Nancy Pelosi, a force on Capitol Hill for decades, to retire from Congress

Nancy Pelosi, a California Democratic representative and the first woman to serve as speaker, announced she will retire from Congress, two years after stepping down from House leadership.

The decision marks the close of a storied 20-term congressional career that saw Pelosi rise to the apex of American politics. A force on Capitol Hill for decades, she was a central figure in the major legislative accomplishments of Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s presidencies.

“I was able to represent our city and our country around the world with patriotism and pride,” she said in a video released on Thursday morning. “I say to my colleagues in the House all the time, no matter what title they have bestowed upon me, there has been no greater honor for me than to stand on the House floor and say, ‘I speak for the people of San Francisco.’”