Senate confirms Murphy for Army job

WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Friday confirmed former Bucks County Congressman Patrick Murphy to become undersecretary of the Army, the branch's second-ranking civilian post.

Murphy, an Iraq war veteran, represented Pennsylvania's eighth district from 2007 to 2011.

He was confirmed by a voice vote.

As undersecretary, Murphy will handle much of the business side of the Army, including areas like staffing, purchasing equipment and training.

Murphy, 42, spent seven months in Iraq, starting in 2003, where he served as a convoy commander and lawyer in the Judge Advocate General's Corps. He also deployed to Bosnia in 2002.

He was the first veteran of the second Iraq war to be elected to Congress.

Before his nomination he was working as a partner at the Philadelphia law firm Fox Rothschild.

- Jonathan Tamari