Representative James P. Moran of Virginia announced on Wednesday that he would not seek re-election in November in the deeply Democratic district in Northern Virginia that he has represented for 23 years. His is the latest in a string of recent retirements in the House.
Mr. Moran gave few details on his decision. “It’s time to close this chapter of my life and move on to the next challenge,†he said.
Two of his Democratic colleagues â€" Representatives Bill Owens of New York and George Miller of California â€" also announced their retirements this week, on the heels of several other incumbents in districts where the party is vulnerable in its quest to regain control of the House. In Mr. Moran’s case, it may come as a relief to some Democratic strategists that his seat is not likely to change party hands.
A ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Mr. Moran made his announcement the day the House was expected to pass a $1.1 trillion spending bill to restore congressional appropriations committees’ control over the flow of federal dollars.
“I’ve seen the appropriations process at its height, and more recently its nadir,†he said in a statement. Of the spending bill, he said, “It represents a budgetary cease-fire and, I hope, a historic turning point in getting this necessary funding process back on track.â€
