Stephanie Murphy facts for kids

This page is about the business consultant and politician. For the veterinary-scientist, see Stephanie J. Murphy.

Quick facts for kids Stephanie Murphy


Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 7th district
In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2023
Preceded by	John Mica
Succeeded by	Cory Mills

Personal details
Born	Đặng Thị Ngọc Dung (1978-09-16) September 16, 1978 (age 46) Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Political party	Independent (before 2016) Democratic (2016–present)
Spouse	Sean Murphy
Children	2
Education	College of William and Mary (BA) Georgetown University (MS)

Stephanie Murphy (born Đặng Thị Ngọc Dung on September 16, 1978) is an American politician. She served as a U.S. Representative for Florida from 2017 to 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In 2016, she won against the Republican leader John Mica. Her district covered parts of Orlando, and towns like Winter Park and Sanford.

Murphy was born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in 1978. Her family left Vietnam when she was a baby. She grew up in Northern Virginia. She went to the College of William & Mary and Georgetown University. Before becoming a politician, she worked for the United States Department of Defense. She also worked as a business professor at Rollins College.

Stephanie Murphy made history as the first Vietnamese-American woman elected to the U.S. Congress. She was also the first Vietnamese-American Democrat to achieve this.

On December 20, 2021, Murphy announced she would not run for re-election.

Stephanie Murphy's Early Life and Education

Stephanie Murphy was born on September 16, 1978. Her birth name was Đặng Thị Ngọc Dung. She was born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. When she was six months old, in 1979, her family escaped from Communist-controlled Vietnam. Their boat ran out of fuel, but the United States Navy rescued them at sea. They then settled in Northern Virginia, where she spent her childhood.

Murphy went to the College of William & Mary. She got help from Pell Grants and student loans. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. Later, she attended Georgetown University. There, she received a Master of Science degree in foreign service.

Before Becoming a Congresswoman

After the September 11 attacks, Murphy started working. She became a national security specialist for the United States Department of Defense. For her work, she received a special award. This was the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award.

She also worked as an executive at Sungate Capital. This company is in Winter Park, Florida. She handled investments and government relations. Later, she taught business as a professor at Rollins College.

In 2013, Murphy helped design new women's softball pants for a company called 3N2. She is listed as an inventor for these "NuFit Knickers."

Stephanie Murphy in the U.S. House of Representatives

Getting Elected to Congress

2016 Election

In 2016, Stephanie Murphy decided to run for Congress. She wanted to represent Florida's 7th congressional district. She ran against John Mica, who had been in office for 12 terms.

Many important people supported her. These included President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. She also had support from former congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Murphy won the election with 51% of the votes. She became the second Vietnamese-American to be elected to the U.S. Congress. She was also the first Vietnamese-American woman to do so.

The district she ran in had changed. A court order redrew the district lines. This made the district more balanced between political parties.

2018 Election

Experts said Murphy faced a tough challenge in 2018. Her district was very evenly split between parties. The Orlando Sentinel newspaper noted this. Susan MacManus, a political science professor, also said it was one of the hardest districts. It is hard to please everyone in a district where voters are divided.

Despite this, Murphy won her re-election. She defeated Republican Mike Miller with 57.6% of the votes.

2020 Election

Murphy was re-elected again in 2020. She received 55.34% of the votes. She won against Republican Leo Valentín.

Her Time in Congress

Murphy officially started her term on January 3, 2017. She asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation to look into bomb threats. These threats were made against Jewish centers in 2017. She joined a group called the Blue Dog Coalition. This group is made of moderate Democrats. In 2018, she became one of its co-chairs.

When Democrats won control of the House in 2018, Murphy joined the Ways and Means Committee. This committee handles important issues like taxes and trade.

In 2021, Murphy announced she would not seek another term. She said serving Central Florida was an honor. But it was also very challenging for her family.

Investigation into the January 6 Attack

On July 1, 2021, Speaker Nancy Pelosi chose Murphy for a special committee. This was the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. This committee investigated the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Murphy said her goal was to find the truth. She wanted to know what happened and why. This was to make sure it never happens again. She promised to follow the facts without bias. She said defending democracy was very important.

On July 12, 2022, Murphy helped lead a public hearing for the committee. She said they would show how the White House and some members of Congress worked together. This was related to the January 6 events. The hearing also looked at the role of groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.

The committee also discussed a tweet from Donald Trump. He tweeted "Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!" An anonymous Twitter employee said this tweet was a "call to action" for Trump's supporters.

In her closing statement, Murphy said the committee's goal was to fight lies with facts. They wanted to create a full story for Americans. This was to tell the truth and make recommendations. All this was to defend democracy.

Committee Roles

During her time in Congress, Stephanie Murphy served on several important committees:

Committee on Ways and Means
- Subcommittee on Trade
- Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support
Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Intelligence & Special Operations, where she was Vice Chair
- Subcommittee on Tactical Air & Land Forces
Select Committee on the January 6 Attack

Groups She Joined

Murphy was also a member of several groups in Congress:

Blue Dog Coalition
New Democrat Coalition
Problem Solvers Caucus
Climate Solutions Caucus
LGBT Equality Caucus
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
Future Forum

Leadership Roles

Murphy held leadership positions in Congress:

In the 117th Congress:
- Chief Deputy Whip
- Blue Dog Coalition, Communications Co-Chair
- Future Forum, Chair Emeritus
In the 116th Congress:
- Blue Dog Coalition, Administration Co-Chair
- Future Forum, Chair

Stephanie Murphy's Political Views

On the Economy and Help During COVID-19

Murphy believes in capitalism. She supports a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. constitution. This would stop the government from spending more money than it collects. She thinks large government debt is a big threat to the economy.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Murphy supported efforts to help businesses. She wanted to make it easier for small businesses to get low-interest loans. She also helped pass a law to ensure small businesses get a fair share of government contracts.

On Immigration

Murphy supports making changes to the immigration system. She wants a system that matches "American values." She believes undocumented immigrants should have a way to gain legal status. She also wants to improve the visa system to help the economy. She showed her support by wearing an "I Am An Immigrant" t-shirt. She said, "#IAmAnImmigrant and proud of it. Our nation's diversity is its strength."

Murphy voted for Kate's Law. This law suggests stronger punishments for people who re-enter the U.S. after being deported. She also opposed a travel ban by President Trump. This ban temporarily stopped people from certain countries from entering the U.S. She said it went against American values.

On Gun Policy

Murphy decided to run for office after the Orlando nightclub shooting. The Republican leader at the time accepted money from the NRA shortly after the shooting. Murphy won with support from groups that want stricter gun laws.

She supports universal background checks for buying guns. She also believes people on the No Fly List should not be able to buy firearms. She said, "We should protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners, but we should also protect our communities by passing commonsense gun laws."

In 2017, Murphy introduced a bill to allow federal funding for gun violence research. This bill aimed to remove a ban from 1996. She called the ban "un-American." After the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, more politicians supported her idea. The bill eventually passed as part of a budget bill. The first research grants were given out in 2020. Murphy said young people were tired of school shootings and were taking action.

On Donald Trump's Impeachments

On December 18, 2019, Murphy voted to impeach President Trump. She voted for both charges against him.

On January 7, 2021, Murphy called for Trump to be removed from office. She referred to the 25th amendment of the U.S. Constitution. She also voted for Trump's second impeachment on January 13, 2021.

On National Security

After the attack on the Capitol, Murphy suggested a new rule. She proposed denying security clearances to people who believe in QAnon.

In 2020, Murphy wrote that climate change is a "national security threat." She also saw it as an "economic opportunity" for Florida.

On Police Reform

Murphy supported the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill aimed to make big changes to policing. It would limit legal protection for police from lawsuits. It would also ban chokeholds and create a national list of police misconduct. The bill would give the Department of Justice more power to investigate police departments.

Murphy also wrote a statement from the Blue Dog Caucus. This statement called for "swift and systematic change" in policing. It asked Republicans to join them in working on police reform.

On Trade

In February 2022, Murphy was the only Democrat in the House to vote against a bill. This bill was called the America COMPETES Act of 2022. It focused on boosting American science and technology. Murphy said she supported parts of the bill. However, she felt the trade section was problematic. She believed it limited trade too much. She argued that expanded trade helps American workers and lowers prices for consumers. She also saw it as a tool in competition with China.

On Big Tech

In 2022, Murphy was one of 16 Democrats who voted against a bill. This bill was the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022. It was an antitrust package. It aimed to stop large companies from acting in ways that hurt competition.

Stephanie Murphy's Personal Life

Stephanie Murphy is married to Sean Murphy. They have two children together. She is a Protestant Christian.