Pelosi Statement on the Retirement of Chairwoman Nita Lowey

San Francisco – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the retirement of Chairwoman Nita Lowey:

"Chairwoman Nita Lowey is a master legislator whose values-based leadership has touched countless lives in New York, across America and around the world. As the first woman Chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee, Chairwoman Lowey has not only made history – she has also made a difference for future generations, through her persistent, principled work to ensure that our budgets are a statement of our values, and that the Congress invests in our priorities as a nation.

"In the Congress, Chairwoman Lowey has earned the respect of all our colleagues as a leader who is both gracious and tenacious; who seeks always to find common ground where she can and stands her ground where she can't. Her many legislative achievements have been marked by great compassion and a deep appreciation for our responsibility to help those in need, from 9/11 survivors and first responders, to communities hit by Hurricane Sandy, to victims of drunk driving and to people with food allergies. Her strong leadership as Chair of the State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee on Appropriations advanced equality and opportunity, as she secured record investments in key priorities including women's health and girls' education.

"On the positive side of her departure, Chairwoman Lowey's decision frees her to preside even more intensely over the Appropriations Committee. Chairwoman Lowey's many friends in the Congress will miss her deeply, and we look forward to continuing to benefit from her leadership for the next year and a half, and her legacy for years to come. We thank her husband Steve, her three children and her eight grandchildren for sharing Chairwoman Nita Lowey with the Congress and the country, and wish them the best in all their future endeavors."