Patch: 'Nuns on the Bus' Tour Stops in Mt. Lebanon to Protest Federal Budget

To make sure her followers got her message loud and clear, Sister Simone Campbell had them repeat it: “Reasonable revenue for responsible programs.”

That’s the Cliff’s Notes version of the federal budget proposition put forth by the group of women traveling through nine states, calling themselves Nuns on the Bus for their mode of transportation.

“There’s an alternative. It’s called the Faithful Budget,” Campbell said Wednesday afternoon following the nuns’ stop to speak with staff members at the Mt. Lebanon office of U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair. “It has 55 pages. That’s a little daunting when you’re trying to do a sound bite, but I can it to you in five words, and we’re going to learn real fast.”

Read the full article:

• sewickley.patch.com/articles/nearby-nuns-on-the-bus-tour-stops-in-mt-lebanon-to-protest-federal-budget (Sewickley Patch)

Upcoming Candidate Forums

The Mt. Lebanon PTA Council, The League of Women Voters and Greater Pittsburgh Student Voices will be sponsoring two non-partisan forums this month. The dates/times are as follows:

Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 7:30pm to 9:00pm
Mt. Lebanon High School, Fine Arts Theater

37th State Senatorial District Candidates: John Pippy (R) and Amy Jude Schmotzer(D)

42nd State Legislative District Candidates: Matt Smith (D) James Blazeck (R)

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Monday, October 27, 2008, 7:30pm to 9:00pm
Jefferson Elementary School Auditorium

18th U.S. Congressional District Candidates: Tim Murphy (R) and Steve O'Donnell (D)

Congressman Murphy Votes Against Bailout Bill

With 1,500 indignant calls and e-mails six weeks before Election Day, there was no mystery left for U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy when it came to how to vote on the Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 -- the one his constituents called simply The Bailout.

"I've never heard someone get to Congress saying, 'Elect me and I'll make sure we have more mortgage-backed securities to base our economy on,' " the South Hills congressman said yesterday. Moments earlier, Mr. Murphy and 227 other House members -- most of them rank-and-file -- turned back the Bush administration's plea for $700 billion to rescue the credit market.

Link: www.postgazette.com/pg/08274/916152-28.stm

Link 2: community.post-gazette.com/blogs/earlyreturns/archive/2008/09/29/altmire-murphy-vote-nay.aspx

Temple Emanuel Receives DHS Grant

U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, on Friday presented Temple Emanuel of the South Hills a check for $85,500 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grant money is to enhance security around the temple grounds and buildings. A condition of the award is that the temple match 25 percent of the federal funds.

Temple Executive Director Saralouise Reis, who wrote and submitted the grant application, said the money will be used to replace the existing monitoring and recording system; add cameras; erect additional fencing; install intercoms in all nursery school and center classrooms; and more.

A press release from the Department of Homeland Security said the awards "support target hardening and security screening activities in selected nonprofit organizations that are deemed at high risk of a potential terrorist attack."

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08010/847987-55.stm