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Representative Gerry Connolly: Fighting for Feds

By Benefits Ben
02/14/2024

  • A congressman since 2008, Gerry Connolly has been a fighter for the federal workforce
  • Along with introducing the FAIR act every year, there are numerous bills he has sponsored or co-sponsored that support the benefits and rights of federal employees, the military, and veterans.

To paraphrase the founder of Serving Those Who Serve, Dan Sipe, ‘We don’t see red or blue, the only color we see is Fed.” And one man in Congress sticks out in recent history as a prominent warrior in the trenches, fighting for feds:

Representative Gerry Connolly

Gerald “Gerry” Connolly represents the 11th congressional district of Virginia, an office he has occupied for the past 16 years. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and is chair of the Subcommittee on Government Operations. He also serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, which includes two subcommittees he serves regarding the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. He is also responsible for overseeing a few federal agencies, including USPS and the Census Bureau.

In this article, we’ll look at the Congressman’s laudable career as an elected official and examine the numerous ways Gerry has been pulling for the federal workforce throughout his service in Congress.


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Gerry Connolly obtained his master’s degree in public administration from Harvard in 1979 and first served as a public official in 1995, when he was elected the Providence District Supervisor for Fairfax County, Virginia. Eight years later, he was the Chairman for the board of directors for the county. In 2000, he was recognized as an early advocate for teleworking and won a leadership award for the DC, northern Virginia area. In 2008, he won his seat in the US Congress. Since working on Capitol Hill, Gerry Connolly has been recognized for his work supporting veterans and children of active military families during wartime. He’s been a strong advocate for the civilian federal workforce, public school teachers, federal contractors, and IT workers in both public and private sectors. In 2013, he won the “FedScoop” Tech Champion of the Year award and two years later won the Federal Computer Week Eagle Award. He was also named the “Most Effective Lawmaker of the 117th Congress” by the Center of Effective Lawmaking.

Legislation Supporting Federal Employees

Although it has never passed, Connolly has introduced the FAIR Act every year since 2016 – a bill that seeks to give federal employees a substantial annual raise. This is but one of hundreds of bills that Gerry has either introduced, sponsored, or co-sponsored dealing with strengthening and defending federal employees. Here’s a handful of the acts he has backed in the past year or so that demonstrate his consistent record of supporting feds:

Thank you, Gerry Connolly!

Benefits Ben, STWS

The information has been obtained from sources considered reliable but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Any opinions are those of Serving Those Who Serve writers  and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James. Any information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy suggested. Every investor’s situation is unique and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon before making any investment or financial decision. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation. While we are familiar with the tax provisions of the issues presented herein, as Financial Advisors of RJFS, we are not qualified to render advice on tax or legal matters. You should discuss tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional. **

Gerry Connolly - US Representative for Virginia

Gerry Connolly

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