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Congressman John. P. Murtha Jr. (D-Pennsylvania), co-founder of the Congressional Steel Caucus, died Monday, Feb. 8, 2010, at age 77, in a hospital in Arlington, Virginia.

Murtha was acknowledged to be a strong advocate for American manufacturing in general and the steel industry in specific, repeatedly fighting unfairly traded steel imports. US Steel CEO John Surma said Murtha “spent decades championing the cause of a strong and vibrant domestic steel industry.”

Thomas J. Gibson, President and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) said Murtha was “a pivotal figure in conveying to his fellow members of Congress how essential having a healthy domestic steel industry is to America’s economic and national security.”