Pelosi steps aside as House Democratic leader, clearing the way for "new generation" - CBS News

Washington — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who made past arsenic the archetypal pistillate to service successful the role, volition not question different word arsenic Democratic leader, she said Thursday, bringing an extremity to 2 decades arsenic caput of the Democratic caucus arsenic the enactment prepares to relinquish its bulk to the Republicans.

Pelosi volition proceed serving successful the House aft winning a 19th word successful past week's midterm elections, assuming a lower-profile relation erstwhile the adjacent Congress convenes successful January. 

"Now we indispensable determination boldly into the future, grounded by the principles that person propelled america this acold and unfastened to caller possibilities for the future," Pelosi said. "With large assurance successful our caucus, I volition not question reelection to Democratic enactment successful the adjacent Congress. For me, the hr has travel for a caller procreation to pb the Democratic caucus."

Pelosi began her code by tracing her way "from homemaker to House speaker," from seeing the U.S. Capitol for the archetypal time arsenic a 6-year-old to moving alongside presidents from some parties. Calling the Capitol a "temple of our democracy, of our Constitution, of our highest ideals," she paid homage to the Americans who served earlier her and extolled the historical legislative acts of the House, including the abolition of slavery and extending to women the close to vote.

"A caller time is dawning connected the horizon, and I look forward, ever forward, to the unfolding communicative of our nation," she said. "A communicative of airy and love, of patriotism and progress, of galore becoming one, and ever an unfinished ngo to marque the dreams of contiguous the world of tomorrow."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi acknowledges applause from lawmakers aft speaking connected the House level astatine the Capitol connected Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022. Carolyn Kaster / AP

Pelosi concluded her remarks to raucous applause from her Democratic colleagues, who embraced her arsenic she departed the lectern. President Biden spoke with Pelosi connected Thursday greeting and congratulated her connected her tenure, the White House said.

"When I deliberation of Nancy Pelosi, I deliberation of dignity," the president said successful a statement. "History volition enactment she is the astir consequential talker of the House of Representatives successful our history. There are countless examples of however she embodies the work of elected officials to uphold their oath to God and state to guarantee our ideology delivers and remains a beacon to the world. In everything she does, she reflects a dignity successful her actions and a dignity she sees successful the lives of the radical of this nation."

The determination by Pelosi to wide the mode for a caller procreation of lawmakers to tally the caucus puts an extremity to months of speculation astir her governmental future. It besides follows the convulsive onslaught connected her hubby Paul Pelosi astatine their San Francisco location past month, which the speaker told CNN would power whether she would measurement aside. Pelosi herself was the target of the suspected assailant, but was successful Washington astatine the time.

Joining Pelosi successful stepping speech from Democratic enactment is Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the existent bulk person and Pelosi's longtime No. 2. Hoyer told his colleagues successful a missive helium would stay successful Congress but forego a enactment position. His determination clears the mode for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the seat of the Democratic Caucus, to ascend to enactment person erstwhile Democratic members ballot successful enactment elections astatine the extremity of the month. Hoyer endorsed Jeffries to win Pelosi arsenic Democratic leader, calling him a "skilled and susceptible leader."

Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the No. 3 Democrat successful the House, praised Pelosi arsenic a person who near an "indelible mark" connected Congress and the nation. He, too, offered his enactment successful assisting a caller procreation of Democratic leaders, naming Jeffries, Rep. Katherine Clark of New York and Rep. Pete Aguilar of California.

"As a historical leader, she has met the challenges of guiding this assemblage done the champion and worst of times," Clyburn said of Pelosi. "Her dependable hand, principled policies, and unmatched quality to physique statement among the astir divers caucus the state has ever known are hallmarks of her storied career."

Pelosi, wearing a achromatic suit, the colour often worn by suffragists, opened the House league up of her code and was met with applause arsenic she entered the House chamber. Dozens of Pelosi's Democratic colleagues gathered for her remarks, arsenic good arsenic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, offered a motion to Pelosi arsenic helium concluded little comments connected the House level earlier her speech, saying, "Godspeed, Speaker Nancy Pelosi."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks connected the House level astatine the Capitol successful Washington, D.C., connected Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022. Carolyn Kaster / AP

It was unclear heading into Thursday what determination Pelosi had made, and her prime had been the root of speculation successful Washington for months. She took 2 versions of her code location with her to reappraisal Wednesday night, a root acquainted with the substance said, an denotation that she was inactive grappling with the choice.

Since her predetermination to Congress successful 1987, Pelosi roseate done the ranks of House Democratic leadership, serving arsenic number whip — her predetermination to that presumption made Pelosi the highest-ranking pistillate successful legislature past — and past House Democratic leader, a relation she has held since 2003.

In 2007, she made past arsenic the archetypal pistillate to beryllium elected talker of the House erstwhile Democrats took the majority. She served 4 nonconsecutive presumption arsenic talker since then, uniting an often fractious Democratic caucus to walk immoderate of the astir consequential authorities successful caller past nether the Obama and Biden administrations.

Mr. Biden paid tribute to Pelosi's grounds of ushering Democratic priorities done the House, characterizing her arsenic a unit successful securing the enactment needed to present connected her party's legislative agenda.

"With her starring the way, you ne'er interest astir whether a measure volition pass," the president said. "If she says she has the votes, she has the votes. Every time."

For Republicans, her unabashed pursuit of wide priorities made her a convenient foil connected the run trail, and GOP candidates person made her a fixture of onslaught ads for years. She was 1 of erstwhile President Donald Trump's fiercest opponents, overseeing some House impeachment proceedings against him. Their fractured narration was memorably connected show aft Trump's State of the Union code successful 2020, aft which Pelosi tore up a transcript of his remarks.

And connected Thursday, arsenic she highlighted the legislative achievements of Bush, Obama and Mr. Biden, determination was nary notation of the 45th president.

In her remarks, Pelosi reflected connected the changing demographics of the House rank implicit her much than 3 decades successful Congress, highlighting the emergence successful women serving but noting that "we privation more."

"I person seen this assemblage turn much reflective of our large nation, our beauteous nation," she said. 

While Pelosi said successful 2018 that she would bounds her word arsenic Democratic person to 4 years, a pledge that appeased capable members of her enactment to unafraid the speaker's gavel erstwhile more, she has been pushed to reconsider aft the "red wave" expected for Republicans did not happen.

The talker told CNN connected Sunday that her Democratic colleagues had asked her to "consider" moving successful the caucus' enactment elections, acceptable to statesman astatine the extremity of the month, but she said immoderate determination connected whether to bash truthful volition beryllium "rooted successful the wishes of my household and the wishes of my caucus."

Mr. Biden besides asked Pelosi to enactment successful office, telling the California Democrat aft she won her ain reelection bid that "I anticipation you stick," according to Politico.