In this week's edition of e-news...
Murphy Examines Legionnaire’s Outbreak At Pittsburgh VA Hospital
Thousands Join Murphy For Discussion On Solving The “Fiscal Cliff”
Efforts Continue on 911th Air Wing  
Murphy Statement On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

Murphy Examines Legionnaire’s Outbreak At Pittsburgh VA Hospital

Congressman Murphy held discussions with top leadership at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week in pursuit of answers regarding why one veteran is dead, and multiple patients at the Pittsburgh VA Hospital were sickened, by Legionnaire’s Disease.

Almost all water supplies have Legionella bacteria. At high levels, Legionella bacteria can cause a severe form of pneumonia known as Legionnaire’s disease when breathed in through mist or water vapors. The bacteria cannot be spread from person to person. According to the CDC, between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with the disease in the United States each year. Most people who are infected can be treated with antibiotics, but Legionnaire’s can be deadly for persons in frail health.  
 
In his conversation with CDC Director Thomas Frieden on Wednesday, Murphy was updated on the scope of the VA hospital problem and measures taken to ensure public health is protected.

In early November, the VA called in the CDC after testing of its Oakland hospital water supply showed abnormally high levels of Legionella. The CDC then recommended steps to eliminate the bacteria. Dr. Frieden told Rep. Murphy those recommendations have been implemented by the Oakland VA hospital. On Friday, the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System reported remediation efforts for Legionella bacteria in the water system were also successfully completed at the H.J. Heinz campus in Aspinwall.  

The cause of the outbreak is currently under investigation by the CDC, the Allegheny County Health Department, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. An investigative report could be available in the next month. In the coming weeks, Rep. Murphy will be closely monitoring the investigation and asking additional questions of the VA and CDC. Murphy’s work to obtain answers about the outbreak was first reported on in the Post-Gazette.
 
Murphy stated that he will continue to monitor the situation and keep in regular contact with the federal agencies, as well as VAPHS, to ensure veterans accessing care at the Pittsburgh VA hospital are not at risk. To stay updated on Congressman Murphy’s work with the CDC and Pittsburgh VA on this issue, make sure to follow Murphy on Facebook and Twitter.

To share your thoughts with Congressman Murphy on the Legionnaire’s outbreak at the Pittsburgh VA, please click here.

Thousands Join Murphy For Discussion On Solving The “Fiscal Cliff”

As efforts continue in the nation's Capitol to find a legislative fix to the "fiscal cliff" this week, Congressman Murphy surveyed his constituents via an electronic survey and a live Telephone Town Hall to share the latest news, solicit ideas and gather feedback on what policies Congress should adopt to prevent automatic tax hikes and spending cuts from hurting the economy.

Murphy circulated information on President Obama's proposal to replace the looming tax hikes and automatic spending cuts with the following: raising taxes by $1.6 trillion over ten years on individuals with an income of more than $200k and couples with income over $250k; maintaining current rates for income earners making below $200k or $250k per couple; continuation of long-term unemployment benefits; approval of $50 billion in new stimulus infrastructure spending; government assistance to refinance “underwater” mortgages; and allowing the President the authority to raise the debt ceiling at his discretion without congressional approval.

In an e-mail survey sent on Monday, Rep. Murphy asked whether his constituents supported the President’s plan, and of the thousands responding 69.6% voted ‘NO’ while 30.4% said ‘YES,’ they did support the President’s plan.  

During Tuesday’s Town Hall, Congressman Murphy also asked the thousands participating on the call their thoughts on whether or not they felt a deficit reduction package should include “only tax increases, only spending cuts, a mixture of both, or none at all.” Overwhelmingly, 62 percent of constituents thought that “a mixture of both” was appropriate. 24 percent believed cutting spending only was the solution, 6 percent agreed tax increases only would be best, and 8 percent told Murphy no changes were necessary.

Towards the end of the call, Murphy also asked, “If there was a tax increase, should it be on filers making more than $250k, $500k or $1 million per year? Or, should there be no tax hikes?” Those who supported tax increases in the package were split on whether or not an increase should hit filers making 250k or up to one million dollars, while 19 percent of residents believed a legislative package to avert the cliff should not have any tax hikes.

A comparison of the White House and House Republican deficit reduction plans.

President Obama and Congressional leaders are in continued conversations on a final legislative package to be considered in both chambers of Congress as an up-or-down vote.  In a counteroffer this week, House Speaker John Boehner presented a plan based on bipartisan reforms suggested by Erskine Bowles, who served as President Clinton’s White House Chief of Staff and was recently appointed by President Obama to co-chair the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

The Speaker’s plan called for the following: $800 billion in new government revenue through changes to the tax code like limiting deductions for individuals and couples making more than $200,000 and $250,000 respectively; $600 billion in health savings and changes to the Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation to help determine cost-of-living adjustments for government pensions and Social Security; an additional $600 billion in spending cuts to be evenly split between benefit programs and budgets for about 1,100 federal agencies.

As he discussed in Tuesday’s telephone town hall, Congressman Murphy reiterated his commitment to share with congressional leadership the feedback he is getting from his constituents as leaders work together to find a solution before the end of the year. The Congressman also pledged to keep working with his colleagues on a plan that can pass muster with both chambers of Congress to cut spending, close loopholes, tackle the deficit and stop tax hikes on the middle class.

To share your thoughts with Congressman Murphy on finding a solution to the pending ‘fiscal cliff’, please click here.

Efforts Continue on 911th Air Wing

During a high-level meeting last week, the top general at the Air Force Reserve told Rep. Murphy that in haste to make spending cuts, the Pentagon did not complete a detailed review or cost-benefit analysis before recommending closure of the 911th Airlift Wing in Moon Township. In light of this admission and with Congress examining ways to reduce federal spending, Rep. Murphy called on his House colleagues to pay careful attention to recommendations for cost-cutting from the Pentagon.

With 31,000 employees, the Pentagon has had problems perpetuating inefficiencies and wasteful defense spending. In 1990, Congress enacted a law requiring the Pentagon to complete an annual audit but the DOD still has yet to be fully audited. A July report by the DOD Inspector General found the Pentagon failed to comply with both its own auditor’s manual and government-wide auditing standards.  
With the Pentagon's less than stellar track record, Congressman Murphy again cautioned his colleagues not to accept DOD budgets at face value.

In a speech to his colleagues broadcast on CSPAN Tuesday, Rep. Murphy said the attempt by the Air Force to close the 911th Airlift Wing underscored why congressional approval and oversight is so critically important when it comes to closing military installations and bases around the country. 

Rep. Murphy addresses his colleagues about the importance of saving the 911th Airlift Wing.

Also on Tuesday, the Senate approved their version of an annual bill called the National Defense Authorization Act, which details legislative direction on all operations, programs, and policies within the Department of Defense. Earlier this year, Reps. Murphy and Don Young (Alaska) successfully worked a provision into the House bill to prevent back-door base closures beyond 2013.  

Additionally, the House version of the bill requires the Pentagon to submit, along with the President’s yearly spring budget, detailed justifications and cost-benefit analyses of any force reductions impacting 1,000 uniformed personnel. Similar to the House version of this legislation, the Senate version of this bill ensures the 911th remains open through September 2013. House and Senate lawmakers will now sit down to resolve differences between the two versions.  Congressman Murphy committed to work aggressively to ensure the final version keeps the 911th open. To stay up-to-date on the Congressman’s work to save the 911th, make sure to follow Rep. Murphy on Facebook and Twitter.

To share your thoughts with Congressman Murphy on defense spending at the Pentagon, please click here.

Murphy Statement On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

Congressman Tim Murphy (PA-18) today released the following statement in recognition of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

“On this day, we join together as one American family to honor the memory of the lives lost on December 7, 1941,” said Congressman Tim Murphy.

“Seventy-one years ago, our nation was drawn into a global conflict that forever changed the course of history. More than 2,000 service members and civilians lost their lives, but from the carnage of a devastating attack on our naval forces at Pearl Harbor, rose a uniquely American response that made the world safe for democracy.

“Today, as members of our military continue to defend liberty in lands far from home, let us reflect on what real sacrifice is, and renew our commitment to those who bear the costs of protecting our country every day.”

To share your thoughts with Congressman Murphy on the events of December 7, 1941, please click here.