By LISA MASCARO (AP Congressional Correspondent)
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi mentioned Thursday that she won’t search a management place within the new Congress, making means for a brand new era to steer the celebration after Democrats misplaced management of the House to Republicans within the midterm elections.
Pelosi introduced in a spirited speech on the House flooring that she is going to step apart after main Democrats for practically 20 years and within the aftermath of the brutal assault on her husband, Paul, final month of their San Francisco house.
The California Democrat, who rose to grow to be the nation’s solely girl to wield the speaker’s gavel, mentioned she would stay in Congress because the consultant from San Francisco, a place she has held for 35 years, when the brand new Congress convenes in January.
“I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” she mentioned. “For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect.”
Now, she mentioned, “we must move boldly into the future.”
Pelosi acquired a standing ovation after her remarks, and lawmakers and visitors one after the other went as much as supply her hugs, many taking selfies of a second in historical past. President Joe Biden spoke with Pelosi within the morning and congratulated her on her historic tenure as speaker of the House.
“History will note she is the most consequential Speaker of the House of Representatives in our history,” Biden mentioned in an announcement, noting her means to win unity from her caucus and her “absolute dignity.”
It’s an uncommon alternative for a celebration chief to remain on after withdrawing from congressional management however Pelosi has lengthy defied conference in pursuing energy in Washington.
During her remarks, Pelosi recapped her profession, from seeing the Capitol the primary time as a younger woman together with her father — a former congressman and mayor — to serving as speaker alongside U.S. presidents and doing “the people’s work.”
“Every day I am in awe of the majestic miracle that is American democracy,” she mentioned.
Democrats cheered Pelosi as she arrived within the chamber at midday. On brief discover, lawmakers stuffed the House, a minimum of on the Democratic facet, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer joined. He later joined a throng of lawmakers and hugged and kissed Pelosi on the cheek.
The Speaker’s Gallery full of Pelosi employees and visitor. Some Republicans, together with some newly elected members, additionally attended, although House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, who’s looking for the speakership within the new Congress, didn’t.
Earlier, Pelosi famous in an announcement after The Associated Press known as management of the chamber that, within the subsequent Congress, House Democrats may have “strong leverage over a scant Republican majority.”
Pelosi was twice elected to the speakership and has led Democrats by way of consequential moments, together with passage of the Affordable Care Act with President Barack Obama and the impeachments of President Donald Trump.
Her determination Thursday paves the way in which for House Democratic management elections subsequent month when Democrats reorganize because the minority celebration for the brand new Congress.
Pelosi’s management crew, with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Democratic Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina, has lengthy moved as a triumvirate. All now of their 80s, the three House Democratic leaders have confronted stressed colleagues anticipating them to step apart and permit a brand new era to take cost.
Hoyer mentioned after Pelosi’s remarks that “it is the time for a new generation of leaders” and that he will even step down from management however keep in Congress. Clyburn, the highest-ranking Black American in Congress, h as mentioned he expects to remain in Congress subsequent 12 months and hopes to stay on the management desk.
Democratic Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Pete Aguilar of California have equally moved as a trio, all working towards changing into the following era of leaders. Jeffries may make historical past if he enters the race to grow to be the nation’s first Black speaker of the House.
After Pelosi spoke, Clyburn launched an announcement saying he seems to be ahead “to doing whatever I can to assist our new generation of Democratic Leaders, which I hope to be Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar.”
One thought circulating on Capitol Hill was that Pelosi and the others may emerge as emeritus leaders as they go the baton to new Democrats.
First elected in 1987, Pelosi has been a pivotal determine in American politics, lengthy ridiculed by Republicans as a San Francisco liberal whereas steadily rising as a talented legislator and fundraising powerhouse. Her personal Democratic colleagues have intermittently appreciated but in addition feared her highly effective model of management.
Pelosi first turned speaker in 2007, saying she had cracked the “marble ceiling,” after Democrats swept to energy within the 2006 midterm elections in a backlash to then-President George W. Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
When she was poised in 2018 to return as speaker, within the Trump period, she vowed “to show the power of the gavel.”
Pelosi has repeatedly withstood management challenges through the years and had instructed in 2018 she would serve 4 extra years as chief. But she had not mentioned these plans extra just lately.
Typically unsentimental, Pelosi let present a uncommon second of emotion on the eve of the midterm elections as she held again tears discussing the grave assault on her husband of practically 60 years.
Paul Pelosi suffered a fractured cranium after an intruder broke into their house within the center the evening looking for the Democratic chief. The intruder’s query — “Where is Nancy?” — echoed the chants of the pro-Trump rioters on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as they hunted for Pelosi and tried to cease Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s election victory over Trump.
David DePape is being held with out bail on tried homicide and different fees in what authorities mentioned was a political assault. Police mentioned DePape broke in and wakened Paul Pelosi, and the 2 struggled over a hammer earlier than DePape struck the 82-year-old on the top.
Paul Pelosi was hospitalized for every week however is anticipated to recuperate, although his spouse has mentioned will probably be a protracted haul. At the time, Pelosi wouldn’t focus on her political plans however would solely disclose that the assault on her husband would have an effect on her determination.
Historians have famous that different consequential political figures had careers later as rank-and-file members of Congress, together with John Quincy Adams, the previous president, who went on to serve for practically 18 years in Congress.
__ Associated Press employees writers Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”