Summary
Note: Recently deceased
Current Position: US Representative of US House District 11 since 2009
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Position: Board of Supervisors – Fairfax County from 1995 – 2007
District: Comprises most of Fairfax County and the entirety of Fairfax City.
Upcoming Election:
Pinned Tweet 2/24/22: Sorry, you lose the right to complain about partisanship once you’ve fanned the flames of violent insurrection.
Connolly worked from 1979 to 1989 with the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, where he managed committee oversight of international economic issues, international narcotics control, and United Nations and Middle East policies, and published reports on U.S. policy in El Salvador, Central America, Israel, and the Persian Gulf region.[2] From 1989 to 1997, he was Vice President of the Washington Office of SRI International. He was also Director of Community Relations for SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation).
Learn About Gerry Connolly in one minute
News
Federal News Network, – May 21, 2025
Gerry Connolly, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, a longtime advocate for the federal workforce and government IT modernization, died Wednesday morning. He was 75 years old.
Conolly announced he was stepping down as ranking member last month, and would not seek reelection next year. He was diagnosed with esophageal cancer last November. After successful cancer treatment, he told his constituents in April the cancer had returned.
“The sun is setting on my time in public service, and this will be my last term in Congress,” Connolly wrote in an email to his constituents last month.
Connolly has represented northern Virginia since 2009 and was an outspoken supporter of federal employees.
In recent months, Connolly rebuked the Trump administration’s plans to shrink the federal workforce. As the oversight committee’s ranking member, he launched several investigations into the Department of Government Efficiency’s role at federal agencies and criticized Elon Musk’s position within the administration.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said in a statement that Connolly “exemplified the very best of public service.”
“Gerry was a fighter. His sharp mind, boundless energy, and deep commitment to the people of Northern Virginia made him a force to be reckoned with,” Warner said.
The following table identifies the top ten highest-scorers in the 117th House of Representatives among majority-party Democrats. Unsurprisingly, given the power of committee and subcommittee chairs, nine of the top ten held such important positions.
Topping our list is Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia, with a Legislative Effectiveness Score more than seven times the average member of the House. Rep. Connolly was Chair of the Government Operations subcommittee of the House Oversight and Reform Committee in the 117th Congress, where he was serving his 7th term. He sponsored 51 bills, 11 of which passed the House, and 3 of which became law as standalone measures. In contrast, the average member of the House sponsored 21 bills, with only one law produced for every two House members. In addition to sponsoring the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, Rep. Connolly was the sponsor of the First Responder Fair RETIRE Act, which allowed disabled first responders to collect federal retirement benefits in a manner equivalent to non-disabled federal first responders. Rep. Connolly was also the sponsor of two bills, the Enhanced Whistleblower Engagement Act, and the FedRAMP Authorization Act, that had their language substantially incorporated into the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which was signed into law in December 2022.
While he used his position as committee chair to advance numerous pieces of legislation in the 117th Congress, Rep. Connolly has been an effective lawmaker throughout his career, even as a rank-and-file Representative, and when in the minority party. For example, he was in our “Exceeds Expectations” grouping in five of the seven Congresses in which he served, beginning with his third term in Congress, and every term thereafter (including the 117th Congress).
WUSA9 – February 7, 2023 (01:55)
Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) introduced the Federal Firefighter Pay Equity Act, bipartisan legislation to ensure federal firefighters are eligible for the same full and fair retirement benefits as their state and local counterparts.
Every day, federal firefighters put their lives at risk to protect our nation’s most critical assets – including the families, homes, and infrastructure on military installations across the country. Yet under current law, these brave first responders are denied the robust retirement package they deserve. Unlike their counterparts in state and local government, federal firefighters are not credited with the additional income from mandatory overtime for the purposes of calculating their retirement benefits.
The Federal Firefighter Pay Equity Act would correct this injustice. By taking into account the number of overtime hours worked by federal firefighters each year, this bill would allow for a more accurate and equitable retirement calculation for our nation’s federal firefighters.
“These courageous men and women work grueling hours in the most difficult of circumstances,” said Connolly. “It is our absolute responsibility to provide them with a retirement worthy of the sacrifices they have made in service to the United States. Our bipartisan legislation fulfills that responsibility, and ensures that our retired federal firefighters are compensated fairly and fully.”
“Federal firefighters put themselves directly in harm’s way and save lives on a daily basis – all while working 72 hours per week. It’s time they are paid a fair wage for their work, not one-third less than their state and local counterparts. Requiring federal firefighters to work such a grueling schedule exacerbates their risk for occupational injuries and burnout, and reduces their retirement earnings,” said Edward A. Kelly, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters. “I thank Representative Gerry Connolly for introducing the Federal Firefighters Pay Equity Act which will ensure our federal firefighters receive a living wage and a fair work schedule. This critical bill will also strengthen federal firefighters’ retirement by counting their overtime hours when calculating their retirement earnings. I call on Congress to pass this bill immediately and give federal firefighters the recognition and compensation that they have earned while protecting our nation.”
Government Page – February 17, 2023
Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and President Emeritus of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, led 34 Members of Congress in sending a bipartisan letter to USAID Administrator Samantha Power urging continued assistance for Türkiye and Syria following the devastating earthquakes that have claimed tens of thousands of lives across both countries.
“We commend USAID and the United States government’s swift response to the humanitarian crisis,” wrote the Members. “By deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and courageous Urban Search and Rescue Teams from Los Angeles County, California and Fairfax County, Virginia, within hours of the earthquake, your agency’s rapid action will unquestionably save lives.”
The Members identified the following urgent needs on the ground:
- Heavy machinery for the removal of debris
- Additional tents, sleeping bags, isolation sheets and Non-Food Items
- Items to protect against freezing temperatures such as winter coats, winter pants, winter boots, portable and pocket heaters
- The provision of energy supplies, including for hospitals and health centers
- Emergency food assistance
- Water trucks and sanitation services for temporary shelters to house displaced people
- Further ambulances and medicine provisions (especially trauma supplies). Such supplies include Electrocardiogram (ECG) devices, defibrillators, portable ultrasound machines, glucometers, surgical kits, power generation for hospital and other humanitarian needs
- The establishment of safe spaces equipped with basic needs for women
- Increased cash distributions
- Full funding of the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan (2022-2023), a plan already severely underfunded with less than 50% of the required $4 billion fulfilled
Reps. Gerry Connolly (VA-11) and Scott Franklin (FL-18) today introduced the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act. This bipartisan bill would save lives by establishing a uniform base of liability protection for businesses that acquire automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and the good Samaritans who use them. AEDs are used to assist victims of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests (SCA). Deployment of AEDs is currently limited due to conflicting state laws that discourage their use through the threat of lawsuits. This liability protection will encourage higher use of AEDs, which increases the survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
“Access to AEDs is critical to saving lives during a cardiac emergency,” said Rep. Connolly. “As Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors I made it a priority that County buildings and schools deploy this lifesaving technology, and that staff have the knowledge and training to use these tools effectively. This legislation will ensure we don’t allow fear of liability or a patchwork of differing protections across the states to prevent an individual or business from taking all necessary measures to save a life.”
“Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the third leading cause of death in America,” said Rep. Franklin. “The recent shocking incident involving Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin demonstrated how sudden and critical a cardiac arrest event can be. Quick deployment of an AED saved his life. Conflicting state laws and concerns over lawsuits have prevented wider access to this life-saving technology. We need nationwide uniformity in protections to encourage higher use of AEDs in the event of an emergency. I thank my colleague, Gerry Connolly for joining me in this effort to save lives.”
According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, roughly 356,000 people of all ages experience EMS-assessed out-of-hospital non-traumatic SCA each year and nine out of 10 victims die. When bystanders intervene immediately by giving CPR, survival rates double or triple. State laws differ dramatically on who is eligible for immunity. In some states, only trained AED users are protected from liability. The Franklin bill does not obligate businesses to acquire an AED and adds no cost to American taxpayers. The bill does not indemnify device manufacturers or create liability protections that don’t already exist.
Government Page – February 14, 2023
Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced the Saving the Civil Service Act to protect the federal workforce from politicization and political manipulation. The bipartisan legislation includes and builds on Connolly and Fitzpatrick’s Preventing a Patronage System Act, which passed the House in September 2022. The legislation is cosponsored by Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D-VA).
“The civil servants who make up our federal workforce are the engine that keeps our federal government running,” said Congressman Connolly. “They are our country’s greatest asset. We rely on their experience and expertise to provide every basic government service—from delivering the mail to helping families in the wake of natural disasters. The former President’s attempt to remove qualified experts and replace them with political loyalists was a direct threat to our national security and our government’s ability to function the way the American people expect it to. Expertise, not political fealty, must define our civil service.”
“Civil service employment should always be based upon merit and expertise, not political connections,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick. “The security of our nation depends upon an efficient and competent federal workforce. This legislation would ensure that political loyalties play no significant role in hiring federal employees, and I’m proud to co-lead this effort to further ensure that our workforce consists of the best and brightest individuals.”
On October 21, 2020, President Trump signed Executive Order 13957 creating Schedule F in the excepted service. This executive order would undermine the merit system principles of our federal workforce by requiring agency heads to reclassify “policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating” positions to a newly created Schedule F category of federal employees that removes their due process rights and civil service protections.
The Saving the Civil Service Act would ensure the civil service system cannot be politically manipulated by:
Preventing any position in the federal competitive service, created after September 30, 2020, from being reclassified outside of merit system principles without the express consent of Congress.
Installing a cap on the number of conversions to the frozen excepted service schedule (Schedule C). Furthermore, that cap cannot exceed more than one percent of the total number of employees at such agency as of the first day of such term, or five employees, whichever is greater.
Requiring that anyone who is converted provide consent for that conversion, and a report to Congress on any conversions.
The Saving the Civil Service Act is endorsed by the following organizations: The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), Professional Managers Association, American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), National Active and Retired Federal Employees Union (NARFE), Senior Executives Association, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), National Association of Assistant US Attorneys, National Weather Service Employees Organization, Patent Office Professional Association.
“We commend Representative Connolly and Senator Kaine – two true friends of federal workers – for introducing the ‘Saving the Civil Service Act’ to prevent a return to 19th century patronage hiring. This legislation would finally slam the door shut on one the last administration’s worst ideas, which was to unilaterally declare untold thousands of existing career civil servants to be at-will political appointees. The bill would wisely make it illegal for any president to try that in the future and deserves swift passage. We hope both parties see the value of a highly skilled, apolitical civil service hired for what they know and not who they know,” said Everett Kelley, National President, American Federation of Government Employees.
“The Saving the Civil Service Act provides a bipartisan, congressional check on misuse of executive powers by limiting the ability of any president to bypass the merit-based civil service framework through broad new exceptions to longstanding rules. The merit-based civil service system provides continuity through changing administrations, preserves institutional knowledge and expertise within the federal government, and protects the rule of law. It ensures federal employees are hired and fired based on their ability to perform the job – or not – and not based on political connections. NARFE is grateful that Congressman Connolly and Senator Kaine are leading the way on this effort to preserve a critical institutional safeguard for democracy.” said William Shackelford, National President, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Union.
“The federal civil service is the backbone of our government – a system designed to ensure that employees are selected for their jobs based on merit rather than political patronage. However, at the end of his term in office Donald Trump tried to dismantle this system and replace it with one based on patronage and partisanship” said Debra Perlin, Policy Director at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “Rep. Connolly and Rep. Fitzpatrick’s Saving the Civil Service Act is a necessary step to uphold protections for federal workers and reduce the possibility for patronage-based hiring in the future. For the sake of our democracy we urge Congress to pass this legislation as soon as possible and send it to President Biden for his signature.”
“NTEU strongly supports the Saving the Civil Service Act introduced by Sen. Kaine, Rep. Connolly and Rep. Fitzpatrick. It is essential that Congress proactively block any future attempt to turn the professional federal workforce into one of political patronage. When it comes to staffing federal agencies and delivering government services to all Americans, we cannot put partisan loyalty over the skills and qualifications of those who have dedicated their careers to service. NTEU is proud to endorse this bipartisan legislation because it protects the civil service as well as the public’s faith in it,” said Tony Reardon, National President of the National Treasury Employees Union.
“NFFE strongly supports the Saving the Civil Service Act,” said Randy Erwin, National President, National Federation of Federal Employees. “This bipartisan legislation will protect the merit system principles of the federal workforce by preventing a U.S. president from requiring political loyalty from the apolitical career ranks of federal civil service. Federal labor, executives, and professional associations all agree with political appointees from former Democratic and Republican administrations that this bill is critical to ensuring the government remains in the hands of the American people and not some political despot, even if that despot is a president. Every member of Congress must choose: You either support transparency and accountability through this bill or you support rogue political operatives who covertly run private agendas while on the Taxpayer’s dime. You cannot have it both ways.”
“The Saving the Civil Service Act is vital to protecting government employees who serve the American public fairly, with integrity, and are beholden only to upholding and defending the Constitution. Without this legislation, political partisans will use Schedule F to drive government service by fear and the use of politically motivated retribution to serve partisan interests,” said Mitch MacDonald, President of the NOAA Attorneys Guild.
“The Saving the Civil Service Act will help prevent partisan politics from bleeding into government service by thwarting any President from instilling a cadre of loyalists in the federal workforce. In doing so, it ensures the workforce remains loyal to only the Constitution and the law. This bill also promotes both efficiency and reliability. At the Internal Revenue Service, career leaders have significant knowledge about complex tax laws and vast congressional mandates. Their knowledge expedites the onboarding process for political appointees, provides expert insight for other employees, and ensures timely, accurate information is relayed to stakeholders. We applaud Senator Kaine, Representative Connolly, and Representative Fitzpatrick for leading this effort on behalf of the American people who rely on the equal and efficient delivery of government services,” said Chad Hooper, Executive Director, Professional Managers Association.
“The dedicated professionals protected under the Saving the Civil Service Act are subject matter experts with a long history of serving our nation. They are the linchpin to making our government and public programs operate effectively, efficiently and equitably. And, they are the institutional backbone to maintaining consistency in administering these programs across administrations, amidst changing cultural trends, and so often in the face of partisanship and unnecessary attack. The American Society for Public Administration wholeheartedly supports their work; this legislation helps prevents their loyal service from being distorted for partisan goals,” said William Shields, Jr., Executive Director and CEO, American Society for Public Administration.
“Under current law, any president can seize control over the non-partisan career workforce, and through this control, manipulate the equal and apolitical delivery of government services to promote their own ends. Any president could revert thousands of federal positions back to the spoils the American people rejected over 130 years ago. We applaud Representative Connolly and Representative Fitzpatrick for introducing this bill to protect the American people from this politicization and defend the apolitical government workforce,” said Marcus Hill, Board Chair, Senior Executives Association.
“We applaud Congressman Gerry Connolly and Senator Tim Kaine for sponsoring the Saving Our Civil Service Act to prevent any presidential administration from politicizing competitive civil service positions, undermining the professionalism of our federal government, circumventing merit principles and due process, and jeopardizing the continuity of government across changing administrations,” said Matthew Biggs, President of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE). “The Saving Our Civil Service Act is sensible legislation that would protect a core institution in our federal government so that it continues to serve the best interests of the American public and not personal and political allegiance. Federal employees working in the nonpartisan competitive civil service play critical roles in national defense, economic security, scientific progress, public safety, and providing essential services that Americans count on.”
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., will serve as ranking member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, a Capitol Hill source told MeriTalk today.
Last Congress, Rep. Connolly – long one of the prime movers in Congress on Federal IT modernization issues – chaired the Government Operations Subcommittee, which has now been split into two new subcommittees.
The Government Operations subcommittee – one of the most active in Congress on the Federal IT front – was perhaps best known for its work in creating the semiannual FITARA Scorecard that ranks Federal agencies on their IT progress.
Government Page – January 26, 2023
Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), President Emeritus of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC), also a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, reintroduced the Crimea Annexation Non-recognition Act. This bipartisan legislation would prohibit any federal agency from taking any action or extending any assistance that recognizes or implies recognition of Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, its airspace, or its territorial waters.
“The United States must not acquiesce to Russia’s illegal and forcible annexation and occupation,” Congressman Connolly said. “We must repeat time and again, for however long it takes, that we will never recognize Russia’s forcible and illegal annexation of Crimea. I want to thank my friend Joe Wilson for his partnership on this issue, even as I sincerely hope this is the last time we need to introduce this bill. It is long past time for it to become law.”
“In 2014, the war criminal Putin took his first major step of aggression against the sovereign nation of Ukraine when he violated international law by invading and illegally annexing Crimea,” said Congressman Wilson. “The U.S. government must be clear that any failure to acknowledge the occupation of Crimea as illegal will not be tolerated. I thank Congressman Connolly, the President Emeritus of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, for his longtime leadership on this critical issue.”
National Defense Authorization Acts and appropriations bills from FY 2016-2023 include similar language to this bill and prohibit those funds from being used on any action that recognizes Russian sovereignty over Crimea. This legislation, which passed the House in the 116th Congress (417-1), would codify that prohibition until Ukrainian sovereignty over Crimea is fully restored.
A string of new polls show Donald Trump’s support among voters slipping after his lackluster campaign kick-off. MSNBC’s Michael Steele spoke to Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) about Trump’s 2024 bid, possible criminal referrals from the January 6th Committee, and how Democrats plan to combat a wave of investigations from Republicans when the Party takes control of the House next year.
About
Congressman Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly is serving his eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia’s 11th District, which includes Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax. Prior to his election to Congress, he served 14 years on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, including five years as Chairman. Throughout his career, protecting and growing Northern Virginia’s economy has been his top priority.
In Congress, he has played a key role in securing federal dollars for transportation improvements in Northern Virginia, including completion of the Fairfax County Parkway, widening the Prince William County Parkway, providing ongoing support for Rail to Dulles, and securing the annual federal commitment of $150 million for the regional Metro system.
Congressman Connolly is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation. In this role, he is responsible for shaping government-wide policy on issues related to information security, including cybersecurity and privacy; government-wide federal information technology management and innovation; and procurement.
He also serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Using his extensive background in foreign policy, including as a senior staff member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he has become a leading voice on foreign assistance reform, war powers, embassy security, and democracy promotion abroad.
Congressman Connolly co-authored the bipartisan Issa-Connolly Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA), which was signed into law in 2014, and represents the first major overhaul of the federal laws governing IT management since enactment of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996. In 2016, he passed the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act, which allows temporary employees of land management agencies to now be eligible for civil servant positions. He also helped pass the Telework Enhancement Act, which requires the federal government to increase the use of telework by federal employees to ensure continuity of operations by federal agencies during emergency situations, enhance recruitment of a quality federal workforce, reduce traffic congestion, and improve the region’s air quality.
Congressman Connolly received an M.A. in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1979. He received a B.A. in Literature from Maryknoll College in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
He resides in Fairfax with his wife Smitty and has a daughter Caitlin.
Personal
Full Name: Gerald ‘Gerry’ Edward Connolly
Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Cathy; 1 Child: Caitlin
Birth Date: 03/30/1950
Birth Place: Boston, MA
Home City: Fairfax, VA
Religion: Catholic
Source: Vote Smart
Education
MPA, Harvard University, 1979
BA, Literature, Maryknoll College, 1971
Political Experience
Representative, United States House of Representatives, Virginia, District 11, 2008-present
Chair, Board of Supervisors, Fairfax County, 2003-2007
Providence District Supervisor, Board of Supervisors, Fairfax County, 1995-2003
Source: Former Vice President, Community Relations, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) Vice President, Washington Office, SRI International, 1989-1997 Staff, United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 1979-1989 Congressman Gerry Connolly has two offices to serve you: our office on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. and our District Office in Fairfax. Washington DC Office Fairfax District Office Email: Government Office July 21, 2022 (08:30) Source: none To learn more, go to the Wikipedia section in this post. Source: Open Secrets Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) serves on two House committees, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, as well as four subcommittees that deal with issues affecting the 11th Congressional District, Northern Virginia, the local and national economy, and world affairs. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government Source: Government page With a professional background in the private sector and more than a decade of service in local government, Congressman Connolly’s top priority has always been delivering results for the Northern Virginia economy. Congressman Connolly has helped develop our region into an economic engine for the Commonwealth by championing the growth of local industries, fighting the dangerous and indiscriminate cuts of sequestration, and protecting the health of a productive federal workforce. Northern Virginia is now home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. Congressman Connolly wants every family in Northern Virginia to have an opportunity to share in the prosperity of our region. He remembers the images of Robert Kennedy’s tour of poverty in America and was inspired to begin his professional career working for anti-hunger and anti-poverty nonprofit organizations. He understands the human cost of increasing income inequality in America, and he has spent his career in public life expanding access to economic opportunity and ensuring the public safety net is there for those who need it most. Amid the pandemic, Congressman Connolly has made one of his top priorities funding for local governments, services, and schools. As a result of his advocacy, local jurisdictions in Northern Virginia have received nearly $2 billion in direct assistance to help local small business and nonprofits, prevent public sector layoffs, and maintain critical services that support our local economy. Federal Employees As a senior member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee and of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, Congressman Connolly is a passionate and effective advocate for active and retired federal employees. In recent Congresses, federal employees have been demonized, demoralized, and politicized. Congressman Connolly is a vocal opponent of policies that seek to curtail federal employee pay, leave, and retirement benefits. A leading proponent of telework, he believes that the federal government should be investing in its most valuable resource – its talented workforce – in order to modernize the federal government. Congressman Connolly believes the federal workforce is one of the nation’s greatest asset. During an unprecedented global pandemic, the federal workforce ramped up its efforts to ensure that the public continued to have access to critical, life-saving services. The federal government must be prepared to attract and retain an effective workforce. That is why Congressman Connolly has introduced legislation to improve the Office of Personnel Management, the center of federal human capital, so that it can efficiently serve both current and retired federal employees. Congressman Connolly has also led efforts to ensure the federal government is well positioned to recruit the next generation of federal employees, which includes helping agencies better leverage their internship programs. Each year, Congressman Connolly introduces the FAIR Act, which provides a pay raise to federal employees. He has also led bipartisan letters urging Appropriators to increase pay for federal civilian employees commensurate with pay increases provided for members of the military. In the last several years, federal workers have endured pay freezes, wage-reducing furloughs, sequester cuts, government shutdowns, payroll tax deferrals, and incurred more than $182 billion in pay and benefit cuts. Furthermore, federal wages have continuously lagged far behind the private sector, with federal employees making roughly 20% less than their private-sector counterparts. Congressman Connolly believes that our nation’s dedicated civil servants deserve respect and fair compensation. Finally, Congressman Connolly hosts an annual forum for federal employees to help them understand their benefits and make changes to their health plans during the federal government’s Open Season. He welcomes federal employees to contact his district office if they are experiencing problems with the administration of their benefits at 703-256-3071. Climate Change & Clean Energy As a founding member and Chair Emeritus of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Caucus (SEEC), Congressman Connolly plays a leadership role in efforts to protect America’s environment and public health and push for investment in clean and renewable energy. He has led the call for the long-term extension and expansion of clean energy tax credits, a carbon price or a clean energy performance program, and electrification investments. In Congress, he helped pass the largest investment in clean energy in American history and supported legislation to reduce global carbon emissions. He supports a Green New Deal and legislation investing in sustainable infrastructure. Congressman Connolly fought President Trump’s all-out assault on the environment and science. He worked with colleagues from around the region to fight proposals to eliminate Chesapeake Bay Restoration funding and supports comprehensive legislation to restore the Bay. He has also opposed efforts to slash funding for the Environmental Protection Agency. He has led efforts to oppose drilling off the coast of Virginia or in the Chesapeake Bay and fought to protect the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and to require oil companies to pay the full cost of oil spill cleanups. He will continue to oppose efforts to repeal or weaken the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Antiquities Act, the Clean Power Plan, the Paris Climate Agreement, and other important environmental legislation. Congressman Connolly believes we must confront and dismantle the environmental racism that has forced communities of color to bear the brunt of air and water pollution and the resulting devastating health consequences. Now, these communities are on the front lines of the climate crisis as rising temperatures intensify soot and smog pollution and allergy seasons. He supports legislation that requires Federal agencies to create a working group on environmental justice compliance and enforcement; requires Federal agencies to consider cumulative health impacts under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act when making permitting decisions and helps ensure that new projects do not harm health; and invests in research that will reduce health disparities and improve public health. He fought the Trump administration’s decision to maintain inadequate standards regulating soot pollution, which will needlessly subject communities of color to toxic pollution. He will continue fighting to achieve clean air and water for all. He has also been a leader in expanding federal conservation efforts, including supporting the reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and fully funding our National Park System. His legislation to designate the September 11th National Memorial trail route–a 1,300-mile system of trails and roadways that connects all three sites attacked on September 11, 2001– was signed into law shortly after the 20th anniversary of September 11th, 2001. It serves as a natural embodiment of our pledge to never forget the heroes and victims of that day. In addition, Congressman Connolly has continued his efforts to establish powerful voluntary tax incentives to complete America’s 11 National Scenic Trails. Locally, he has worked with community stakeholders to complete missing segments of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, and open Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge to the public. These efforts complement his advocacy as a local government official, where he led the effort to build the 41-mile-long Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail and helped protect 10% of Fairfax County as county-owned parkland. He helped design and implement the county’s first comprehensive environmental plan which subsequently won a national award. Congressman Connolly was recently recognized as the “Protector of Potomac” by the Riverkeeper Network for his efforts on strengthening federal coal ash regulations. Congressman Connolly believes health care should be a right for all Americans. He is committed to expanding access and improving the quality of care for all his constituents. In order to advance this critical priority, Congressman Connolly will fight to defend the Federal Employee Health Benefits program (FEHBP), protect the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and guard against misguided efforts to weaken, privatize, or overhaul our nation’s most successful health care programs in history, Medicare and Medicaid. Congressman Connolly strongly opposes partisan efforts to repeal the ACA. Republicans have relentlessly tried to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, including eliminating the individual mandate, cutting the Open Enrollment period in half, discontinuing much of the advertisement and outreach activities to boost ACA enrollment, encouraging short-term junk plans, and rescinding cost sharing reductions payments. These actions have resulted in higher premiums, fewer choices, and more uninsured Americans. There is still much to do in ensuring that all Americans have access to health care and Congressman Connolly believes there are improvements to the ACA that can and should be adopted. He supports adding a public option, expanding tax credits to allow more individuals and families to qualify for subsidies, supporting state innovation to decrease the uninsured rate and lower premiums, and finding new ways to encourage younger Americans to join the marketplaces. Congressman Connolly is a strong supporter of Medicaid expansion in Virginia, which provides health coverage for more than 450,000 Virginians and has dropped our uninsured rate to a historic low since the Governor signed it into law. He also fought for the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which covers more than 200,000 children in the Commonwealth. Additionally, he supported legislation to incentivize states to extend Medicaid coverage for new moms through the entire postpartum period. Medicaid is already the largest single payer of maternity care and is a powerful tool that we must deploy in our mission to improve maternal health. States that have expanded Medicaid have lower maternal mortality rates with 1.6 fewer maternal deaths per 100,000 women. Rep. Connolly also supports legislation like the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, which takes a comprehensive approach to addressing the Black maternal mortality crisis through investments in data collection, social determinants of health, maternal behavioral health, the perinatal workforce, and community-based organizations. Congressman Connolly is also fighting to make prescription drugs more affordable. In passing the ACA, we closed the Medicare prescription drug donut hole. As a senior member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Congressman Connolly is supporting investigations into egregious price-gouging by pharmaceutical companies and holding them accountable for indefensible skyrocketing drug costs. He supports reforms that will help lower prescription drug prices like empowering the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate the price of drugs, creating an out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, and requiring drug manufacturers to issue a rebate back to Medicare if they increase prices faster than inflation. He supports reinvesting the savings from these reforms in dental, vision, and hearing benefits for Medicare beneficiaries and research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Since coming to Congress, he has championed greater investment in scientific and biomedical research that will lead to new breakthroughs in medicine and treatments. Each year, he has advocated for robust funding for the NIH and helped pass the 21st Century Cures Act, which would help unleash research and development. Congressman Connolly steadfastly protects women’s freedom to make their own health care choices. He strongly opposes partisan efforts to have the Federal government control individual health care decisions, and he has stood up to those in Congress who have attacked organizations such as Planned Parenthood, which provide vital health services to millions of Americans of all genders, races, and ages. He supports legislation that ensures affordable abortion coverage and care for every woman, no matter their income, insurance, or home state. He also believes we must establish a national standard protecting the right to abortion access in every state by prohibiting unnecessary restrictions on women and providers that do not promote women’s health and safety, and that limit a woman’s access to abortion services. Veterans Congressman Connolly is proud to represent more than 80,000 veterans and their families in Northern Virginia. He has fought to make sure our veterans have quality health care, better pay, and access to services throughout their lives and to ensure quality and consistent services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In recognition of his efforts, Our Military Kids, an organization dedicated to helping military children, awarded him the “Friend of Military Kids” award for his work on behalf of military families. In addition, Congressman Connolly has consistently received a perfect score from the Military Officers Association of America. Since coming to Congress, he has fought for more reliable funding for veteran health care, new investments in treating traumatic brain injuries sustained by our servicemembers, and improved assistance for homeless veterans. Congressman Connolly has introduced legislation and helped advance legislative efforts on behalf of veterans: Congressman Connolly has helped advance legislation to minimize increases to TRICARE premiums, supported a grace period for beneficiaries in need, and ensured these fees do not apply to active-duty family members, transitional survivors, and medically retired retirees or family members. He has supported legislation to provide free postal benefits for troops in combat zones, provide disability compensation for PTSD, allow military retirees to pay their health care premiums with pre-tax dollars, expand the eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation, and provide education and respite care support services for family caregivers. Congressman Connolly believes that we have a sacred obligation to ensure that the men and women who sacrifice so much to defend our freedoms receive the services and benefits that they have earned. That starts with a functional and well-run Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, he has led Congressional oversight efforts to improve management accountability at the VA, reduce VA backlogs, and help veterans access care at private facilities when they are unable to do so at VA centers in a timely manner. He also has supported legislation that directs the VA to establish a “Buddy Week” and provide additional resources for peer-to-peer support to veterans in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Any veteran who finds him or herself in need of assistance should know that Congressman Connolly’s door is always open Foreign Policy Congressman Connolly is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and previously spent 10 years as a staff member on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He believes that while a strong military is a vital tool in our security toolbox, we cannot ignore the increasingly important role diplomacy and development play in meeting our most pressing security challenges and in demonstrating American leadership in global affairs. Our diplomacy and development efforts are complementary to U.S. military operations. As has been the lesson in Iraq, Afghanistan, and countless other interventions, a permanent U.S. military footprint is rarely a tenable proposal for the American public. Instead, investments in democracy and governance, rule of law, and economic development are the key to turning stagnant societies mired in corruption and violence into more stable, resilient, and prosperous countries. When we fail to make those investments, we are often left conducting triage when the bills come due for our neglected international funding priorities. In November 2020, he was elected President of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA), an interparliamentary organization for the members of parliament from across the Alliance to discuss and inform decisions on Alliance security. During his two-year term, President Connolly sought to help reestablish U.S. leadership within NATO, strengthen the founding democratic values of the Alliance, and enhance NATO PA’s contributions to Alliance strategic planning. He spearheaded an initiative to establish a Center for Democratic Resilience within the NATO Headquarters, to serve as a resource of best practices, networking and cross-fertilization for NATO members, partners and aspirant countries. The global COVID-19 pandemic has underscored not only the need for a robust federal response to such a crisis, but also the importance of investing in global health security around the world. As diseases do not stop at borders, saving lives from the next global pandemic starts with investing in preparedness before it strikes. That is why Congressman Connolly introduced the Global Health Security Act, which recognizes the critical role of U.S. leadership in international health security, and ensures that there is a permanent designated official responsible for coordinating the federal response to a global health security emergency. The House of Representatives has passed this legislation with overwhelming bipartisan support. U.S. foreign assistance programs work to end extreme poverty and build democratic societies that respect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms. These efforts are fundamental safeguards against the development of instability and security threats overseas. Congressman Connolly introduced and passed the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act, which directs the President to establish monitoring and evaluation guidelines for U.S. development and economic assistance programs. He has also introduced the Global Partnerships Act, which would provide a comprehensive reauthorization of U.S. foreign aid programs for the first time since 1985. He has championed human rights and spoken out on behalf of activists, dissidents, and the voiceless from Asia to the Middle East. Congressman Connolly introduced the Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act, which passed the House of Representatives. This legislation would hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the murder of VA-11 constituent Jamal Khashoggi and other attacks on critics of the Kingdom. Serious, credible, and ambitious diplomacy can resolve the world’s most intractable challenges, and development investments have proven capable of unleashing economic growth and promoting stability. Together, diplomacy and development keep us safe, and Congressman Connolly believes we should fund them in a manner commensurate with the premium we place on our national security. Congressman Connolly holds several foreign policy-related leadership positions in the House of Representatives. He serves as a co-chair of the Korea Caucus, Georgia Caucus, Morocco Caucus, Taiwan Caucus, and the Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkey Relations and Turkish Americans. He also serves as a member of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP), which supports the development of democratic legislative bodies in partner countries. Criminal Justice Reform Congressman Connolly is a member of a bipartisan group of lawmakers committed to addressing the complex challenges facing our nation’s dysfunctional criminal justice system. He supports strategies that reduce recidivism, increase public safety, and decrease corrections costs for state and local governments. He also supports permitting courts to reduce or amend mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent defendants. Congressman Connolly is a cosponsor of a number of bills that will improve transparency and training in law enforcement, combat systemic racism, and build trust between communities and law enforcement: As Chairman of Fairfax County, he has seen firsthand the value of modernizing criminal justice initiatives and remains a strong advocate of innovative reform programs, such as Veterans Treatment Courts. These courts provide eligible veterans with an alternative to jail, promote community collaboration, and can connect veterans with the programs and benefits they have earned. Fairfax County established the Commonwealth of Virginia’s first such program, known as the Veterans Treatment Docket. Congressman Connolly believes Congress must be a partner in solving our immigration challenge. He has fought for comprehensive immigration reform that would provide a path to citizenship, keep families together, and secure our borders. Congressman Connolly supports a pragmatic and results-oriented approach to border security that protects the rights and dignity of immigrants and refugees. He is a strong supporter of the DREAM Act and programs like the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), and Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Northern Virginia is home to many talented DREAMers and TPS holders and Congressman Connolly has seen firsthand how much they contribute to the success of our community. Immigrants enrichen our community, strengthen our economy, and provide the United States with an entire generation of diverse, future leaders. As the former Executive Director of the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Congressman Connolly firmly believes that America’s doors must remain open to those fleeing injury, violence, or persecution. He led the fight in Northern Virginia against efforts to bar refugees and has introduced legislation to establish a minimum goal for the number of refugees resettled in our country. Professional Experience
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The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the main investigative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction to investigate any federal program and any matter with federal policy implications.
Legislative and oversight jurisdiction over issues related to information security, including cybersecurity and privacy; government-wide federal information technology management and innovation; and procurement.
Legislative and oversight jurisdiction over the federal civil service, including compensation, classification, and benefits; federal property disposal; public information and records, including the Freedom of Information Act, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Presidential Records Act; government reorganizations and operations, including transparency, performance, grants management, and accounting measures generally; and the relationship between the federal government to the states and municipalities, including unfunded mandates.
The Committee is responsible for oversight and legislation relating to: foreign assistance; the Peace Corps; national security developments affecting foreign policy; strategic planning and agreements; war powers, treaties, executive agreements, and the deployment and use of United States Armed Forces; peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and enforcement of United Nations or other international sanctions; arms control and disarmament issues; the United States Agency for International Development; activities and policies of the State, Commerce and Defense Departments and other agencies related to the Arms Export Control Act, the Foreign Assistance Act; international law; promotion of democracy; international law enforcement issues; Broadcasting Board of Governors; embassy security; international broadcasting; and public diplomacy. The Committee also has jurisdiction over legislation with respect to the administration of the Export Administration Act, including the export and licensing of dual-use equipment and technology and other matters related to international economic policy and trade.
The subcommittee has jurisdiction over the following within the Middle East and North Africa: (1) Matters affecting the political relations between the United States and other countries and regions, including resolutions or other legislative measures directed to such relations; (2) Legislation with respect to disaster assistance outside the Foreign Assistance Act, boundary issues, and international claims; (3) Legislation with respect to region- or country-specific loans or other financial relations outside the Foreign Assistance Act; (4) Legislation and oversight regarding human rights practices in particular countries; (5) Oversight of regional lending institutions; (6) Oversight of matters related to the regional activities of the United Nations, of its affiliated agencies, and of other multilateral institutions; (7) Identification and development of options for meeting future problems and issues relating to U.S. interests in the region; (8) Oversight of base rights and other facilities access agreements and regional security pacts; (9) Concurrent oversight jurisdiction with respect to matters assigned to the functional subcommittees insofar as they may affect the region; (10) Oversight of foreign assistance activities affecting the region, with the concurrence of the Chairman of the full Committee; and (11) Such other matters as the Chairman of the full Committee may determine.
The subcommittee has jurisdiction over the following within Asia and the Pacific: (1) Matters affecting the political relations between the United States and other countries and regions, including resolutions or other legislative measures directed to such relations; (2) Legislation with respect to disaster assistance outside the Foreign Assistance Act, boundary issues, and international claims; (3) Legislation with respect to region- or country-specific loans or other financial relations outside the Foreign Assistance Act; (4) Legislation and oversight regarding human rights practices in particular countries; (5) Oversight of regional lending institutions; (6) Oversight of matters related to the regional activities of the United Nations, of its affiliated agencies, and of other multilateral institutions; (7) Identification and development of options for meeting future problems and issues relating to U.S. interests in the region; (8) Oversight of base rights and other facilities access agreements and regional security pacts; (9) Concurrent oversight jurisdiction with respect to matters assigned to the functional subcommittees insofar as they may affect the region; (10) Oversight of foreign assistance activities affecting the region, with the concurrence of the Chairman of the full Committee; and (11) Such other matters as the Chairman of the full Committee may determine.New Legislation
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As a result of the Affordable Care Act, Virginia’s uninsured rate has decreased to a historic low since 2010, providing Virginians access to health care coverage they would otherwise have been unable to obtain or afford. In addition to expanding coverage, the ACA protects millions of Virginians who, prior to the ACA’s elimination of punitive annual and lifetime limits, lived under the threat of having their inadequate health insurance cut off if they got too sick. Insurance companies can no longer indiscriminately deny an individual coverage due to a pre-existing condition, and thanks to reforms that allow children to stay on their parent’s health plan until the age of 26, nearly 59,000 young adults have health care coverage. The ACA also mandates coverage of many important services including mental health screenings, and free preventive care coverage, such as flu shots, cancer screenings, contraception, and mammograms.Global Affairs
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