1Designating the bridge crossing the Delaware River along U.S.
2Route 22, also known as the Easton-Phillipsburg Toll Bridge,
3between Phillipsburg, New Jersey and Easton, Pennsylvania as
4the Sergeant William John Cahir Memorial Bridge.

5The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6hereby enacts as follows:

7Section 1. Sergeant William John Cahir Memorial Bridge.

8(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
9follows:

10(1) William John Cahir, a graduate of The Pennsylvania
11State University, worked as a newspaper correspondent for the
12Express-Times, providing news coverage to Warren and
13Hunterdon counties in New Jersey and Lehigh and Northampton
14counties in Pennsylvania, and for Newhouse News Service,

1during which time his work regularly appeared in numerous New
2Jersey-based newspapers.

3(2) Throughout his life, William Cahir was committed to
4public service, working for United States Senator Edward
5Kennedy and United States Senator Harris Wofford, and running
6for Congress in Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District in
72008.

8(3) After the terror attacks against the United States
9on September 11, 2001, William Cahir enlisted in the United
10States Marine Corps Reserve at 34 years of age, in which he
11went to great lengths to obtain an age waiver and eventually
12rose to the rank of sergeant.

13(4) Sergeant Cahir was assigned to the 4th Civil Affairs
14Group, Marine Forces Reserve based in Washington, DC,
15completed two tours in Iraq, and in 2009, was deployed for a
16tour in Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom.

17(5) On August 13, 2009, while completing his third tour,
18Sergeant Cahir was tragically shot and killed by enemy fire
19while on a dismounted patrol during Eastern Resolve II, a
20predawn offensive operation in Helmand Province, Afghanistan,
21that was intended to cut Taliban trade and supply lines in
22order to allow local residents to vote in the Afghan
23presidential election.

24(6) For his heroism, Sergeant Cahir received the Bronze
25Star, the Purple Heart and other decorations.

26(7) Sergeant Cahir was survived by his wife, Rene, who
27at the time of his death was pregnant with their twin
28daughters, Caroline and Elizabeth.

29(8) The Easton-Phillipsburg Toll Bridge, operated by the
30Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, connects the

1counties in New Jersey and Pennsylvania that were served by
2the newspaper for which Sergeant Cahir reported.

3(9) It is altogether fitting and proper for the
4Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to honor the life and sacrifice
5of Sergeant William John Cahir by designating the bridge
6crossing the Delaware River along U.S. Route 22 between
7Phillipsburg, New Jersey and Easton, Pennsylvania, also known
8as the Easton-Phillipsburg Toll Bridge, as the Sergeant
9William John Cahir Memorial Bridge.

10(b) Designation and signs.--

11(1) The executive director of the Delaware River Joint
12Toll Bridge Commission shall designate the U.S. Route 22
13bridge crossing the Delaware River between Phillipsburg, New
14Jersey and Easton, Pennsylvania, known as the Easton-
15Phillipsburg Toll Bridge, as the Sergeant William John Cahir
16Memorial Bridge and shall erect and maintain appropriate
17signs displaying the name of the bridge to traffic in both
18directions on the bridge.

19(2) Commonwealth or other public funds may not be used
20for producing, purchasing or erecting signs bearing the
21designation under paragraph (1).

22Section 2. Notice.

23The Governor shall publish notice of the enactment of
24legislation by the State of New Jersey having an identical
25effect with this act in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

26Section 3. Effective date.

27This act shall take effect as follows:

28(1) The following provisions shall take effect
29immediately:

30(i) Section 2 of this act.

1(ii) This section.

2(2) The remainder of this act shall take effect upon
3publication of the notice under section 2.