Trial Engrossment of Amendment A02155 to House Bill 1431 P.N. 1842, Regular Session 2017-2018

A02155

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

1431

Session of

2017

INTRODUCED BY MASSER, GOODMAN, SCHLEGEL CULVER, HENNESSEY,

TOOHIL, YOUNGBLOOD, SAMUELSON, DERMODY, PETRARCA,

CALTAGIRONE, THOMAS, HELM, MALONEY, READSHAW, DiGIROLAMO,

MILLARD, SAINATO, O'BRIEN, CAUSER, WHEELAND, WARD, MARSICO,

FREEMAN, A. HARRIS, D. COSTA, SAYLOR, PETRI AND DeLUCA,

MAY 23, 2017

AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MAY 24, 2017

AN ACT

Designating a portion of State Routes 54, 901 and 2023 in

Northumberland County and Schuylkill County as the Honorable

Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., Memorial Highway.; designating Exit

18 of State Route 43, known as the Searights Road

interchange, in Fayette County as the Staff Sgt. John P.

Wanto Vietnam Veteran Exit; designating Exit 15 of State

Route 43, known as the Old Pittsburgh Road interchange, in

Fayette County as the Lance Corporal Russell W. Naugle

Vietnam Veteran Exit; designating a bridge on that portion of

State Route 2003 over the Yellow Breeches Creek, South

Middleton Township, Cumberland County, as the Sgt. Adam C.

Schoeller Memorial Bridge; designating a portion of State

Route 18 in West Fallowfield Township, Crawford County, as

the Staff Sergeant James Douglas Mowris Memorial Highway;

designating a portion of State Route 100 from the

intersection of Main Street and Tilghman Street in Upper

Macungie Township, Lehigh County, to the intersection of

Claussville Road and Kernsville Road in Lowhill Township,

Lehigh County, as the Captain Mark T. Resh Memorial Highway;

and designating a bridge on that portion of State Route 18

(College Avenue) over the Little Shenango River, Greenville

Borough, Mercer County, as the Greenville Veterans Memorial

Bridge.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Honorable Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., Memorial Highway.

(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as

follows:

(1) The Honorable Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., represented

the 107th Legislative District, covering portions of

Columbia, Montour, Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties

from 1981 to 2010.

(2) During his 30 years in the House of Representatives,

Representative Belfanti served on numerous committees and was

chairperson of the Labor Relations Committee from 1993 to

2010.

(3) Representative Belfanti was active on numerous State

boards and commissions and championed workers, small

businesses, veterans and improved accessibility for the

disabled.

(4) Representative Belfanti attended Mount Carmel area

schools and was a lifelong scout, earning the rank of Eagle

Scout in 1962 and returning to scouting as an adult as a

charter member of Cub Scout Pack 3178.

(5) Representative Belfanti and his wife, Cecilia, were

instrumental in bringing scouting back to the Mount Carmel

area following a long dormancy, and Representative Belfanti

received numerous awards during his 25 years of service.

(6) Before becoming a State Representative,

Representative Belfanti enlisted in the United States Marine

Corps IN 1967 and served a 13-month tour of duty in the

Vietnam War with helicopter units that supplied troops,

ammunition and medical supplies to Marines and rescued the

wounded. MARINES. HIS CH-46 HELICOPTERS, KNOWN AS SEA

KNIGHTS, WERE ALSO THE MAJOR MEANS FOR RESCUING AND PROVIDING

MEDIVACS FOR THE WOUNDED.

A02155 - 2 -

(7) Representative Belfanti rose to the rank of sergeant

and was highly decorated when he was honorably discharged in

1971. BEFORE BEING HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1971. AMONG HIS

DECORATIONS WERE TWO BRONZE STARS WITH VALOR, THE COMBAT

ACTION RIBBON, THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, THE VIETNAM

CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY AND THE

VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL.

(8) Representative Belfanti was active in numerous

veteran organizations and cofounded the Black Diamond

Detachment of the Marine Corps League., AS WELL AS A LIFE

MEMBER OF THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS (VFW), AMVETS AND

VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM WAR. REPRESENTATIVE BELFANTI WAS

NAMED VETERAN OF THE YEAR BY THE NATIONAL WAR VETERANS

COUNCIL AND ALSO RECEIVED THE PATRIOT OF THE YEAR AWARD.

(9) Representative Belfanti's legacy includes saving the

former Shamokin State General Hospital from divestiture, the

opening of State Correctional Institution Coal Township,

resolving issues related to the Centralia mine fire, the

Shamokin Creek project, championing numerous abandoned mine

reclamation projects and helping with many rail improvement

and economic development projects in the district.

(10) Representative Belfanti was also instrumental in

securing funding for the State Route 901 widening project

from Locust Summit to Interstate 81, as well as the Strong

Connector improvement project.

(b) Designation.--The portion of State Routes 54 and 901 in

Northumberland County and Schuylkill County from the

intersection of State Route 54, State Route 901 and State Route

2023, also known as the Mount Carmel Merriam Highway, in Mount

Carmel Township, Northumberland County, to the intersection of

A02155 - 3 -

State Route 901, also known as Fairgrounds Road, and High Road

in Butler Township, Schuylkill County, is hereby designated as

the Honorable Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., Memorial Highway.

maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the highway to

traffic in both directions on the highway.

Section 2. Staff Sgt. John P. Wanto Vietnam Veteran Exit.

(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as

follows:

(1) Staff Sergeant John P. Wanto served with the United

States Army, A Company, First Battalion, 506th Infantry,

101st Airborne Division.

(2) On March 21, 1970, Staff Sergeant Wanto was killed

in action in Thua Thien Province, Vietnam.

(b) Designation.--Exit 18 of State Route 43, known as the

Searights Road interchange, in Fayette County is hereby

designated the Staff Sgt. John P. Wanto Vietnam Veteran Exit.

and maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the exit

to traffic on the highway near the exit.

Section 3. Lance Corporal Russell W. Naugle Vietnam Veteran

Exit.

(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds as follows:

(1) Lance Corporal Russell W. Naugle served with the

United States Marine Corps, C Company, First Battalion, First

Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Force.

(2) On February 15, 1968, Lance Corporal Naugle was

killed in action in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.

(b) Designation.--Exit 15 of State Route 43, known as the

Old Pittsburgh Road interchange, in Fayette County is hereby

A02155 - 4 -

designated the Lance Corporal Russell W. Naugle Vietnam Veteran

Exit.

and maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the exit

to traffic in both directions on the highway.

Section 4. Sgt. Adam C. Schoeller Memorial Bridge.

(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as

follows:

(1) Adam C. Schoeller was raised in South Middleton

Township and graduated from Boiling Springs High School in

2008.

(2) Sgt. Schoeller served his country honorably as a

United States Marine and was deployed during Operation

Enduring Freedom.

(3) On January 14, 2016, Sgt. Schoeller gave his life in

service to his country when his helicopter collided with

another helicopter off the coast of Oahu's Waimea Bay.

(4) Sgt. Schoeller's leadership, dedication and bravery

distinguish his outstanding service to his country, evidenced

by the numerous honors he received during his enlistment in

the United States Marine Corp, including the Navy and Marine

Corps Achievement Medal, Individual Air Medal, Strike/Fight

Air Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Sea

Service Deployment Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal,

Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service

Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation

and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

(b) Designation.--The bridge located on State Route 2003

over the Yellow Breeches Creek, South Middleton Township,

Cumberland County, is hereby designated the Sgt. Adam C.

A02155 - 5 -

Schoeller Memorial Bridge.

maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the bridge to

traffic in both directions on the bridge.

Section 5. Staff Sergeant James Douglas Mowris Memorial

Highway.

(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as

follows:

(1) Staff Sergeant James Douglas Mowris, a native of

Adamsville, Crawford County, enlisted in the United States

Army in 1984 after graduation from Conneaut Lake High School.

(2) Over a period of nearly 20 years, Staff Sergeant

Mowris honorably served his country on active duty with the

United States Army and with the Army Reserve.

(3) Staff Sergeant Mowris served in operations in

locations across the globe, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia,

Somalia, Honduras, El Salvador, Kosovo, Cuba and Afghanistan.

(4) The distinguished military career of Staff Sergeant

Mowris ended on January 29, 2004, when he was killed along

with seven other soldiers in an explosion during the clearing

of an enemy weapons and ammunition cache in Ghazni,

Afghanistan.

(b) Designation.--The section of State Route 18 in West

Fallowfield Township, Crawford County, from the intersection

with State Route 322 to the Crawford/Mercer County Line is

designated as the Staff Sergeant James Douglas Mowris Memorial

Highway.

maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the highway to

traffic in both directions on the highway.

A02155 - 6 -

Section 6. Captain Mark T. Resh Memorial Highway.

(a) Findings.-- The General Assembly finds and declares as

follows:

(1) Captain Mark T. Resh, of Killen, Texas, was a native

of Fogelsville, Lehigh County, and a 1996 graduate of

Northwestern Lehigh High School, where he was a member of the

National Honor Society, math club and student council and was

captain of the varsity soccer team in his senior year.

(2) In 2001, Captain Resh graduated from the University

of Pittsburgh with a degree in engineering.

(3) Captain Resh served as an Apache helicopter pilot

with the United States Army, 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation

Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division in

support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

(4) On January 28, 2007, near An Najaf, Iraq, Captain

Resh placed the helicopter he was piloting in the direct line

of enemy fire so that another air crew that was under attack

could maneuver out of danger. Over the next 15 minutes, he

bravely flew in the face of intense enemy fire to support the

coalition ground forces until his aircraft was struck by

enemy fire and crashed, killing Captain Resh.

(5) Captain Resh was awarded the Purple Heart and the

Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in

action.

(b) Designation.--The section of State Route 100 from the

intersection of Main Street and Tilghman Street in Upper

Macungie Township, Lehigh County, to the intersection of

Claussville Road and Kernsville Road in Lowhill Township, Lehigh

County, is hereby designated as the Captain Mark T. Resh

Memorial Highway.

A02155 - 7 -

maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the highway to

traffic in both directions on the highway.

Section 7. Greenville Veterans Memorial Bridge.

(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as

follows:

(1) Greenville Borough, Mercer County, has been home to

many courageous military veterans who have fought for our

freedom.

(2) Every Memorial Day a ceremony is held at the bridge

on State Route 18 (College Avenue) over the Little Shenango

River during which the Greenville VFW drops a wreath into the

river in honor of those who have served in defense of the

United States.

(b) Designation.--The bridge located on State Route 18

(College Avenue) in Greenville Borough, Mercer County, over the

Little Shenango River is hereby designated the Greenville

Veterans Memorial Bridge.

maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the bridge to

traffic in both directions on the bridge.

Section 2 8. Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.

A02155 - 8 -