This morning, longtime Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly died at the age of 75 following a battle with esophageal cancer. Connolly was widely respected for his fierce advocacy for federal workers and for holding government accountable. He served Northern Virginia for decades and recently stepped down as a top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.
His passing comes just hours after House Republicans launched a 1 a.m. emergency session to force through President Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending package. A bill Connolly likely would have opposed vehemently — one the Congressional Budget Office says cuts nearly $700 billion from Medicaid, slashes food assistance and Pell Grants, and adds $3.8 trillion to the national deficit, all while giving billionaires a tax break.
Today’s events are a stark reminder of the fight for moral leadership, as the loss of one defender of working people coincides with a bill that could harm millions.
