[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 24, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H814-H815]
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 a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Driehaus) is recognized for 5 minutes.

[[Page H815]]

  Mr. DRIEHAUS. Madam Speaker, I just wanted to join all of my 
colleagues as we give our thanks to Jack and Jack's family. I am a new 
Member of Congress, and I didn't get to know Jack Murtha until the fall 
of 2008 when I was running for Congress. Jack came down to Cincinnati 
and we visited the VA hospital. We sat down with some veterans and we 
sat down with the staff of the VA hospital and started talking about 
PTSD and the PTSD program that we had in Cincinnati.
  Jack had such a sincere interest, and he exuded care for those 
veterans. He wanted to see that what we were doing in Cincinnati was 
replicated across the country.
  Every time I went to Jack and asked for something, every time I 
approached him, he was open. As I talked to or as I listened to the 
Members here tonight, there seems to be an underlying theme: We didn't 
go and Jack asked us for things. Every time you approached Jack Murtha, 
he was asking what he could do for you. What a great Congressman. What 
a great dad.
  Jack was the type of guy that in his district, he was always asking 
that question: What can I do for you? And that's the right question. We 
had perhaps the greatest challenge that we faced in Cincinnati this 
year, on a jobs program. It was the Joint Strike Fighter, the 
competitive engine program.
  I happened to be the Congressman for the district for GE--Aviation 
where that engine is made. We were worried. We were worried that we 
were going to lose a thousand jobs. Now I know it to be a good program. 
I know it to be a cost-saving program, but the President, the 
administration, sometimes thinks a little differently about that 
program.
  So I went to Jack, and I said, Jack, I'm really worried about this. 
This is a lot of jobs in Cincinnati. I believe this is the right thing 
to do for the country. Without hesitation, he just looked me in the eye 
and he said, Steve, don't worry about it, we'll take care of it.
  I knew that it was taken care of, because I had Jack's word. He was 
that type of guy. He had that kind of strength and that kind of 
authority. Every time you approached him, he was always asking what he 
could do for you.
  This House was a great place because of Jack Murtha, and we are a 
lesser body because of his loss. I lost my father a little over a year 
ago, and he was a lot like Jack. I hope the two of them have gotten to 
know each other since Jack's passing, because he reminded me a lot of 
my dad.
  You will be greatly missed, Jack. I thank your family, and I thank 
your community for sharing you with us and the American people for so 
long.

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