Washington, D.C.—Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she will not seek reelection to leadership of the Democratic caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives. Following the announcement, Patrick Gaspard, president of the Center for American Progress, released the following statement:
Speaker Pelosi has been the driving force behind some of the greatest accomplishments on behalf of the American people in the last half century—from rescuing our economy following the Great Recession and a global pandemic, to passing and defending the Affordable Care Act, to sweeping legislation to address the climate crisis. Put simply, these victories would not be possible without the Speaker’s leadership, resilience, and fidelity to democracy. No legislator of our time has accomplished as much as Speaker Pelosi, even as she has done so while holding together a political coalition as diverse as today’s House Democratic caucus.
Reflecting on Speaker Pelosi’s legacy based on legislative accomplishment alone diminishes the historic nature of her leadership. She has also steered the United States through some of our most perilous moments, including unprecedented assaults on the rule of law, and even an attack on the U.S. Capitol. She’s done so in the face of unending and reprehensible persecution from extremists determined to take our country backward and a would-be authoritarian who has fueled threats to her own life and that of her family members.
She is a historically great speaker, the embodiment of what it means to be a public servant, and she is an inspiration to me personally as well as to millions of women and girls who know that they too can ascend to the highest ranks of American government. She has earned our enduring admiration. We must remain steadfast in realizing her vision for a better, more inclusive America for all our children and a democracy that works for everyone.
For more information or to speak to an expert, contact Sarah Nadeau at [email protected].