Sen. Menendez Statement on Passing of New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) issued the following statement on the passing of New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver:

“To say that I am devastated by today’s news is an understatement.

Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver was a relentless voice for the voiceless, a passionate advocate for the disadvantaged, and a champion for the most important issues facing the Garden State. From her earliest victories in public service when she saved affordable housing for low-income residents in Newark to her trailblazing service as the first African American woman to lead the General Assembly as Speaker, Lieutenant Governor Oliver was an inspiration to all of us who dream of an equal and prosperous future.

In 2018, she delivered the keynote address at my annual Women of Distinction awards ceremony — a powerful speech that continues to serve as a clarion call for investing in working class women and families. This is how I will choose to remember Lieutenant Governor Oliver: as a fighter, as a reformer, and as a committed leader for a better tomorrow in our state. Nadine and I are keeping the Oliver family and their loved ones in our hearts as we mourn her profound loss and honor her incredible legacy.”