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Christopher 'Chris' S. Murphy

Senator Christopher 'Chris' S. Murphy's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Chris Murphy
Full Name: Christopher 'Chris' S. Murphy
Office: U.S. Senate (CT) - Jr, Democratic
First Elected: 11/06/2012
Next Election: 2018
Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Cathy; 2 Children: Owen, Rider
Birth Date: 08/03/1973
Birth Place: White Plains, NY
Home City: Cheshire, CT
Project Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.
Chris Murphy refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2012 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Issue Positions

In response to the increasing unwillingness of candidates to answer issue questions, Project Vote Smart has researched Presidential and Congressional candidates' public ecords to determine candidates' likely responses on certain key issues. These issue positions, from the year 2012, are provided below as a courtesy to voters.

Pro-choice Inferred Answer Abortion: Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Women's Health and Equality. 25 April 2012. “With the unwavering belief that our nation’s Constitution protects the right to privacy and a woman’s autonomy over her own body, I have a voting record and moral compass that is unequivocally pro-choice.” (www.chrismurphy.com)
  • Chris Murphy. Statement on the 36th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade. 22 January 2009. “Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of the 36th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade. Citing the constitutional right to privacy, the decision recognized women's equal standing with men to make decisions about their own bodies, and constituted a landmark step forward in the ongoing fight for gender equality. Roe has advanced both the health care and human rights of women throughout America. It stands for the simple premise that government should not, and cannot, tell a person what to do with his or her own body. As a proud cosponsor of the Prevention First Act, I certainly recognize that the term "pro-choice" is not synonymous with "pro-abortion." Instead, to me, the right to choose is the right of a woman to make her own decisions about her health and future, free of coercion, based on medically-accurate information, and with access to all reproductive health options. Roe has provided us a legal foundation upon which to build a framework of reproductive health options for women. Our responsibility, as we celebrate the decision's anniversary, is to make sure we honor the tradition of that decision by assuring that women and families throughout this great country have access to family planning and reproductive health options so that never again do women have to retreat to alleyways and dark corners to receive proper medical care. Madam Speaker, January 22, 1973 marks a landmark day in our nation's constitutional history - for women, for health, and for individual liberty. Thank you.” (votesmart.org)
  • NARAL Pro-Choice America. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 100 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. H Amdt 95. 112th Congress. Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 02/18/2011. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. H Amdt 509. 111th Congress. Prohibiting Federally Funded Abortion Services. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 11/07/2009. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 3. 112th Congress. Prohibiting Taxpayer Funding of Abortion. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 05/04/2011. (votesmart.org)
  • Planned Parenthood. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Endorsements. 04/18/2012. Planned Parenthood endorsed Chris Murphy in the 2010 general election. (votesmart.org)
  • National Right to Life Committee. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the National Right to Life Committee 0 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Family Research Council. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the Family Research Council 0 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Planned Parenthood. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of Planned Parenthood 100 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • National Organization for Women. 04/18/2012. "On the votes used to calculate its ratings, the National Organization for Women attaches more value to those votes it considers more important. For 2008, the National Organization for Women gave Chris Murphy a rating of 100 percent." (votesmart.org)
No Inferred Answer Afghanistan: Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Letter to The Honorable Barack H. Obama, President of the United States. 21 June 2011. “We urge a significant and sizable reduction of U.S. military forces in Afghanistan beginning July 2011. With Osama bin Laden killed and Al Qaeda largely driven from Afghanistan, it is time to accelerate the transfer of security responsibilities to the Government of Afghanistan and to reduce the U.S. military footprint there. In the wake of the horrific September 11th attacks, the U.S. resolved to eliminate terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and to bring those who would harm innocent civilians to justice. Our troops have fought bravely, and now fewer than 100 Al Qaeda operatives are estimated to remain in Afghanistan. The recent killing of Osama bin Laden, for which you and members of our military and intelligence communities should be commended, is the capstone of that initial mission. International terrorist networks remain a grave threat to the United States, as Al Qaeda affiliates now have a significant presence in countries like Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan. But maintaining anywhere near 100,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan is not an effective means of combating a global and decentralized enemy. Ultimately, this war will end not on the battlefield but through political negotiations. As we scale down our military operations in Afghanistan we need to continue our diplomatic efforts, pushing for a negotiated settlement that includes the Government of Afghanistan and other parties interested in establishing peace and stability. The American public is weary of a war with no end in sight, and we call upon you to bring the longest war in our nation's history to a close. Beginning in July of this year, we urge a swift, significant and sizable drawdown of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.” (votesmart.org)
  • Peace Action West. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of Peace Action West 63 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: A New Policy in Iraq. 14 October 2011. “While our military has been mired in Iraq, Afghanistan--the original safe haven for those that attacked us on September 11th--has deteriorated and the Taliban has reemerged. The Bush Administration made an enormous strategic mistake by pulling back on our efforts in Afghanistan before all of our objectives had been achieved. We must prioritize Afghanistan and work with tribal leaders to contain the country's insurgency, invigorate their economy, and minimize the drug trade. We cannot afford to have Afghanistan spiral into a failed state. If it were to do so, this development would have extremely grave consequences for the region and also present the threat of Afghanistan becoming an international training ground for terrorists once again.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Iraq and Afghanistan. 01 January 2011. “While we have been focused on Iraq, the war in Afghanistan has taken a turn for the worse in recent months. Insurgent activity has surged and suicide bombing - a tactic previous unheard of in Afghanistan - have taken its toll on the war effort and the hearts and minds of the Afghani people. Once thought vanquished in the wake of the coalition invasion, the Taliban has since regrouped into a powerful and canny insurgency, launching record numbers of attacks on foreign troops. I believe we need to refocus our efforts in Afghanistan to stifle the drug trade, work with tribal leaders to suppress the insurgency and help bolster the country's flagging economy. On a recent trip to Afghanistan, I was told by an Afghani official that a truck transporting agricultural goods from northern Afghanistan to the border with Pakistan will be stopped, on average, 27 times by bandits and government officials seeking bribes. This is unacceptable, and has to change in order for Afghanistan to become stable. If Afghanistan decays into a failed state, it could lead to the rapid deterioration of an already-profoundly unstable Pakistan, inflaming regional tensions and providing an even more fertile recruiting ground for terrorist insurgents. But an increase in troop strength in Afghanistan is meaningless unless Pakistan gets serious about quelling the chaos that now reigns on its western border with Afghanistan. It does us no good to push the Taliban and any Al Qaeda forces out of southern Afghanistan if they will simply be able to temporarily take up residence in Pakistan and await our departure from the region. We need to engage with the Pakistani government, and get assurances that they will support our new mission in Afghanistan. Our security as a nation is dependent on the pursuit of a truly regional strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and a safe exit from Iraq.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Statement on Afghanistan. 22 June 2011. “I am encouraged that President Obama has decided to accelerate the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan by bringing home 10,000 troops by the end of this year and 30,000 by next summer. But this plan falls short of the American people's expectation that this July would mark the beginning of a full withdrawal of all combat troops. Our soldiers have done everything asked of them and more, but the factors that will determine Afghanistan's long term security and stability are largely out of their control, and the United States cannot afford to spend $2.5 billion per week maintaining this level of presence. We need a plan to bring all our combat troops home as soon as possible, and I plan to use both my voice and my vote as a Member of Congress to make this happen." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy to Obama: Begin Withdrawal from Afghanistan by July. 23 March 2011. “I cannot support an open-ended commitment in Afghanistan. After nearly a decade of war, we've lost too many men and women and spent too much taxpayer money to let this go on. I support President Obama's plan to begin to bring a significant number of troops home by July, and if that doesn't happen, I will do everything I can to pressure the White House to stand by their commitment,' said Murphy. 'Depleted from multiple deployments to the war zone over the last ten years, our soldiers have gone above the call of duty. The time has come for the Afghans to take control of their country and for our brave men and women in uniform to come home.” (votesmart.org)
  • Peace Action. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the Peace Action 63 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Video: Chris Murphy on the Issues, Afghanistan. 20 March 2011. “I am going to hold the President to his promise to begin withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan this summer...it will allow us to refocus on the national security priorities and repair our damaged reputation and image abroad.” (www.youtube.com)
  • Chris Murphy. Kinzinger Returns from Congressional Delegation to Europe, Afghanistan. 2 May 2011. "I have always believed that policy-makers need to listen to the people on the ground who make the tough calls every day to implement national policy. Visiting with our troops, diplomats and NGO workers in Afghanistan was helpful to me in learning the challenges they face as individuals and the benefits and costs of our continued engagement in the region. This visit will inform all of our work as we contemplate the difficult next steps." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. H Con Res 28. 112th Congress. Removing Troops from Afghanistan. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 03/17/2011. (votesmart.org)
Yes Inferred Answer Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. HR 2642. 110th Congress. Funding for Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 06/19/2008. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Defense. 14 October 2011. “Providing for the common defense is the first responsibility of the federal government. It's an obligation that I hold sacred and one that guides all of my decisions. This obligation begins and ends with the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces. If we are to protect our nation from its enemies, we must ensure that the men and women who have volunteered to defend us are well trained and well equipped. This means making the necessary investments in the technologies that protect them on the battlefield and allow them to effectively undertake their varied missions. The national defense is bolstered by innovative companies throughout our nation and especially in Connecticut with a long history of producing the weaponry, vehicles, planes, and armor that protect our soldiers. I have been and will continue to be a strong supporter of making sure that the sensitive defense production that takes place in communities throughout Connecticut at the hands of our skilled Connecticut work force remains here in our state. We have the knowledge, the facilities and the workers to make this happen, and I will continue to ensure that the federal government has the wherewithal to make it a reality.” (www.chrismurphy.house.gov)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Statement on Pentagon Delaying Bidding Process for Air Force Tanker Contract. 14 October 2011. “With the needs of our Air Force, the future of Connecticut's defense industry, and $35 billion in taxpayer dollars at stake, the Pentagon has made a wise choice in delaying the bidding process for the tanker refueling contract. I will push the next Administration to conduct a new, fair competition for this contract and remain confident that a fair process will be a benefit to our troops, and Connecticut's workers and defense industry. The eyes and ears of the Connecticut delegation will continue to be focused on this process as it moves forward." (www.chrismurphy.house.gov)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Statement on Vote against Budget Deal. 14 April 2011. “The deficit can't be closed simply on the backs of the poor, women, and children. Everyone should be expected to sacrifice. Tax cuts for the oil industry, bloated subsidies for massive industrial farms, and our inefficient defense budget were inexplicably spared in this deal. As we look for ways to cut spending, it's just not right to start and end with those who can least afford the hit,” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. “Secretary Gates' defense budget takes important and needed steps to rein in the way we equip our military after eight long years of bloated budgets and out of control acquisition. However, it has a glaring omission that I am fighting to correct. The elimination of the F-22 would leave our men and women serving in the military without one of their best tools to protect us, and the ripple effects of its elimination would add to our economic woes.” (votesmart.org)
  • Mary O'Leary. New Haven Register: Linda McMahon doesn’t join Chris Murphy for talk on jobs. 21 August 2012. “Murphy supports cutting defense spending over time and protecting jobs by having the government Buy American goods. He said submarine development serves an important niche that is enhanced by the U.S. focus now on the Pacific, rather than the Atlantic theater.” (ctsenate2012.nhregister.com)
  • Chris Murphy. News Center. 24 April 2012. “While Murphy does support cutting the federal budget by at least 1%, he would include cuts in the Department of Defense's budget, an account the initial draft of the Republican budget didn't touch.” (www.chrismurphy.house.gov)
  • Chris Murphy. Twitter: ChrisMurphyCT. 8 July 2011. “Voting on defense spending bill now. If we spent more of the $ in US, we could cut billions while creating jobs. #winwin.” (twitter.com)
  • Chris Murphy. H Amdt 13. 112th Congress. Reducing Navy and Air Force Aircraft Procurement. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 02/15/2011. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 4986. 110th Congress. Defense Authorizations Bill. Chris Murphy voted Yea on 01/16/2008. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 1363. 112th Congress. 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 04/07/2011. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 3222. 110th Congress. Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2008. Chris Murphy voted Yea on 08/05/2007. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Defense. 14 October 2011. “Murphy has consistently supported the strengthening of our military capabilities and better benefits for our troops and their families. Knowing that separation from family members can be both emotionally and financially difficult for military families, Congressman Murphy has supported a 3.9 percent pay raise for our troops, prohibited increased military health care costs and expanded family support programs - including education and training benefits. Murphy has repeatedly supported increased funding for both the readiness of our troops and for the equipment they use in the field, especially ensuring that our National Guard and Reserve has access to the equipment they need to be successful. (H.R.5658, Final Vote - Roll Call 365; H.R. 4986, Final Vote - Roll Call 11; H.R. 3222, Final Vote - Roll Call 1064).” (votesmart.org)
Yes Inferred Answer Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. 16 December 2010. “Tax cuts for billionaires don't create jobs. Sure, there are important provisions in this bill that do help the most needy, like extending tax cuts to the middle class and unemployment benefits to those that are out of work. But these benefits are going to be greatly outweighed by the crushing debt that those same families will have to carry and the cuts to education and to health care and to Social Security that will inevitably be passed in order to finance those same tax cuts.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Jobs and Economy. 14 October 2011. “And I supported the economic recovery bill, a strategic and targeted law to provide immediate tax relief to middle class families while also driving public investment in railways, energy efficiency, and electrical transmission upgrades to aid consumers over the long-term. Here in Connecticut, we stand to make significant gains from this package that will help to put our regional economy back on track.” (www.chrismurphy.house.gov)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Backs "Buffett Rule' Bill. 19 April 2012. “Last night, the Senate blocked a vote on its own version of the Buffett Rule legislation. 'This is a fundamental question of fairness," said Murphy. "The fact that many millionaires pay less in taxes than 99% of working families is simply not fair, and only adds to our ballooning deficit. Middle class families in Connecticut and across America deserve to know that our tax system hasn't been rigged against them, and this bill is a critical first step to creating a fairer tax system that asks everybody to pay their fair share.'” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Statement on Vote against Extending Tax Cuts for the Wealthy. 17 December 2010. “Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) released the following statement on his vote against the tax cut deal that extends the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest of Americans. 'If this bill was all about jobs, I would have voted for it in a second. But the good things in the package are outweighed by the fact that we are going to borrow billions of dollars from China and Social Security to pass along 20% of the money in this bill to 1% of Americans. These unprecedented tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires don't create jobs, they just create debt. And by borrowing money from Social Security in order to finance the payroll tax cut, we are setting up a massive shortfall in Social Security just at the time that we should be talking about ensuring the long term solvency of this program.'” (votesmart.org)
  • Americans for Tax Reform. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the Americans for Tax Reform 0 percent in 2007." (votesmart.org)
  • National Taxpayers Union. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported reasonable tax and spending policies as defined by the National Taxpayers Union 8 percent of the time in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Votes to Extend Tax Cuts for Connecticut's Middle Class. 2 December 2010. “These tax cuts go right into the hands of people who need them most - families who are trying to stay afloat in this tough economy. In these uncertain times, the best thing we can do is to provide people relief when it comes to their taxes and the confidence to help the economy rebound.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Taxes and the Economy. 20 October 2011. “Murphy fought to lessen the burden of property taxes for Connecticut homeowners. Congressman Murphy pushed a provision to allow taxpayers who take the standard deduction on their federal income taxes to take an additional standard deduction of up to $350 ($700 for joint filers) for State and local real property taxes. Under current law, individuals who itemize their deductions can deduct both real estate property taxes and personal property taxes. Taxpayers who don't itemize are currently eligible to take the standard deduction. This middle class tax cut was included in H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue & Foreclosure Prevention Act, signed into law in July 2008 (H.R. 3221, Final Vote Roll Call 519).” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Tax Cuts for the Wealthy. 22 July 2011. “It was bad enough that we were crazy enough as a Nation to fight two trillion-dollar wars while cutting taxes for the wealthy at the same time. Now Republicans are asking only the most vulnerable to help pay for it and threatening to collapse the world's economy by defaulting on American debt at the same time.” (votesmart.org)
Yes Inferred Answer Economy: Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Releases Report on Potentially Disastrous Impact of Washington Republican Spending Cuts on Connecticut Residents. 14 February 2011. “Republicans in Washington are preparing to take a sledgehammer to the federal budget that could have a disastrous impact on Connecticut families and communities. Instead of making targeted cuts to wasteful spending, they plan to balance the budget by slashing education dollars, home heating assistance, affordable housing programs, and more. These cuts will stop our economic recovery in its tracks.” (votesmart.org)
  • Americans for Prosperity. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the Americans for Prosperity 10 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Jobs and Economy. 14 October 2011. “We must address the current crisis in our financial system. Once the bedrock for the movement capital in our economy, America's financial system has ground to a halt. Without the credit that it provides to large and small businesses and everyday families, America's economy can't work. Without lending, businesses can't stay open or expand, can't meet payroll for their workers, and can't consider hiring. It is essential that we unfreeze this sector of our economy if we are to move forward. But expansion and contraction of the American economy are not new phenomena. Certainly, the severity of this contraction is an aberration and must be met with action. We began this process by approving the Troubled Assets Recovery Program (TARP) to get credit flowing again to businesses and consumers. Like many of you that I hear from in Connecticut, I was outraged by the wasteful and reckless spending made by many financial institutions that were eligible to receive federal assistance under the TARP. We could not allow these financial institutions to return to a "business as usual" mindset when taxpayer dollars are at stake, so I supported legislation to amend the program to strengthen accountability, close loopholes, increase transparency, and require Treasury to take significant steps toward foreclosure mitigation. And we drew a firm line in the sand on executive compensation; "golden parachutes" are banned for all institutions who took government assistance.” (www.chrismurphy.house.gov)
  • Chris Murphy. Economy. 25 April 2012. “And I supported the economic recovery bill, a strategic and targeted law to keep families whole and provide immediate tax relief to the middle class while also driving public investment in railways, energy efficiency, and electrical transmission upgrades to aid consumers over the long-term.” (www.chrismurphy.com)
  • The Club for Growth. 04/18/2012. "On the votes used to calculate its ratings, The Club for Growth attaches more value to those votes it considers more important. For 2010, The Club for Growth gave Chris Murphy a rating of 0 percent." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. The Country's Economic Future. 13 June 2010 “It's not a coincidence that from month to month to month in the last year of the Bush administration we lost more and more and more jobs, and then immediately upon the new President, President Obama, taking office, we started to lose less and less and less jobs to the point now where we are adding jobs to the economy. It's because the stimulus has worked. It is because it is infusing new money into the economy. It is because tax rates are the lowest in this country since 1950. People have more money to spend than ever before. It's because we put money in the hands of teachers and firefighters and police officers and renewable energy companies and solar companies and advanced battery technology companies. The leading edge of our economy is creating jobs. It's because manufacturing is coming back.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 1424. 110th Congress. Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments. Chris Murphy voted Yea on 10/03/2008. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 5297. 112th Congress. Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments. Chris Murphy voted Yea on 09/23/2010. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Ethics and Oversight. 14 October 2011. “Murphy introduced and pushed bipartisan legislation to make government spending more transparent to all Americans. Murphy introduced legislation, H.R. 6411, the Strengthening Transparency in Federal Spending Act of 2008, which will make improvements to www.USASpending.gov, a website created in 2007 as a portal for citizens to learn more about how their tax dollars are being spent. Murphy's legislation will introduce a host of improvements to USASpending.gov, making the site more user-friendly and expanding its breadth of available information, by including viewable copies of federal contracts, competitive bidding data, earmarks, criminal and legal violations against contractors, tax compliance, and much more. Murphy's bill is the House companion to legislation (S.3077) introduced by Senators Obama and Coburn (H.R. 6411).” (votesmart.org)
Yes Inferred Answer Economy: Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Let's Pass the American Jobs Act. 19 September 2011. “I have a great idea. Let's pass the American Jobs Act. It cuts taxes, it invests in infrastructure, and most importantly, it helps small businesses be more competitive in the global economy. Economists of all political stripes tell us that this act will create 1.9 million jobs, and it does it, in part, by making sure that U.S. taxpayer dollars are spent on U.S. jobs by applying the Buy American provisions. We should pass the American Jobs Act, and then we should take the simple idea that U.S. taxpayer dollars should go to create U.S. jobs and then apply it to every corner of the Federal Government. For instance, we could create another 600,000 jobs on top of the 1.9 million if we'd just clean up loopholes that allow for thousands of defense contracts to go to overseas companies. You see, rhetoric on the floor of the House of Representatives doesn't create jobs. Real, now-focused policies do, like the American Jobs Act and the Buy American policy.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Buy American Laws. 24 April 2012. “My second bill, The American Jobs Matter Act, would allow small and medium-sized manufacturers to highlight the fact that they are job-creators, and give them a leg-up on contracts that will bolster their businesses and communities.” (www.chrismurphy.com)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Taxes and the Economy. 14 October 2011. “Murphy has supported and introduced legislation to provide tax incentives and breaks for middle class Americans and small businesses. Congressman Murphy introduced the Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2007 and the Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007. Both bills will provide for the permanent extension of important and reasonable tax cuts for the middle class and small businesses. Murphy has supported legislation to ensure that 72,000 taxpayers in Connecticut's 5th District were not unfairly hit by the Alternative Minimum Tax (H.R. 3996, Roll Call 1183).” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Votes For Job-Boosting Tax Cut Bill. 4 March 2010. “We've got to cut the cost of doing business in Connecticut, and as small businesses are the economic engine of our state, it makes sense to lower their tax burden. Coming out of this recession is going to take time, but this effort will incentivize the hiring of unemployed people and cut taxes at the same time.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. The Future of the American Economy. 22 June 2010. “We've got a company in my district called Apollo Solar. I've got to tell you, this is going to be the next big thing. They are making some really important technology that will allow individual homeowners to put solar panels on their roof, generate a whole bunch of power, and then sell it back to the grid for a profit. This is going to be in every home in the Nation, we hope, in a matter of to 10 to 15 years. And the stimulus bill decided to put money into Apollo Solar so that they can not only add jobs, but point the way forward for the future of the American economy. Money in the pockets of middle-class families. Money in the bank accounts of small businesses. An opportunity to point this economy forward to the next wave of jobs that we're going to enjoy in this country in the form of renewable-energy jobs.” (votesmart.org)
Yes Inferred Answer Education: Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Commends Bye, Connecticut State Senate on Passage of Early Childhood Education Reform. 08 June 2011. "Today was a major step forward for Connecticut's young children and the state's future. Study after study shows that investing in comprehensive, quality early education and childcare sets children up for success. This legislation will pay long-term dividends, helping us compete in a global economy and reducing drop-out rates. I applaud Senator Bye, the entire Senate and the state's early learning community for investing in our kids and our future. The state Senate passed two pieces of legislation today authored by Senator Bye. The first would create a coordinated system of early childhood education incorporating prenatal care and care for children from birth to eight years old. The second bill would improve standards for professionals teaching young children. The legislation must now pass through the state House. It is supported by Governor Dannel P. Malloy. Last week, the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, announced a 'Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge,' a competitive grant program designed to encourage states to achieve excellence in early childhood education. The reforms passed by the Senate today will increase Connecticut's chances of winning a grant under the program.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Supporting Education. 20 October 2011. “Our first priority must be a full scale reform of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). I believe there are three major components to this process. First, Congress must fully fund NCLB. It is grossly unfair to students, their families, and teachers to expect a high level of achievement when they are not provided the tools--especially those that were promised--for success. I will continue to fight for the complete funding of NCLB. Second, I strongly support changing how progress is measured under NCLB. Currently, at no fault of their own, school districts are comparing successive classes instead of examining the growth of individual students over time. Third, Congress must give more flexibility to states and school districts to determine Adequate Yearly Process (AYP). High stakes testing does not provide a broad assessment for evaluating educational improvement. There are many factors, beyond a one-day score on a standardized test, that help educators measure performance and those should be included if we truly want the most full and clear picture of our students' academic progress. For example, graduation and attendance rates, as well as curriculum measures, are important indicators of school success.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Education and Children. 20 October 2011. “Murphy has championed early education programs. Murphy helped reauthorize the landmark Head Start program, the nation's premiere early childhood education program that currently enrolls 900,000 students, including approximately 7,000 in Connecticut. Murphy passed measures to help train teachers better and promote professional development to ensure a qualified pool of educators. In addition, this legislation prioritize the expansion of Early Head Start, which serves children during the critical development stage from birth to age three (HR 1429, Roll Call 1090). Murphy has championed early education programs. Murphy helped reauthorize the landmark Head Start program, the nation's premiere early childhood education program that currently enrolls 900,000 students, including approximately 7,000 in Connecticut. Murphy passed measures to help train teachers better and promote professional development to ensure a qualified pool of educators. In addition, this legislation prioritize the expansion of Early Head Start, which serves children during the critical development stage from birth to age three (HR 1429, Roll Call 1090).” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Education. 23 April 2012. “That is why I think the federal government should incentivize a series of practices that are evidenced-based and effective at turning around and improving schools and early learning programs.” (www.chrismurphy.com)
Unknown Position Unknown Answer Energy: Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Murphy: Fund Low-Income Energy Programs. 26 May 2011. "At a time when record-breaking gas prices are emptying people's pockets in Connecticut, we shouldn't be putting more money into oil companies' pockets, especially when the neediest are still struggling to make ends meet. My amendment was based on a simple idea: if House Republicans are rushing to greenlight new offshore drilling, shouldn't they at least ensure that low income consumers are protected in the process? The Administration was already planning to issue many of the drilling leases mandated by this legislation, but only after a thorough safety and environmental review. My amendment was introduced to send a clear message that the needs of low-income Americans who can't afford to heat their homes should always come before oil company profits.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Leads Effort to End Gridlock on Offshore Drilling, Energy Legislation. 14 August 2008. “It has become clear that without a compromise on some increased, sensible offshore drilling, we will not be able to move forward on ideas that will make us truly energy independent. We have to work together to negotiate a common sense solution to help consumers who can't afford the bickering. Increased offshore drilling won't solve our energy problem by itself, but this issue shouldn't continue to be a barrier to us passing energy legislation.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: A New Energy Policy. 14 October 2011. “This summer, I sent a letter to the Leadership of the House of Representatives urging them to schedule vote soon after Congress reconvenes in September on a comprehensive energy package. This legislation should include the option of some increased offshore drilling, if it would affect prices and could be done in an environmentally safe manner. Of course a country that uses 25 percent of the world's oil and holds 3 percent of its reserves can't drill its way out of this problem, but we can't continue to allow this issue to block other long term energy policy reforms.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: A New Energy Policy. 14 October 2011. “Put simply, strategies intended to end our dependence on foreign oil represent the 'holy grail' of federal policy. Investing in domestic, renewable energy will clean up our environment, reduce energy prices, stimulate a new 'green' economy in the U.S., and allow our foreign policy to be dictated by our national security needs rather than our national energy needs.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 3534. 112th Congress. Offshore Drilling Regulations and Other Energy Law Amendments. Chris Murphy voted Yea on 07/30/2010. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 1230. 112th Congress. Offshore Leasing Act. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 05/05/2011. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. H Amdt 773. 112th Congress. Ending Moratorium on Deepwater Drilling Rigs that Meet Certain Safety Standards. Chris Murphy voted Yea on 07/30/2010. (votesmart.org)
  • Environment America. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of Environment America 100 percent in 2009." (votesmart.org)
Yes Inferred Answer Environment: Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Energy. 16 April 2012. “I also supported the American Clean Energy and Security Act last year, legislation to enact a “cap and trade” system in the U.S. in order to achieve long term reductions in greenhouse gases and create incentives for the commercialization of renewable energy products. It is a comprehensive approach to America's energy policy that will create millions of new clean energy jobs, save consumers hundreds of billions of dollars in energy costs, enhance America's energy independence, and cut global warming pollution.” (www.chrismurphy.com)
  • Chris Murphy. Letter to the Honorable Lisa Jackson, EPA. 23 September 2011. “We are writing to express our support for the Environmental Protection Agency's final Cross-State Air Pollution Control Rule. This important public health standard will prevent approximately 34,000 premature deaths, more than 15,000 heart attacks, 19,000 cases of acute bronchitis, 4000,000 cases of aggravated asthma, and 1,8 million lost workdays annually. The aggregate health benefits will save up to $280 billion annually in avoided costs, at only a cost of only $800 million. This 350-1 benefit to cost ratio represents a great deal for the public and an opportunity to improve the quality of life and competitiveness of American metropolitan areas. In concert with other improvements to state and federal regulations, it will reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide by 73% and 54%, respectively, by 2014.” (votesmart.org)
  • Sierra Club. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Endorsements. 04/18/2012. Sierra Club endorsed Chris Murphy in the 2010 general election. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 2454. 111th Congress. Energy and Environmental Law Amendments ("Cap and Trade"). Chris Murphy voted Yea on 06/26/2009. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 910. 112th Congress. Energy Tax Prevention Act. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 04/07/2011. (votesmart.org)
  • Environment America. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of Environment America 100 percent in 2009." (votesmart.org)
  • League of Conservation Voters. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 90 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011. 06 April 2011. “Madam Chair, this amendment is fairly simple. While the underlying bill, though, I think very wrongly prevents the EPA from going forward on regulating greenhouse gases, my amendment affirms that state-run greenhouse gas programs will not be affected by the underlying legislation.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: A New Energy Policy. 14 October 2011. “I also am a co-sponsor of the Safe Climate Act, legislation to enact a 'cap and trade' system in the U.S. in order to achieve long term reductions in greenhouse gases and create incentives for the commercialization of renewable energy products. In addition, I joined my colleagues in supporting a rescission of the $16 billion in tax breaks for the oil industry contained in the 2005 Energy Bill, and the transfer of those tax breaks to the millions of businesses and homeowners seeking to purchase renewable energy.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Environment. 01 January 2011. “I began my career in public service as an environmental advocate, taking a stand against reckless destruction of wetlands in my town. Since then, protecting the environment has been one of the guiding principles of my time in office. From curbing greenhouse gas emissions to preserving threatened forestlands, I believe our priorities and policies should reflect a broad commitment to our environment at every level. As we face possibly the greatest threat to the planet - global warming - the science has spoken, and the debate is over. We are now left with the considerable task of crafting a fair, sensible system of curbing carbon emissions. As a member of the Connecticut General Assembly, I was often frustrated by the fact that any steps we made toward a greener planet weren't always supported by policies in Washington. This year, as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I am looking forward to picking up where I left off in Hartford on landmark global warming protections to combat greenhouse gas on a nationwide scale. We need a firm framework of tradable allowances that nonetheless allows states with already-existing aggressive cap-and-trade systems - like Connecticut - to continue to innovate.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Environment. 14 October 2011. “Murphy has pushed for strong solutions to the global warming crisis. Murphy supports legislation that would implement strong federal standards to promote the reduction of greenhouse gases, as well as establish a "Climate Reinvestment Fund" to promote economic growth through research and development, consumer relief for rising energy prices, and transition assistance. Murphy also helped pass a law increasing the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to thirty-five miles per gallon by 2020 in order to cut down on vehicle emissions, representing the first such increase since 1975 (HR 6, Roll Call 1177).” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Letter to the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce John D. Dingell. 15 June 2007. “We commend your leadership in the Energy and Commerce Committee on addressing the challenge of global warming and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. However, we are concerned with provisions in the Discussion Draft on Alternative Fuels, Infrastructure, and Vehicles which would strip our states of their authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles.Many states have moved ahead to address global warming with pro-growth, pro-high tech initiatives. Under our federal system, states have been laboratories for constructive change but they need Washington to be a partner, not an impediment, to their initiatives. To the contrary, this draft legislation would deprive our states of their authority to take the steps they deem appropriate to protect the health and safety of their citizens. We aspire to a better outcome for our constituents and we look forward to working with you to resolve this issue.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Statement On Earth Day. 22 April 2009. “Connecticut can also be proud that it was one of the first states in the nation to adopt a forward-looking regional cap-and-trade system - the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) - to combat global warming. It's time for our state to lead the rest of the country in continuing the work we started to protect our planet.” (votesmart.org)
Yes Inferred Answer Guns: Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Endorsements. 04/18/2012. Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence endorsed Chris Murphy in the 2010 general election. (votesmart.org)
  • Boston.com: Senate Democrats face off at Bridgeport debate. 22 July 2012. “The Hearst Connecticut Media Group reported ( that U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy and former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz said they back gun control legislation in response to the Friday shootings and two recent homicides in Bridgeport. [...] Murphy said he has spent his career in the legislature and Congress supporting 'sensible gun control legislation.’” http://articles.boston.com/2012-07-22/news/32790187_1_gun-control-bysiewicz-campaign-chris-murphy. (bit.ly)
  • Chris Murphy. Twiter: @ChrisMurphyCT. 22 July 2012. “Sensible gun control can start to reverse the terrible trend of violent crime (staff) #CTSen” (twitter.com)
  • Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Endorsements. 04/18/2012. Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence endorsed Chris Murphy in the 2008 general election. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 6842. 110th Congress. Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 09/17/2008. (votesmart.org)
  • Gun Owners of America. 04/18/2012. "In 2010 Gun Owners of America gave Chris Murphy a grade of 18." (votesmart.org)
No Inferred Answer Health Care: Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Lauds Signing of Kids' Health Care Law; Thousands More Connecticut Kids to Gain Health Insurance. 2009. “I'm proud that Congress was able to get this bill to President Obama's desk so quickly, and I'm thrilled to see him signing this critical bill into law today. Expanding children's health care coverage to keep Connecticut kids healthy is the right thing to do, both morally and financially. And this is an important first step in the broader plan for health care reform.” (www.chrismurphy.house.gov)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Pushes Legislation to Stop Bush "Refusal Clause" Limiting Access to Health Care. 15 January 2009. “President Bush is using his last hours in office to undo basic health care rights for patients. As more and more Americans are losing access to health care in this tough economy, we should be opening doors to care, not closing them. His actions are unconscionable. With President-Elect Obama taking office in just a few days, we need to do everything we can to stop this rule from going into effect. He and the new Congress were elected to make changes to our national health care system to broaden access to coverage, and this rule is a big step back in that effort. I look forward to working with his team to use the means necessary to stop this from happening.” (www.chrismurphy.house.gov)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy, Community Health Center, Inc. of New Britain Announce Federal Grant to Increase Services to Meet Needs of Uninsured. 1 June 2009. “Community health centers like CHC-New Britain fill a critical void in our health care system, caring for some of the most vulnerable who lack health insurance. This grant is a signal that the Obama Administration not only recognizes the health care crisis we are facing, but is dealing with it by supporting the centers that face this problem every day,' said Murphy. 'This funding is a critical first step in health care reform, and I stand ready to help the Obama Administration as we craft health care reform legislation this summer that lowers costs and covers more people.” (www.chrismurphy.house.gov)
  • American Public Health Association. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the American Public Health Association 100 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 2. 112th Congress. Repealing the Health Care Bill. Chris Murphy voted Nay on 01/19/2011. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. CT Lawmakers: Seniors Continue to See Benefits from Affordable Care Act: HHS Report Shows More Seniors Saving on Prescriptions, Taking Advantage of Free Screenings. 5 August 2011. “The Affordable Care Act is improving Medicare for over 100,000 seniors in the Fifth District alone, providing free preventive and wellness care, improving primary and coordinated care, and enhancing nursing home care,' said Congressman Murphy. 'I've talked to seniors all across my district who are already feeling the benefits this law ensures, and more and more Connecticut seniors will see costs go down and care improve as more components of the Affordable Care Act come online." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Health Care for All. 14 October 2011. “I support universal health care because I believe that quality, affordable health care coverage should be a right, not a privilege available only to those who can afford it. I truly believe that a national system of health care can insure every American and cost us less than our current bloated and inefficient 'sick care' system. Spiraling health care costs stifle small and medium sized businesses as well as consumers. It is time our nation had a national discussion about the importance of revolutionary health care reform, and I intend to be one of the leading voices for universal coverage. Such a system is the right thing to do for patients, and it's the right thing to do for our economy. By reducing waste, improving efficiency with the use of health information technology, reducing medical errors, and creating a health care system that makes health coverage truly available to all, we can accomplish the goal of covering all Americans through a cost-effective system of care.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Health Care. 14 October 2011. “To fix this broken system, we must set two compatible goals: covering all Americans, and lowering the cost of the health care. In order to construct a cheaper system of universal care, I believe that the federal government needs to take a much stronger role in our health care system - to cover the presently uninsured and reign in the ineffective and often unfair tactics of private insurers. I am excited to serve on the House Energy and Commerce's Committee' Health Subcommittee where, with the Obama Administration, we will tackle this problem and make sure that every American has access to quality health care. While broader reform will take time, it is critically important that we continue our efforts to strengthen the federal government's existing health care programs - Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP. I am particularly proud of the work we have done to expand the SCHIP program to 11 million children who would otherwise be without health care coverage. SCHIP is an outstanding model of how the private and public sectors can work together to deliver comprehensive, quality health care to America's children. Addressing America's health care crisis is something that we must face now. Not only is it draining American families of their economic resources, it is putting millions of families and their children at medical risk. I am committed to common sense solutions to solve this problem.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Statement On Upcoming Vote On Health Insurance Reform Legislation. 19 March 2010. "The message from the people I represent is clear - health care costs and health insurance practices are out of control. While nearly every person I meet has a different idea about what the exact fix should be, everyone agrees that doing nothing is not an option. We need to make changes to the current system to provide people access to affordable care, to cut costs for businesses, and to strengthen Medicare for seniors. The changes we need to make to our health care system will only come by transferring power away from the health insurance industry and to consumers. The current health insurance reform bill does this, and that's why I plan on voting in favor of its final passage. This bill has real, immediate benefits for people. It closes the Medicare drug donut hole, lowers small business health costs, and insures 18,000 of my constituents that currently don't have health care. But maybe most importantly, the bill extends the solvency of Medicare for another decade, and cuts the national deficit by $140 billion. That's real progress that shouldn't be denied to the people of Connecticut.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Statement on Federal Ruling Regarding Health Care Law. 31 January 2011. “Dismantling the health insurance reform law is not an option for the thousands of businesses and families across Connecticut who can't afford our current system. Behind all the rhetoric surrounding this issue are real people, who have a loved one suffering without care, or who are helpless to watch their small business crumble under the weight of providing insurance to their employees. Those are the people I stood up for when I voted for this law, and one judge's opinion isn't going to change why our nation so desperately needed health insurance reform.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act. 18 January 2011. “There are thousands of small businesses in Connecticut organized under the auspices of a group called Small Businesses for Health Care Reform that are crying out for this repeal to be defeated because they see the $260 billion price tag attached to this bill that is going to land on their head, as well as the continuation of discriminatory practices that ask small businesses to pay for the uninsured like that family that I talked about. This bill isn't anything more than a political statement, but families in my district, small businesses in my district need more than politics. They need answers.” (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Thomas Sullivan, Commissioner Letter to the Honorable Thomas Sullivan, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Insurance. 14 September 2010. “Health insurance reform was a pillar of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) passed into law last March. And while the bulk of these reforms will not fully take effect until 2014, a few select insurance changes will be required of existing plans beginning in plan years after September 23, 2010. These changes include adult dependent coverage, the elimination of lifetime limits, regulated annual limits, and removal of pre-existing condition exclusions for children. While we understand that requiring additional benefits may come with some extra costs, empirical evidence suggests that the costs for these specific changes are relatively low, and in some cases negligible. In light of the pending deadline for these insurance reforms, we would encourage you to remain vigilant of excessive rate increase requests by insurance providers that surpass expected costs of these changes.” (votesmart.org)
No Inferred Answer Immigration: Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Video: Chris Murphy Slams David Cappiello on Immigration. 6 November 2008. “I think we need to recognized that we have a labor need in this country and increase the quotas in our existing immigration system to fill that labor need […] I do support a pathway to citizenship with a very high bar for some people that have been here by allowing them to get in line and apply to stay.” (www.youtube.com)
  • Federation for American Immigration Reform. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the Federation for American Immigration Reform 0 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • National Latino Congreso/William C. Velásquez Institute. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of National Latino Congreso/William C. Velásquez Institute 40 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 5281. 112th Congress. DREAM Act. Chris Murphy voted Yea on 12/08/2010. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Supports Historic Increase in Veterans Affairs Budget; House also Passes Homeland Security Funding Bill. 15 June 2007. “While the Senate continues to struggle to move a comprehensive immigration bill, today I supported a bill that invests in enforcing our immigration laws, something that in previous years was talked about, but not acted upon.” (votesmart.org)
Yes Inferred Answer Marriage: Do you support same-sex marriage? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Twitter: ChrisMurphyCT. 11 October 2011. “Today is Nat'l #ComingOut Day. 'Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.' - Dr. Seuss” (twitter.com)
  • Chris Murphy. Facebook: Wall. 9 May 2012. “If opponents of gay marriage want to check if the moral sky falls when it happens, come to Connecticut. We're doing fine.” (www.facebook.com)
  • Chris Murphy. LGBT Rights. 26 April 2012. “Let me be clear and simple: LGBT rights are human rights. Marriage equality and nondiscrimination in the military, workplace, classroom and healthcare system, based on real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity, are civil rights that must be protected under law. […] I will continue to support efforts to make equality the law of the land, and stand up against Republican-led attacks to deny personal civil liberties to members of the LGBT or any other community. It is not the government’s place to tell Americans who they can and cannot love.” (www.chrismurphy.com)
  • Chris Murphy. Pelosi, Nadler, 130 House Members File Amicus Brief on Federal Case Against DOMA. 10 July 2012. “Heightened scrutiny applies: the brief agrees with Justice Department's position that lesbians and gay men are an identifiable minority group that lack sufficient political power to obtain the consistent and favorable treatment of lawmakers; as a result, they need the protection that heightened judicial review provides. Congress's treatment of gay men and lesbians illustrates that this group has been unable to prevent harmful laws or achieve desired policy results that directly impact their lives. Gay men and lesbians are a historically disfavored minority that has often been targeted for legislative action based on stereotypes and bias, making it inappropriate for courts to grant laws like DOMA the same presumption of validity afforded to most acts of Congress. Instead, laws that single out gay men and lesbians for harm warrant judicial skepticism and heightened review. This requires the government to show that Section 3 serves a significant federal interest, and even BLAG seems to concede that it loses under this standard. Even under rational basis as applied by the Supreme Court in cases where the rights of a minority are at stake, Section 3 is unconstitutional. Section 3 does not achieve, but undermines, the actual interests served by the programs that take marital status into account, and denying recognition to couples who already are married under state law does not rationally serve any of the reasons relied upon by Congress in 1996 or created in response to this litigation.” (votesmart.org)
  • American Family Association. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the American Family Association 0 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 2965. 112th Congress. Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act. Chris Murphy voted Yea on 12/15/2010. (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. HR 3685. 110th Congress. Sexual Orientation Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA). Chris Murphy voted Yea on 11/07/2007. (votesmart.org)
  • Human Rights Campaign. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the Human Rights Campaign 97 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
Unknown Position Unknown Answer National Security: Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Despite exhaustive research, Project Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
No Inferred Answer Social Security: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Chris Murphy. Murphy Announces $250 Recovery Payments for Social Security and SSI Beneficiaries Will Hit Mailboxes in May. 2009. “When we wrote the recovery law, my top priority was helping those who need it the most in this terrible economy. This additional benefit could make a huge difference for someone being forced to choose between paying for groceries, life saving medication, or rent.” (www.chrismurphy.house.gov)
  • Chris Murphy. Seniors. 14 October 2011. “Connecticut's seniors deserve to spend their retirements knowing that here in Washington, we are setting policies that meet their needs, and provide for generations to come.” (www.chrismurphy.house.gov)
  • Alliance for Retired Americans. 04/18/2012. "Chris Murphy supported the interests of the Alliance for Retired Americans 100 percent in 2008." (votesmart.org)
  • Chris Murphy. Issue Position: Seniors. 01 January 2011. “The issues I hear about the most from seniors are problems that we should all care about - retirement security, our health care system, access to affordable prescription drugs, and a stable economy. In the last few years, we have made progress with important legislation to help seniors, but we have yet to tackle the most complex issues affecting them. In order to provide for a secure retirement, we must to take serious steps to address the strains on Medicare and the Social Security Trust Fund. I opposed President Bush's efforts to privatize Social Security; given the recent drops on Wall Street, I think that plan would have put our nation in even worse financial shape.” (votesmart.org)

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Inferred Answer

Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue directly, but Project Vote Smart inferred this issue position based on the candidate's public statements, voting record, and evaluations from special interest groups.

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