Congressman George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the House Democratic Policy Committee and Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, released the following statement regarding Speaker Pelosi's decision to run for Democratic Leader:

“I am very encouraged that Speaker Pelosi has decided to stay in Congress and run for Democratic Leader. We have many talented people in our Caucus, each of whom has contributed to our success over the past few years, but I believe she is the best person for this important job at this time.

“The fact is, Nancy Pelosi is the single most effective Member of Congress, period.

“She has accomplished more than any other Speaker in history and has always acted in the best interest of our country. She knows full well that job growth is our No. 1 priority and I know that she will stay focused on creating jobs and growing the economy.

“Nancy Pelosi is also one of the toughest people in politics today.

“She has been attacked and vilified by the right wing because of her effectiveness. But we did not lose seats in this last election because the Republicans attacked her in their negative TV ads. We lost seats primarily because of the 9.6 percent unemployment rate and continued record foreclosures caused by the worst recession since the Great Depression. The Democratic Caucus has already done a great deal to improve the economy and is committed to bringing down unemployment and helping homeowners. Having Nancy Pelosi as our minority leader will help us succeed.

“Nancy Pelosi is the person that Democrats need as their leader to help us win back the House in 2012 and continue America on its road to recovery.”