Federal News Network

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.