THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY BRENNAN, SAMUELSON, BEYER, DALLY, DAY, FREEMAN, GRUCELA, HARHART, MANN, REICHLEY, BELFANTI, BRADFORD, BRIGGS, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DENLINGER, DERMODY, DeWEESE, EACHUS, FABRIZIO, GALLOWAY, GERBER, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, HARKINS, HELM, HESS, M. KELLER, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, MAHONEY, MARKOSEK, McCALL, MILLARD, MURT, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PASHINSKI, PAYNE, READSHAW, REED, SANTONI, SEIP, SHAPIRO, SIPTROTH, SWANGER AND VULAKOVICH, MAY 8, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MAY 8, 2009  

AN ACT

Designating a portion of PA Route 378 in Bethlehem, Northampton

County, as the Fred B. Rooney Highway.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Fred B. Rooney Highway.

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

follows:

(1)  Fred B. Rooney was born the son of an Irish-Catholic

immigrant in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on November 6, 1925,

attended the city's public school and graduated from

Bethlehem High School in 1944.

(2)  Fred B. Rooney served in the United States Army from

February 1944 to April 1946 and served in the European

Theatre as a paratrooper during World War II.

(3)  Fred B. Rooney returned home to the United States

and earned a degree in business administration from the

University of Georgia at Athens in 1950.

(4)  After working in the real estate and insurance

business, Fred B. Rooney was elected to two terms in the

Pennsylvania State Senate, from November 5, 1958 until he

resigned August 6, 1963.

(5)  While serving as a Senator, Fred B. Rooney dedicated

his energy to serving as a full-time legislator, and also

serving as chairman of the Senate Highway Committee for a

time.

(6)  Fred B. Rooney won a special election to the Eighty-

eighth Congress in 1963 and served until January 3, 1979,

after winning seven succeeding reelection bids.

(7)  While in Congress, Fred B. Rooney was a staunch

advocate and supporter for Bethlehem redevelopment

initiatives, economic aid for economically distressed

communities, restrictions on imported goods and increases in

Federal aid for education. He was also a champion of medical

care for the elderly.

(8)  Fred B. Rooney served on the House Interstate and

Foreign Commerce Committee, and also served as the

subcommittee chair on Transportation and Commerce.

(9)  It is largely through his endeavors that PA Route

378 runs through the City of Bethlehem.

(b)  Designation.--That portion of PA Route 378 from U.S.

Route 22 to the Hill to Hill Bridge in Bethlehem, Northampton

County is hereby designated as the "Fred B. Rooney Highway."

(c)  Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and

maintain appropriate signs to indicate the designation under

subsection (b).

Section 2.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.