In the News

Mike DeBonis, Erica Werner and Ed O'Keefe A year after losing the presidency, Democrats are facing an uncomfortable question: Are they willing to force a government shutdown to extract political victories — a hardball tactic for which they have long blasted Republicans? The dilemma comes as a Jan. 19 funding deadline approaches… Read more »

Joe Davidson If 2017, with President Trump’s hiring freeze and political machinations, posed difficulties for federal employees, 2018 could be worse. They did get a 1.9 percent pay raise this year, but now administration officials are considering a wage freeze and are attacking government data indicating that federal pay lags… Read more »

Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), co-chair of the House Green Dogs, released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s decision to open Virginia’s coast to offshore oil and gas drilling: “President Trump’s plan to open Virginia’s coastline to drilling is reckless and a serious threat to all Virginians. Why would we risk our local economy, our pristine coastline, our… Read more »

John Bowden Democratic Rep. Gerald Connolly (Va.) celebrated the "death" of President Trump's voter fraud commission on Wednesday after the White House announced the commission will be dissolved. The Virginia Democrat remarked Wednesday night in a tweet that the election integrity commission, set up last year to investigate… Read more »

John Bowden Democratic Rep. Gerald Connolly (VA) on Tuesday accused President Trump of harboring a "bromance" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which the lawmaker says has clouded Trump's vision on Russia. In an interview with "The Lead" on CNN, Connolly told host Jim Sciutto that a recent decision from the Trump… Read more »

Ian Smith Four Congressmen recently sent a letter to House leaders saying they do not want pay cuts for federal employees to be used to fund increased discretionary spending caused by lifting sequestration spending caps. The letter was sent by Congressmen Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and… Read more »

Today, Representatives Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) led 95 members of Congress in urging Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to oppose any further cuts to federal employee pay and benefits to offset increased discretionary spending. “Enough is enough. The federal… Read more »

Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) led 15 members of Congress in sending a letter to Secretary Tillerson concerning his recent comments regarding a new mission statement for the State Department. The letter was signed by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel, and Representatives Bera, Bass, Boyle, Castro, Cicilline, Deutch, Frankel, Keating, Kelly, Lieu, Meeks,… Read more »

Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) released the following statement on the GOP tax plan: “The tax plan before us today would be a disaster for Northern Virginia. The GOP plan caps the state and local income deduction. It caps the mortgage interest deduction.  And it phases out the medical cost deduction. Our district, where 50 percent of tax filers claim a SALT deduction, is one of… Read more »

Today, Representatives Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and John Katko (R-NY) introduced the Education Assistance to Realign New Eligibilities for Dependents (EARNED) Act, bipartisan legislation that would add an additional category of servicemembers eligible to transfer entitlement to post-9/11 educational assistance. Currently, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 allows… Read more »