The Darien Men’s Association enjoyed a visit from U.S. Senator Christopher Murphy and U.S. Representative Jim Himes last week, giving the group a chance to hear about the pair’s Washington responsibilities, and an opportunity to ask questions of their own.

The DMA invites different speakers each week, covering a wide-range of topics. April 1 marked Murphy’s first visit with the Darien Men’s Association, though Himes can now be considered a regular speaker.

“I’m doing my best in these first few years in this new capacity to get down to Fairfield County where I’m not known as well to introduce myself to folks so you know who I am and you know a little bit about what I care about,” Murphy said of the occasion.

Murphy’s political career began in Southington, where climbed the ranks from the Planning & Zoning Commission, up to the Connecticut House of Representatives and finally into the state senate before moving up to the federal level. After moving to Cheshire to claim Connecticut’s fifth district, Murphy served in the House of Representatives for 6 years, including two terms alongside Himes.

Murphy was the Senate’s youngest member when he was elected at age 39 in 2013, but was usurped earlier this year by Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas. As the junior senator for Connecticut, Murphy sits on the Appropriation Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

During his brief remarks, Murphy highlighted his focus areas, particularly mental health initiatives and the current negotiations with Iran.

The senator plans to lead reforms of the nation’s mental health care system, recognizing the role that mental illness played in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Though Murphy does not believe that any significant gun laws will change under the Republican-lead Congress, he has reached out to Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rep. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania to develop reforms for families facing mental health crises.

On the international front, Murphy stressed the importance of the Iran negotiations, and criticized the vocal opposition that has arisen during the process. He asserted that the failure of negotiations could result in further deployment of U.S. troops in the Middle East, and preached caution to avoid that outcome.

Now more than halfway through his term, the senator has stood side-by-side with some of the country’s most well respected leaders, but remains humble as he continues to understand his role.

“My learning curve is steep. All of these issues, domestic and foreign, there are people in this room that know a lot more than I do about all of these topics and subjects,” Murphy said. “And the good news for me is that I don’t have to call a 202 area code to find an expert on any of these subjects, I can just call a 203 area code or a 680 area code and find someone who can tell me what I need to know.

“We are facing unprecedented turmoil in the Arab, Islamic world today,” Himes said, continuing the thread during his remarks. “From Morocco to Iran and beyond into Pakistan, we are seeing turmoil and chaos that we’ve frankly never seen before. Regimes are crumbling, terrorism is growing in chaotic places.”

However, while he acknowledged that the U.S. military is unmatched in its ability to topple regimes, its subsequent recovery efforts in those regions have not produced the desired results.

Himes also chose to take the discussion in a different direction during his remarks, speaking about the need for improved transportation in infrastructure in the state, and the need for bipartisan cooperation within Congress.

After their comments, both elected officials took time to field questions from the crowd, covering topics ranging from the Russia’s recent aggression to sequester legislation. The morning’s event was a testament to the ideal of strong communication between politicians and constituents, a goal that both Murphy and Himes strive for. As he closed out the program, the senator explained that his desire is not only to produce results, but to maintain the respect that the position demands for the sake of his two sons.

“I don’t want them to be embarrassed by the fact that their father chose politics as a way to make his living and spend his time,” Murphy said. “And so the dignity of this profession and the way people think about it is just as important in a lot of ways to me as the outcomes we achieve.