Granger on Chairwoman Lowey's Retirement

WASHINGTON – Top Appropriations Committee Republican Kay Granger (R-TX) released the following statement after Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) announced that she is not seeking reelection in 2020. The two currently serve as the first female Republican Ranking Member and first female Committee Chair of the panel respectively. 

“The retirement of Nita Lowey is a huge loss for our country, the Congress, our committee, and me personally. Nita has served as a dedicated public servant in Congress for 31 years, and the nation – especially the people of New York – are better for it.

“One might think that a Jewish Democrat from New York and a Conservative Republican from Texas wouldn’t have much in common, but they would be wrong. From our first interaction, Congresswoman Lowey promised that she would always be an honest broker, that she would respect my position and opinions, and that we could disagree without being disagreeable. As then-Chairwoman of the State & Foreign Operations Subcommittee when I was Ranking Member, she committed to work hard to get our bills done on time and on budget. From that day until now, she has kept her promise. It has been an honor to serve with Nita over the years, reaching heights previously off limits to women in Congress. What started as a working relationship turned into a friendship that I will forever cherish. 

“Nita and I will continue to work together as we finalize the appropriations process for fiscal year 2020. I look forward to sending strong, bipartisan bills to the President’s desk.

“I wish Nita and her family the best in her retirement.”