DeLauro Statement on the Passing Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey

WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released the following statement on the passing of former House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey:

“Chairwoman Nita Lowey was my dear friend. She was courageous, humorous, and tenacious with a smile that lit up even the darkest rooms. Referred to as the ‘perfumed ice pick,’ Nita was a fierce negotiator and loyal public servant.

“A champion for the people of New York for more than three decades and the first woman to ever serve as Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, Nita shifted the course of our nation's history. She was a tireless advocate on a range of important issues, from healthcare and the environment to afterschool programs, and public broadcasting.

“When I first joined the Appropriations Committee, Nita, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and I were referred to as the ‘DeLoSi's'—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. People used to see the three of us chatting in a corner on the House Floor and ask what we were scheming about. To be honest, the first few minutes were about the policies we were fighting for, but it quickly turned into chats about shoes, clothes, or the latest fashion.

“Nita helped ensure women and people of color were included in clinical trials at the National Institutes of Health. We fought side-by-side to pass the breast cancer education program, which has saved the lives of thousands of low-income women by ensuring access to lifesaving mammograms and pap tests. We also worked to double NIH funding between 1998 and 2003.

“I am heartbroken by this loss, but Nita’s legacy lives on. Forever my Chairwoman. Nita, I will miss you so much.” 

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