Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are mourning the passing of Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), showing an outpouring of support for the 75-year-old lawmaker who died Wednesday morning after a short stint with cancer.
Colleagues from both parties praised Connolly for his years of service and shared personal stories following his family’s announcement.
Republican Rep. Tim Burchett (Tenn.) opened a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing with a prayer honoring Connolly, who was a longtime member of the committee.
“Dear Lord, thank you so much for the gift of Gerry Connolly,” he said.
“Lord, you know he and I didn’t agree on much of anything other than our friendship,” he continued. “He always had a kind word to say to me when I was down and I tried to lift him up in his very brief but tragic illness.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called Connolly, who this year became the senior Democrat on the powerful House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, a “hardworking, humble and honorable public servant.”
“In addition to his legislative wisdom, Gerry always brought his signature mirth and wit to the House, making even something like proxy voting a point of levity during an otherwise challenging time in our nation,” he said in a statement.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed his sympathy to Connolly’s family.
“He’s a dear friend of mine. I will miss him dearly, and the Irish twinkle in his eye,” he said.
The House Rules Committee, which was in the middle of debating President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” held a moment of silence after Connolly’s death was announced.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) interrupted the hearing to make the announcement and request a moment to pray for his family. Everyone in the room, including photographers, bowed their heads in silence.
Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the chair of the Oversight Committee, and Connolly joined forces on Tuesday to sponsor the Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act, his final piece of legislation. Following Connolly’s death, Comer proposed an amendment to rename the act in his memory, instead naming it the Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act.
“I can’t say enough about how much respect I had for Gerry Connolly,” Comer continued. “He was a good guy. He was somebody who was here for the right reasons and cared deeply about his district. We disagreed a lot on policy but I never questioned his sincerity or truthfulness or his knowledge of the issues.”
Fellow Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.) called Connolly a “friend, colleague and fierce champion of federal workers, public integrity and the people of Virginia,” quipping that he “never surrendered his hearty south Boston accent.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) said in a post that Connolly was “always ready to stand up for what is right.”
“Working alongside him as Vice Ranking Member has been like getting a front-row seat to a masterclass,” she said. “In every hearing and every strategy session, he pushed us to stay focused, stay sharp, and stay grounded in the facts. He knew how to cut through the noise and keep the committee anchored in what mattered. I learned so much from him.”
Laura Kelly and Mike Lillis contributed.
