- Title: Schumer bids farewell to Pelosi in emotional speech
- Date: 17th November 2022
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 17, 2022) (SENATE TV) (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, CHUCK SCHUMER, SAYING: "To Nancy Pelosi, my dear, good and close friend. Thank you. Thank you for being you. Thank you for dedicating your life for public service. Thank you for teaching us so much. Thank you for inspiring us all. It's been the honor of a life
- Embargoed: 1st December 2022 21:45
- Keywords: House Pelosi Schumer Senate Speaker farewell
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: US
- Topics: North America,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002032517112022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer bid farewell to the 52nd Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi in an emotional speech in the Senate floor on Thursday (November 17).
Talking about their years working together, Schumer said it was an "honor of a lifetime" to work with her and added: "In my time as Democratic leader and as majority leader, she's been the best partner and ally I could ask for."
Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to have served in the powerful position of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, said she will step down as the Democratic leader marking the end of an era and a historic career of congressional leadership notable for her ability to pass key legislation, keep her sometimes fractious House Democrats united and challenge the world's most powerful men.
Pelosi, who is 82, will remain in Congress, representing San Francisco in the House as she has done for 35 years – her tenure spanning seven presidential administrations, during which she was twice elected as Speaker, a position third in line to the presidency.
Her first stint as Speaker began in 2007 under Republican President George W. Bush. Calling Bush “a total failure,†Pelosi disagreed with many of his policies – particularly the U.S. war in Iraq - but worked with him to pass a fiscal stimulus bill among other legislation.
She remained Speaker until 2011, two years into Democrat Barack Obama’s first term, helping to pass what is considered his signature legislative achievement – the Affordable Care Act.
Pelosi regained the Speaker role in 2019 after Democrats took back control of the House during the presidency of Republican Donald Trump.
Those tumultuous years were capped by Pelosi presiding over a House that twice impeached Trump, although the Senate voted to acquit him both times.
Trump – joined by many Republicans - repeatedly vilified her, but she remained fiercely undaunted – and even publicly tore up a copy of his final State of the Union address, later telling Democratic lawmakers she did so because she “couldn’t find a page that didn’t have a lie on it."
When Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, some of them roared "We want Nancy" and looted her office.
In late October of 2022, a man broke into her San Francisco home echoing the "Where's Nancy?" chant, hoping to take her hostage and break her kneecaps because he believed she was "the 'leader of the pack' of lies told by the Democratic Party." Pelosi was in Washington at the time. The intruder attacked her 82-year-old husband, Paul, with a hammer, according to police. Paul Pelosi required surgery for a fractured skull. The incident left the Pelosi family, in her words, “heartbroken and traumatizedâ€.
Pelosi’s decision to step aside follows her party's loss of control of the House to Republicans in the midterm election.
But in her final years as Speaker – and at one of the most divisive moments in American history – she marshaled the Democrats to pass much of President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda, including a $430 billion climate change and drug pricing bill, a $1 trillion infrastructure bill and a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.
She also made her mark in foreign policy, most notably when she enraged China by becoming the highest ranking U.S. official in 25 years to visit Taiwan, saying she was honoring America's commitment to the self-ruled island's (quote) "vibrant democracy."
And when announcing her future plans to the House, Pelosi spoke often of democracy and the recent mid-term election, winning cheers from her colleagues.
(Production: Bernat Parera) - Copyright Holder: SENATE TV (USA)
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