Anna Eshoo holds a hearing of the Health Subcommittee on Feb. 20, 2020. As the Chairwoman, Eshoo presented bills regarding medical cures and representation in clinical trials. (Provided by eshoo.house.gov)

Silicon Valley Congress representative Anna Eshoo announced on Nov. 21 that she will leave public service after her term ends in January 2025.

Since she was elected in 1992, Eshoo has served as the representative of the 16th congressional district, encompassing Silicon Valley along with parts of Santa Clara and San Mateo County, . She was the first female Democrat elected to represent the 16th district. Over the course of her career, she supported policies advocating for women’s health care, clean energy and technology.

At 80 years old, Eshoo has decided to leave public service. Yet since she was first elected in 1992, she has had an uninterrupted 30 years in the seat. History teacher James Tate reflected on her reasons for leaving and applauded Eshoo for stepping down.

“She’s saying, ‘Someone else can do a better job than I can,’” Tate said. “And I imagine after a lifetime of public service, that’s a very hard decision to make. But it’s very selfless and Washingtonian. It’s the kind of model that our political system is supposed to encourage.”

Eshoo holds leadership positions in multiple committees in Congress. She has been Chair of the Health Subcommittee for four years, has served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee for 28 years and was the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology for six years.

Civil Discourse Club president Neo Alpha (12) discussed the local impact of Eshoo’s retirement and explained that a new representative would have less influence over Congress committees than Eshoo.

“One thing that happens a lot with more senior members of Congress is that they get nicer committee positions like chair or ranking member,” Neo said. “Eshoo has been in Congress for a very long time. Committee of Energy and Commerce, ranking member of a subcommittee. This is one local impact because less senior members of Congress, any new people who get elected, are probably going to have less clout, less standing in the committees.”

Civil Discourse Club co-head of content officer Jacqueline Huang speculated about future representative candidates. She said that though the “large number of people” in Congress who have decided not to seek reelection might change the way that the House leans, Anna Eshoo’s retirement probably won’t contribute directly to such a shift. 

“No matter who gets elected into her seat for the 16th congressional district in California, they are going to be a Democrat, because her seat is very safe for the Democrats,” Jacqueline said. “So it won’t have a massive impact on what the house majority is.”

Eshoo leaves behind an impressive legacy. She helped write part of the Affordable Care Act to support affordable health insurance for all Americans. She also wrote landmark bipartisan legislation to prevent discrimination, advance new lifesaving biologic drugs and modernize Food and Drug Administration approval of medical devices.

Tate praised Eshoo as a “solid” Congresswoman and predicted that Silicon Valley would elect a new representative with similar characteristics. 

“She’s been a consistent, scandal-free, sticks-to-her-guns Democratic Congresswoman,” Tate said. “She represents the area well. They don’t want a radical; they don’t want a conservative; they want a Clintonian democrat who will doggedly pursue policies over the long term. She wants to move the goals slowly, and that’s a sensible way of thinking about politics.”