of us in the
Pennsylvania delegation. Our State has lost its 800-pound gorilla and
our dear, dear friend.
Jack Murtha personified the people of western Pennsylvania, tough,
hardworking, salt of the Earth. He loved his family. They always came
first, his beautiful wife, Joyce, to whom he was married for over 50
years, his three children, his grandchildren. Family always came first
to Jack Murtha.
He loved his country, and he most especially loved the men and women
who wore the uniform of the United States of America. He was their
champion. There wasn't any Member in this body who fought harder for
those troops than Jack Murtha did.
He loved this institution too. I remember he especially was helpful
to new Members. When I got elected in 1994, Jack took me under his wing
and one day he sat me right back there in the Pennsylvania Corner,
right next to his chair, and he said, I am going to give you two pieces
of advice. He says, number one, sit here on the floor and learn the
rules and the procedure, because if you master the rules and the
procedure of the House, someday you're going to get a chance to offer a
bill, and the people that understand the rules will always win.
He said, secondly, find out what you are passionate about and be the
best person you can be in that field. Be the person that other people
come to and ask for advice on that issue.
I never forgot that advice. Sixteen years later, every day, we still
come over to that corner, and those of us who were smart enough would
come over there to seek Jack's counsel. He didn't just do it for the
members of the Pennsylvania delegation, he did it for anyone who was
smart enough to come back there and introduce themselves to Jack and
seek his counsel. It didn't matter what their party affiliation was
either.
Much has been said about Jack's ability to work across the aisle. He
truly did. When he chaired the Defense appropriations committee, it
didn't matter to him what your party was. What mattered to him is that
you had something that was going to be good for the troops and good for
the country, and if you had a good idea, Jack was willing to help you
turn that idea into reality.
[[Page H802]]
When you think about the appropriation bills and how long it takes us
sometimes to pass bills and how long that we go sometimes without
passing bills and have to throw them in an omnibus at the end of the
year, there was always one bill that we never had a problem passing. I
can't remember in the 16 years that I have been here in the House of
Representatives it ever taking more than 10 minutes to pass the Defense
appropriations bill. Jack just had it all worked out from the
beginning, and he worked it out with both sides. That was the beauty of
it.
You know, it was said that when Jack wasn't in the majority anymore
and not the chairman of the committee, it was hard to tell who was the
chairman of the committee, because Jack and his good friend, Bill
Young, they worked together as a team. They were both the Chairs of the
committee every year, regardless of what party was in control. It was
his dear friend, and it was a pleasure to see those two work.
To sit on these opposite ends, we hear so much rancor in America
today about the division in our country and the division here in the
House of Representatives, how Democrats and Republicans can't work
together. These two gentlemen worked together their entire careers.
They were an example for the rest of us to follow.
Jack Murtha is not with us anymore. It's hard to imagine coming to
the Pennsylvania Corner, and I think the toughest thing for all of us
this week was to stand in that corner and see that chair empty and know
that our friend wasn't coming in. It's going to take us a while for
that to sink in that it's really happened, but one thing lives on. Jack
would want us to move forward. Jack wouldn't want us to spend a lot of
time dwelling about him or how we feel because he is gone.
Jack would want us to get back to work. He would want to make sure
that we were working for this country and for our districts. He always
told every Member that came over there, vote your district first.
Regardless of what anybody tells you on this floor, you vote your
district. I watched Jack Murtha chase some of the leadership of our
party back from Pennsylvania Corner when they were trying to make some
of our members not vote their districts. Jack made sure that that
didn't happen.
Jack, we're going to miss you. You've been a great teacher. To those
of us in the Pennsylvania delegation, you were a great friend, to many
of us a father figure. We stand here today to honor your memory and to
pledge to you that we will continue to work hard in your memory and
make sure that the people of western Pennsylvania and the great State
of Pennsylvania continue the tradition that you set for all of us, the
example that you set for this delegation.
To his family, our deepest sympathies. Jack Murtha, Godspeed, God
bless.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, Jack's chairman as chairman of the
Appropriations Committee, David Obey.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, this is a very human institution, and it's
affected very much by our personal relationships with one another. Very
frankly, for the first 20 years that Jack and I served on the
Appropriations Committee, we were often adversaries. There were some
issues that we differed on. He was, as has already been said, very much
old school, and I was more of a reformer.
In fact, when I ran for the chairmanship of the committee against a
senior member of the committee, Jack managed the campaign of my
opponent and, unfortunately, he did a pretty good job. After I was
elected, we had pretty much an arm's-length relationship for a couple
of years.
But if you care about your country, and you care about this
institution, you swallow your differences and you learn to work with
everybody. Jack and I soon had developed a solid working relationship,
and we became allies on a host of issues. One of our most important was
our view of the war in Iraq and how to get out of it; and another was
our concern about the dubiousness of our continued involvement in
Afghanistan if we didn't have a better ally in that government to rely
upon.
We often talked together, and we traveled together. We went to the
Middle East together. We shared something special as well in a
different place on this globe. A few years ago, he and I and Dave
Hobson and our staffs became concerned about the visitors center at
Normandy. It was really pretty much of a cracker box affair, and it was
not at all fitting to the history of that place. So we determined that
there ought to be a new visitors' center at Normandy. With the three of
us working together with our staffs, that visitors center was built.
Today, if you visit it--and it's truly beautiful--there is a little
plaque behind that visitors center in front of a small tree with the
names of Murtha, Obey and Hobson on it. I know I am proud of that, and
I know Jack was proud of that. I think it symbolizes what happens in
this place. Two people who started out as adversaries became reasonably
good friends, never fully agreeing, because no two people in this place
ever agree on everything, but we had a solid working relationship.
I learned one thing about Jack a long time ago. He had the courage of
his convictions, and he fought hard every way he knew how for those
convictions, and he cared deeply about the welfare of the men and women
who served in the Armed Forces and defend this country's freedom.
I am proud that at Normandy there is that little note of the three of
us having gotten together, all for one purpose, to honor the people who
did so much on those beaches to build and preserve America's freedom
and the freedom of the world.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield to the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).
Mr. VISCLOSKY. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I would like to take a bit different tack because I met Chairman
Murtha for the first time in 1977 when I was an associate staff on
Appropriations. My Member and my mentor, Adam Benjamin, Jr., was a
member of the Appropriations Committee that year. Mr. Murtha, Mr.
Carney, Mr. Benjamin and others were instrumental in that year, not
only in that appropriations process, but in also establishing the Steel
Caucus, because they were very concerned about people who worked in
their district.
What I took away as a staffer from that relationship with Mr. Murtha
is the fact that he always treated me and every other staff he came
into contact with with respect. He always heard what I had to say and
what other staff had to say, whether, as Mr. Obey implied, he always
agreed with you or not, and he always treated you very professionally.
I had no conception during those 6 years working as a staff member
that the time would come that I would serve as a colleague on the
committee with Mr. Murtha, would serve on the subcommittee, and would
be blessed enough to call him a friend. He was a friend to every person
he encountered. He was a good friend to the people he represented,
because he was most concerned with those who worked hard, who needed a
job or who needed a hand up.
Our country is much richer because of that attitude that Mr. Murtha
carried with him every day, and the world is certainly a much better
place than it would have been had he not walked among us.
The fact is, as far as his activities on the Defense subcommittee,
and my Member was a former marine as well, I was always struck that
while some people are very focused on weapons systems, Mr. Murtha,
while never losing sight of the big picture, was most concerned about
that individual man or woman who was in the field, who was risking
their life and who was serving our country. As he would suggest,
operation and maintenance, how you train, how you provide for their
safety, how you equip that person and their family and those children
was the most important thing for him.
He taught me many valuable life lessons. I am a better person, and we
are all better people because of Mr. Murtha. He will be greatly missed,
and I deeply appreciate the gentleman from Pennsylvania for this
opportunity.
{time} 1745
Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I now yield time to the gentleman from
western Pennsylvania, one of Jack's prodigies, Jason Altmire.
Mr. ALTMIRE. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania and I thank
everyone who has spoken tonight.
[[Page H803]]
I want to talk about western Pennsylvania and what Jack meant to
western Pennsylvania, his home region and my home region.
A lot has been said over the past few weeks, and certainly tonight,
about the impact that this ``giant of the Congress'' made on this
institution, that he made on this country, and certainly the impact
that he had on the American military, and there is nobody here that
supported them more than Jack Murtha.
I wanted to talk about the impact he had on his home region. I am
fortunate enough to represent a district that is intertwined, due to
gerrymandering, with Mr. Murtha's district, the district that he
represented for so many years. I was born in a hospital that is in the
district that he represented. I grew up in a town that is in the
district that he represented. And I can tell you that we have lost a
giant in this Congress and we have lost a giant in this country, but
we've lost a giant in western Pennsylvania. He will not be forgotten in
his home region.
And it should not be forgotten that this is somebody--and we talk
about the work that he did as a member of the Appropriations Committee.
He put, over the course of his career, $1.5 billion into breast cancer
research. He put nearly $1 billion into diabetes research as a member
of the Appropriations Committee. I don't think that there is anybody in
this Congress that has a record that can match what he has done in
promoting health and promoting wellness--yes, in our military, but
across all segments of society. And again, this is somebody, as
Congressman Doyle talked of earlier, that epitomizes the work ethic
that represents western Pennsylvania and the constituency that we
represent.
I am fortunate to have known Mr. Murtha. I count him as a true
champion of the region that I grew up in and somebody who will never be
forgotten. There will never be his like again in western Pennsylvania,
in the Congress, or in the country.
I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for the time.
Mr. KANJORSKI. I would now like to yield to part of our leadership,
Mr. Larson.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I want to thank the gentleman, the Dean of
the Pennsylvania delegation, for having this opportunity for Members to
speak about a great American and someone who was so near and dear to
all of us.
I want to commend Mike Doyle, Bob Brady, Paul Kanjorski, the entire
delegation for last week making sure that, aside from the formal
services held for Mr. Murtha in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, there was an
opportunity for an Irish wake afterwards. Jack, I know, would have been
very proud of that. I am sure he got quite a chuckle with Tip O'Neill
up in a higher place at the coming together of so many Members and
regaling with so many stories of Jack Murtha.
America has lost a great patriot. The Congress has lost one of its
giants, one of the most knowledgeable Members on national defense ever
to serve here, whose service spanned four decades and eight Presidents
and Members from both Chambers and on both sides of the aisle.
Our hearts go out to Joyce and the family. We in this body have lost
a person that makes the very essence and fabric of being here so rich
and rewarding; it was evident in listening to our colleagues, listening
to Rodney and Bill and Jack Kingston talk about Mr. Murtha. His death
is a reminder to us all that our time here and all that we hope to
accomplish is fleeting. As he would say, make the most of it while
you're here; become expert in a field; but most of all, stand up for
what you believe.
Jack reminded me in so many ways of my grandfather, with that shock
of white hair and piercing blue eyes and his way of questioning, but
also his incredible Irish wit. He loved Congress. He was the epitome of
what so often is talked about in terms of bipartisan cooperation and
was so often demonstrated between him and Bill Young or Dave Hobson.
When he gave his word, he kept it.
He was a Member's Member, ever cognizant of what he could do to help
you. And while he was a tough questioner and firm in his convictions,
he had an incredible heart and a deep love of history. He loved to talk
about Tip O'Neill and the good ol' days here.
I was fortunate to travel overseas with Mr. Murtha four times.
Sometimes I thought I drew the short straw in the Pennsylvania corner
because Jack, when he took a trip, it was all work; up at 6, he was in
bed by 7. There were no PowerPoints, and he looked people dead in the
eye. And he always made sure that he spoke to the enlisted men because
he cared most about them. A decorated hero, two Purple Hearts and a
Bronze Star in Vietnam, the first Member from that conflict and veteran
elected to the United States Congress.
Personally, a young man from East Hartford, my hometown, was wounded
in Fallujah. He was in bad shape. He was sent back here, and his
brother who was fighting alongside him, a fellow marine, was back
there. Jack Murtha got on the phone and made sure that those brothers
were united at Bethesda along with their parents.
I remember him counseling a father and his teenage son over at
Ramstein Hospital in Germany. They had just lost a son. I don't know
where Jack got the strength or that reservoir of courage to comfort and
console the father and son, but he did, in almost Father O'Malley
quality.
He cared so deeply about the troops that serve this great Nation. And
as Bill Young pointed out, he and Bill made more trips out to Bethesda
and Walter Reed with no publicity. They did it out of duty and honor
and respect for those who serve.
He wrote a book, and on these flights I was privileged as he would go
through it with me. His favorite book of all time was ``War and
Peace.'' He cared as deeply about peace as he did about making sure
that we protected our troops when they're in the field and took care of
them when they came home.
He will ever stand out in the minds of Americans for standing up and
speaking out against the war in Iraq, an issue that he struggled deeply
with. But as so many great Americans on this floor and in this Chamber
and around this Nation, he found that profile in courage to stand up
and speak out.
Democrats, I dare say, would not be in the majority if it were not
for Jack Murtha leading the way and speaking out, because he is a
soldier's soldier. And he was respected on both sides of the aisle, as
you've heard this evening. But as one commentator said, when Jack
Murtha speaks, he speaks for America, and he did.
How proud he was to receive the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Profile in
Courage Award. But his life was not only about speaking out; it was
about the day-to-day work, the belief that he had in the men and women
who serve and the people that he was sworn to serve from his district,
and about the men and women who work here. He loved this institution.
God, how everyone liked to come over to the corner. It seemed as though
people were going over there either to hear confessions, seek
advice and, most often, to check in on how their projects were doing.
But he did it with wit, determination, and guile, and a deep love and
abiding respect for his country.
For me personally, one of the great honors of being a Member of the
United States Congress will always be to say I had the opportunity to
serve with Jack Murtha, a great American.
God bless you, Jack. God bless Joyce and your family.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Thank you very much, Mr. Larson.
I now yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Carney).
Mr. CARNEY. Thank you, Mr. Kanjorski, the new dean. I know that is
probably a hard title to accept now under these circumstances.
It's interesting, I was listening to Mr. Larson speak, and I truly
wish that every American had the opportunity to be in Johnstown on
Monday night last to be part of the wake we had because it was truly a
celebration of a man who deserves to be celebrated, but it was very
striking in the bipartisanship that was displayed there. Friends on
both sides of the aisle came to honor the man who was--and the word is
not overused in this case--a giant, who knew how to fight for what he
believed in, but also knew the art of the possible.
One thing Jack taught me a long time ago is that we are judged on
this Earth not by what we don't do, but what we do. That is how I think
we all
[[Page H804]]
have to proceed as Members of Congress in this body that we are
privileged to be elected to serve. And here is a man who fought for
everything he believed in.
Back in 2006, a number of us had the privilege of meeting Jack. He
became our mentor when we came into power as the majority party again.
And it was his leadership, his tutelage, and his guidance that got us
here. And the fact of the matter is, when you came to Jack with a
problem, especially one that dealt with the troops, he was going to
take care of it.
Before my tenure here in Congress I was a professor at Penn State,
and I had a student who was deployed to Iraq in the first wave of the
invasion. He came back from Iraq and told me that, When we were there,
we had to go through Iraqi junkyards to find scrap metal to lob onto
our trucks for more protection. When I told Jack that story, that kind
Irish face of his hardened, those blue eyes didn't twinkle quite as
much, and that grin firmed up. He said, By God, we're going to fix
that. And by God, he fixed that.
Jack, we are going to miss you. We are going to look back in that
corner. We are going to know that we are not whole just yet, but we
will remember the lessons you taught us and the leadership you
provided.
Godspeed, soldier.
{time} 1800
Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Patrick J. Murphy).
Mr. PATRICK J. MURPHY of Pennsylvania. I thank the gentleman from
Pennsylvania and now the dean of the delegation.
I want to echo the comments of my classmate, Congressman Chris
Carney, also from Pennsylvania. When we came in together, he was really
our mentor, and he was a great man. I thought it was fitting, when we
heard earlier Republicans talking about the honor to serve with a great
patriot like Jack Murtha, the fact that he always reached across the
aisle. The pallbearers at his service last week were both Democrats and
Republicans. They were coming together to be those pallbearers in that
final service.
In that service last week, we heard how Mrs. Bair told a young Jack
Patrick Murtha that one person can make a difference, that one person
can change the world. Whether it was in the Marine Corps, in the
Congress of the United States, or within the Murtha Family, Jack
Patrick Murtha certainly did make quite a difference.
In the military, he was proud of his over three decades in the Corps.
He was proud that he was the first combat marine to serve in the United
States Congress. He was proud when he had given a knife to a current
commandant of the Marine Corps, General Conway. General Conway talked
in the service last week about still having that knife. He was also
proud to go down the street at the Walter Reed military hospital to see
the men and women, our country's heroes, when they came back. When they
gave it all on the battlefield and they came home, he was there for
them.
As for his time in the Congress, he was proud of the family that made
up ``team Murtha''--the folks who served with great honor and
distinction, not just to the constituents of the 12th Congressional
District of Pennsylvania, but also to the citizens of the United States
of America.
I am a person who often says that budgets are moral documents. If you
want to see someone's priorities, you look at his budget, whether it's
a family's budget or a country's budget. Well, the fact is that Jack
Murtha made sure that our troops had everything that they needed. If
our warfighters were going to put their lives on the line, if they were
going to be willing to take a bullet to keep our families and our
country safe, Jack Murtha did not want a fair fight. Jack Murtha wanted
to make sure that our troops had a tactical and a technical advantage
on that battlefield. Jack Murtha also wanted to make sure that the
Congress of the United States and our country's policymakers also had
the right war policy for those troops.
As John Larson said earlier, when Jack Murtha spoke about calling for
a timeline to bring our troops home from Iraq, it sent shock waves, not
just across our country but around the world, that he was going to
stand up for principle and do the right thing. That is the kind of
marine, that is the kind of leader that Jack Murtha was. It was no
surprise to many of us who had watched him throughout the years when he
was awarded John Kennedy's Profile in Courage. He was so proud of that
award because he knew what that award represented--the fact that he, a
guy who had grown up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, had finally made a
difference.
Lastly, we all know Jack to be the family man that he was. The fact
is he was most proud of his wife, Joyce, of his kids and of his
grandchildren. He'd be here at the Capitol so early, by 6:00 in the
morning at least. Then when we'd have late votes, at about 7:00 or
7:30, you could see him fidgeting. We used to joke with him.
You'd hear Bob Ray ask, What's the matter? Does Joyce have pork chops
going on? You know, why do you want to rush out of here?
He'd say, I've got to get home.
He wanted to make sure that he was home so he could be there with his
family to have a meal.
I believe that John Patrick Murtha and his service that he gave to
our country as a marine, as the chairman, and as a family man is a
testament to his life's work, which is that one man can make a
difference.
God bless you, Jack Murtha.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Thank you, Mr. Murphy.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the last of the Pennsylvania delegation,
Representative Dahlkemper of Erie.
Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. I thank the gentleman, our new dean of the
delegation.
I join my fellow Pennsylvania members and all of those who are here
tonight to honor Jack Murtha. I am deeply honored and equally saddened
to stand here in tribute to our colleague and to my friend, the late
Jack Murtha. I am the youngest--or the newest member, I should say. I
am not the youngest. I am the newest member of the Pennsylvania
delegation. I've been here just 14 months.
Yet, from the first day that I stepped onto this floor, Jack Murtha
was a friend, was a mentor. He welcomed me into the corner, the famous
Pennsylvania corner which I had heard so much about. He welcomed me
graciously, sharing his wisdom, sharing his intellect, his wit, his
humor.
He would say, Hey, kid. How ya doing?
Jack and I, I think, quickly developed a very special relationship. I
saw him sort of as my father on the floor, the person I could turn to.
He was a mentor, always offering me that advice. Jack Murtha made sure
that, as a new Member, I knew my constituents had to come first, that
you represent the people who brought you here in every vote.
He was enormously helpful to all of us here. Certainly, if I had a
question or a concern or an issue in my district, I'd first turn to
Jack Murtha and get his advice on how I should proceed.
In November, I am so grateful that I was given the privilege to
travel with Jack Murtha to Afghanistan over the Thanksgiving work
period. We went to visit our troops abroad. To be with him and to see
how he interacted with our troops was just a wonderful experience to be
a part of. In seeing his questioning of those in charge, I learned a
lot from him over that trip--how to do a CODEL, how to do it right and
how to come back with the information that you need. There was no
better person to really take that journey with than Jack Murtha.
His mere presence in Afghanistan and everywhere we went on that trip
commanded respect from everyone we encountered, and his keen insight
and understandings of the needs of our troops, I think, was appreciated
by everyone. All of those whom he touched there knew that he had one
interest, and that was to take care of those who were there serving our
country.
Jack Murtha was a true patriot. He loved his country, and he believed
in the value of public service. His passing is a great loss for the
United States of America. It is a great loss for the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. It is a great loss to his district. It is a great loss to
all of us who served with him in the House. I am grateful to have
served with him.
[[Page H805]]
God bless Jack Murtha. God bless his family--his wife, Joyce, his
children and his grandchildren.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Thank you, Mrs. Dahlkemper.
Now we will hear from the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick).
Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I, too, come to pay homage
to a giant--to our leader, our chairman, the epitome of a public
servant. All of us feel like he was our best friend.
As the newest member of the Defense Appropriations Committee, I was
in awe as I watched the chairman yield, educate, speak, and do what he
did so that all of the members on our subcommittee, on both sides of
the aisle, could participate in the process.
Chairman Murtha held 32 hearings before we even got to the
appropriations bill last year. I was at every one of them. To watch him
and to watch the prestige and the honor that he received as well as
gave to those who came before our subcommittee was astounding. Chairman
Murtha welcomed me into the group. It is a prestigious group. In my 32
years of public service, there has been none like it.
I honor you, Jack Murtha, for your wisdom, your courage. It has
already been said--and I akin myself to all of my colleagues who have
come before me, but the redundancy needs to be said over and over
again--that our country has lost a giant. This institution will never
be the same. We will strive to carry the torch and passion of Jack
Murtha, those of us on the committee, on the full committee, and in
this Congress on both sides of the aisle.
We love you, Jack Murtha. I pledge to you, as I do my work here in
the United States House of Representatives, it is because of you and
others like you who showed me and helped me to become that defense
protege, if you will, who will speak out, who will protect our men and
women in uniform and our entire United States of America. So rest in
peace, my great warrior.
To his family--to his children and grandchildren--know that you have
a friend in all of us. We have adopted you into our family. Let us
speak and serve and reach and grow and build a new United States of
America as Jack Murtha has held us to do.
God bless you, Jack. We will never forget you.
Warrior. Statesman. Husband. Father. Legislator. Chairman John P.
Murtha was the epitome of the best of what our nation's military and
this Congress does. As one of the seven people in the history of our
country selected to Chair the House Defense Appropriations
Subcommittee, Chairman Murtha comes from a family with a long and
stellar line of service to our country. Chairman Murtha's great-
grandfather served in the Civil War. His father and three uncles served
in World War II. Chairman Murtha, along with his brothers, served in
our nation's military during the Vietnam War. His sons served in the
military as well. Of course, we all know that Chairman Murtha went in
as an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps, serving as a
drill sergeant at Parris Island, South Carolina, the home to many of
our Marines. In 1966, Chairman Murtha volunteered for active duty in
the Marine Corps, joining his brothers in combat. Chairman Murtha
earned two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and the Vietnamese Cross for
Gallantry in Vietnam. Chairman Murtha served in the Marine Corps in the
reserves, and retired as a Colonel.
Chairman Murtha, after active duty in Vietnam, became active in
politics and was elected to Pennsylvania's House of Representatives.
When Chairman Murtha was elected to Congress in 1974, he was the first
Vietnam era veteran elected to Congress. Chairman Murtha was a
dedicated and devoted servant to the people of Pennsylvania's 12th
Congressional District. We all know Chairman Murtha.
What many people do not know is how Chairman Jack Murtha fought for
pay raises for all members of America's military. How Chairman Murtha
demanded accountability from all our Presidents on the number of
contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. What many people do not know is
how Chairman Murtha took a young Member of Congress aside and taught
her or him how to get things done. What many people do not know is that
Chairman Murtha was feared, and also respected; Chairman Murtha was
intimidating and also loved. There is a reason that just over my
shoulder, on the House floor, a flag hangs in respect, love and
admiration in the seat that Chairman Murtha called home for more than
three decades.
Chairman Murtha's respect went far beyond the confines of the House
Appropriations Committee on Defense. When our Nation's warriors go to
fight for us, they deserve nothing but the best in return. That was
Chairman Murtha's goal for the men and women of our Nation's military.
Chairman Murtha, very simply, made things happen. You know what? Most
of the things that Chairman Murtha made happen never made the pages of
the newspaper. They were not in a sound bite on television or on radio.
But each and every Member who walks these halls know that Congress is a
lot emptier and things will not be done as quickly or as well since the
loss of Chairman Murtha. I do not believe that it is an understatement
when I say that the reason why our troops in Iraq are coming home today
is because Chairman Murtha, warrior, statesman, and lover of his men
and women in combat, said ``enough.''
Chairman Murtha knew defeat and victory. Chairman Murtha loved the
institution of Congress, he loved his family, he loved his Marines, he
loved his service members of our nation's military, and those
individuals who volunteer to put themselves in harm's way to defend our
Constitution. Chairman Murtha defended our Constitution as a Marine in
combat in Vietnam. Chairman Murtha defended our Constitution as a
Member of Congress. Chairman Murtha will continue to guide the spirits
and souls of us all as we work to solve the problems of America.
Because that is what Chairman Murtha did--solve problems.
Chairman John Patrick Murtha, rest in peace. To his wife and family,
know that we will always honor and cherish his memory, and we thank you
for sharing him with us for more than three decades. The heart of a
lion that once roamed the halls of Congress is lost, and I will miss
his kind heart, his vivacious spirit, and his intelligence forever.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Thank you very much, Ms. Kilpatrick.
Now we will hear from the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey).
Mr. HINCHEY. Well, thank you very much.
I just want to express my deep sense of sadness for the loss of a
very dear friend, someone for whom I had a great deal of respect and
admiration. I know that sense is not unique. It is shared and expressed
by a great many of other people. Of course, the reasons for that are
the interactions that he had with so many of the people. It is the
involvement that he had and the way in which he provided leadership and
direction for a great many. I knew him for a little more than 17 years
but not very closely until the last year and a half or so, and that was
because I now serve on the subcommittee that he chaired, the
Subcommittee on Defense.
I felt a great sense of admiration for him, for the focus that he had
on the work that he had to do and for the way in which he did it so
very, very effectively. I could understand why, because that was the
simple nature of the man, and it was the kind of thing that he had done
all his life.
He served in the military, and was a great exemplary of strength, and
honor, and courage, and he had done the same thing during his tenure
here in the House of Representatives. He served with strength, and
honor, and courage. He did a great many things for the district that he
represented, a great many things for Pennsylvania, but also a great
many things for many places across this country. I know that he did a
great many things in helping me.
So, again, I want to express my deep sense of gratitude for Jack
Murtha, my deep respect for him and this deep, unexpected sadness in
his leaving us. I had thought that he would be here for a long, long
time. Nevertheless, we will continue to have the strength that we have
had as a result of our interactions with him. We will be much more
effective, much more knowledgeable, and there will be a continuation of
positive things done here. A lot of those positive things will be as a
direct result of the leadership and of the examples set by Jack Murtha.
Thank you, Jack, for everything that you've done.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Thank you very much, Mr. Hinchey.
Now we will hear from the gentleman from Georgia.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for
allowing me to participate in this tribute to our great friend.
The poet wrote that the lives of great men all remind us that we can
make our lives sublime, and departing, leave behind footprints on the
sands of time.
Jack Murtha was a great man, and he, indeed, left indelible
footprints. He left footprints on his beloved district in Pennsylvania
with all of the projects and all of the things that he did for his
[[Page H806]]
constituents there over the 36 years of service he gave.
He left footprints on the Department of Defense and on the men and
women who served in our military and their families with all of the
care and the concern that he put into making sure that they had
everything that was needed to carry out their missions and that they
got what they needed when they returned home.
{time} 1815
He left a footprint on this institution with the leadership and the
example that he set for all of us as a bipartisan collegial
representative. To watch the interaction between Mr. Murtha and Mr.
Young and to be able to feel and to see the genuine friendship and
mutual respect that they had for each other was a lesson every day in
the collegiality and the civility that Members of this institution
should carry in the traditions of this institution.
Jack Murtha made and left indelible footprints on the United States
of America. He made an impression on all of us, on his family, Joyce,
who was a mentor to my wife in the Congressional Club as Jack was a
mentor to me in this House. I can remember my very first trip to
Murtha's Corner, seeking sage advice, and I can remember the last trip
on his last day on the floor a thousand visits later.
Jack made a lasting impression on us. He was a friend. He was a
mentor. He was a Members' Member. The world is better because Jack
Murtha was here. This institution and our country are better because
Jack Murtha was here.
Someone said you make your living by what you get; you make your life
by what you give. Jack Murtha indeed made a life and he made our lives
better for his service.
Thank you, Jack. Thank you to the Murtha family. Thank you, God, for
allowing us to know, love, and share the life of this very exceptional
and remarkable man.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield now to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Holt).
Mr. HOLT. We will miss Jack Murtha. Strong-willed plain spoken,
fearless, dedicated, patriotic, honorable, and remarkably generous with
his time, his wisdom, and his advice. We will not see the like of him.
The descendant of veterans of the American war of independence and
the Civil War, he was the champion of the marine, the soldier, the
sailor, the flyer. And to me personally he was magnanimous.
When the Speaker created the Select Intelligence Oversight panel as
part of the Appropriations Committee and asked me to take the chair,
Jack Murtha embraced the panel and gave it strength, even though it
might have appeared to lessen his authority. Of course, nothing ever
diminished the authority of Jack Murtha. He embodied authority. More
than magnanimous, he was kind and sharing.
We express our sympathy to the family, friends, and all of those who
Jack Murtha championed who don't know what he did for them and what he
did for America. What a loss.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey
(Mr. Pascrell).
Mr. PASCRELL. We who worked with Jack Murtha day in and day out
really appreciated his deep respect for this institution.
In a time when we see the demise of institutional respect and ritual,
he enjoyed the ritual of this House, just as he enjoyed the ritual of
serving his country as a marine. He enjoyed the ritual of marriage. He
was honorable, he was devoted, and he was faithful; a faithful brother
who served his country and asked nothing in return. Man, that is
different in this city.
Jack and I 7 years ago came together in two different paths in order
to respond to our soldiers, our brothers and sisters, our aunts and
uncles and fathers and mothers who were coming back from Iraq and
Afghanistan with the signature injury of those two wars: traumatic
brain injury. No contusion, no blood, misdiagnosed, never diagnosed.
And post-traumatic stress disorder. It was part of my official family.
I knew it firsthand. And Jack said, Why don't we bring the civilian
research and the military research together. So we set out. Can you
imagine going into a war without having ready how we would help those
soldiers coming back? Jack couldn't. And he did something about it.
When you go to Walter Reed Hospital, a hospital that was supposed to
be closed, if you remember, 4 years ago, and you see the state of the
art, he did not give up on those soldiers, many of whom would be dead
if it were not for what he did in getting the resources so that the
state-of-the-art treatment for our soldiers would be there.
To his friends on both sides of the aisle, let us remember when Jack
would come to the microphone, and it wasn't often, but he came to the
microphone during appropriations time, and he would say many times to
me, Billy, watch how quick I'm there and I'll be gone. And you would
think the chairman would want to give a dissertation. But he had done
his homework. There were no speeches that were necessary. He did not
mention platitudes. It was honor, duty, and then a nonpretentious exit.
Good friend, you are not gone. We will remember you and we love you.
Mr. KANJORSKI. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).
Mr. LIPINSKI. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding.
I know a lot of people have talked about Jack Murtha as a giant, and
I really think that this institution probably will not see another man
like Jack Murtha in many ways.
But I really think what stands out most to me and what has come
through here is that Jack Murtha had a heart of gold. He really cared
about people. He cared about the men and women in our Armed Forces. He
cared about his colleagues. And he cared about his constituents
greatly, especially in his hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
I really didn't get to meet Jack Murtha until I was elected in 2004,
but I feel like I really started to get to know him before that. In
2000 I started dating Judy, who is now my wife, and she is from
Johnstown. Her family is still in Johnstown. So I would go to visit
Judy's family in Johnstown and I would hear people talk about Jack
Murtha. I would see what Jack Murtha did for his district. And I knew
that his constituents, especially the people of Johnstown, loved Jack
Murtha.
When I was elected, I would often go say hello to Jack over in the
Pennsylvania Corner, just come over to say hello, and so many times he
would give me that smile and he'd tap his colleague next to him on the
shoulder and say, This guy married a gal from Johnstown. And I always
felt a very close connection to Jack because of that.
I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity in these 5 years to
get to know Jack Murtha and what he did for Johnstown. I certainly saw
people suffer through floods, economic turmoil, and he really cared
about the people, and doing all he could for them meant a lot to him.
I will really miss Jack and what he meant to so many of us. I really
think that Jack loved his job because he knew it gave him a great
opportunity to do what he really believed, and that is take care of
people, to help people out. And this job gave him the opportunity to do
that, and he did it throughout all of his life. And because of that I
will greatly miss Jack Murtha.
God bless Jack Murtha, Joyce, and his entire family.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Madam Speaker, we have the Speaker who will be
arriving and, as I understand it, we have additional Members who will
make requests to speak for 5 minutes.
Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker I rise to remember my friend and
our dear colleague Congressman John Murtha.
I was deeply saddened when I learned of Congressman Murtha's death. I
share the sentiments of my colleagues on the floor today, and my heart
goes out to the entire Murtha family for their loss.
The people of Pennsylvania and of this entire country have lost a
good and faithful servant with the passing of Congressman John Murtha.
For nearly half a century, whether it was on the battlefield as a
Marine, the Pennsylvania state legislature or on Capitol Hill, John
Murtha always led with distinction and honor.
As a veteran of the Vietnam War, Congressman Murtha served this
country courageously and was a staunch advocate for our men and women
in uniform.
In the House of Representatives he was a true leader, and a man of
conviction, who was always willing to share a word of wisdom.
[[Page H807]]
He had the courage to call for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq
long before it was popular to do so and I will always be grateful for
his willingness to take such a difficult stand.
We have lost a friend and colleague, and our country has lost a great
public servant and statesman. Congressman John Murtha will be deeply
missed.
My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Joyce, his daughter Donna,
his twin sons Pat and John and his three grandchildren: Jack, Anne and
Clayton.
It is our charge to ensure that his memory and legacy lives on, and
that we continue his fierce dedication, loyalty and love for the brave
men and women of the Armed Forces.
Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I and the following members rise in
recognition of the late U.S. Representative John Murtha's lifelong
dedication to members of our armed services: Representative Bruce
Braley, Representative Tim Walz, Representative Keith Ellison,
Representative James Oberstar, Representative Leonard Boswell,
Representative David Loebsack, Representative Collin Peterson, and
Representative Tom Latham.
Chairman John Murtha was a passionate legislator and decorated ex-
Marine who never stopped fighting for our men and women in uniform. In
1974, Murtha, then an officer in the Marine Reserves, became the first
Vietnam War combat veteran elected to the House of Representatives. As
Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense,
Congressman Murtha was a tireless advocate for our troops, military
families, and our veterans on Capitol Hill. At a time when we are
mourning his passing, it is important to recognize Chairman Murtha's
work to ensure that veterans receive support. The undersigned members
would like to call attention to the work he did to secure the benefits
promised and earned by 22,000 National Guard and Reserve personnel in
our states.
In January of 2007, the Department of Defense authorized Post-
Deployment Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA) program, which provides
additional pay when a soldier deploys more frequently than DOD policy
requires. For the two years since the authorization of PDMRA, the
Pentagon's implementation of the program has been slow and incomplete.
As result, thousands of National Guard and Reserve members who have
served multiple and extended tours in Iraq and Afghanistan did not
receive the pay to which they are entitled. This problem has affected
National Guard and Reserve personnel in every state across the nation.
Members organized to bring attention to this problem and to find a
resolution. The undersigned members have sent letters to the Pentagon,
organized events, and met with armed services personnel for years and
asked for the Chairman's assistance and leadership.
Chairman Murtha heard our request and took action. He made phone
calls directly to Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Army Secretary
Pete Geren. He included language to remedy the delay in the FY10
Defense Appropriations bill, and in numerous letters to the Department
of Defense since 2007 Congressman Murtha supported his colleagues in
making it clear that further delay in resolving this issue was
unacceptable to our members of the armed services. Because of the
Chairman Murtha's support, the Department of Defense issued Army policy
guidance for cash reimbursements for PDMRA for Reserve and National
Guard personnel, which represents a crucial step in finally resolving
this issue.
The late Congressman John Murtha has shown throughout his time in the
military and in Congress that he is a dedicated leader on fighting on
behalf of military families.
Ms. HARMAN. Madam Speaker, Jack Murtha was a paradox: a big man with
an impressive war record who never wavered from his commitment to the
wounded, the disadvantaged, and always challenged those who, in his
strong opinion, underestimated the economic and human costs of war. He
was a politician who constantly spoke his mind, and never worried about
ruffling feathers. That's rare in today's Washington. Jack reached out
to his colleagues--not just those who sat near him in the
``Pennsylvania corner'' on the House floor, but to others whom he
respected. The people of California's 36th District and I are lucky to
have been one of those he looked out for. I remember his visit about a
decade ago to the Los Angeles Air Force Base Space and Missile Systems
Center, located in my Congressional district. Of course he cared about
SMC's mission of development and acquisition of our nation's defense
satellites, he also wanted to know about the people of SMC. He met with
the generals and staff about how things were going, and whether funding
was on track, but he also took the time to speak at a ``town hall''
style meeting with the workforce where he thanked them for their
service and to check on their well-being. They will miss him. So will
I. I hope Joyce and his family are comforted by how big the big man's
impact was.
Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the life of our
dear friend and colleague, Chairman John Murtha. Jack was truly an all-
American--a committed public servant, decorated veteran of war, small
businessman, devoted husband and father.
Many have recalled in recent weeks his service on the front lines of
combat. His experience in the military made him a lifelong advocate for
our men and women in uniform and a compass for this body when it came
to making some of the toughest issues we face--those related to the
defense of the United States.
Jack Murtha exercised his power to protect the country he loved,
taking seriously the trust of his constituents and his responsibility
to the American people. As Chairwoman of the foreign aid subcommittee
and a member of the Select Intelligence Panel, I witnessed firsthand
and benefited from his expertise on military strategy, intelligence,
and foreign policy.
His compassion and commitment to do what was right were equally
impressive. On his broad shoulders, he carried a great burden to not
only provide for our troops and our security, but to ensure that we
have made this world better and safer, including for innocent civilians
in warzones and vulnerable societies around the world. And, with a
heavy heart, he regularly gave his time to lift the spirits of men and
women recovering from injuries in battle, sharing with them the
appreciation of a grateful nation.
Finally, I would like to note his dedication to a goal we shared--
alleviating cancer, especially those unique to women. He not only
worked to help adapt military technology to aid in the treatment of
cancer, he and his loving wife Joyce have supported initiatives to
directly assist breast cancer patients and survivors.
Chairman Murtha was a giant among men, and his lifelong service to
our country will be missed.
Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I join with my colleagues in the House to
express my deep sadness at the passing of one of the most extraordinary
members to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Jack Murtha will
be missed as a courageous statesman, a respected colleague, an
effective legislator, a dedicated representative of his constituents in
Pennsylvania, a true friend to those who wear the uniform of one of the
U.S. Armed Services, a treasured friend, and most important as a
beloved husband, father, and grandfather.
Many of you served with Jack Murtha for decades; as a sophomore
member of Congress, I only had the privilege of serving with Jack for a
little over three years. Despite the fact that he was one of the most
senior and powerful members of our body, Jack was interested in the
needs of my district and helped me to secure funding to clean up sites
in Hawaii impacted by Department of Defense activities.
Congressman Murtha's decades of dedicated service in the U.S. Marine
Corps and Reserve and his service in Vietnam gave him an appreciation
of the sacrifices made by the men and women who serve in the Armed
Forces. Nothing was more important to him than the wellbeing of service
members and their families. And he and his beloved Joyce regularly went
to visit the wounded at Walter Reed and other hospitals.
Despite his years of service in the military and his long-time record
as an advocate for the military, Jack did not hesitate to speak his
conscience. Despite his initial support for the War in Iraq, he became
disillusioned with the conduct of the war and called for the withdrawal
of our troops. This took great courage and, in my view, speaks to the
inherent honor of this fine man.
It is still hard to believe that Jack is gone. He had such a dynamic
presence that it feels as if he is still here with us--sitting in his
corner holding court. In his book, From Vietnam to 9/11, Jack wrote,
``Ever since I was a young boy, I had two goals in life--I wanted to be
a colonel in the Marine Corps and a member of Congress.'' He achieved
those goals and so much more.
I send my deepest sympathy to Jack's partner of 55 years, Joyce
Murtha; to his daughter Donna; his sons Pat and John; and his
grandchildren. I join all my colleagues in giving thanks for Jack's
life of service and accomplishment. Mahalo nui loa, Jack.
Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend
and colleague Congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania. It is with a
heavy heart that I say goodbye to a friend of more than 30 years.
Jack Murtha arrived in Washington to serve in this House in 1974,
just a few years before I had the honor to join this distinguished
body.
Jack Murtha and I had a lot in common, in our love for the troops and
for our country. We didn't always agree, but you always knew that his
heart was in every fight he took on. People listened to his counsel. He
had conviction. He inspired respect.
The kind of respect that Jack Murtha had in this House doesn't come
automatically. No
[[Page H808]]
one has it when they take the oath of office for the first time. It has
to be earned.
Jack Murtha was no nonsense. Like President Truman, he didn't suffer
fools. You knew where he stood, and if you were lucky, you had him in
your corner. He was a fighter, for his country and for the people of
Pennsylvania.
Jack Murtha was a leader. He loved our country. He loved the men and
women of the Armed Forces, and especially the United States Marine
Corps, of which he wore the uniform and served with great distinction.
He also loved the Congress, and understood its indispensable role as
a co-equal branch of our federal government. Anyone watching the House
floor could see his leadership in action, as he held court with other
members in the back corner. A master legislator, he built
relationships, mentored other members, and conducted the business that
runs this institution and plays a big part in running this country.
With the passing of Jack Murtha, we have lost one of the giants of
the House. I salute his dedicated service to our country--as a Marine,
as a businessman and community leader, and as a Member of Congress.
Jack Murtha will be deeply missed. My condolences go to his wife
Joyce, his children Donna, Pat, and John, and also to the people of
Pennsylvania he cared about so much and represented so well.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, first, let me thank Congressman
Kanjorski for reserving this Special Order today to honor the life,
legacy and service of our friend and colleague John Murtha.
Our Nation has lost a gifted lawmaker, a devoted public servant and a
true patriot. In 1974, Jack became the first Vietnam War combat veteran
elected to Congress. His spirit emboldened and his resolve hardened by
his service on the battlefield, he became a tireless advocate for the
people of Pennsylvania and all Americans.
We all know so well that he never lost his courage and his dedication
to our Nation's security, our troops, or their families. Even after his
election, he continued to serve in the Marine Corps Reserves until 1990
as a Colonel, receiving the Navy's Distinguished Service Medal.
From my first day here, Jack was always a mentor and a friend. When I
was first appointed as a Cardinal on the Appropriations Committee, Jack
was right there with sage advice and a helping hand. His no-nonsense
exterior contained a fiery soul and fierce intelligence the equal of
which this body has seldom known. Our Nation is surely better for his
service to it and a grateful country grieves its loss.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Joyce, their children, and
extended family during this time.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, Jack Murtha and I served
together in this institution for over 30 years. We disagreed at times
over policy and politics, but I am proud to say that Jack was my
friend.
Throughout my time in Congress, I have never seen a more valiant
defender of the men and women of our armed forces than Jack, nor a more
steadfast advocate for our country's unequaled national defense.
Years ago, when I was convinced that we should push forward quickly
with development of the Predator UAV, Jack listened to my reasons and
helped me push through the funding that has produced one of our most
valuable weapons in the War on Terror.
When I became chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee, I
counted on Jack Murtha to be a partner rather than an adversary when
the welfare of our military was on the line. When we urged that the F-
22 program be reined in to ensure it was thoroughly tested, Jack was by
my side and helped win the day and make that a better airplane.
Just weeks ago, Jack and I traveled together to Afghanistan. We were
under tight timelines that were influenced by the situation on the
ground. Although the travel was hard and the schedule was arduous, Jack
maintained the energy and dedication of a man half his age. His
unwavering purpose was to learn as much as he could, gain as much
insight from our commanders as possible, and see for himself the
challenges our country faces in that region.
He was a true patriot, and his passing is a cause for great sadness.
This Congress will be a much lesser place without him.
My wife Arlene and I offer our most sincere condolences to his
family, and also to his second family--his Congressional staff and the
Members and staff of the Appropriations Committee.
Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a dear friend
and colleague, loving father and grandfather, and a true American
patriot, Rep. John Murtha.
John served proudly when called to action in the Vietnam War, and his
valor was recognized with the Bronze Star, and not one--but two Purple
Heart awards.
In all, John spent an astounding 37 years of his life in active and
reserve duty service in the Marine Corps.
In 1974, John heeded another call to duty, and began a life of public
service here in the House of Representatives.
John served his constituents in Western Pennsylvania for an
impressive 19 terms.
In Congress, he was respected for his political prowess--and his
tireless passion to support America's men and women serving in uniform.
John Murtha was a man who measured our nation's strength not only
military might, but also in the well-being of our people; and I am
proud to have served with him in this body.
The thoughts and prayers of my wife Barbara and I go out to Joyce and
all of John's family during this difficult time.
Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Congressman John
Murtha, who passed away on February 8th, 2010. Representative Murtha
was an exemplary leader and an American patriot.
Born into an Irish-American family, John left college in 1952 to join
the Marine Corps. Here he would begin his course in leadership,
becoming a Marine Corps drill instructor. His military career not only
led him to receive a degree from the University of Pittsburgh, but also
placed him on the front lines of service in the Vietnam War. During
this time, he was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor device, two Purple
Hearts, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.
In 1974 John was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and had
an extraordinary 36 year career, obtaining the distinction of
Pennsylvania's longest serving Congressman two days before he passed. A
fiercely independent-minded public servant, John strived for bipartisan
solutions to our nation's struggles. He had no fear of partisan attacks
and as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee he
courageously spoke out against the Iraq War. His fearless calls for the
withdrawal of American forces in Iraq, in the face of strong partisan
confrontations, earned him the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage
Award.
I thank John for his service to our nation. I extend my deepest
sympathies to John's wife Joyce, his children Donna Sue, John, and
Patrick, and his grandchildren in this difficult time. John was a
tremendous public servant who exemplified the spirit of America. He
will be greatly missed.
____________________