Longtime Congresswoman Nita Lowey Environment, Women’s Rights Champion
HARRISON, NY—Former U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, who tirelessly served constituents in Westchester, the Bronx and Rockland counties for more than three decades, passed away on March 15 at her Westchester County home in Harrison. She was 87.
A 16-term Democratic lawmaker—whose career in Washington spanned five U.S. presidents and five New York State governors—was a tenacious advocate for the environment and pollution control efforts. She forged a decades-long bond with the construction contracting community and organized labor to secure hundreds of millions of dollars of public infrastructure upgrades throughout the New York Downstate region.
She would also co-sponsor legislation over her 32 years in Congress, including campaigns funded through the National Estuaries Program to safeguard and restore Long Island Sound at its nadir when threatened by pollution runoff, inadequate protections and overuse.
Among her many accomplishments, Rep. Lowey championed the appropriation of funding for New York City after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, and she was instrumental in securing necessary federal funding for the construction of the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
In 2018, Lowey became the first chairwoman of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations. She held several Caucus memberships, including the House Pro-Choice Caucus, Hudson River Caucus, Israel Allies Caucus, National Eating Disorders Awareness Caucus and Congressional Arts Caucus, until she left office in January 2021.
Born in 1937 in the Bronx, Ms. Lowey worked on Mario Cuomo’s 1974 campaign for lieutenant governor of New York. For 13 years she served as the assistant secretary of state in New York before running and winning a seat for the U.S. House of Representatives for New York’s 20th congressional district (now the 17th) in 1988. She announced on Oct. 10, 2019, that she would retire and not run for re-election to Congress in 2020.
She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Stephen Lowey; her children Dana, Jackie and Douglas; and eight grandchildren. Upon her passing the Lowey family released the statement: “We will miss her more than words can say and take great comfort in knowing that she lived a full and purposeful life. A public servant in the truest sense, she was guided by the Jewish core value of ‘Tikkun Olam,’ (meaning) repairing the world. She was an indefatigable fighter and worked across the aisle to deliver results for her constituents and all Americans.”
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said, “Congresswoman Lowey was the heart of the Hudson Valley and my friend of more than 40 years. She was a trailblazer who ran the Appropriations Committee with amazing effectiveness. So many stand on her shoulders and her impact continues to resonate years after her retirement. Above all else though, Congresswoman Lowey was a kind hearted person, always putting others first and caring for their well-being. Her work helped improve the lives of millions, especially in the Hudson Valley where she will forever remain a beloved institution. I will very much miss her.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on March 17 in Rep. Lowey’s honor, said: “I’m deeply saddened by the passing of my friend, Nita Lowey. As a freshman member of Congress, Nita helped show me ropes as I was learning how to navigate Washington. She was a tireless fighter for the State of New York and never stopped working to deliver for the people of Westchester and Rockland.”
U.S. Rep. George Latimer: “She was the definition of an excellent public servant: smart, warm. Principled and fearless. For more than 30 years, she represented our home area in Congress with grace and fortitude. Nita Lowey has passed away… but she will be forever remembered. And forever praised.”