Washington, D.C.- Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the dean of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, issued the following statement today after the death of Rep. John Murtha.

"I am saddened to learn of the death of Jack Murtha, a man that I have known for the last 34 years," said Markey.

"While Jack was always known as a military hawk, he became a leading voice in the effort to bring an end to the war in Iraq and it is in no small part due to his work in this area that America is now on track to remove all combat troops from that country by this summer.

"My thoughts go out to his wife Joyce and the rest of the Murtha family."