It could be argued that Nancy Pelosi is the most important political figure in the United States over the last 40 years. Throughout presidential administrations, Pelosi has navigated key legislation and led critical fights for the American people in the House.
During the Clinton administration, she championed the Ryan White Care Act that expanded Medicaid to cover HIV/AIDS care and established the national care system for HIV and AIDS. Pelosi was vital to changing the way that HIV is cared for and the she changes she brought about through legislation saved lives.
During the Bush administration, she led the opposition to the Iraq War. The national oppostion to the Iraq War led to a blue wave in 2006 that led to Pelosi making history as the first woman Speaker of the House in 2007.
During her first stint as speaker, Pelosi got the response to the Great Recession through the House that included saving the US auto industry.
Pelosi’s greatest and most important achievement legislatively as speaker was the years-long effort to pass the Affordable Care Act. Americans often forget how intense of a battle it was to get the healthcare legislation through the House. It ended up costing Pelosi her first speakership, but she got legislation passed that would improve and forever change the US healthcare system.
Pelosi became the first person in more than six decades to return as speaker in 2019. Her second term as speaker was defined by passing the American Rescue Plan to respond to the COVID pandemic, and House passage of the most consequential infrastructure legislation in forty years.
Nancy Pelosi kept House Democrats unified and together. Younger House Democrats complained that she ruled the Democratic caucus with an iron fist and the opportunities were limited. but her influence can be seen all over the next generation of House Democrats, from Hakeem Jeffries to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Rep. Pelosi has remained an advisor to House Democrats even after stepping down from leadership.
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