Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, May 22: U.S. Congressman and long-time advocate for the Tibetan cause, Gerald Edward “Gerry” Connolly, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 75, following a battle with oesophageal cancer. He died peacefully at his home in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Connolly, who represented Virginia’s 11th Congressional District since 2009, was widely respected for his bipartisan leadership on international human rights and democratic values. Among the causes closest to his heart was the Tibetan struggle for freedom and justice under Chinese repressive rule.
A staunch member of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Tibet, Connolly played a crucial role in championing the rights of the Tibetan people to preserve their culture, language, and religious traditions. His advocacy dates back to 1986 when he led the first-ever U.S. Congressional staff delegation to Tibet. The visit offered a rare firsthand account of life under Chinese occupation and exposed the systematic erosion of Tibetan identity, leaving a lasting impression that shaped his future efforts in Congress.
Throughout his tenure, Connolly consistently supported major legislative initiatives to strengthen U.S. policy on Tibet. Notably, he was a key backer of the Tibetan Policy and Support Act (TPSA) of 2020, a landmark bill that reaffirmed the Dalai Lama’s right to determine his own succession without interference from the Chinese government and imposed targeted sanctions on Chinese officials undermining Tibetan religious freedom.
In August 2019, Connolly joined a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. House Democracy Partnership on a visit to Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile. There, he met with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), and members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. Calling the meeting with the Dalai Lama a “privilege,” Connolly praised the Tibetan spiritual leader’s serenity and moral clarity, calling him an inspiration for global peace and nonviolence.
Beyond his work on Tibet, Connolly was known in Congress for advocating federal workforce protections, government transparency, and democratic reforms. He served as the Ranking Member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and was also an active member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Before his election to Congress, Connolly served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors from 1995 to 2008, including four years as chairman.
