Former Rep. Nita M. Lowey has died at age 87 after a battle with metastatic breast cancer, her family said. The Democrat, who served as a representative for 32 years before retiring in 2021, died Saturday at her home in Harrison, New York, the New York Times reported. Lowey was the first woman to lead the House Appropriations Committee, which works with government spending laws. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who worked beside Lowey during her tenure as House speaker, called her “both gracious and tenacious,” and a “master legislator.” Lowey “has earned the respect of all our colleagues as a leader who is both gracious and tenacious” and “seeks always to find common ground where she can and stands her ground where she can’t,” Pelosi continued. Some of the legislation Lowey worked on included women’s health abortion rights, more funding for homeless populations and childcare initiatives. According to the Washington Post, Lowey sponsored more than 500 pieces of legislation and co-sponsored thousands during her time as a representative. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Stephen Lowey, as well as her three children and eight grandchildren.
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