The usually cutthroat House Oversight and Government Reform Committee put partisanship on a brief pause Wednesday morning to offer bipartisan prayers and support for outgoing ranking member Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who unexpectedly announced Monday he will soon step aside amid the return of his esophageal cancer.
The panel started a contentious hearing on its portion of the GOP party-line megabill, including major overhauls to federal employee retirement benefits, with kind words for their absent colleague who represents more federal workers than any other member of Congress.
“We don’t always agree, but I will tell you, I think he is a tremendous legislator,” said committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.). “I think that Ranking Member Connolly is a role model for what a good member of Congress should be. He fights for what he believes in. He’s honest, and he tries to do what he thinks is best, and we, all the Republicans on our side of the aisle appreciate and respect Gerry Conley and wish him a speedy recovery.”
Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), who was asked by Connolly to fill in as ranking member on an interim basis, stressed that Connolly — who also said he will not run for reelection — has not yet left his post.
“Gerry Connolly is still involved here, so he is whispering in my ear,” said Lynch. “I know it pains him greatly not to be part of this, but I hope that his presence and his love and his long time advocacy on behalf of federal employees has an impact on this hearing and on the votes that we will take from the course of this day.”
Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett asked his colleagues to join him in a prayer for the panel’s top Democrat.
“We just ask for his healing and thank you, Lord, for bringing him into our lives,” said Burchett. “We don’t agree on anything, but I love him like a brother.”
