Statement by Rep. Jimmy Panetta on Decision of Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Step Down from Caucus Leadership
Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) applauds U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for her legacy of leadership as well as for living up to her commitment to step down from her position as leader of the House Democratic Caucus. On November 17, 2022, Rep. Panetta was present on the floor of the House of U.S. Representatives for the poignant speech by Speaker Pelosi in which she announced her decision to not seek a leadership position but remain in Congress in order to continue representing her constituents and uphold the principles of our country. The Democratic Members of Congress will hold their leadership elections for the 118th Congress during the week of November 30th, 2022.
"It has been an absolute honor and an amazing opportunity to serve under House Speaker Nancy Pelosi," said Rep. Jimmy Panetta. "Her ability to lead, corral, and coalesce such a diverse caucus is unmatched, her work ethic and knowledge of Congress and its members are unparalleled, and her political and policy effectiveness are unrivaled. Driven by her sense of service and loyalty to our nation and its principles that stem from her Italian-American heritage and a Baltimore family that was steeped in public service, Speaker Pelosi will go down as one of the most, if not the most, effective Speakers in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives. Even having endured constant vitriol and experienced horrific violence directed at her and her family, Speaker Pelosi pushed back when needed to but never let it get to her when it came to pushing ahead and producing meaningful, impactful, and long-lasting legislation to better the lives of our constituents. As a pragmatic politician, she made sure that our number one job was not to castigate but to legislate. Her love for her constituents in San Francisco, her fealty to our colleagues in the California congressional delegation and Democratic caucus, and her obligation to the democratic values of our country gave her the grounding to appreciate the grind of government work and the gumption to get the Speaker's gavel and use it for the good of our nation. I look forward to having new leaders in our caucus in the 118th Congress knowing that the legacy of leadership left by Speaker Pelosi will continue to inspire, not just my colleagues and me in Congress, not just my two daughters, but also future generations of Americans who choose to serve and live up to the responsibilities of living in our democracy."
Speaker Pelosi was elected to serve in the United States Congress in 1986. She first served in leadership for the Democratic Congressional Caucus in 2002 when she was elected to be the House Minority Whip. She became the leader of the Democratic Caucus in 2007 and served as House Speaker from 2007-2011 and from 2019 to the present. In her speech on November 17, 2022, Speaker Pelosi announced that she will step down as leader of the Democratic Caucus but remain in Congress as the U.S. Representative for California's 12th Congressional District.