TRIBUTE TO DONNALEE LOZEAU

TRIBUTE TO DONNALEE LOZEAU

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 44 (Tuesday, March 10, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 10, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S957] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO DONNALEE LOZEAU Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Donnalee Lozeau and recognize the enduring contributions of a stalwart community leader, dedicated advocate, and deeply cherished friend to so many Granite Staters. Donnalee recently stepped down from her longtime role as chief executive officer of Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties, CAPHR, and I join a grateful community in thanking her for bringing so much passion, knowledge and experience to an indispensable local resource. A lifelong resident of Nashua, NH, Donnalee grew up in a household that fostered political awareness and encouraged political involvement. She played a role at a young age on campaigns for well-known New Hampshire officials, including Congressman Lou Wyman, Congressman Jim Cleveland, and Gov. Walter Peterson. Then, at the age of 24, Donnalee decided to put her own name on the ballot and campaign for a seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. It was the first of many election day victories for Donnalee. She represented her hometown at the statehouse in Concord for eight terms, eventually ascending to the position of deputy speaker in one of the largest legislative bodies in the English-speaking world. I worked closely with Donnalee while we both served in the New Hampshire State House as elected officials. As a State senator and Governor, I always appreciated her earnestness, her willingness to engage, and her commitment to finding consensus across party lines. Her sense of humor was also a bright light in trying times, including the long days and late nights when we came together to find a solution to a school funding crisis in the 1990s. Sitting across the table from Donnalee, you could never doubt that she approached each challenge and every opportunity with progress in mind and her constituents' best interests at heart. Donnalee served as a State representative for 16 years. Seven years after leaving the statehouse, she returned to public service as the 55th mayor of the city of Nashua. She was the first woman to lead the city and ran unopposed for her second term. Highlights from her tenure include the redevelopment of Nashua's downtown and the completion of the Broad Street Parkway, a massive public-works project that reduced traffic on Main Street and spurred economic activity in the city's historic Millyard District. It was a project that we helped to move forward when we served together in Concord. After deciding not to seek a third term as mayor, Donnalee quickly moved into the chief executive officer position at the largest community action agency in our State, Southern New Hampshire Services. Donnalee likes to say that her ``whole life is the fundamental mission of community action.'' While serving in New Hampshire's citizen legislature, Donnalee continued to work as the director of program and community development at Southern New Hampshire Services. Her 15 years of knowledge and experience in this role paid dividends when she became CEO. She deftly steered the agency through the COVID-19 pandemic, oversaw a rebrand of the organization from Southern New Hampshire Services to Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties and opened the agency's first opportunity center where people can find a variety of services and resources in one accessible location. In times of crisis and uncertainty, our vulnerable neighbors look to CAPHR for guidance and support. Under Donnalee's insightful leadership, the team at CAPHR answered with trademark compassion and deployed assistance to ensure that all Granite Staters have the means to meet their most basic needs. They offer Head Start and child care to help build a foundation of cognitive and social skills in children's most formative years. They connect households with assistance to pay rent, put food on their tables, and keep their homes warm in our cold New Hampshire winters. They provide thousands of rides to seniors to help maintain a sense of independence. They break the cycle of poverty in our communities by engaging neighbors at every stage of life, and their commitment, energy, and sincerity are a reflection of the distinct personal qualities of their CEO. Donnalee has made an unforgettable mark on New Hampshire. The Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties blossomed under her steady direction, and its growth expanded opportunity across southern New Hampshire and enabled more people to live with dignity and chase their dreams. Donnalee was more than a cheerleader for the mission of CAPHR or a politician representing her beloved hometown. She was a trailblazer who passed the most crucial test of public leadership: to leave a place better than you found it. New Hampshire is better and its future is brighter because of Donnalee Lozeau. ____________________