By AFRO Staff
Donald Payne Jr., a beloved lawmaker, who represented New Jersey’s 10 Congressional District on Capitol Hill for 11 years, died April 24, his office announced. The 65-year-old died of a heart attack due to complications from diabetes and hypertension.
“Today, the Congressional Black Caucus mourns the loss of our dear colleague and friend,” the CBC said in a joint statement. “Representative Payne will be remembered by all those who knew him for his kindness and generosity. He leaves behind a legacy and commitment to service that New Jerseyans and our country will not soon forget.”
Payne Jr. somewhat reluctantly ran for and won his congressional seat in 2012, following the death of his father, Donald Payne Sr., who was the first African American elected to represent New Jersey in Congress and was a beloved son of the state during his more than two decades on Capitol Hill.
A member of one of Newark’s prominent political families, Payne Jr. was deeply embedded in the community, living his entire life on Newark’s Bock Avenue. Before his stint in Washington, he previously served his community as a member of the New Jersey City Council, as a president of the South Ward Young Democrats, as a Garden State Parkway toll collector and for the Essex County Educational Services Commission.
“As a former union worker and toll collector, he deeply understood the struggles our working families face, and he fought valiantly to serve their needs, every single day,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement announcing the congressman’s death.. “That purpose was the light that guided him through his early years as Newark City Council President and during his tenure on the Essex County Board of Commissioners. And it guided him still through his more than a decade of service in Congress.”
Known for his sartorial flair and signature bow ties, Payne was deemed an “effective” leader in Congress, serving on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, and as the ranking member and chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. In his latter role, most notably, introduced the INVEST in America Act, which became the bipartisan, $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to provide funds for critical road and rail projects, such as New Jersey’s Portal North Bridge and Hudson River Tunnel in the Gateway Program.
Additionally, Payne was a fierce advocate of racial justice, equal rights for all, reproductive freedom, free college tuition, and public transportation; he fought to expand access to health care, clean drinking water, and cancer screenings; and worked to prevent gun violence, protect voting rights, and promote environmental issues.
President Biden said Payne, who “represented the best of Newark, a community of faith, grit, and hard work,” has been a stalwart partner on Capitol Hill, even co-sponsoring the 2013 law reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act that Biden first wrote years ago.
“They,” the president said of Payne’s legislative efforts, “will be a piece of his legacy forever.”
He added, “Don Payne was an accomplished public servant whose kind strength and generosity of spirit won him love across his district and the U.S. Congress. I’ve trusted his partnership throughout my presidency, and always been grateful for his insight and support.”
Payne is survived by his wife Beatrice and their three adult triplets: Donald III, Jack and Yvonne.