Washington, D.C., November 14, 2012: The International Campaign for Tibet welcomes Leader Pelosi’s announcement today that she will stand again for Democratic Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. ICT welcomes too her strong statement on the situation in Tibet and the special responsibility of the United States to promote in Tibet the values it expounds throughout the world. Leader Pelosi has demonstrated a strong commitment to Tibetan issues and the Tibetan people during her 25 years serving in the U.S. Congress. She has consistently challenged China on its failures in Tibet while promoting programs and policies aimed at a future Tibet where Tibetans exercise self-determination in their daily lives and peace and justice prevail. In 2007 she stood with U.S. President George W. Bush as he presented His Holiness the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal and the following year she travelled to Dharamsala to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the first Speaker of the House to do so. Calling the “crisis in Tibet a challenge to the conscience of the world” Leader Pelosi draws attention to the more than 70 Tibetans who have set themselves on fire in protest against the harsh realities of Chinese misrule in Tibet. As China’s influence on the world stage grows and the crisis in Tibet worsens, it is critical that those like Leader Pelosi who have been an important part of the protracted struggle, redouble their leadership efforts for human rights and political reform in China and Tibet.