Andrew Connolly Day of Service

On Wednesday, November 9th in Dubuque, volunteers gathered to observe the first ever Andrew Connolly Day of Service to honor the legacy of Dubuque native and Iowa National Guard veteran Andrew Connolly, who never stopped urging others to "pay it forward" in every aspect of their lives.

Take a moment and watch the news a short video about the Day of Service:

The Andrew Connolly Veterans' Housing Act

The Andrew Connolly Veterans Housing Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Braley that will extend a grant program to help injured and disabled veterans retrofit their homes after they return from combat, passed unanimously in the U.S. House of Representatives on May 23, 2011. The bill is named for Andrew Connolly who served overseas in Egypt and Iraq with the Iowa National Guard.

Andrew was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that left him paralyzed from the chest down. He was awarded a housing adaptability grant from the Veterans Administration to help him live in a more accessible home. Andrew testified before the House Economic Opportunity Subcomittee of the Veterans Affairs Committee on May 3 of this year. His battle with cancer ended when he died on August 26, 2011.
 

Photos of Andrew testifying on Capitol Hill

In May 2011, Andrew testified on veterans' housing grant programs in front of Rep. Braley's Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.