Testimony of Philip D. Murphy

July 28, 2009

Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Ambassador-Designate to the Federal Republic of Germany

Madam Chair, Ranking Member DeMint and distinguished Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,

Thank you for the privilege of appearing before you today. I would like to thank Senator Daschle for his kind words in support of my nomination to be Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany. I would also like to thank the two Senators from my home state of New Jersey, Senators Lautenberg and Menendez, for their friendship and support.

If you would permit me, I would like to introduce to the Committee my wife, Tammy Snyder Murphy, and our four beautiful children: Joshua, Emmanuelle, Charles and Samuel. I cherish our family life and the love and support that we share; life is a team sport and I am blessed to be a member of Team Murphy. Tammy, kids, I love you very, very much.

I am deeply grateful to President Obama for nominating me to be our country’s next Ambassador to Germany, and to Secretary Clinton for the support and confidence she has shown in me. If confirmed by this Committee, I will return to Germany, where I was privileged to live from 1993 to 1997, and where I headed the Frankfurt office of my then-employer, Goldman Sachs. During my years in Germany, I established personal and business relationships that I cherish to this day. Moreover, my years there allowed me to develop deep insight into German culture, the country’s warm and outgoing people, and the special relationship that America and Germany share.

America’s partnership with Germany after World War II has been one of our most important international alliances and the results of this cooperation have been breathtaking. Today’s Germany is a thriving, vibrant, unified democracy and one of the United States’ closest allies. If confirmed, I will devote my energy to strengthening and deepening the relationship between our countries, and among our citizens, across the full range of political, security, economic and social issues that bind our nations together. And I intend to devote considerable energy to public diplomacy, an endeavor in which I believe deeply.

America’s commitment to Germany, and to the freedom and advancement of her people, has deep roots. In June 1963, President John Kennedy went to Berlin and spoke about the recently constructed Berlin Wall. In so doing, he uttered words that echo as loudly today as they did then. He said: "All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words „Ich bin ein Berliner.’" Some 24 years later, in June 1987, President Ronald Reagan stood before the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin and famously challenged the then-leader of the Soviet Union as follows: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" And, even more recently, in July 2008, Barack Obama stood among an overflow crowd in Berlin and, saying that he spoke as "a proud citizen of the United States and a fellow citizen of the world," urged: "People of the world -- look at Berlin!"

Look at Berlin, indeed. Beginning with one of the most successful initiatives of all time, the Marshall Plan, and continuing to this day, Berlin now stands as a proud and united capital and flagship for what President Obama has called the "German miracle." If confirmed, I will commit myself to advancing our mutual interests with Germany, including: first, combating the scourge of terrorism, promoting nonproliferation and advancing global security in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and the Middle East; second, ensuring stable financial systems and economic cooperation that make sustainable global growth possible; and third, protecting our environment and preserving our natural resources. These are all areas where the U.S. and Germany are working closely together and exercising leadership in the global community. I pledge to you, therefore, that, if confirmed, I will be vigorous in nurturing our relationship with all Germans to further our nation’s foreign policy goals. This includes reaching out to a new generation of young Germans for whom the history of the Cold War and the U.S. role in rebuilding a prosperous and democratic Germany are pages from a history book rather than a part of their everyday existence.

Madam Chair, Members of the Committee, I am greatly honored to have been nominated to serve as Ambassador to a country with which I have such a strong personal connection and for whose people I have such great affection. If given the opportunity, I pledge that I will serve the American people with honor and dignity, and will work to foster an even stronger and deeper alliance between the United States and Germany based on our common interests and shared values.

Thank you for your consideration. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.