Rep. Carolyn Maloney will take over as acting chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee following the death of Rep. Elijah Cummings, who oversaw the panel, a senior Democratic leadership aide said Thursday.
The congresswoman from New York, who has served since 1993, is the No. 2 Democrat in seniority on the panel.
Cummings died Thursday of complications from an ongoing health issue, his office announced. He was 68.
Maloney, 73, tweeted her condolences, saying she lost a “dear friend and mentor.”
“In an era where our politics have been plagued by coarseness and personal attacks, Elijah represented grace, dignity and empathy under the most trying of circumstances,” she wrote. “His legacy — his fight for fairness, justice and equality — should be an inspiration to us all.”
The process to elect a permanent chair will be announced at a later time.
The Oversight Committee has had a leading role in the House’s impeachment investigation of President Trump.
With Post wires