E-News from Congressman Tim Murphy

In this week's edition of E-News:
Remembering Latrobe Native, Arnold Palmer
Construction to Begin for New Squadron of C-17S
Murphy Recognizes Peters Township Community Leaders
Important Veterans Bills Pass House

Mr. Palmer at his desk.

Remembering Latrobe Native, Arnold Palmer

This week, Congressman Murphy gave a speech on the House floor to pay tribute to Latrobe native, Arnold Palmer:

"This week, we lost the greatest golfer ever, the man who brought the sport to the masses, a name synonymous with competition, the King, the legend: Mr. Arnold Palmer.

"Some athletes play to make a name for themselves. Arnie did it to build up the sport. And build it up he did. He made the sport of golf a game for the common man. It’s no wonder he was followed by “Arnie’s Army” throughout the world.
Some athletes won’t give autographs unless you pay them, or they will walk by unmoved when a child asks for one. But Arnie never refused. He signed his name millions of times, never refusing anyone in his entire lifetime.

"I saw him, just last month, surrounded by his usual stack of letters, pictures next to his desk waiting to be signed by him. He signed every single one with that perfect and unmistakable signature. And not with a generic scribble so you have no idea whose name it is. Arnie made sure he made his was perfectly legible. Later in life he stopped signing golf balls, not because he didn't want to, rather he felt it was so important that whoever he was signing if for could always read his name clearly.
                                   
"Some athletes are famous for their family problems. But Arnie was a quiet, dedicated, and loving family man. He loved Winnie and Kit, and their children and grandchildren.

"And while some sports players refuse to stand during our national anthem, as a proud veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, Arnie would tear up at the sound of our national anthem with admirable pride and love for his nation.

"Once in the spotlight, some celebrities forget their roots. Arnie never did. He was proud of his humble beginnings. Arnie helped his father, who worked a greens keeper for Latrobe Country Club, by mowing lawns, driving tractors, never afraid of getting his hands dirty. He continued this work all the way up to just before he went pro, selling paint.

Murphy with Mr. Palmer at Banana Split festival in Latrobe.

"Some feel no sense of loyalty to their team or sport, persuaded by fame and the big paycheck. But Arnie was fiercely loyal, a contract was a contract, and it wasn’t defined by a dollar amount.

"Your word was a contract based on a handshake, not a piece of paper. His lifetime relationship with his manager was set with a handshake - one Arnie never wavered from.

"There was a time when a certain business relationship was not kept up by another associate and it ended up costing Arnie millions of dollars. When I asked him, Arnie said he would never consider not paying it all back.

"Because in the end, your name only meant something if you stood up for it. So he paid back every penny of the money he owed.

"Playing golf with Arnie is an unforgettable experience. He never failed to give you his gentle smile, or words of encouragement. Even when he teased you, in a good-natured way, you cherished every word he said. He just made the game fun to play.

"A few years ago, Jim Leland, the legendary manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers, was playing with Arnie during an all-star break. On what Leland describes as “the greatest day of my life,” the two played at Laurel Valley. After shooting a respectable 41 on the front nine, Jim’s game began to get away from him on the back nine. Perhaps Jim hooked or sliced, and perhaps he let out a few colorful words, but Arnie sensed what was happening and came over to offer the best advice ever to Jim. Now I imagine if any of us had the opportunity to get a golf lesson from the King, we would feel in that moment that the wind would stop, the clouds would part, perhaps a shaft of light would stream down from the sun, the trees might even lean in a little to listen. 

"But in that moment, Arnie put his arm around Jim and said: 'Enjoy the day. You're not good enough to get mad.'

"This is not just great golf advice, it is great advice for life. Enjoy the days God gives you. Don’t waste them on being angry.

Mr. Palmer with Murphy on the night Arnie received the Congressional Gold Medal.

"And maybe that’s one of the reasons why we love and will deeply miss this great man. He had a way of telling tens of millions to believe in yourself, to love life, to respect others, to face challenges, to demonstrate courage and respect, to always show dignity in defeat and restraint in victory.

"Arnie claims he did so well, not because he wanted to win, but that he hated to lose.

"And so it is today with us. We hate to lose you, Arnie.

"You made us all believe that we all could be better than we were, but that loving the game was the best of all.

"We will miss you."

Click here to watch Congressman Murphy pay tribute to Arnold Palmer on the House floor.

To share your thoughts on Arnold Palmer, click here.

Construction to Begin for New Squadron of C-17s

On Thursday, the House and Senate passed H.R. 5325, legislation for a short-term continuing resolution to fund the government through December 9. The bill includes funding for the Department of Defense to start the construction necessary to establish an Air Force squadron of C-17s at the Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station, home of the 911th Airlift Wing. Specifically, H.R.5325 provides the $85 million required to carry out this congressional directive. The President signed the bill into law late Thursday afternoon, September 29.

Murphy at a visit to the 911th Airlift Wing.

“This is a tremendous win for Pittsburgh and greater Western Pennsylvania,” said Congressman Tim Murphy, who represents that congressional district the 911th Airlift Wing calls home. “For years, the 911th has stood head and shoulders above the rest as one of the most efficient, skilled, and mission ready airlift units in the country. With a new C-17 squadron we’ll continue to enhance our national security, create jobs, and boost our local economy. I want to thank our service men and women of the 911th for their hard work and dedication. They are the ones who deserve credit for this great accomplishment.”

At the urging of Congressman Murphy, the President’s budget request included plans to construct much needed infrastructure and expansion to bring eight C-17 aircrafts to Pittsburgh to replace eight of the aging C-130s over the next several years. H.R. 5325 is the next step in finalizing the construction project. Upon completion, the eight C-17 planes will be brought to the 911th Airlift Wing for permanent housing.

Murphy has been pushing his colleagues on Appropriations and Armed Services to complete this project so the eight C-17 planes can be moved into the Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station. In a letter to Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah L. James, and to the House Appropriators, Murphy laid out the strategic and cost-effective benefits of establishing the C-17 squadron at the 911th Airlift Wing.

To share your thoughts on the new C-17 squadron coming to the Air Reserve Station, click here.

Murphy Recognizes Peters Township Community Leaders

Fifty years ago, Peters Township was a sparsely populated farming community. Today, Peters has over 22,000 residents with a flourishing business district. Significant economic growth and an increased residence have been guided by local government leaders like former Peters Township Manager Michael Silvestri and former Police Chief Harry Fruecht.

Murphy with Peters Township Manager Michael Silvestri & Police Chief Harry Fruecht.

Mr. Silvestri started with Peters Township as an Assistant Manager in 1976 working on planning and design for the township. After ten years, he was promoted to Township Manager. During his career, the township doubled in size, home sizes increased, household income rose, and  economic development increased along Route 19. Mr. Silvestri played a big role in the development of the Montour Trail through Washington County and the establishment of a Parks and Recreation Department. Rep. Tim Murphy honored Michael Silvestri with a Congressional Certificate from the United States House of Representatives at a township council meeting in August. Click here to read more about Michael Silvestri’s work in Peters Township.

On Friday, Congressman Murphy was on hand for a retirement celebration in Peters Township for former Police Chief Harry Fruecht and former Township Manager Michael Silvestri. Murphy recognized Fruecht, who retired on effectively on September 30, 2016, for his 28 years of service to the Peters Township Police Department.

To share your thoughts on the retirement of former Police Chief Fruecht and former Township Manager Silvestri, click here.

Important Veterans Bills Pass House

On Monday, Congressman Murphy supported, and the House passed, three bills that would ensure emergency treatment is available for all of our nation's veterans and improve their ability to receive high-quality care.

“We have an obligation to care for our brave servicemen and women when they come home,” said Murphy. “Working towards ensuring our veterans have access to high-quality healthcare is a practical way to honor their service to our nation.”

Congressman Murphy at a Veterans Parade in Washington Co.

More about the bills:

Vet Connect Act (H.R. 5162): Authorizes the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department to disclose records of the identity, diagnosis, prognosis or treatment of any VA patient to non-VA health care entities that provide medical treatment to veterans, including private entities and other federal agencies.

No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act (H.R. 5392): Requires the VA to issue a quality assurance document for the Veterans Crisis Line, and ensures that all veteran's crisis calls, text messages, and other communications are answered in a timely manner by a live person.

Veterans Emergency Treatment (VET) Act (H.R. 3216): Requires emergency departments of VA medical facilities to provide treatment for any veteran who requests a medical examination and is enrolled in the VA health care program.

To share your thoughts on veterans issues, click here.