Speaker Pelosi Unveils Official Portrait as the 52nd Speaker of the House at U.S. Capitol Ceremony

sight of the horizon and how fortunate we are to call her colleague and friend. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the presentation of the Colors of the United States, the singing of our National Anthem, and the retiring of the Colors. Colors present, arms! Colors, right shoulder, arms! Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Lucille Roybal Allard, United States Representative of the 40th Congressional District of California. Good afternoon. Let me begin by extending my most sincere thanks to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the most incredible speaker our country has ever had, for the opportunity to say a few words at the unveiling of her portrait. There is no doubt Speaker Pelosi will go down in history as our nation's greatest speaker. In 2007, when elected the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives, some of you may remember that she was subjected to unprecedented and unrelenting scrutiny, never experienced by any of her predecessors. You may recall how initially much of the news coverage was more about her clothes, shoes, and hair than about the strength of her leadership and her grasp of the critical issues before Congress and our country. Undeterred, and elected as Speaker again in 2019, she proved to be more than up to the challenge, and became the chief architect of generation-defining legislation. Speaker Pelosi has admirably led the Congress during some of the most difficult and challenging times our nation has ever faced, never wavering from her determination and commitment to protect our democracy and improve the quality of life of all Americans, especially our children. Nancy Pelosi is truly a talented woman of substance, who was at the right place at the right time when our country needed strong, intelligent, and moral leadership. And she has led with grace and dignity. Her strong and effective leadership and accomplishments will most certainly be reflected in the portrait we see today. There are, however, some qualities which may not be as obvious behind the trappings of power and privilege. Thirty years ago, as I was getting ready to come to D.C. to begin my first term in Congress, I expressed to my father my concern that in the very early days of the session, I would have to vote or take positions on issues I may not have the opportunity to fully understand. My father, who served 30 years in Congress and served with Nancy from the time she was elected, responded to me by saying, Look to the gentle lady from California, Nancy Pelosi. She is not only intelligent, hardworking, and knowledgeable, she is ethical with high moral standards and values of which you can be proud. This is so true of the woman we honor today, Speaker Nancy D'Alessandro Pelosi. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable John A. Boehner, 53rd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Well, I could say it's good to be here, but I'm glad I'm here for Speaker Pelosi. Madam Speaker, Paul, it's a privilege to be with you and your family this afternoon for the unveiling of this portrait as you bring to a close an historic run as leader of this institution that we love and serve. Debbie and I offer our most sincere congratulations. Today is about you, Speaker Pelosi, certainly not about me. But it would be wrong for me not to note the passing just days ago of Mr. Ron Scherer, the exceptionally talented and generous artist who painted my own portrait, which was unveiled three years ago and now hangs in the Speaker's lobby. He also happened to paint the portrait we're going to see in a few minutes. May he rest in peace and may his family find peace in this holiday season. Madam Speaker, you and I have disagreed politically on many things over the years, but we were never disagreeable to each other. As you might have heard me say before, you can disagree without being disagreeable. You've been unfailingly gracious, gracious to me, to my family and, frankly, my team here in Washington. And, Madam Speaker, I have to say my girls told me, tell this speaker, admire her. Except they couldn't tell my girls were Democrats. You were so gracious to me, in fact, that at times it got me in trouble with my own members. In 2011, when I became Speaker and you handed me the gavel in the House chamber, I decided, why not? I'm going to give you a big kiss. Well, two things happened. First, the speaker, like, backed away. And I thought to myself, as if there's nobody watching, I can't let her rebuff me, so I kind of moved in and made sure I planted that kiss on her, right? Well, let me tell you, I heard about it for months. No, actually, I heard about it for years. You've been incredibly effective as the leader of your caucus. You know, the younger generation today has a saying, game recognizes game. And the fact of the matter is, no other speaker of the House in the modern era, Republican or Democrat, has wielded the gavel with such a comprehensive set of results. Let me just say, you're one tough cookie. You know, I can tell a few stories here. My old friend, the late, great John Dingell certainly could. And if you read my book, you know the rest of that story. But there's another side of you, Madam Speaker, as well. As leader of the other party opposite you during many of your years in leadership, I occasionally got to see and experience something few others get to see. And that was your grace when the cameras were off, and when the moment called for us to rise above politics and stand together as colleagues to do what was in the interest of the House and, frankly, what was in the interest of the country. I was witness to this on multiple occasions, from war funding to the economy and certainly to the financial crisis of 2008. You've been a fierce warrior for your party. But when the stakes were highest, you were willing to put the interest of the nation first and take the heat for it. Now that's leadership. Leaders lead, Madam Speaker, and you, Madam Speaker, have led. I'm honored to be here today as a longtime colleague and a fellow American to say thank you for that. Thank you all. Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Denise Graves, accompanied by Ms. Laura Ward. A name, a certain word, democracy. The house I live in, the street, grocer or the tailor, or the people that I meet, the children in the playground, the places that are all races and religions. The place I work in, the worker at my side, the little town or city where my people lived and died. To speak my mind out, that's a matter of the things I see about me, the big things and the small. The little corner you stand or the house among the tears, the dream that's been a guide for you. The moments in this place, the dreams that we've been made. The church, the school, the courthouse, the nation, the people, that's a riddle for me. Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Charles E. Schumer, Democratic leader of the United States Senate. First, Ms. Graves, that was so beautiful. Now, when I was a young member of Congress, as many of the old timers here know, I joined with fellow Democrats every Tuesday night for dinner, usually Italian. One night, George Miller, a California Democrat, who was a member of this group, told me something quite audacious. He said, you're going to meet someone in a minute. She's our new Congresswoman from San Francisco. One day, she'll be Speaker. You remember that. When I met her, I immediately knew what George meant. From the start, it was obvious. This new member had it all. She knew the issues. She knew the politics. And most importantly, she knew what she was fighting for. That person, of course, was Nancy D'Alessandro Pelosi. Today, it is my honor, my bittersweet honor, to join with congressional leaders to unveil the official portrait of Speaker Pelosi, the proud daughter of Baltimore, the distinguished representative from California, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House. For a century and a half, the lobby next to the House chamber has been adorned with portraits of Speakers past. Sam Rayburn, Tip O'Neill, John Boehner, of course. And today, the portraits of these men will be forever joined by the likeness of another Speaker, a Madam Speaker. It is a most fitting tribute, because few leaders in American history have been as effective, as driven, as successful as Speaker Pelosi. I'm known for having a lot of energy, but I have never, ever, ever met anyone with more energy and drive than Nancy Pelosi. She is always, always working. And Nancy, from one leader to another, one of the things I will forever admire is how you always kept your caucus united. For over 20 years, she kept saying the same thing. Our unity is our strength. She kept saying it, and saying it, and saying it. And the results speak for themselves. We cannot talk about the Affordable Care Act without mentioning Nancy Pelosi. We cannot talk about the American Rescue Plan without mentioning Nancy Pelosi. We cannot talk about the Infrastructure Law, the Violence Against Women Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Act, repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and so much more without mentioning Nancy D'Alessandro Pelosi. She did it all. And yet, for all her successes, I learned that Speaker Pelosi is at her best during the hardest moments, none harder than January 6th. In the face of insurrection, there was Nancy with us in the safe room, unshaken, calm, determined to secure the building and keep democracy going. As hard as January 6th was, working with Speaker Pelosi to keep Congress in session, watching her, marveling at her, was one of the proudest moments ever of my time in office. And through it all, Speaker Pelosi has been a beloved friend. You all know that. On the phone with Nancy, the first thing she asks, she asked me all the time, how's your family doing? How's your new grandchild? And then the first thing she updated me on was hers. She has shared with all of us, and certainly with me, the ups and downs of life, from birthdays to weddings to graduations, and especially Paul's recovery, which we're all so happy for. So we all know Nancy's a masterful legislator, but we all know something else, an even more wonderful human being. Finally, and maybe most importantly, Nancy Pelosi has made the world a better place for countless women and girls from all walks of life. Somewhere out there, a future Madam Speaker awaits her chance to make a difference. And when that day comes, she will be standing on my friend Nancy Pelosi's shoulders. Thanks to Nancy Pelosi, young women across the country today, and for generations to come, won't have to wonder if they too can dream big, go far, and do their part to make the world a better place. So thank you, Nancy. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your friendship. It's truly an honor of a lifetime to work with you. Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Elena Hung, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Little Lobbyists and Zero Mora's Mom. Madam Speaker, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and friends watching on the live stream, it is my great honor to join you today. When I reflect on Speaker Pelosi's incomparable leadership, I think of the partnerships that she so thoughtfully creates and nurtures, the inside maneuvering and the outside mobilization that she has often spoken about. Partnership between those who are most directly affected by the laws passed in this building and the members of Congress who draft and vote on them. Partnership between families like mine who share our personal stories to put a face on the policies, and the most powerful woman in the history of the United States Congress who chose to listen and uplift those stories. Partnership like that is how I, an immigrant mother of a disabled child, am here speaking before you now. Partnership like that is what makes it possible to pass and defend life-changing, history-making legislation like the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It is no exaggeration to say that my daughter, Xiomara, the joy of my life, and countless children with complex medical needs and disabilities, like her, are alive today because of the ACA, and we have the ACA because of Speaker Pelosi. I often think of all the babies like Xiomara, whose five months in the neonatal intensive care unit totaled $3 million in medical bills, who now have a chance at childhood because the ACA banned lifetime limits on their care. Xiomara is eight years old now. That's eight birthdays that were never promised to a medically complex child like her. And as we await Xiomara's next life-saving surgery, I am comforted knowing that she has the health care she needs thanks to the protections of the ACA. Today, as we celebrate and express our gratitude for the Speaker's remarkable accomplishments, what I hope will be most remembered as part of her legacy, what I hope everyone sees when they look at the beautiful portrait, is that Speaker Pelosi did it all for the children. By working together in partnership, inside and outside, we are able to celebrate more birthdays with our children and build a better world that is worthy of them. Madam Speaker, on behalf of Xiomara and all the little lobbyist children and their families, we love you so much. Thank you. Ms. Xiomara has been wonderful to say thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, a special message from the Honorable Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States. Hi, everybody. At this point, I think my love for Nancy Pelosi is well documented. But I figured I'd make it absolutely clear for anyone who doesn't already know. Whenever I get stressed about what's happening in Washington, I always feel better knowing that Nancy is on the case. And that's because, for Nancy, nothing is impossible. After we lost Senator Kennedy in 2009, just about everyone told us the Affordable Care Act was dead. But Nancy never believed it. She would always say, if the gate is closed, we'll push it open. If the gate's locked, we'll pole vault over it. If that doesn't work, we'll parachute in. Just about the only thing she wasn't willing to do was give up. And like always, she got it done. The Affordable Care Act is just one example of why I believe Nancy will go down as one of the most accomplished legislators in American history. She helped rescue the economy not once, but twice. She helped make historic investments in the fight against climate change. Just last week, she helped keep marriage equality the law of the land. And even after insurrectionists literally broke into her office, she never stopped defending democracy here at home and around the world. Nancy has also inspired a generation of women to run, win, and lead. Because they've seen her, what someone like her, and someone like them, can do. On a personal note, Nancy, I will always be grateful for our friendship, forged in tough battles and, I guess by you, fortified by dark chocolate. And while you won't be in leadership anymore, I'll still feel better knowing that your portrait will be looking down from these walls, reminding everyone who sees it to keep up the fight. Thank you for everything. Thank you for being wonderful. And congratulations again. Job well done. Hi, everybody. Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Zoe Lofgren. Well, now is the moment we've been waiting for, where Nancy, our wonderful speaker, friend, and leader, will, joined by her family, unveil this beautiful portrait. Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Thank you all. It's amazing to think that John Boehner and I had the same artist paint our pictures, right, John? Good afternoon, everyone. I'm overjoyed to be here with each and every one of you. I'm overjoyed to be here with my family, Paul, Paul Jr., Nancy, Corinne, Alexander, Liam, and the Pelosi's, and also the D'Alessandro's here from Baltimore. Thank you for being here. Thank you to my dear husband, Paul, my loving partner of life, my constant, constant pillar of support. Thank you, Paul, and thank you for unveiling the portrait. I'm also touched by so many of my dedicated staff who are here. As I said on the floor of the House, the best staff ever in the history of our country. Thank you. And for my remarkable colleagues, everything that was said here about what we accomplished would not have been possible without the courage of our colleagues, the dedication, the values, the courage of our colleagues. And I thank you for all of the successes you made possible. This program was wonderful to me. It was like seeing a story of my political life revealed in front of me, not in terms of believing all of the accolades, but in identifying with the persons who were presenting. Again, Chair Zoe Lofgren, leading our California delegation, Chair of the House Administration Committee, thank you, Zoe, for being a powerful voice for diversity and voting rights and for democracy itself in the Congress. Congresswoman Lucille will allure like a sister to me. I served with her father, Eddie Roybal, as did Steny. We served with Eddie. He came to Congress on a path that he blazed, working with the farmworkers that he helped organize. And I particularly like that because the farmworkers helped organize my first campaign under the leadership of Fred Ross, who left us recently. Lucille, in your own right, you made your mark in Congress, the godmother of the DREAM Act, and one who taught us every day that newcomers to America were the constant reinvigoration of America. Thank you, Lucille. I'm grateful to Denise Graves. Wasn't she wonderful? Isn't she wonderful? As I'm sitting there hearing her sing, I'm thinking that my first swearing-in as a leader was as Whit a long time ago, 2002. Denise Graves sang that day as well. And so here she is again. Thank you so much. So beautiful. You've taught us in a moving way what America is to me. My favorite verse, the children in the playground, the faces that I see, all races and religions, that's America to me. Thank you, Denise Graves. Leader Schumer. George Miller told me the same thing about you. But he had it in a different house. And don't we miss him. I'm honored that you are here as leader of the Senate and to welcome you back to the House where we got you ready for all of that leadership. Today, before we came in here, we had a ceremony on the floor to mark the 10-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy. I want to recognize you today for the work that you did in the House. He was our leader in passing the Brady Bill in the House of Representatives. I was like a Munchkin. Just go do this, go do that. Chuck Schumer was in charge. He really, really taught us how to lead and how to win. In addition to that, our bicameral partnership of the American Rescue Package, Infrastructure Bill, PACT Act for our veterans. Thank you, Mr. Secretary for being with us. The Chips and Science Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and just yesterday, signed by the President, the Respect for Marriage Act. Thank you so much for your leadership. Chuck Schumer was responsible for so much of that to happen. We trained him well in the House. Elena Hung is the personification of outside mobilization. I say it all the time. Our inside maneuvering can just take us so far. Unless the outside weighs in, we cannot have our best product. Her little girl, Xiomara, had her challenges. She said, I'm going to give voice to this. They started Little Lobbyists and made so much difference in protecting the Affordable Care Act. Thank you, Elena, for joining us today. How about John Boehner? Wasn't that something? I'm telling you. I would have been a little disappointed if he did not get emotional. He said so well, and I totally agree. We had our disagreements along the way, but we did not, we were not disagreeable to each other. We tried very hard to bring people together. Many different issues that were our challenges at the time. My biggest challenge, which I failed in, was to get him to stop smoking. And he's still there, right? Thank you for honoring us with your presence today. It means a great deal to me. He gave me the gavel. I gave him the gavel. I was present at his unveiling, and he's here today. And more important than that, Debbie is here today. Paul and I love that you're here, Debbie. Thank you so much. And President Obama, what an honor, what a total honor for me that he sent this message today. He taught us about the audacity to hope. Hope that makes a difference in America. I saw firsthand his inspirational leadership, knowing every detail and every possibility to expand quality, affordable health care. It simply would not have happened without him. That goes without saying. I also saw him firsthand up close rallying the world at COP 15 in Copenhagen, early on, making a big difference. And you know, Madam Secretary of the Interior, what a difference he made from outside the Congress, but now with that full appreciation. And he then took that on to the Paris COP and made a tremendous difference that we are advancing now. So today, he and Michelle continue to lift up the next generation of leaders, investing in the future, giving them hope and confidence to make a difference. He was always about the future when he had the courage to run, as he served and led, and now investing in the future. Thank you, President Obama, for that beautiful, beautiful statement. In a moment, you'll hear from Father Privet, my dear friend. As you know, my public service is based on my faith, strength my faith. I'll never forget the prayer that Father Privet delivered on the floor during my swearing-in as Speaker in 2007, and it's so special that it's with us today. Thank you, Father Privet, for that. So when I came to Congress all those years ago, George Miller introduced me to his friends. My slogan at the time for the campaign was a voice that will be heard. A voice that will be heard. That was the slogan. And little did I know that it would be one culminating in my being the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Never thought that. And I'm honored to play this role in forging what we consider historic progress for our nation. Again, it would not happen without the courage, values, and knowledge and inspiration of our colleagues. I thank all of you for being here today. We're going to have some time to get together when we leave here. But in the meantime, I just want to share some other thoughts with you. We're in Statuary Hall, and everyone who knows, every time I speak in Statuary Hall, I call to people's attention the goddess of history, the muse of history, Cleo. Cleo records all that she observes. And I keep saying to the members, Cleo is writing down in the book. Mr. Leader, you've heard, Kevin, you've heard this so many times here. And my colleagues, I'm confident that she will look favorably upon our achievements. We've also sought common ground where we could. We have that responsibility. Bipartisanship, transparency, accountability, where we can. As Lincoln taught us, we must always seek to swell the chorus of the union when again touched, as surely we will be, by the better angels of our nature. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for mentioning Ron Shearer, the artist. I want to join you in extending sympathy to his family. Imagine that one week ago, he left one week before this. He had a gift of capturing the intricate details of the House Chamber and breathing life into an historic moment. Again, as was mentioned, this painting will stand out as a woman in that speaker's lobby. I'm really honored. My members have the courage to elect a woman speaker. That is not without courage. And as the leader mentioned, somewhere out there, there's someone who will be. Somewhere in this Congress is a future woman speaker to be. I'm honored to be the first, but it would only be a good accomplishment if I'm not the last. Again, with so many values, so much commitment for the common good, I know that will be sooner rather than later. In the coming Congress, as I had mentioned, I look forward to continuing my public service in the Congress where I began 35 years ago, a voice that will be heard for San Francisco. No matter what titles my colleagues may have given me, my highest official honor will always be to speak for the people of San Francisco. I thank all of you for being here to celebrate the story of my congressional career. But as demonstrated by those who shared some thoughts with us, it's our political career. It's what we have done working together inside the Congress and, again, with the outside mobilization so necessary to get the job done. To my colleagues, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can never thank you enough. I thank you for your support, but more importantly for your patriotism and for what you are all doing on both sides of the aisle for our country. And I think that every one of you is a blessing to our country. And may God continue to bless America. Thank you all so much for being here today and making this possible. Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the blessing offered by Reverend Stephen A. Privet. As we gather in this pantheon of great Americans, we realize that Speaker Pelosi's legacy is not the painting that we unveiled today. Hers are far more substantive and lasting contributions woven into the very fabric of American life. Expanded health care, the protection of all married couples, investment in infrastructure, safeguarding Social Security, care for the Earth. Speaker Pelosi frequently invokes the prayer of St. Francis, patron of the city she serves, and expressive of the religious faith that compels her efforts to fashion a more humane and just world for all, especially children and the vulnerable. So in a bit of a twist, let us pray a version of St. Francis' prayer that captures something of Speaker Pelosi's long career in public service and expresses the challenge that career poses to all of us. We pray, Lord, make me a channel of your disturbance. Where there is apathy, let me provoke. Where there is silence, may I speak out. Where there is too much comfort and too little action, may I disrupt. Where there are doors closed and hearts locked, grant me the willingness to listen. When tradition speaks louder than human need, may we hear the cries of the poor. O God, may we seek to do justice rather than talk about it, to be agents of your justice and mercy. God, make us channels of your disturbance. So thank you, Speaker Pelosi, for your long and distinguished career of faith-filled efforts to fashion the world as God would have it be. Where the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the stranger welcomed, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them. May God continue to bless this nation through your good works. Amen. Ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats for the departure of the official party. On behalf of the Speaker, you are invited to join the reception in the Speaker Nancy Pelosi Caucus Room in the Cannon House Office Building, Room 390.