U.S. House of Representatives
2009 special election Kirsten Gillibrand at a campaign stop on March 29, 2009. On January 22, 2009,
Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat representing , was appointed by
Governor David Paterson to fill the
United States Senate seat vacated by
Hillary Clinton, who assumed the office of
United States Secretary of State in the
Obama administration. On February 1, 2009, Murphy was chosen by a unanimous vote of ten Democratic
county chairs to be their party's nominee for
2009 special election to fill Gillibrand's seat in the House. Murphy ran against
Republican nominee
Jim Tedisco from
Schenectady, who, until April 2009, was the
Minority Leader of the
New York State Assembly. Murphy was endorsed by
President Barack Obama and Senator Gillibrand. The initial count from the election had Murphy leading by approximately 60 votes out of more than 150,000 cast. However, by April 24, after re-tallies and absentee ballot counting, Murphy was ahead by 399 votes, and Tedisco conceded the election. Murphy was sworn in on April 29.
Tenure On November 7, 2009, Murphy voted against the
Affordable Health Care for America Act. Murphy opposed the
Stupak Amendment, which proposed to restrict federal funding and subsidies for plans that cover elective abortion. In March 2010, Murphy supported the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, known today as Obamacare. In December 2010, Murphy voted for the Protecting Students from Sexual and Violent Predators Act, which require criminal background checks for school employees and prohibits the employment of school employees who refuse to consent to a criminal background check, make false statements in connection with one, or have been convicted of one of a list of felonies or any other crime that is a violent or sexual crime against a child. The felonies included are homicide, child abuse or neglect, rape or sexual assault, crimes against children, spousal abuse, kidnapping, arson, and physical assault, battery, or drug-related offenses, committed within the past five years.
Committee assignments Rep. Murphy served on the same two committees as his predecessor, now-Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: •
Committee on Agriculture •
Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research •
Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture •
Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry •
Committee on Armed Services •
Subcommittee on Terrorism and Unconventional Threats •
Subcommittee on Strategic Forces ==Electoral history==