Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act of 2025

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Bill ID: 119/hr/3490
Last Updated: July 16, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]

ID: C001078

Follow the money

The bill

Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act of 2025

HR. 3490, 119th Congress — read as touching Health Insurance.

The sponsor

Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$69,150 raised

22 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 119-96.

June 8, 2026

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

Passed Congress

Presidential Action

Became Law

📍 Current Status

This bill has become law!

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the esteemed members of Congress. The Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act of 2025 - because what's more pressing than renaming a bill after some obscure politician to garner votes?

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** This bill is a classic case of "awareness-itis," a disease where politicians think that simply acknowledging a problem will magically solve it. The main objective is to require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to produce a report on esophageal cancer, because apparently, Congress needs a report to tell them what they already know: esophageal cancer is bad and people are dying from it.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill's "provisions" are about as substantial as a placebo pill. It requires the GAO to evaluate the impact of esophageal cancer-related healthcare spending under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) and assess how often high-risk individuals undergo screening according to established guidelines. Wow, I bet the lobbyists for the medical device industry are just quaking in their boots.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The real stakeholders here are the politicians who get to grandstand about "raising awareness" and the pharmaceutical companies that will inevitably benefit from increased screening and treatment. Oh, and let's not forget the poor souls who actually suffer from esophageal cancer - they'll get to enjoy the thrill of knowing their disease has been "recognized" by Congress.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a textbook example of "legislative lip service." It will do nothing to address the underlying causes of esophageal cancer, such as the fact that Americans are too busy stuffing their faces with processed foods and sugary drinks to care about their health. The report required by this bill will likely collect dust on some bureaucrat's shelf, while the real issues - like lack of access to healthcare, inadequate funding for research, and corrupt lobbying practices - continue to fester.

In conclusion, this bill is a farce, a Potemkin village of pretend concern for public health. It's a symptom of a deeper disease: the chronic inability of politicians to address real problems, instead opting for empty gestures and PR stunts. So, let's all take a moment to applaud Congress for "raising awareness" about esophageal cancer - and then promptly forget about it, just like they will.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$69,150
18 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$2,900
Committees
$0
Individuals
$66,000

No PAC contributions found

1
HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP
1 transaction
$2,900

No committee contributions found

1
PUNARO, ARNOLD
2 transactions
$6,600
2
PUNARO, JULIA
2 transactions
$6,600
3
HALE, KAREN
2 transactions
$6,600
4
PHILLIPS, STERLING
2 transactions
$6,600
5
HERSHMAN, MICHAEL J.
1 transaction
$3,300
6
TRONE, DAVID
1 transaction
$3,300
7
MISENER, PAUL E
1 transaction
$3,300
8
RABAUT, TOM W
1 transaction
$3,300
9
WALKER, KENT
1 transaction
$3,300
10
CARLSON, TERESA
1 transaction
$3,300
11
GURU, RAM
1 transaction
$3,300
12
HALL SR, DON
1 transaction
$3,300
13
HALL, DAVID
1 transaction
$3,300
14
ABOD, CARAH
1 transaction
$3,300
15
ABOD, KIM
1 transaction
$3,300
16
BERBERIAN, ANNETTE
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Comer, James [R-KY-1]

ID: C001108

Top Contributors

10

1
SHAMAN BOTANICALS
OrganizationKANSAS CITY, MO
$2,000
Apr 26, 2024
2
SCHWARZMAN, CHRISTINE
RETIREDRETIRED
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Mar 31, 2023
3
SCHWARZMAN, STEPHEN
BLACKSTONECEO AND CHAIRMAN
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Mar 29, 2023
4
WALSH, KENNETH
SELF EMPLOYEDREAL ESTATE
IndividualRIVER VALE, NJ
$6,600
Mar 18, 2024
5
LAGANAS, ELIZA
THE LAW OFFICE OF STAHL, PCLAWYER
IndividualMERRICK, NY
$6,600
Jun 28, 2023
6
SINGER, PAUL
ELLIOTT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENTCO-CEO, CO-CIO, PRESIDENT
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$6,600
Apr 10, 2023
7
SCHWAB, CHARLES
CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATIONCHAIRMAN
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$6,600
Jun 16, 2023
8
HILLERSON, ARLENE
SELF EMPLOYEDREAL ESTATE
IndividualPOTOMAC, MD
$6,600
Jun 26, 2024
9
SMITH, BRAD
MICROSOFT CORPORATIONATTORNEY
IndividualBELLEVUE, WA
$6,600
Jun 25, 2024
10
HANCOCK, SAM
SELF EMPLOYEDBUSINESS OWNER
IndividualFULTON, KY
$6,600
Aug 4, 2023

Donor Network - Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 41 nodes and 25 connections (41 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $84,350

Top Donors - Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]

Showing top 18 donors by contribution amount

1 Org1 Committee16 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 helped.

  • +Health Insuranceconfidence 0.80

    Section 3 requires the GAO to evaluate esophageal cancer-related health care spending under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, which may lead to increased awareness and screening, potentially benefiting health insurance companies by reducing costs associated with late-stage cancer treatments.

  • Section 3 also requires the GAO to evaluate how often individuals covered under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program undergo screening according to established guidelines, which may lead to increased screening and early detection, potentially benefiting hospitals and health systems by reducing costs associated with late-stage cancer treatments.

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