Murphy moves up

Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, will jump up in the Capitol Hill pecking order in the new Congress.  Rep. Fred Upton, the incoming chairman of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee named Mr. Murphy to be the vice chair of the panel’s subcommittee on Environment and Economy.  Mr. Upton was the winner of an intense internal Republican battle for the gavel of the full committee, one of the most powerful in the House.  Mr. Murphy’s new subcommittee has wide jurisdiction on issues that affect Southwestern Pennsylvania, including water quality, brown fields reclamation issues and proposals to regulate or monitor the burgeoning Marcellus Shale industry.

As a member of the new chairman’s leadership team, Mr. Murphy will also have a seat on the investigations and oversight subcommittee of Energy and Commerce, a perch that could give the psychologist a voice on the health issues that he’s been active on in Congress.

“We’re thrilled to have a leadership role on such a crucial subcommittee, one that has such an impact on issues important to the district.’’ said Susan Mosychuk, Mr. Murphy’s chief of staff.