Gerry Connolly
Encyclopedia
Gerald E. 'Gerry' Connolly (born March 30, 1950) is a member of the United States House of Representatives
from Virginia
's 11th congressional district
. He was first elected in 2008. Connolly is a member of the Democratic Party
.
from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government in 1979.
Connolly worked from 1979 through 1989 with the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
, where he managed committee oversight of international economic issues, international narcotics control, and United Nations and Middle East policies, and published reports on U.S. policy in El Salvador
, Central America, Israel and the Persian Gulf
region. From 1989 through 1997 he was Vice President of the Washington Office of SRI International
. He was also Director of Community Relations for SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation).
In local politics, Gerry served on the Fairfax Government Reorganization Commission from 1992 through 1993. In 1995 he was elected Providence District Supervisor, serving for nine years.
. He voted against the Stupak Amendment to the Affordable Care Act, which placed stringent limits on health insurance companies offering abortion services. During the budget amendments process in 2011, he voted against an amendment that would have prevented taxpayer funds from going to Planned Parenthood
.
, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, the supplemental appropriations bill that established Cash for Clunkers, and the Cash for Clunkers Extension. Additionally, he voted for all of the 2010 governmental appropriations bills, and he voted for the Continuing Appropriations Act for 2011. However, he has voted against some large spending bills, including opposing the release of $350 billion in bank bailout funds and a $154 billion spending bill because of concerns these would add to the federal deficit.
He was a cosponsor of pay-as-you-go (PAYGO
) budget legislation that was signed into law in February 2010.
In May, 2011, Connolly voted to increase the debt ceiling, but the measure failed by a significant margin. It was his third such vote.
of 2009, saying it would strengthen national security while spurring innovation in the energy industry. In 2010, he voted in favor of ending a moratorium on deepwater drilling rigs that met certain safety standards. Connolly is one of the 35 congressmen who founded the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.
to the Virginia Constitution, which banned all gay unions from being performed or recognized in Virginia. In Congress, he voted in favor of repealing the contentious "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law that prohibited gays from serving openly in the military, and has co-sponsored a few bills that would repeal portions of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act.
In November, 2011, Connolly voted against the National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act, which would have exempted non-residents of states that prohibit concealed weapons from those restrictions.
; saying at a live chat with constituents in September to a woman from Washington, D.C. that "One of my principles for health care reform is that it increases the choices you have. By setting up a health insurance exchange, we can give your family more insurance choices, hopefully including one that your daughter's doctor chooses to accept". Connolly voted against the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, and later for the America's Affordable Health Choices Act in March 2010.
Connolly cited deficit reduction in explaining his health care vote. However, the impact of the bill on the deficit continues to be a matter of debate.
nominee Keith Fimian
by more than ten points for the open seat held by Republican incumbent Tom Davis
. The Independent Green Party candidate on the ballot was Joseph P. Oddo.
, who lost to Connolly in 2008, Libertarian David L. Dotson, Independent Green David William Gillis, Jr., and Independent Christopher F. DeCarlo. Connolly was re-elected by less than a thousand votes.
! Year
!
! Subject
! Party
! Votes
! %
!
! Opponent
! Party
! Votes
! %
!
! Opponent
! Party
! Votes
! %
!
|-
|2008
||
| |Gerald Connolly
| |Democratic
| |196,598
| |54.7
|
| |Keith Fimian
| |Republican
| |154,758
| |43.0
|
| |Joseph P. Oddo
| |Independent Green
| |7,271
| |2.0
|-
|2010
||
| |Gerald Connolly
| |Democratic
| |111,720
| |49.2
|
| |Keith Fimian
| |Republican
| |110,739
| |48.7
|
| |Christopher F. DeCarlo
| |Independent
| |1,846
| |0.8
since 1979. Their daughter is a student at a Virginia university. He serves on the Boards of Directors for Fairfax Partnership for Youth, the American Red Cross
of the National Capital Area, the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce
, the Greater Washington Initiative Board of Trustees, the Medical Care for Children Partnership, the Institute for Regional Excellence, and the University of Virginia
– Virginia Institute of Government. He previously served as president of the Mantua Citizens Association (MCA) president and two terms as president of the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations.
Connolly is also a company member of The Providence Players of Fairfax
, a community theatre
in Fairfax County, having acted in several of their shows.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
's 11th congressional district
Virginia's 11th congressional district
Virginia's Eleventh Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It comprises most of Fairfax County, all of the city of Fairfax, and part of eastern Prince William County...
. He was first elected in 2008. Connolly is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Early life, education and career
Connolly graduated from Maryknoll College in Illinois with a B.A. in Literature in 1971, and completed a Master of Public AdministrationMaster of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government in 1979.
Connolly worked from 1979 through 1989 with the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It is charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. The Foreign Relations Committee is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid programs as...
, where he managed committee oversight of international economic issues, international narcotics control, and United Nations and Middle East policies, and published reports on U.S. policy in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Central America, Israel and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
region. From 1989 through 1997 he was Vice President of the Washington Office of SRI International
SRI International
SRI International , founded as Stanford Research Institute, is one of the world's largest contract research institutes. Based in Menlo Park, California, the trustees of Stanford University established it in 1946 as a center of innovation to support economic development in the region. It was later...
. He was also Director of Community Relations for SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation).
In local politics, Gerry served on the Fairfax Government Reorganization Commission from 1992 through 1993. In 1995 he was elected Providence District Supervisor, serving for nine years.
Committee assignments
- Committee on the BudgetUnited States House Committee on the BudgetThe U.S. House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress...
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and TradeUnited States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and TradeThe U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade is a standing subcommittee within the House Foreign Affairs Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on the Middle East and South AsiaUnited States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South AsiaThe U.S. House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia is a subcommittee within the House Foreign Affairs Committee.-Jurisdiction:The subcommittee is one of five with what the committees calls "regional jurisdiction" over a specific area of the globe...
- Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
- Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
- Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia
- Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement
Abortion
Connolly is Pro-ChoicePro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
. He voted against the Stupak Amendment to the Affordable Care Act, which placed stringent limits on health insurance companies offering abortion services. During the budget amendments process in 2011, he voted against an amendment that would have prevented taxpayer funds from going to Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
.
Economics
Connolly has voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, the supplemental appropriations bill that established Cash for Clunkers, and the Cash for Clunkers Extension. Additionally, he voted for all of the 2010 governmental appropriations bills, and he voted for the Continuing Appropriations Act for 2011. However, he has voted against some large spending bills, including opposing the release of $350 billion in bank bailout funds and a $154 billion spending bill because of concerns these would add to the federal deficit.
He was a cosponsor of pay-as-you-go (PAYGO
PAYGO
PAYGO is the practice in the United States of financing expenditures with funds that are currently available rather than borrowed.-Budgeting:The PAYGO compels new spending or tax changes not to add to the federal deficit. Not to be confused with pay-as-you-go financing, which is when a government...
) budget legislation that was signed into law in February 2010.
In May, 2011, Connolly voted to increase the debt ceiling, but the measure failed by a significant margin. It was his third such vote.
Energy
Connolly voted in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security ActAmerican Clean Energy and Security Act
The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 was an energy bill in the 111th United States Congress that would have established a variant of an emissions trading plan similar to the European Union Emission Trading Scheme...
of 2009, saying it would strengthen national security while spurring innovation in the energy industry. In 2010, he voted in favor of ending a moratorium on deepwater drilling rigs that met certain safety standards. Connolly is one of the 35 congressmen who founded the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.
Gay Rights
Connolly supports gay rights, having campaigned against the Marshall-Newman AmendmentMarshall-Newman Amendment
The Marshall-Newman Amendment also referred to as the Virginia Marriage Amendment is an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia that defines marriage as solely between one man and one woman and bans recognition of any legal status "approximat[ing] the design, qualities, significance, or effects...
to the Virginia Constitution, which banned all gay unions from being performed or recognized in Virginia. In Congress, he voted in favor of repealing the contentious "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law that prohibited gays from serving openly in the military, and has co-sponsored a few bills that would repeal portions of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act.
Guns
While on the Board of Supervisors for Fairfax County, Connolly sponsored an ordinance that would have made it illegal to transport a loaded shotgun in the back of one's car. In Congress, Connolly signed onto a measure that would have closed the "Gun Show Loophole" by requiring that private sellers of firearms at gun shows engage in the same background check and reporting requirements as registered firearms dealers. Connolly opposes allowing concealed weapons in schools and on college campuses.In November, 2011, Connolly voted against the National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act, which would have exempted non-residents of states that prohibit concealed weapons from those restrictions.
Health care
In 2009, Connolly was an early supporter of the Democratic health care plan, which ultimately became the America's Affordable Health Choices Act, as well as the public health insurance optionPublic health insurance option
The public health insurance option is a proposed government-run health insurance agency which competes with other health insurance companies. It is not the same as Publicly-funded health care. Called the public insurance option or public option, for short, it was a proposed health insurance plan...
; saying at a live chat with constituents in September to a woman from Washington, D.C. that "One of my principles for health care reform is that it increases the choices you have. By setting up a health insurance exchange, we can give your family more insurance choices, hopefully including one that your daughter's doctor chooses to accept". Connolly voted against the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, and later for the America's Affordable Health Choices Act in March 2010.
Connolly cited deficit reduction in explaining his health care vote. However, the impact of the bill on the deficit continues to be a matter of debate.
Military veterans
Connolly was a cosponsor of the Helping Active Duty Deployed Act and the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act.2008
Connolly defeated RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee Keith Fimian
Keith Fimian
Keith Shawn Fimian is a businessman and politician in Virginia. He was the 2008 and 2010 Republican nominee for . Fimian lost both elections, the first by 12%, and the second by 0.4%.- Early life and education :...
by more than ten points for the open seat held by Republican incumbent Tom Davis
Thomas M. Davis
Thomas Milburn "Tom" Davis III was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Virginia's 11th congressional district in Northern Virginia. Davis was considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by five-term incumbent and fellow Republican John...
. The Independent Green Party candidate on the ballot was Joseph P. Oddo.
2010
Connolly was challenged by Republican nominee Keith FimianKeith Fimian
Keith Shawn Fimian is a businessman and politician in Virginia. He was the 2008 and 2010 Republican nominee for . Fimian lost both elections, the first by 12%, and the second by 0.4%.- Early life and education :...
, who lost to Connolly in 2008, Libertarian David L. Dotson, Independent Green David William Gillis, Jr., and Independent Christopher F. DeCarlo. Connolly was re-elected by less than a thousand votes.
Electoral history
|+ : Results 2008—2010! Year
!
! Subject
! Party
! Votes
! %
!
! Opponent
! Party
! Votes
! %
!
! Opponent
! Party
! Votes
! %
!
|-
|2008
||
| |Gerald Connolly
| |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
| |196,598
| |54.7
|
| |Keith Fimian
Keith Fimian
Keith Shawn Fimian is a businessman and politician in Virginia. He was the 2008 and 2010 Republican nominee for . Fimian lost both elections, the first by 12%, and the second by 0.4%.- Early life and education :...
| |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
| |154,758
| |43.0
|
| |Joseph P. Oddo
| |Independent Green
| |7,271
| |2.0
|-
|2010
Virginia's 11th congressional district election, 2010
Virginia's 11th congressional district election, 2010 was an election held to determine who would represent Virginia's 11th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives during the 112th Congress. The seat that was contested is located in Northern Virginia, and includes most...
||
| |Gerald Connolly
| |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
| |111,720
| |49.2
|
| |Keith Fimian
Keith Fimian
Keith Shawn Fimian is a businessman and politician in Virginia. He was the 2008 and 2010 Republican nominee for . Fimian lost both elections, the first by 12%, and the second by 0.4%.- Early life and education :...
| |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
| |110,739
| |48.7
|
| |Christopher F. DeCarlo
| |Independent
| |1,846
| |0.8
Personal life
Connolly and his wife Cathy have lived in MantuaMantua, Virginia
Mantua is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Mantua is a bedroom community serving as a suburb to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Most of the homes in Mantua were built between the 1950s and the 1980s...
since 1979. Their daughter is a student at a Virginia university. He serves on the Boards of Directors for Fairfax Partnership for Youth, the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
of the National Capital Area, the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, the Greater Washington Initiative Board of Trustees, the Medical Care for Children Partnership, the Institute for Regional Excellence, and the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
– Virginia Institute of Government. He previously served as president of the Mantua Citizens Association (MCA) president and two terms as president of the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations.
Connolly is also a company member of The Providence Players of Fairfax
The Providence Players of Fairfax
The Providence Players of Fairfax is a community theatre company based in Fairfax, Virginia that performs at the James Lee Community Center Theatre in Falls Church, Virginia. The theatre was founded in 1998 as the Mantua Players and performed their first production, You Can't Take it With You, at...
, a community theatre
Community theatre
Community theatre refers to theatrical performance made in relation to particular communities—its usage includes theatre made by, with, and for a community...
in Fairfax County, having acted in several of their shows.
External links
- Congressman Gerald E. Connolly official U.S. House site
- Gerry Connolly for Congress official campaign site
- Fimian, Connolly Square Off Burke Connection, October 1, 2008
- Connolly Seeks Higher Office, Julia O'Donoghue, Fairfax Connection, October 8, 2008
- Connolly: ‘Is there enough spending to be cut?’, Robert Costa, National ReviewNational ReviewNational Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
, June 11, 2010