Congressman Murphy Wins New Frontier Award from John F. Kennedy Library Foundation
(November 23, 2009) -- Patrick Murphy, U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania received the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award in Cambridge, Massachusetts today.
Caroline Kennedy presented the 6th annual award to Congressman Murphy, citing his advocacy “for men and women in the armed forces” and for serving in the military for a decade. Murphy is the first veteran of the Iraq War to serve in Congress.
Also receiving the New Frontier Award was Rebecca Onie, co-founder of Project HEALTH, a national group that mobilizes college students to work with low-income patients at urban hospitals and care centers.
The John F. Kennedy New Frontier Awards were created by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and Harvard’s Institute of Politics to honor Americans under the age of 40 who are changing their communities and the country with their commitment to public service. The awards are presented annually to two exceptional individuals whose contributions in elective office, community service, or advocacy demonstrate the impact and the value of public service in the spirit of John F. Kennedy.
“Congressman Murphy and Rebecca Onie are remarkable young leaders who share my father’s belief that one person can make a difference,” said Kennedy, who is President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and a member of the Senior Advisory Committee for Harvard’s Institute of Politics.
Patrick J. Murphy, 36, was elected to the House of Representatives in 2006. Since his election, Murphy has become a leader in the debate on Iraq and Afghanistan, and on military and veterans policy. In his first month in Congress, he introduced legislation calling for the responsible withdrawal of troops from Iraq in order to refocus on the fight in Afghanistan.
Murphy grew up in Northeast Philadelphia, the son of a Philadelphia police officer and a legal secretary. He holds a B.A. from Kings College in Wilkes-Barre, and a law degree from Widener Law School.
For more information visit the Kennedy Presidential Library’s website at jfklibrary.org or the Institute of Politics’ website at iop.harvard.edu.
patrickmurphy.house.gov/