Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Oct 9: US Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut has said he plans to pursue legislation requiring the Pentagon to grant members of Congress access to American military bases overseas after he was denied entry to a major US installation in Qatar during a visit to the Gulf.
Murphy, a senior Democratic senator and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, accused the Defence Department of obstructing congressional oversight of the war with Iran after his request to visit Al Udeid Air Base was rejected.
The Pentagon, however, denied that Murphy had been singled out, saying restrictions on travel to the region were imposed in March and applied uniformly.
Murphy said he would consider introducing legislative language explicitly protecting lawmakers' access to overseas military facilities as Congress prepares future defence spending and authorisation legislation.
He acknowledged that such a measure was unlikely to be passed before the end of the year but said the issue should feature in congressional discussions in 2027.
Murphy recently returned from a congressional visit to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, during which he met senior Gulf leaders and sought information about the consequences of the conflict with Iran.
He said he had requested permission to visit Al Udeid Air Base through a letter and a direct appeal to the leadership of US Central Command, but the request was denied.
The senator also said he was unable to secure a briefing from American military commanders during the visit.
Murphy argued that lawmakers responsible for authorising military operations and approving defence expenditure needed direct access to military facilities and personnel to assess the consequences of armed conflicts. He compared the restrictions with his previous congressional visits to American installations during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He alleged that the administration was seeking to limit public and congressional scrutiny of the damage inflicted on US military installations during the war with Iran.
The Pentagon disputed the suggestion that the decision was politically motivated.
A senior Defence Department official said Murphy's office had been informed before his departure that the department would not support his requested visit to Al Udeid.
The official said the decision followed a directive issued by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on March 3 restricting travel to the region.
“The Department applies the Secretary’s guidance evenly,” the official said.
Murphy acknowledged that he had been informed of the restriction before travelling but said he had hoped to receive a briefing from military officials during the trip. No such briefing was arranged, according to the senator.
During his Gulf visit, Murphy met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He also held discussions with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and other officials on regional security and the conflict with Iran.
Murphy said the discussions included efforts to end the war and advance a pathway towards Palestinian statehood.
He also raised concerns about financial relationships involving Gulf governments and businesses associated with US President Donald Trump and his family. These were allegations made by Murphy, and no finding of wrongdoing was established in the account.
Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar is a major hub for American military operations in the Middle East and has faced security threats during the conflict with Iran.