Rep. Nita Lowey Will Not Seek Re-election in 2020

WASHINGTON – Representative Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee and a fixture in Congress for 31 years, announced Thursday that she will not seek re-election in 2020.

Lowey offered no explanation for her decision in a statement released through the committee, but said it has been a “deep honor and privilege to serve my community and my country, and I will always be grateful to the people who have entrusted me to represent them.”

Lowey has represented a district encompassing the northern suburbs of New York City since 1989.

Although she strongly considered running for the U.S. Senate in 2000, she ultimately stepped aside when First Lady Hillary Clinton announced her candidacy. Lowey was again touted for the Senate when Clinton left the chamber to become President Barack Obama’s Secretary of State, but demurred, explaining she didn’t want to give up her senior seat on the Appropriations Committee.

In announcing her decision not to run for another term, Lowey said she is proud of the help her office has provided over the years to thousands of constituents on matters ranging from health insurance and veterans’ benefits to Social Security and student loans. 

“As a long-time member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have secured funding to clean up and protect Long Island Sound and the Hudson River; increase access to Head Start, afterschool programs, and community health centers for thousands of local children and families; provide New York’s fair share of homeland security assistance; and make the commute across the Hudson easier and safer on the new Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge,” Lowey said. “In difficult times, including after September 11th and Superstorm Sandy, I have fought hard in Washington for federal assistance to recover and rebuild.”

The representative said she was honored to be elected the first chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee and promised to fight vigorously for House Democratic priorities as I negotiate spending bills for fiscal years 2020 and 2021.

“I am especially thankful for the dedication and wisdom of my current and former staff in New York, in Washington, and on the House Appropriations Committee,” she said. “Partnerships with countless advocates, leaders, and elected officials in New York and Washington have been invaluable. I look forward to more time with my husband Steve and our family, who have strongly supported my career in public service.”