In This Week's Edition of E-News…

Murphy Escorts Govt Officials On Tours of Region’s Military Facilities

Insider Trading Ban For Congress Signed into Law

Murphy Focuses on Growth in Manufacturing, Transportation

Murphy Escorts Govt Officials On Tours of Region’s Military Facilities

Over 300 SWPA vets, active duty, guard, and reservists came out in support of Murphy's efforts to save the 911th and 171st

In the two months since the Administration announced an ill-conceived plan to close down the 911th Air Force Reserve Station in Moon Township, Congressman Murphy has been working with stakeholders, policymakers and constituents to ensure it remains open and a vital part of the community.

Towards that end, on Thursday Murphy escorted Congressman Bill Shuster (R-Altoona) on a tour of the 911th Airlift Wing to showcase the base’s unique military capabilities and discuss with troops plans to keep the base open.

“The Pentagon made a decision that’s misguided, misinformed, and mistaken,” said Rep. Murphy, who has led lawmaker efforts in calling on President Obama to personally review the Pentagon’s analysis (Click here to learn more).

Murphy and other local officials rallied earlier this week with members of the Western Pennsylvania military and veterans community in support of the 911th and 171st Air National Guard station on Tuesday at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall in Oakland. The rally was featured in the Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh media outlets.

“We have clear and convincing evidence that would save the bases from the chopping block. I am confident that once the Administration looks at the data I’ve seen, which shows the 911th and 171st have two of the lowest costs per flying-hour and best recruitment numbers in the military, our bases will remain open.”

In the last decade, the Pentagon has spent millions on renovations at the 911th and new lodging facilities. The Navy Reserve plans to construct a $14M joint operations center, and the Pentagon is set to build a new $17.2 million commissary to support the 911th, 171st, and 316th Army Reserve.

“With nearly $60 million recently invested in the 911th, Pittsburgh has practically a brand new base. It would not only be terrible for local military families if the base were to close, but an insult to the taxpayers,” said Murphy.

Also on Thursday, Rep. Murphy took the director of the Defense Commissary Agency on a tour of the existing commissary in Oakdale and site of the new facility in Moon. Murphy worked for over six years to get the $17.2 million commissary project off the ground. The Commissary director to Mr. Murphy the construction contract will likely be awarded next month.

Murphy greets troops at the 911th

In 2005, the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) shut down the Charles E. Kelly Support Facility in Collier. As is typical when military installations are shuttered, other facilities connected to the installation are also closed. For our region, this meant the connected commissary would be closing, which would have been a huge blow to our over 168,000 military families and veterans.

Murphy led dozens upon dozens of meetings with stakeholders and the Pentagon to arrange financing and secure final approval last December.

The effort to build a new commissary, as well as experience gained during the last BRAC round, has proven to be instructive as Rep. Murphy works on stopping the 911th’s closure. He’s been able to quickly ask the right questions of the Pentagon, and engage with the proper parties. For instance, Murphy has worked to gain support from House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon on obtaining data and analysis from the Air Force.

Murphy will be back in the Moon area on Monday when he will give an update and answer questions at the Moon Area School Board meeting about his efforts to preserve the region’s military installations. The meeting will be held at 7PM in the lower level central administration office of the new high school on University Boulevard. At the meeting, the Board will also consider a resolution in support of the 911th and 171st. For additional information, please call his district office on (412) 344-5583.

To share your thoughts with Congressman Murphy on the 911th and 171st, please click here.

Insider Trading Ban For Congress Signed into Law

Legislation to ban insider trading by lawmakers or staffers in Congress and Executive Branch was signed into law on Wednesday. The bill, known as the STOCK Act, strengthens prohibitions on public officials and senior employees in all three branches of government from using nonpublic information for private profit. Congressman Murphy was a sponsor and supporter of the measure.

The STOCK Act affirms that no individual, including elected officials, are permitted to make stock trades based on material non-public information. Under the law, public officials must now report in a searchable online database any stock trade greater than $1,000 within thirty to forty-five days. The law also directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the role of “political intelligence” in the financial markets. Some lawmakers have expressed concerns with organizations that closely monitor activities in Congress in order to guide investment strategies.

“No member of Congress is above the law,” said Rep. Murphy. “This ensures that members can’t get the upper hand and profit from confidential information gathered in the course of our representational duties.”

On February 9, 2012, the House overwhelmingly approved with Mr. Murphy’s support an amended Senate version of STOCK Act. The Senate bill was approved in early February by a vote of 96-3 with Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK), Richard Burr (R-NC) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) voting ‘NO.’

To share your thoughts on the STOCK Act, please click here.

Murphy Focuses on Growth in Manufacturing, Transportation

Congressman Murphy travelled throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania during this Constituent Work Period to meet with local manufacturers and engineering firms for discussions on the challenges — and opportunities — facing Southwestern Pennsylvania employers.

Murphy's HR1861 Infrastructure Jobs and Energy Independence Act would generate $2.2-$3.7T in federal revenue

On Wednesday, Congressman Murphy visited Hamill Manufacturing in Penn Township to meet with regional machining companies and high-tech manufacturers about the need to develop a smart and skilled workforce for America to regain its position as the global leader in manufacturing. As Chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, Murphy has been working on policies to support heavy and high-tech manufacturing in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

During the meeting, employers like Penn United Technologies, Jennison Manufacturing, PBM Valve, and Astley Machining explained that high-tech manufacturing requires workers who have the skills to decipher blueprints, program automated machine tools, solve complex mathematical equations, utilize computer-aided design, and work with precious metals or finicky plastics to construct precision parts in expensive instruments.

Some policymakers are concerned that American manufacturing is trailing other high-tech economies like Germany because the U.S. lacks coordination between employers and public institutions on training a skilled workforce. Today, Workforce Investment Boards, which are partially federally-funded, are supposed to help tailor job training programs to the needs of the region’s employers.

Murphy said policies that support domestic manufacturing will help build a robust middle class, strong families, and reduce reliance on the need for taxpayer benefits. He also said the region’s energy sector is producing huge opportunities for expansion — so long as the federal government doesn’t stand in the way with new regulations. The expanded use of American natural gas, coal, and nuclear will create more jobs in Southwestern Pennsylvania, said Murphy who relayed to the group his efforts as a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee to fight back against the never-ending tide of regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency that’s hampering job growth and raising electric rates.

Several employers at the roundtable thanked Congressman Murphy for his work to get tough on trade with China, which refuses to live up to its responsibilities under international agreements. This Congress, Murphy introduced the Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act (H.R. 639), which would treat currency manipulation as an illegal trade subsidy. Putting an end to communist China’s illegal trade manipulation could generate one million new jobs.

Manufacturers also said greater investment is needed to bring the region’s highways into a state of good repair. Damaged roads can not only result in wear and tear on company vehicles, but congestion increases costs for companies. Americans spend more than 4 billion hours a year in traffic at a cost of $710 per motorist.

To explore ways to rebuild the region’s aging infrastructure, Murphy visited with employees of HDR Engineering on Wednesday. Murphy discussed congressional plans to pass a long-term transportation planning package modeled on his Infrastructure Jobs and Energy Independence Act (H.R. 1861), which would dedicate new federal revenues from expanded offshore oil and gas production toward fixing America’s infrastructure. Murphy’s bill would spur $8 trillion in economic output and create 1.2 million new jobs annually. The legislation also expedites the sale of offshore leases and prevents potential legal and bureaucratic delays.

To share your thoughts on local manufacturing, please click here.