Nita Lowey, the former Democratic Congresswoman from New York, passed away last week at 87.
Born and raised in the Bronx, she entered politics as the assistant to Governor Mario Cuomo, and worked her way to the New York secretary of state’s office on economic development and neighborhood preservation. A mother of three and graduate of Mount Holyoke College, she decided at age 50, in 1988, to challenge Republican incumbent Joe DioGuardi and won a seat in Congress by campaigning for women’s rights,
protecting the environment and increasing public health spending to research a new and devastating disease that was then ravaging the gay community: AIDS.
Lowey went on to represent Westchester in the House of Representatives for 32 years, where she established herself as a vocal advocate and fierce negotiator. She became the first woman to lead the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which oversees government spending legislation.
A proud Jew and staunch supporter of Israel in the Democratic Party, one of Lowey’s last acts in Congress was to push for a bill that would provide $50 million in funds to organizations working on community-building initiatives for peace in Israel. It was passed after she retired in 2021, with a $250 million budget, bipartisan support, and everyone from AIPAC to J Street signing on. It was called the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act.
May her memory be for a blessing, always.