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Dec. 15 (UPI) — Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., reflected on her career and commented on what lies ahead for Congress in what may have been her final press briefing as House speaker on Thursday.
“Here we are,” Pelosi said. “This may be the last time I see you in this way.”
Pelosi is unsure if she will have another opportunity to address the press as speaker, though she remarked it depends on the passage of Congress’ omnibus spending bill for the upcoming year. The speaker said she believes they are on a “good path” to passing the bill in a “timely fashion.”
She rebuked a question that suggested it is a deliberate tactic to bring the bill so close to the holiday season.
“It’s not the bill that any one of us would have written but it’s the bill that we can agree to,” Pelosi said.
Pelosi was asked if she believes the new Congress will continue to support Ukraine in its war against Russia. Republicans will have a 222-212 majority in the House.
“There’s very strong bipartisan support respecting the courage of the people of Ukraine to fight for their democracy,” she said. “The fight they’re making for their democracy is a fight for all democracy.”
The speaker said she was proud of the work done in the 117th Congress, highlighting the passing of the Respect for Marriage Act, which was signed into law on Tuesday.
She recalled giving her first speech on the House floor when she discussed fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In 2010, one of the last bills she signed during her term as speaker was the repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”
The Respect for Marriage Act is one of the last bills she signed during her current run as speaker.
When asked about her legacy, Pelosi said passing and protecting the Affordable Care Act was the most significant piece of legislation she was part of.
“Nothing in any of the years I was there compares to the Affordable Care Act,” she said. “Expanding healthcare to tens of millions more Americans, 150 million families — having better benefits, lower costs, no preexisting condition risking their access. That really was central because it’s a health issue, economic issue, financial health issue for families. And it’s a values issue for our country.”
Pelosi has served in the House since 1987. She was House speaker from 2007 to 2011, was the minority leader from 2011 to 2019 and became speaker again in 2019.
In November, Pelosi was reelected to serve in Congress through 2024. She did not comment on whether she would serve her full term when asked.
“What is this?” she said. “Don’t bother me with a question like that. I said what I’m going to do.”
