House OKs Bill To Name Fairfax Post Office After Gerry Connolly

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation to rename a Fairfax post office in honor of the late U.S. Rep. Gerald E. "Gerry" Connolly (D-Fairfax), sending the measure to the Senate for consideration.

The bipartisan bill, introduced by Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Fairfax), would designate the U.S. Postal Service facility at 10660 Page Ave. in Fairfax as the "Congressman Gerald E. 'Gerry' Connolly Post Office Building."

Connolly, who died last year after battling esophageal cancer, represented Virginia's 11th Congressional District from 2009 until his death. Before serving in Congress, he spent more than a decade on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, including five years as chairman.

Walkinshaw, who previously served as Connolly's chief of staff before succeeding him in Congress, said naming the post office recognizes Connolly's decades of public service and his longtime advocacy for the Postal Service and its employees.

Fairfax Post Office Would Honor Longtime Public Servant

"Gerry Connolly served Fairfax with every fiber of his being, and for more than a decade I had the privilege of serving as his Chief of Staff," Walkinshaw said in a statement. "Naming a post office in the heart of Virginia's 11th District is a fitting tribute to a man who spent decades as a stalwart defender of the Postal Service and America's postal workers."

Walkinshaw said the legislation's bipartisan support reflects Connolly's impact on Fairfax County, Virginia and beyond.

Connolly's wife, Smitty Connolly, also endorsed the proposal.

"Gerry cared deeply about the health of the postal system and for its employees," she said. "He would truly be honored to have this post office named after him."

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During his tenure on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors from 1995 to 2008, Connolly helped lead the county through a period of rapid growth, championing initiatives focused on transit, environmental stewardship, affordable housing and preservation of open space. He also was an early supporter of the Washington Metro Silver Line.

In Congress, Connolly served as the ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and was recognized by the nonpartisan Center for Effective Lawmaking as the most effective Democratic member of the House during the 117th Congress. He also served two terms as president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Bill Heads To Senate

The House measure was introduced by Walkinshaw with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Kentucky) and drew bipartisan support from members of Virginia's congressional delegation and lawmakers from several other states.

The legislation now moves to the Senate, where Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have introduced companion legislation. If approved by the Senate, the bill would go to the president for signature.