Christopher Scott Murphy (born August 3, 1973) is an American lawyer, author, and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Connecticut since 2013.

[2] Murphy's father is a corporate lawyer who served as the managing partner of Shipman & Goodwin, a Hartford law firm, and his mother is a retired ESL teacher from the Hanmer Elementary School in Wethersfield, Connecticut.

[24][25] The act, signed into law by Governor Jodi Rell, made Connecticut the third state in the nation to permit taxpayer-subsidized stem-cell research.

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.

[33] In August 2008, Murphy sent a letter to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer expressing support for increased oil drilling as part of a bipartisan energy bill.

Murphy proposed reforms of the nation's 'missing-persons' databases, introducing "Billy's Law" in 2009 to improve coordination of law-enforcement efforts to locate missing persons.

[50] It was announced in mid-July that a group spearheaded by a state Capitol lobbyist was forming a Super PAC for his campaign, hoping to raise $1 million to combat a possible opponent.

In the Senate, Murphy has worked on issues funding for transportation and infrastructure, the preservation of Long Island Sound, growing small farms and promoting Connecticut manufacturing.

In a post on Medium.com, Murphy wrote: "I have no delusions about Iran — they are our adversary, responsible for the killing of thousands of Americans and unacceptable levels of support for terrorist organizations throughout the Middle East.

In May 2018, Murphy was one of twelve senators to sign a letter to Chairman of the Federal Labor Relations Authority Colleen Kiko urging the FLRA to end efforts to close its Boston regional office until Congress debated the matter, furthering that the FLRA closing down its seven regional offices would cause staff to be placed farther away from the federal employees they protect the rights of.

The motion was to help possible unionizing efforts amongst employees of the manufacturers the act would supply federal funding to, as well as preventing those companies from outsourcing jobs overseas.

[86] Murphy, along with Bernie Sanders and Mike Lee, advanced a vote to co-sponsor a resolution that would require the President to "withdraw troops in or "affecting" Yemen within 30 days unless they are fighting al Qaeda.

Among his positions on US-Russian relations, Murphy holds that Russia will remain a permanent, persistent threat to the United States and its security interests, regardless of the incumbent regime in the country.

[89] In March 2016, Murphy authored the bipartisan bill the Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, along with Republican Senator Rob Portman.

[90][92] On November 30, 2016, legislators approved a measure within the National Defense Authorization Act to ask the U.S. State Department to take action against foreign propaganda through an interagency panel.

Murphy said in a statement: "I support withdrawing troops, but we must also rejoin a diplomatic process that the Trump administration has left to other powers, and we need a surge in humanitarian relief.

[98] In January 2020, Murphy wrote to FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, urging the FBI to "investigate the allegations" that Saudi Arabia "illegally compromised and stole personal data" from Jeff Bezos, the owner of The Washington Post, as part of a possible effort to "influence, if not silence, the Washington Post's reporting on Saudi Arabia".

[101] In January 2024, Murphy voted against a resolution, proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders, to apply the human rights provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act to U.S. aid to Israel's military.

[103] In March 2024, Murphy was one of 19 Democratic senators to sign a letter to the Biden administration urging the U.S. to recognize a "nonmilitarized" Palestinian state after the war in Gaza.

[106][107] Murphy has an F rating with the NRA Political Victory Fund and, in September 2020, published a book on gun control titled The Violence Inside Us: A Brief History of an Ongoing American Tragedy.

"[112] In his first month in office, he criticized the National Rifle Association and Apple Inc. for a video game involving shooting with guns that was labeled appropriate for children as young as four.

[120] Following the Robb Elementary School Shooting, Chris Murphy emerged as the lead Democratic Negotiator in support of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

[121] The Act, which would partially close the 'Boyfriend Loophole' while providing federal funding for mental health and red flag law adaptation, was viewed as the first piece of notable gun-safety legislation in decades.

[124] Murphy has been a leading supporter of the Affordable Care Act in the Senate and has opposed Republican attempts to repeal the law, consistently speaking on the floor about the positive impact it has had on his constituents.

[133] Murphy has been a vocal advocate for addressing loneliness in America, an issue he has framed as both a public health crisis and a societal challenge that requires immediate, bipartisan action.

He makes the case that genuine happiness and well-being are closely tied to social connection rather than solely economic success, emphasizing the importance of policies that encourage community and family bonds.

In April 2024, in partnership with the Republican Governor of Utah Spencer Cox, Murphy announced a series of round-table events around how to restore the value of the "common good.

"[140] Described as "a national effort to convene discussions," these forums were intended to bring together thinkers, researchers and writers on the left and right, to explore community solutions to combat loneliness and foster social solidarity.

[137] Murphy has also proposed targeted measures such as regulating youth access to social media, improving labor policies to allow for more leisure time, and supporting institutions like trade unions and religious organizations that naturally build community.

[144] After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, Murphy called the justices that supported the decision "politicians" and added, "The Constitution to them is just a fun tool to help them impose their political views on the entire country.