[2] Sisisky became a successful businessman, founding an independent bottling company in Petersburg that later became a part of Pepsi's Virginia operations.

[2] In 1982, Sisisky was elected to Congress, defeating five-term incumbent Republican Robert Daniel and serving from 1983 to 2001.

A fiscal disciplinarian, he aligned himself with the Democratic Party's Blue Dog coalition.

[2] He died from lung cancer at his home in Petersburg, Virginia, on March 29, 2001, at the age of 73.

[3] A special election was held June 19, 2001 to fill his seat, and Republican State Senator Randy Forbes defeated Democratic State Senator Louise Lucas for the remainder of Sisisky's term.