() Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., “passed away peacefully at his home” on Wednesday at 75, his family confirmed on social media.
Connolly announced last month he would step down from his position as the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, as his esophageal cancer had returned.
“With no rancor and a full heart, I move into this final chapter full of pride in what we’ve accomplished together over 30 years,” Connolly had said in a statement addressing his constituents. “My loving family and staff sustain me. My extended family you all have been a joy to serve.”
In a statement on social media Wednesday, the Connolly family shared the news of his death and commended “his joy, his purpose, and his passion” in both work and personal matters.
“Gerry lived his life to give back to others and make our community better. He looked out for the disadvantaged and voiceless. He always stood up for what is right and just,” the statement reads. “He was a skilled statesman on the international stage, an accomplished legislator in Congress, a visionary executive on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, a fierce defender of democracy, and environmental champion, and a mentor to so many.”
Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., addressed Connolly’s death during Wednesday morning’s marathon hearing on President Donald Trump’s tax-cut bill.
“Many people in here have just heard that our colleague Gerry Connolly has just passed. So, I want to ask us all to stop and say a prayer for his family. Please take some time,” Foxx said.
Connolly is the third House Democrat to die this year, preceded by Texas’ Sylvester Turner and Arizona’s Raul Grijalva.
