[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2] [House] [Page 1817] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]IN TRIBUTE TO REPRESENTATIVE JOHN P. MURTHA OF PENNSYLVANIA The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman) is recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I've been in Congress now-- this is my 14th year. A lot of people don't know about the quality of some of the people who are here in the Congress. A lot of people in this country find it funny to ridicule elected officials in general--Members of Congress in particular. I am going to talk to you about a great American, a great human being. But there are many others like him, in a sense, with the patriotism and grace and greatness that he possessed. Grace, generosity, and greatness: Jack Murtha. This was my fourth year serving on Mr. Murtha's defense subcommittee, and I was wondering how this giant of a man--physical giant, powerful, legislatively powerful man, would accept this guy from Jersey on his subcommittee. But he had such grace. He welcomed me with great civility and gentility. He was tough. He was so generous to me. He was generous to everyone on the committee. He believed in bipartisanship absolutely, completely and totally, especially when it came to the security of our beloved country, the United States of America. So he took the best ideas from wherever they came--Democrat, Republican, liberal, or conservative. He just wanted what was best for America. To talk about generosity, he even let me, a New Jersey guy, into the Pennsylvania corner. I was tickled by it. I was honored. For most of my years here when I was not on his subcommittee, I would see him over there in his corner, and I would see the people flocking around him from Pennsylvania and elsewhere, coming as if truly just to get an audience with just a great man, a great human being, to get advice, to get direction, to get support. He always made you feel as if he was interested in your point of view. He asked me what books I read. When I told him, he said, I want to read that book, and he did. He made you feel like you were making a contribution. The greatness of Jack Murtha--aside from being a great husband and father and war hero and devoted representative of the people of Johnstown and his congressional district--part of his greatness was his expectations, his expectations about what it meant to be an American, someone committed to equal justice, equal opportunity, and integrity. His integrity was unquestioned and unquestionable. I just hope that we remember, Madam Speaker, when we think of this great, gracious, generous, gentle giant, Jack Murtha, we remember not only his expectations for himself, but we remember his expectations for each of us. He had it of his staff, he had it of his committee members, he had it of all of his colleagues of the House that we behave as true American patriots and leave America stronger, freer, more just, and a greater Nation--as great as he believed America to be. He demanded greatness from all of us and that we pass on that legacy for our country, our fellow countrymen and women, for generations to come. Thank you, Mr. Murtha, for all you have done for us, and we hope to repay all that you have done for us by giving back to our country and creating the kind of country that you fought so hard to make. We will never forget you, sir. Thank you. God bless you. ____________________