WASHINGTON – The United States Navy on Wednesday awarded U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) with the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, the “highest form of public service recognition bestowed by the Department of the Navy to civilians who demonstrate outstanding service of substantial and long-term benefit to the Navy, Marine Corps, or Department of the Navy as a whole.” Murphy was presented the award by the Navy’s Chief of Legislative Affairs, Rear Admiral James T. Loeblein, on behalf of Acting Secretary of Navy Sean Stackley.

“This is a huge and completely unexpected honor. With all that our sailors and Navy families have given to Connecticut and our country, I should be the one giving them an award,” said Murphy. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for our brave Navy men and women. I spent a weekend aboard the USS Hartford under the Arctic last year, and I’ll never forget the professionalism and expertise I saw in those sailors. I will keep fighting in Congress, and especially on the Appropriations Committee, to make sure that our men and women have the best ships, submarines, and equipment in the world.”