News Release: February 10, 2010 Contact: Elizabeth Witte, Communications Director (724-852-5210)
WAYNESBURG, PA – The Greene County Commissioners are mourning the death of U.S. Congressman John P. Murtha, who died Monday at the age of 77 after experiencing complications from gallbladder surgery.
"We are deeply shocked and saddened by the death of Congressman Murtha," said Commissioner Pam Snyder, chair of the Board of Commissioners. “He was a wonderful representative for Greene County and Southwestern Pennsylvania and a good man who dedicated his life to public service. This is a terrible loss not only for Pennsylvania, but for the entire country."
"On behalf of Commissioners Dave Coder and Archie Trader, I’d like to extend our condolences to the family and staff of Congressman Murtha,” Snyder added. “He will truly be missed."
Born in 1932 in West Virginia, Murtha was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974, representing the 12th Congressional District. At the time of his death, he was the eighth-most senior member of the 435-member House. He recently became Pennsylvania’s longest-serving member of Congress.
Included among the many accomplishments outlined on Murtha’s Web site are his bringing tens of thousands of family-sustaining jobs to western Pennsylvania and his fighting for a patient’s bill of rights, prescription drug benefits, a higher minimum wage, and protecting Medicare, Social Security, and veterans’ and miners’ benefits.
He also sought to improve access to preventative medicine, expand medical research and ensure that healthcare is affordable for citizens across the country, resulting in more than $2.2 billion in breast cancer research funding and more than $125 million for diabetes research and education.
A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Murtha was chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and was responsible for overseeing appropriations to the Department of Defense’s military branches and intelligence agencies. He has received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, the National Breast Cancer Coalition Leadership Award, and Pennsylvania’s Distinguished Service Medal and Meritorious Service Medal.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Joyce, and their three children and three grandchildren.
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For general information, please contact the Information Services at 724-852-5399 / Toll Free: 1-888-852-5399. County Office Building, 93 E. High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370
WAYNESBURG, PA – The Greene County Commissioners are mourning the death of U.S. Congressman John P. Murtha, who died Monday at the age of 77 after experiencing complications from gallbladder surgery.
