Pelosi Statement on the Passing of Richard Blum

Washington, D.C. — Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement after the passing of Richard Blum, a philanthropist and husband of Senator Dianne Feinstein:

"Paul and I are heartbroken to learn of the passing of our dear friend, a devoted philanthropist and a proud San Franciscan, Richard Blum. All of us fortunate enough to know Richard and his beloved wife, Senator Dianne Feinstein, know that they share a beautiful love and partnership that was truly a joy to behold.

"A lifelong San Franciscan, Richard was a powerful force for good in our City. Building a successful career in business, he constantly gave back to our City: whether as a patron of our arts, a donor to our food banks or a benefactor to our efforts to end homelessness. Both with his generous philanthropy and by serving on the Board of Regents of the University of California, he helped strengthen our universities across California. Richard's legacy will also be marked by his impact abroad: in his book, ‘Accident of Geography,' he articulated his mission to address the global injustice of poverty. With the Blum Lab for Developing Economies at UC Berkeley, he helped solve challenges facing developing nations. With the American Himalayan Foundation, he helped build hospitals and schools in Tibet and Nepal. In our last conversation, he spoke lovingly and with great pride in his long-term and close friendship with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

"Officially, it is with great appreciation for Richard's many contributions that I send condolences from his many friends in the Congress. Personally, this is a day of great sadness for Paul and me, after sharing decades of warm friendship with him and Dianne. May it be a comfort to Dianne, his brother Robert, his daughters Annette, Heidi and Eileen, his stepdaughter Katherine and her husband Rick Mariano, and his grandchildren Mitchell and Spencer Riley, Lea, Tristan, Julien and Benjamin Bourgade, and Eileen Mariano, that so many in the Bay Area and beyond pray for them during this sad time."