Nita Lowey, former NY member of Congress, dies at 87

Former Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), the first woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee, died on Saturday, according to a statement from her family sent to CBS.

"With great sadness, we announce that former Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey died peacefully on March 15 at the age of 87, surrounded by her loving husband, children, and grandchildren, in her home in Harrison, NY,” her family announced in the statement.

“Nita has quietly and bravely battled metastatic breast cancer in recent years with the same tenacity and strength that she fought throughout her 32-year career in Congress for women, children and families in the U.S. and around the world."

The New York Democrat served in Congress from 1989 to 2021. She represented the northern suburbs of New York City, including Westchester and Rockland counties. In the early years of her House tenure, she represented parts of the Bronx and Queens.

“As Dean of the New York delegation, Nita Lowey was a mentor and friend to me and countless other Members of the House Democratic Caucus,” Democratic Minority Leader and fellow New York Democrat Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement. “So many of us sought Nita’s advice and counsel during our public service journeys and it was always delivered with a smile.”

Nita Sue Lowey was born July 5, 1937, in the Bronx. Before being elected to the House, Lowey served as an assistant secretary of state to New York in 1985, after originally working on Mario Cuomo’s campaign for New York’s lieutenant governor in 1974.

She served on the Appropriations Committee for 28 years and became the first woman to chair the influential committee in 2019.

“Chairwoman Nita Lowey was my dear friend. She was courageous, humorous, and tenacious with a smile that lit up even the darkest rooms,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee said in a statement. “Referred to as the ‘perfumed ice pick,’ Nita was a fierce negotiator and loyal public servant.”

DeLauro also noted that the two of them, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, were referred to as the “DeLoSi’s.” She said they were “a band of women who fought for women's health at a time when women's issues were on the fringe of our political discourse.”

Lowey was known for her focus on social issues.

"Lowey has strongly resisted GOP efforts to cut social spending while boosting the Pentagon budget," John Bresnahan and Nolan McCaskill wrote of her in 2019. "In the 1990s, Lowey appeared at a congressional hearing with Bert and Ernie of 'Sesame Street' after Republican leaders had threatened to kill the Public Broadcasting Service. She also has defended the National Endowment for the Arts. As ranking member on the Appropriations panel, Lowey backs increased federal investments in biomedical research on diseases at the National Institutes of Health."

Members from across the aisle quickly shared their condolences for her family on Sunday.

“A trailblazer who made history as the first Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, Nita Lowey impacted the lives of every New Yorker and American,” New York Republican Mike Lawler, who now represents northern New York City suburbs, said in a post on X. “Her passion for our communities will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with her family, friends, and neighbors. May her memory always be a blessing for us all.”

"I'm devastated by the loss of my dear friend Nita Lowey. Her leadership and kindness made it an honor to serve alongside her in the House," Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) said in a post on X. "As the first woman to chair the Appropriations Committee, she broke barriers and paved the way for so many."