Democratic and Republican members of Congress expressed their condolences on social media platform X.
Former Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, died on March 15 at the age of 87.
Lowey’s family said the cause was breast cancer in a
statement released by the Westchester County Democratic Committee.
“A public servant in the truest sense, she was guided by the Jewish core value of ‘Tikkun Olam,’ repairing the world. She was an indefatigable fighter and worked across the aisle to deliver results for her constituents and all Americans,” the committee said.
“She sponsored life-changing legislation in the fields of education, medical research, and international relations,” the statement added.
Lowey served in Congress between 1989 and 2021 and represented New York’s 20th, 18th, and 17th congressional districts. She chaired the House Appropriations Committee between 2019 and 2021.
Lowey declined to run for re-election in 2022.
“Frankly to have a job that I love so very much made this a very difficult choice,” she said at the time. “But I just felt it was time.”
Lowey was lauded by the pro-Israel community.
“Throughout her career in the U.S. Congress, Rep. Lowey was an always dependable and effective leader in advancing the US-Israel relationship,” said the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in a
post on social media platform X.
The organization also said Lowey was “an indefatigable advocate for the necessary resources for the Jewish state to defend itself.”
In a
post on X, the American Jewish Committee called Lowey “a trusted friend, colleague, advisor, and standard-bearer for the Jewish community and the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
Democrat and Republican members of Congress expressed condolences.
“Chairwoman Nita Lowey was my dear friend—courageous, humorous, tenacious, with a smile that lit up any room,”
posted Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), currently the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)
posted on X: “Chairwoman Nita Lowey built a brighter, more hopeful future — for her beloved New York constituents and for all Americans. I traveled the world with Nita for years and saw the esteem in which she was held by heads of state and women and girls.”
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said in an X
post: “I am deeply saddened by the loss of Congresswoman Nita Lowey. Her bipartisan spirit, commitment to our community, and dedication to the country inspired me, and my thoughts are with her family as we honor her legacy in New York’s 17th.
Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) in a statement
posted on X said, “Nita didn’t wait for history—she made it. As the first woman to lead the House Appropriations Committee, she trailblazed a path of leadership defined by integrity, hard work, and an unyielding dedication to public service.”
Lowey is survived by her husband Stephen, three children, and eight grandchildren.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
