Subcommittee Assignments Give Murphy Strong Voice on National Security, COVID-19 Relief, and Trade
WASHINGTON – Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., has been named to four subcommittees that will ensure she’s a leading voice on national security, the continuing federal response to COVID-19, and international trade.
The Winter Park Democrat is the only Florida Democrat who currently serves on either the House Ways and Means Committee or the House Armed Services Committee.
On Armed Services, Murphy will serve on the newly-formed Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations, which has jurisdiction over military intelligence, special operations forces, counter-terrorism, efforts to stop the production and spread of weapons of mass destruction, and other sensitive military operations.
Murphy will also sit on the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, which has jurisdiction over ground and aviation programs for the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy, as well as various National Guard and Reserve accounts.
In addition to the Armed Services Committee, Murphy returns to the Ways and Means Committee, which has played a leading role since March 2020 on the federal response to the health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
From her position on the committee, Murphy spearheaded the successful bipartisan effort to enact the employee retention tax credit, which an official estimate says will help millions of businesses keep 13 million workers connected to their jobs and their employer-sponsored health insurance, rather than lay them off.
Murphy will again serve on the Subcommittee on Trade, where she helped enact the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement last Congress and quickly carved out a reputation as one of the leading voices on trade on Capitol Hill.
Murphy will also return to the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support, which has jurisdiction over numerous federal initiatives to help working families, including the Unemployment Insurance program.
From her perch on this subcommittee, Murphy helped increase the weekly benefit available to unemployed workers during the pandemic, led congressional oversight of the Florida government’s flawed administration of the UI program, and enacted a bipartisan bill to help Florida workers who were mistakenly paid federal unemployment benefits through no fault of their own.
“I will continue to use my position on the Trade Subcommittee to promote trade policies that help grow Florida’s economy, empower American workers and businesses, and counter China’s unfair trade practices,” Murphy said. “And I will fight for hard-working Floridians who have lost their jobs or are struggling to provide for their families because of the pandemic, making sure they have the resources they need to get back on their feet.”
In addition to her committee assignments, Murphy serves in two key leadership positions in the 117th Congress. Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn appointed Murphy as a chief deputy whip, where she helps ensure that legislation that comes to the House floor reflects the views of the entire Democratic caucus.
As chief deputy whip, Murphy also has a seat on the powerful House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which shapes the House policy agenda.
Additionally, Murphy is serving a second consecutive term as the lead co-chair for the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of pragmatic Democrats who focus on fiscal responsibility, strong national security, and bipartisan cooperation.
