Nancy Pelosi, who has represented San Francisco in Congress for nearly forty years, has announced her retirement. In a video message released on November 6, Pelosi confirmed that she “will not be seeking re-election.” A historic figure in American politics, the California Democrat was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House.
Pelosi comes from a family deeply rooted in public service. Her father, Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., served five terms in Congress before becoming mayor of Baltimore, a position later held by her brother, Thomas D’Alesandro III. Before her national rise, Pelosi began her political career as a local Democratic volunteer in San Francisco, building experience as an organizer, fundraiser, and strategist. That work eventually led her to Capitol Hill, where she made history in 2007 when she first assumed the Speaker’s gavel.
During her initial tenure as Speaker, Pelosi played a central role in advancing major legislation during the Obama administration, most notably the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The law reshaped the U.S. healthcare system by prohibiting insurance discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, allowing young adults to remain on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26, banning lifetime coverage caps, and expanding Medicaid in participating states. These changes extended health coverage to millions of Americans who had previously been uninsured. The ACA also included income-based subsidies which lowered the cost of coverage for households earning between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
Pelosi has long focused on lowering prescription drug costs. She championed policies allowing the federal government to negotiate drug prices and cap out-of-pocket expenses for seniors. These priorities were ultimately enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act, which marked a significant shift in federal drug pricing policy. The legislation also funded renewable energy development, supported job creation in clean energy industries, aimed to reduce carbon emissions by 42 percent by 2030, and included provisions to address environmental justice concerns.
Pelosi played a key role in advancing LGBTQ+ rights, including helping repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which allowed gay and lesbian service members to serve openly in the military. She also supported the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and backed the Equality Act, aimed at strengthening federal protections against discrimination. During the Trump administration, she opposed efforts to ban transgender individuals from military service.
As Speaker, Pelosi also presided over two impeachments of President Donald Trump. In 2019, the House impeached Trump after an investigation found he had sought foreign interference in a U.S. election and withheld congressionally approved aid to Ukraine. In 2021, following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the House impeached Trump a second time for incitement of insurrection. Pelosi later helped establish the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack to examine the causes and consequences of the assault on democratic institutions.
Pelosi played a significant role in advancing women’s rights during her time in Congress. As the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House, her leadership shifted long-standing gender norms within congressional leadership and committee structures. Substantively, she supported federal protections for reproductive healthcare access, workplace equity, and protections against gender-based violence. Her tenure helped elevate women’s issues as central policy concerns rather than peripheral ones, shaping legislative priorities that affected women’s economic security, health, and safety nationwide.
After more than four decades in Congress, Pelosi leaves behind a record defined by legislative leadership, institutional change, and the expansion of women’s representation in government. Her career has been recognized with numerous honors, including her 2013 induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by President Biden in 2024.