NED is honoring Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi with the Democracy Service Medal for her outspoken support for democracy advocates around the world, especially those who took great risks, and for democratic allies including Taiwan and Ukraine.
Nancy Pelosi served as the 52nd Speaker of the House of Representatives. She made history in 2007 when she was elected the first woman to serve as Speaker and again in 2019 when she became the first person in more than six decades to regain the Speakership. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2013 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024. Pelosi is the architect of generation-defining legislation, including laws to lower health care costs, rebuild infrastructure, support small businesses, protect the planet and deliver assistance for students and veterans. Pelosi is a steadfast defender of democracy at home, particularly in response to the January 6th insurrection, and is a powerful voice for human rights around the world. Pelosi has represented San Francisco in Congress for 37 years. Married to Paul Pelosi, she is a proud mother of five and grandmother of ten.
