In this week's edition of e-news...

Congress Honors Fallen SWPA Marine
House E&C Committee Unanimously Supports Murphy's SMART Act
‘War On Coal’ Has Real Victims: SWPA Families
Congressional Mitochondrial Disease Caucus Has Local Roots

Congress Honors Fallen SWPA Marine

Congressman Murphy took to the floor Thursday morning in honor of North Huntingdon native United States Marine Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Raible, who heroically died in battle last Friday in Afghanistan.

A graduate of Norwin High School and Carnegie Mellon University, Lt. Col. Raible gave his life for our nation on September 14th after the assault on Camp Bastion, which is connected to the American-run base Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Murphy’s full statement can be read below or watched on his official YouTube page.

To watch Rep. Murphy's remarks in honor of Lt. Col. Raible, please click here.

Remarks of Congressman Tim Murphy
In Honor of Lieutenant Colonel Christopher “Otis” Raible
September 20, 2012

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This morning I rise with a heavy heart, but on behalf of a grateful nation to honor a soldier born and raised in Southwestern Pennsylvania who gave his life on September 14th in service to our country. This week he returned to his home in the United States where he will be laid to rest.

Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Raible, Commanding Officer of Marine Attack Squadron 211, died in the assault on Camp Bastion connected to the American-run base Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

It was a despicable attack by the Taliban that not only took the life of this dedicated, respected, and brave Marine, but also resulted in the worst loss of U.S. military aircraft since the Vietnam War.

But this morning I rise so my colleagues, my constituents at home in Westmoreland County, and the entire nation will know more about this courageous Marine, known as “Otis”, who commanded a Marine Harrier jet squadron.

After graduating top of his class from Norwin High School, where he was a starting defensive back for the Norwin Knights, Lieutenant Colonel Raible earned his degree in civil engineering from Pittsburgh’s prestigious Carnegie Mellon University. Following his college graduation, Raible joined the United States Marine Corps and by 1998 had become a Naval Aviator.

A natural leader, Raible rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel last summer, having received numerous military honors along the way, including a Meritorious Service Medal, ten Strike Flight Awards, and a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal to name just a few. In support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Raible deployed many times to serve our nation.

Colonel Raible commanded the only Marine Harrier Squadron in Afghanistan where he flew over 2,000 hours in Harrier aircraft. A Southwestern Pennsylvanian at heart, it should come as no surprise that Otis was known, while seated in the cockpit, to listen to the Steelers while flying in the skies over Iraq.

But more than anything, Lieutenant Colonel Raible was a father, a husband, and a son. A proud dad of three children, ages 11, 9, and 2, Otis so loved and was loved by his family. As his mother Belvina of North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania said her son died defending all that he held dear. Quote “He was the best of the best,” she said. Indeed, Mrs. Raible, he was.

Today we as a nation say thank you to Lieutenant Colonel Raible and to his entire family. We are so grateful for your service and for your sacrifice protecting our freedom.

Through your service you have made your family and your nation better. Through your sacrifice you have made America stronger. Through your courage you have made America proud. And now many times I’m sure you’ve soared above the clouds where you could touch the face of God. Now you rest in His loving arms for eternity.

Thank you Colonel. Our nation thanks you as well. I yield back.

To watch Congressman Murphy’s full statement recognizing the bravery of Lt. Col. Raible, visit his official YouTube page here.

To share your thoughts with Congressman Murphy on Lt. Col. Raible and the events, please click here.

House E&C Committee Unanimously Supports Murphy's SMART Act

On Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted unanimously to support Congressman Murphy’s Strengthening Medicare and Repaying Taxpayers Act (SMART Act, H.R. 1063). The legislation overhauls the Medicare Secondary Payer program, which is responsible for determining when another insurer must pay a senior’s medical bills.

Murphy’s bill accelerates the processing of Medicare secondary payer reimbursement from liability and workers’ compensation settlements, removes bureaucratic delays at Medicare that can jeopardize seniors’ benefits, and collects billions of dollars owed by insurance companies to the Medicare Trust Fund.

“Today’s vote is a victory for thousands of senior citizens across the United States who are awaiting settlement checks they’re entitled to,” said Congressman Murphy. “The current Medicare Secondary Payer bureaucracy is causing seniors through no fault of their own to have their Social Security checks garnished and their Medicare coverage denied. My bill fixes these problems so no senior loses their health insurance because of bureaucratic error, and recoups billions of dollars owed by insurance companies to the taxpayers.”

The SMART Act, which has nearly 140 bipartisan cosponsors, requires Medicare provide the insurers and seniors with accurate information about the total cost of medical bills when the parties announce a settlement is near. Without coming to a settlement, Medicare cannot recoup the money and beneficiaries are often left footing the bill. Industry experts have suggested that Murphy’s bill could collect between $1 billion and $4 billion annually, while saving the Medicare agency countless hours of staff work pursuing claims of little or no value.

Murphy’s bill was the focus of an Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing last June. At the hearing, members learned the impact that extremely long delays have on the financial stability of Medicare and on beneficiaries who are owed settlements due to medical malpractice, liability or workers compensation. Testimony from expert witnesses revealed from those who have experienced first-hand the problems that arise with extensive delays in the system, including a compelling argument from Pittsburgh attorney Jason Matzus, who represents Medicare beneficiaries. To read more about the hearing, click here.

To share your thoughts with Congressman Murphy on the SMART Act, please click here.

‘War On Coal’ Has Real Victims: SWPA Families

On the heels of another major announcement by an American coal producer to idle eight mines and eliminate 1,200 jobs because of more regulations coming out of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Congressman Tim Murphy joined his West Virginia colleague Rep. Shelley Moore Capito in discussion on the House floor Wednesday evening in advance of the House vote on H.R. 3409, the Stop The War on Coal Act.

H.R. 3409 is designed to stop new EPA regulations from dramatically raising energy prices on families and shutting down coal as an affordable source of energy for American factories. The bill, which passed the House on Friday by a bipartisan vote of 233-175, includes three proposals advanced by the Energy and Commerce Committee: the Energy Tax Prevention Act to stop the implementation of cap-and-trade; the TRAIN Act to require a interagency cooperative review of new EPA regulations, taking into account the cumulative impacts of EPA rules on jobs, energy prices, electric reliability, and America’s overall global economic competitiveness; and the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act, which enables states to safely dispose of fly ash.

To watch Murphy's statement in support of the Stop The War On Coal Act, click here.

Perhaps most importantly, the bill prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing new rules or regulations that adversely impact mining jobs and the economy; cause a reduction in coal revenue through regulation of coal mining; reduce the amount of coal available for domestic consumption or export; designate any area as unsuitable for surface coal mining and reclamation operations; or expose the U.S. to liability for taking the value of privately owned coal through regulation.

“Over the past week, several American coal producers have announced they would idle mines and cut jobs as a result of excessive regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency. This is further proof that the EPA’s ‘War on Coal’ has real victims, putting hard-working family members, friends and neighbors out of a job,” said Congressman Murphy. “These cutbacks will mean higher electric bills for families and factories, and fewer job openings for the boilermakers, truck drivers, equipment makers, and factory workers whose livelihoods depend upon this reliable and affordable source of American energy. The American people have called for an all-of-the-above energy policy, which is why I voted in favor of the Stop The War On Coal Act (H.R. 3409) today. With this bill, we can protect Pennsylvania’s strong coal heritage, which is not only a critical component to steel production, energy independence and affordable electricity—but an economic engine fueling thousands of direct and indirect jobs across the United States each year. I urge my Senate colleagues to follow the House’s lead and take up this bill for an immediate vote.”

To watch Congressman Murphy’s Floor remarks against the War on Coal, visit his official YouTube page.

To share your thoughts with Congressman Murphy on the Stop The War On Coal Act, please click here.

Congressional Mitochondrial Disease Caucus Has Local Roots

Every thirty minutes a child is born who will develop a mitochondrial disease by age 10.

The disease prevents mitochondria from turning the food and oxygen that enter cells into energy. Cells will die, and organ systems will fail. The genetic disorder can be deadly, and there are no known treatments or cures. Symptoms can range from dementia and migraines to liver failure and even blindness. While the disease primarily affects children, adult onset is becoming more and more common.

Until recently, the National Institutes of Health conducted little direct research into mitochondrial disease. Most of the privately-funded research was the result of grants by the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation established by Monroeville native Chuck Mohan. Chuck lost his daughter, Gina, to mitochondrial disease in 1995. The loss has fueled his effort to find a cure and support families coping with the condition. Chuck and the organization have successfully brought together researchers across the NIH, as well as policymakers, in efforts to find a cure.

The Congressional Caucus on Mitochondrial Disease is a bipartisan effort, co-founded by Rep. Murphy and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), to inform and educate lawmakers on not just the diseases but the important role of ongoing research. On Thursday, the Mitochondrial Disease Caucus hosted a congressional briefing entitled: Mitochondria 101: How Something So Small is So Important to Human Life.

Rep. Murphy discusses the importance of mitochondrial disease research during Thursday's Congressional briefing.

Attendees learned more about the disease from Mr. Mohan, as well as experts from Harvard Medical School, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the Biotechnology Industry Organization.

Since mitochondrial research has found successful treatments for other ailments including diabetes, continued research in this area is critical, and can have positive outcomes for patients suffering from a wide variety of ailments. To learn more about the Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, please click here.

To share your thoughts with Congressman Murphy on the Mitochondrial Disease Caucus, please click here.