[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 14 (Thursday, January 25, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E75]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CELEBRATING SEPTA CHAIRMAN PASQUALE T. DEON, SR.'S RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 25, 2024

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleague, 
Representative Dwight Evans, in recognition of the retirement of a 
remarkable constituent from my district and dear friend, Pasquale T. 
Deon, Sr. who will be retiring from the board of the Southeastern 
Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, SEPTA on January 25, 2024. Pat 
is the longest tenured chairman and Board Member of SEPTA, serving the 
residents of the greater Philadelphia region since 1995.
  During his tenure at SEPTA, Chairman Deon was committed to the 
securing of budgetary stability for the transportation authority 
through the use of innovative financial mechanisms. Chairman Deon 
revitalized the transit authority and contributed to 22 years of 
balanced budgets and the growth of SEPTA into the fifth largest public 
transportation system in the nation. Furthermore, Chairman Deon boasts 
an impressive record of bipartisan success for SEPTA, having worked 
with 6 governors, 5 Philadelphia mayors, and numerous Commissioners and 
Councilmembers to secure the resources integral to SEPTA's continued 
operations throughout the region. Additionally, Chairman Deon was an 
active member of his community and advocate of various important causes 
throughout Philadelphia, including co-chairing SEPTA'S Hub of Hope 
initiative to construct a homeless engagement center that provides 
resources for Philadelphia's homeless population.
  Under his leadership, Chairman Deon advocated for the development and 
implementation of new technologies that put SEPTA at the cutting edge 
of efficient public transportation, including the introduction of the 
SEPTA Key, the integration of the SEPTA Control Center centralized 
command station, and the implementation of Positive Train Control, a 
system designed to advance and improve rail safety technologies. 
Additionally, Chairman Deon oversaw numerous technological advancements 
dedicated to making SEPTA a more sustainable system, including the 
introduction of hybrid buses into the fleet. SEPTA is now a committed 
partner of the MACH 2 hydrogen hub proposal, a project aiming to use 
existing technologies to generate clean hydrogen energy with the goal 
of transitioning the SEPTA fleet to zero-emission by 2040.
  Chairman Deon's career will continue to service as a beacon of 
innovation and ingenuity worth emulating. By his example, we are 
convinced that his colleagues will continue his work towards 
modernizing SEPTA into an efficient, cutting-edge transit authority 
dedicated to quality service for the residents of the Commonwealth and 
all those who visit our Philly region. Thank Pat for his tireless 
service to our community.

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