AAPI Legislators React to Pelosi’s Retirement

WASHINGTON — Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), former speaker of the House, has announced her decision to retire at the end of her current term.

First elected to Congress in 1987, she was the first woman to be elected speaker and served from 2019 to 2023. She frequently clashed with President Trump during his first and second terms.

Following are reactions from AAPI elected and appointed officials.

Michael Yaki, former member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and former aide to Pelosi: The Speaker, Leader, Congress-woman, mentor, friend. No one can or will replace Speaker Pelosi. Thank you Nancy for saving our city, our country, and giving this person an opportunity of a lifetime to work with you. I have a feeling ‘retirement’ is just a word …”

Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CA-PAC): “Few legislators have left behind a legacy as historic and accomplished as Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. She will be remembered as a trailblazer, a champion for working families, and one of the fiercest advocates for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) in Washington, D.C.

“As a founding member of CA-PAC, Speaker Emerita Pelosi made it her mission to ensure that the AANHPI community was represented, respected, and empowered in the halls of Congress. Her leadership was instrumental in passing key legislation into law, including my COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to combat anti-Asian hate and violence, and my bill to help create a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture.

“Speaker Emerita Pelosi is an inimitable figure who dedicated her nearly 40-year career to changing Americans’ lives for the better. Her leadership will be deeply missed, but her impact will be felt for generations to come.”

Rep. Mark Takano (D-Riverside): “Nancy Pelosi has been my colleague, my mentor, and my friend for more than three decades. I met her when I was still a bright-eyed teacher, and even then she was a force driven by her belief that public service should make life better for ordinary people. That sense of purpose and mission carried her to extraordinary heights.

“LGBTQ+ people, veterans, Californians, and all Americans have benefited from her courage and conviction. There is no question in my mind: Nancy Pelosi is the greatest legislative leader of the 21st century.

“Since her very first speech on the House floor, when she called for action to confront the HIV and AIDS crisis, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has been a fearless champion for the LGBTQ+ community. She was one of only 67 representatives to vote against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and one of the earliest voices to oppose California’s Proposition 8.

“As speaker, she led the House in passing landmark laws that changed lives — the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and the Respect for Marriage Act. Under her leadership, the House twice passed the Equality Act, a priority she made clear would always remain at the heart of our fight for full equality.

“Our community has had no greater ally as Speaker, and her leadership has brought real, lasting change for LGBTQI+ people across the country.

“Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has been a tireless champion on behalf of our nation’s veterans. From her earliest days as a member of Congress to her work as speaker of the House, veterans were a top priority. So much so, that she considers the work we do on their behalf as sacred.

“The passage of the Honoring Our PACT Act, historic legislation that has given nearly 2 million toxic exposed veterans access to the benefits they earned, could not have happened without her tremendous leadership. She knew that this nation made a promise to servicemembers and keeping that promise meant that we must pay for the cost of war.

“Under Speaker Pelosi’s courageous leadership, a Democratic-majority Congress made significant strides on behalf of veterans with bills such as the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, the Veterans COMPACT Act, and many others. These policy successes were only possible because of the work of Speaker Emerita Pelosi and I am honored and humbled to continue her work on behalf of veterans.

“Many in Washington forget where they come from once they get a title or a perch in leadership. Not Speaker Emerita Pelosi. California has always been in her heart. Even as speaker, she never stopped fighting for our state — for our workers, for our families, and for our values. Whether it was protecting Dreamers, standing up for good jobs, or making sure our communities had what they needed after natural disasters, the speaker emerita was always there. She never forgot home.

“I will miss the speaker emerita immensely. At a time of extraordinary challenge and change, her leadership has been a constant. She has guided our caucus and our country through some of our hardest moments.

“But her legacy reaches far beyond the landmark legislation she passed. It lives in the people she mentored, the values she imparted, and the example she set for every person who believes that politics can still be a force for good. Thank you.”

Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento): “Nancy Pelosi is the most consequential and effective speaker in American history. She is an extraordinarily gifted legislator and a fierce defender of our democracy. But to me, she is first and foremost a true, dear friend, someone I have learned from and laughed with countless times. She is an inspiration to us all.

“Nancy shattered every barrier placed in front of her — not for the sake of breaking history, but to change the future for the better. Time and again, she stepped into uncharted territory and turned it into a path for others to rise behind her. That’s who Nancy is — she sees the possibilities long before anyone else does, dives headfirst into solving the toughest problems, and inspires that same boldness in everyone around her.

“From delivering and protecting affordable health care, to rebuilding our infrastructure and confronting the climate crisis head-on, she has delivered real progress for families in every corner of this country.

“To really know Nancy is to see the heart behind the headlines. She brings compassion, a remarkable ability to connect with people, and keen instincts to every room she enters. When the stakes are highest, she never wavers. She leads with distinctive grace, determination, and brilliance no matter the moment.

“Her work has strengthened our democracy, expanded opportunity, and gave a voice to millions who had been overlooked or unheard. Nancy Pelosi has made America fairer, stronger, and more just. And she is not done.

“In the year ahead, she will continue fighting the Trump Administration’s reckless agenda and standing up for the American people. Thank you, Nancy, for everything you have done and everything you will continue to do.”

Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena), past chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus: “Our nation is stronger because of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s remarkable leadership. She’s spent her entire trailblazing career fighting fearlessly for what’s right and never backing down. I’m deeply proud to call Nancy an idol, a mentor, a colleague and a friend. Thank you, Madam Speaker.”

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii): “From becoming our nation’s first woman speaker to securing passage of the landmark Affordable Care Act, my friend Nancy Pelosi has made history time and again.

“No matter how far she’s risen, Nancy’s never lost sight of her mission – to make life better for the children and for the people.

“Like so many Americans, I thank Nancy for her decades of service, and wish her, Paul, and their family well as they look to a new chapter.”