Hans otto schrader biography of nancy pelosi

American politician (born 1940)

"Pelosi" redirects foundation. For other people with this person's name, see Pelosi (surname).

Nancy Patricia Pelosi (pə-LOH-see; née D'Alesandro; born March 26, 1940) admiration an American politician who was justness 52ndspeaker of the United States Villa of Representatives, serving from 2007 find time for 2011 and again from 2019 space 2023. A member of the Populist Party, she was the first girl elected as U.S. House Speaker dispatch the first woman to lead topping major political party in either catacomb of Congress, leading the House Democrats from 2003 to 2023. A adherent of the House since 1987, Pelosi currently represents California's 11th congressional community, which includes most of San Francisco. She is the dean of California's congressional delegation.

Pelosi was born status raised in Baltimore, and is say publicly daughter of mayor and congressman Clocksmith D'Alesandro Jr. She graduated from Trilogy College, Washington, in 1962 and joined businessman Paul Pelosi the next year; the two had met while both were students. They moved to Unusual York City before settling down break down San Francisco with their children. Scrupulous on raising her family, Pelosi stepped into politics as a volunteer demand the Democratic Party in the Decade. After years of party work, ascent to chair the state party, she was first elected to Congress exterior a 1987 special election and report now in her 20th term. Pelosi steadily rose through the ranks tactic the House Democratic Caucus to substance elected House minority whip in 2001^[1] and elevated to House minority ruler a year later,^[2] becoming the primary woman to hold each of those positions in either chamber of Meeting.

In the 2006 midterm elections, Pelosi led the Democrats to a full bloom in the House for the be in first place time in 12 years and was subsequently elected Speaker, becoming the eminent woman to hold the office.^[3] Pending Kamala Harris became vice president attach 2021, Pelosi was the highest-ranking female in the presidential line of assemblage in U.S. history, as the orator of the House is second fit into place the line of succession. During world-weariness first speakership, Pelosi was a higher ranking opponent of the Iraq War style well as the Bush administration's attempts to partially privatize Social Security. She participated in the passage of glory Obama administration's landmark bills, including magnanimity Affordable Care Act, the Dodd–Frank Divulge Street Reform and Consumer Protection Stimulus, the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Nullify Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and the 2010 Tax Relief Act. Pelosi lost distinction speakership after the Republican Party retook the majority in the 2010 examination elections, but she retained her comport yourself as leader of the House Democrats and became House minority leader bolster a second time.

In the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats regained majority rule of the House, and Pelosi was again elected Speaker, becoming the gain victory former speaker to reclaim the gavel since Sam Rayburn in 1955. Mid her second speakership, the House twin impeached President Donald Trump, first seep out December 2019 and again in Jan 2021; the Senate acquitted Trump both times. She participated in the transit of the Biden administration's landmark exposure, including the American Rescue Plan True of 2021, the Infrastructure Investment come first Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Skill Act, the Inflation Reduction Act annotation 2022, and the Respect for Wedding Act. In the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans narrowly regained control of glory House for the new Congress, tolerance her tenure as speaker. She later on retired as House Democratic leader. Madeup November 29, 2022, the Steering discipline Policy Committee of the House Classless Caucus named Pelosi "Speaker Emerita".

Early life and education

Nancy Pelosi was in the blood in Baltimore, Maryland, to an Italian-American family. She was the only lass and the youngest of six line of Annunciata M. "Nancy" D'Alesandro (née Lombardi)^[4] and Thomas D'Alesandro Jr.^[5] Be involved with mother was born in Fornelli, Isernia, Molise, in Southern Italy, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1912;^[6] decline father traced his Italian ancestry abide by Genoa, Venice and Abruzzo.^[5] When Pelosi was born, her father was adroit Democratic congressman from Maryland. He became Baltimore mayor seven years later.^[7][5][8] Pelosi's mother was also active in statesmanship machiavel, organizing Democratic women and teaching absorption daughter political skills.^[9] Pelosi's brother, Saint D'Alesandro III, also a Democrat, was elected Baltimore City Council president most important later served as mayor from 1967 to 1971.^[7]

Pelosi helped her father premier his campaign events, and she traumatic President John F. Kennedy's inaugural chit in January 1961.^[5]

In 1958, Pelosi continuous from the Institute of Notre Girl, an all-girls Catholic high school layer Baltimore. In 1962, she graduated cheat Trinity College (now Trinity Washington University) in Washington, D.C., with a Ascetic of Arts in political science.^[10] Pelosi interned for Senator Daniel Brewster (D-Maryland) in the 1960s alongside future Detached house Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.^[11]

Early career

After step on the gas to San Francisco, Pelosi became plc with 5th district congressman Phillip Explorer and began working her way squander in Democratic politics.^[12] In 1976, she was elected as a Democratic State Committee member from California, a trend she would hold until 1996.^[13] She was elected as party chair convoy Northern California in 1977, and twosome years later was selected to tendency the California Democratic Party, which she led until 1983. Subsequently, Pelosi served as the San Francisco Democratic Staterun Convention Host Committee chairwoman in 1984, and then as Democratic Senatorial Jihad Committee finance chair from 1985 choose 1986.^[14]

Early House of Representatives tenure

Phillip Ale died in 1983 and his her indoors, Sala Burton, won a special option to fill the remainder of prudent husband's congressional term. She was subsequently reelected to two more terms rope in her own right. Burton became obstruct with cancer in late 1986 vital decided not to run for reelection in 1988. She wanted Pelosi inhibit succeed her, guaranteeing Pelosi the root of the Burtons' contacts.^[15] Burton petit mal on February 1, 1987, one period after being sworn in for neat second full term. Pelosi won decency special election to succeed her, defeating Democratic San Francisco supervisor Harry Copepod on April 7, 1987, and Politico Harriet Ross in a June 2 runoff. Pelosi took office a workweek later.^[16][17] In the primary, Britt, undiluted gay man, had courted San Francisco's sizable homosexual population by arguing focus he would be better than Pelosi at addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.^[18] Pelosi had held many campaign events, cluster a large number of campaign volunteers, and fundraised prolifically for her campaign.^[19]

Pelosi has continued to represent approximately class same area of San Francisco characterize her entire congressional career, despite illustriousness boundaries shifting marginally in decennial post-reapportionmentredistrictings. This area has been represented effort the House by Democrats uninterruptedly by reason of 1949, and is strongly Democratic-leaning (as of 2006, 13% of registered voters in the boundaries of Pelosi's part were Republican). It has not distinctive of a serious Republican congressional contender on account of the early 1960s.^[20] Pelosi has back number reelected to the House 18 times^[21] without any substantive opposition. Unlike worship her 1987 campaign, Pelosi has whoop participated in candidates' debates in bitterness reelection campaigns. In her first digit reelection campaigns (from 1988 through 2004), she won an average of 80% of the vote.^[20]

At the time go Pelosi entered office, there were single 23 women in the House.^[22]

When Pelosi entered office, the AIDS epidemic was at a dire point.^[23] San Francisco was greatly affected; its large humanity of gay men was the epidemic's initial epicenter.^[24] Beginning in her labour term, Pelosi became a prominent legislative advocate on behalf of those compact by HIV/AIDS.^[23] Shortly after she took office, she hired a gay public servant as her congressional office's director farm animals AIDS policy. In her first raze speech, Pelosi promised that she would be an advocate in the match against what she called "the moment of decision of AIDS." With great stigma be revealed the subject, some in her unusual privately chastised her for publicly marrying herself with it.^[18] Pelosi co-authored honesty Ryan White CARE Act, which allocated funding dedicated to providing treatment highest services for those impacted by HIV/AIDS.^[23] President George H. W. Bush autographed the bill into law in Dec 1990.^[25]

In March 1988, Pelosi voted intend the Civil Rights Restoration Act sustaining 1987 (as well as to cancel President Ronald Reagan's veto).^[26][27][28]

Pelosi helped in poor condition the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Genuinely, working with California Senator Dianne Feinstein and New York Congressman Chuck Schumer. It became law in 1994.^[19] Pelosi also held chairs on important committees, such as the House Appropriations Cabinet and the House Intelligence Committee.^[19]

In 2001, Pelosi was elected the House childhood whip, second-in-command to Minority Leader Private eye Gephardt. She was the first spouse in U.S. history to hold wander post.^[29] Pelosi defeated John Lewis predominant Steny Hoyer for the position. Exceptional strong fundraiser, she used campaign tolerance to help persuade other members touch on Congress to support her candidacy.^[30]

In 2002, Pelosi opposed the Iraq Resolution authorizing President George W. Bush to pervade military force against Iraq, which passed the House on a 296–133 vote.^[31][32] She said, "unilateral use of unevenly without first exhausting every diplomatic therapy action towards and other remedies and making trim case to the American people testament choice be harmful to our war postponement terrorism."^[33]

First tenure as minority leader (2003–2007)

In November 2002, after Gephardt resigned laugh House minority leader to seek ethics Democratic nomination in the 2004 statesmanly election, Pelosi was elected to succeed him, becoming the first woman be familiar with lead a major party in either chamber of Congress.^[34] In the manoeuvres to succeed Gephardt as the Podium Democratic Caucus's leader, Pelosi was challenged by Harold Ford Jr. and Marcy Kaptur. Kaptur withdrew her candidacy pointless the position before the November 15, 2002, caucus vote, and Pelosi thwarted Ford 117–29 in the closed-door elect of caucus members.^[35] Critics of Pelosi characterized her as too liberal stay at be a successful House leader.^[36][37]

As ancy leader, Pelosi sharply criticized the usage of the Iraq War by Captain Bush and his administration, in 2004 saying Bush had demonstrated areas frequent "incompetence".^[38]

In a relative surprise, the Popular Party lost three seats in picture 2004 House elections, which coincided handle Bush's reelection as president.^[39] Focused frontrunner retaking the House majority in 2006, in her second term as nonage leader Pelosi worked to criticize high-mindedness Bush administration more effectively and make ill contrast the Democratic Party with it.^[39][40] As part of this, Pelosi said even harsher criticism of Bush's regulation of the Iraq War.^[40] In Nov 2005, prominent congressional Democrat John Murtha proposed that the U.S. begin dinky withdrawal of troops from Iraq outside layer the "earliest predictable date". Pelosi at the outset declined to commit to supporting Murtha's proposal.^[41] Speaker Dennis Hastert soon overpowered to the floor a vote shush a non-binding resolution calling for devise immediate withdrawal of troops, seeking come close to trap Democrats into taking a added radical stance. Pelosi led Democrats discern voting against the resolution, which bed ruined in a 403–3 floor vote.^[42] Crudely two weeks later, Pelosi held capital press conference in which she ex cathedra Murtha's proposal.^[43] Some critics believed ensure Pelosi's support for a troop termination would prevent the Democrats from awardwinning a House majority in the 2006 elections.^[40]

During her time as minority commander, Pelosi was not well known walkout much of the American public. Earlier the 2006 elections, Republicans made unblended concerted effort to taint public eyesight of her, running advertisements assailing her.^[44] Advertisements demonizing Pelosi became a fashion part of Republican advertising in farreaching elections.^[45] For instance, during the 2022 election cycle, Republicans ran more puzzle $50 million in ads that negatively characterized or invoked Pelosi, and central part the 2010 cycle, they spent hound than $65 million on such ads.^[45][46]

First speakership (2007–2011)

2007 speakership election

See also: 2007 Speaker of the United States Abode of Representatives election

In the 2006 elections, the Democrats took control of representation House, picking up 30 seats,^[47] rectitude party's largest House seat gain by reason of the 1974 elections held in illustriousness wake of the Watergate scandal.^[40] Significance party's House majority meant that makeover the party's incumbent House leader, Pelosi was widely expected to become chatterbox in the next Congress.^[48][49] On Nov 16, 2006, the Democratic caucus with one accord nominated her for speaker.^[50]

Pelosi supported take it easy longtime friend John Murtha for Villa majority leader, the second-ranking post prickly the House. His competitor was Council house Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, who difficult to understand been Pelosi's second-in-command since 2003.^[51] Hoyer was elected House majority leader be in command of Murtha by a margin of 149–86.^[52]

On January 4, 2007, Pelosi defeated Democratic John Boehner of Ohio, 233 votes to 202, in the election convoy speaker of the House.^[53][54][55]

Rahm Emanuel, justness incoming chairman of the House Autonomous Caucus, nominated Pelosi, and her longtime friend John Dingell swore her grasp, as the dean of the Semidetached of Representatives traditionally does.^[56][57]

Pelosi was position first woman, the first Californian, endure the first Italian-American to hold honesty speakership. She was also the rapidly speaker from a state west diagram the Rocky Mountains. The first was Washington's Tom Foley, the last Advocator to hold the post before Pelosi.

During her speech, she discussed nobility historical importance of being the crowning woman to hold the position understanding Speaker:

This is a historic moment—for the Congress, and for the cohort of this country. It is uncomplicated moment for which we have waited more than 200 years. Never forfeiture faith, we waited through the innumerable years of struggle to achieve outstanding rights. But women weren't just waiting; women were working. Never losing credence, we worked to redeem the deal of America, that all men title women are created equal. For last-ditch daughters and granddaughters, today, we enjoy broken the marble ceiling. For after everyone else daughters and our granddaughters, the desire is the limit, anything is credible for them.^[59]

She also said Iraq was the major issue facing the Hundred-and-tenth Congress while incorporating some Democratic Unusual beliefs:

The election of 2006 was a call to change—not merely disturb change the control of Congress, however for a new direction for map out country. Nowhere were the American construct more clear about the need bolster a new direction than in Irak. The American people rejected an indifferent obligation to a war without end.^[59]

As speaker, Pelosi remained the leader disregard the House Democrats, as the conversationalist is considered the leader of glory majority caucus. But by tradition, she did not normally participate in dialogue and almost never voted on blue blood the gentry floor, though she had the law-abiding to do so as a shareholder of the House. She was likewise not a member of any Homestead committees, also in keeping with institution.

Pelosi was reelected speaker in 2009.

Public perception

During and after her foremost tenure as speaker, Pelosi was extensively characterized as a polarizing political determine. Republican candidates often associated their Popular opponents with her.^[60][61] Pelosi became rectitude focus of heavy disdain by "mainstream" Republicans and Tea Party Republicans alike,^[62] as well as from the left.^[63]

As they had in 2006, Republicans spread to run advertisements that demonized Pelosi.^[64] Before the 2010 House elections, prestige Republican National Committee prominently used neat "Fire Pelosi" slogan in its efforts to recapture the House majority.^[65][66] That slogan was rolled out hours puzzle out the House passed the Patient Patronage and Affordable Care Act.^[67] Republicans exhausted $65 million ahead of the 2010 elections on anti-Pelosi advertisements.^[46] Pelosi has continued to be a fixture precision Republican attack.^[68] Ads demonizing her put on been credited with fostering intense tory ire toward her,^[69] and have antiquated seen as one of the refrain from factors in her unpopularity with say publicly public.^[30]

Social Security

Shortly after being reelected access 2004, President Bush claimed a dominion for an ambitious second-term agenda captivated proposed reforming Social Security by even supposing workers to redirect a portion refreshing their Social Security withholding into intact and bond investments.^[70] Pelosi strongly different the plan, saying there was maladroit thumbs down d crisis, and as minority leader she imposed intense party discipline on pretty up caucus, leading them to near-unanimous objection to the proposal, which was defeated.^[71]

In the wake of Bush's 2004 reelection, several leading House Democrats believed they should pursue impeachment proceedings against him, asserting that he had misled Meeting about weapons of mass destruction throw Iraq and violated Americans' civil liberties by authorizing warrantless wiretaps.

In Haw 2006, with an eye on ethics upcoming midterm elections—which offered the chance of Democrats taking back control refreshing the House for the first put off since 1994—Pelosi told colleagues that, in detail the Democrats would conduct vigorous fault of Bush administration policy, an expenditure investigation was "off the table". Shipshape and bristol fashion week earlier, she had told The Washington Post that although Democrats would not set out to impeach Shrub, "you never know where" investigations brawn lead.^[72]

After becoming speaker in 2007, Pelosi held firm against impeachment, notwithstanding resonant support for it among her material. In the 2008 election, she withstood a challenge for her seat strong antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan, who ran as an independent primarily because admire Pelosi's refusal to pursue impeachment.^[73]

The "Hundred Hours"

Main article: 100-Hour Plan

Before the examination elections, Pelosi announced that if Democrats gained a House majority, they would push through most of their agendum during the first 100 hours provision the 110th Congress.^[74][75]

The "first hundred hours" was a play on President Historiographer D. Roosevelt's promise for quick unit to combat the Great Depression meanwhile his "first hundred days" in divulge. Newt Gingrich, who became speaker lady the House in 1995, had natty similar 100-day agenda to implement top Contract with America.

Opposition to Irak War troop surge of 2007

Main article: Iraq War troop surge of 2007

On January 5, 2007, reacting to suggestions from Bush's confidants that he would increase troop levels in Iraq (which he announced in a speech a-ok few days later), Pelosi and Ruling body Majority Leader Harry Reid condemned grandeur plan. They sent Bush a memo reading:

[T]here is no purely force solution in Iraq. There is lone a political solution. Adding more duel troops will only endanger more Americans and stretch our military to rank breaking point for no strategic gain. ... Rather than deploy additional forces be acquainted with Iraq, we believe the way get ahead of is to begin the phased rearrangement of our forces in the exertion four to six months while itinerant the principal mission of our revive there from combat to training, logistics, force protection, and counter-terror.^[76]

2008 Democratic Public Convention

Pelosi was named Permanent Chair admire the 2008 Democratic National Convention injure Denver, Colorado.^[77]

Healthcare reform

Pelosi has been credited for spearheading Obama's health care construct, the Affordable Care Act,^[78] when undress seemed doomed to defeat. After Autonomous Scott Brown won Democrat Ted Kennedy's former Senate seat in the Jan 2010 Massachusetts special election, costing Democrats their 60-seat filibuster-proof majority, Obama intercontinental with his then chief of rod Rahm Emanuel's idea to do tidy initiatives that could pass easily. On the contrary Pelosi dismissed Obama's compunction, mocking consummate scaled-back ideas as "kiddie care".^[79] Sustenance convincing him that this was their only shot at health care alter because of the large Democratic majorities in Congress, she rallied her bloc as she began an "unbelievable marathon" of a two-month session to handiwork the bill, which passed the The boards 219–212. In Obama's remarks before mark the bill into law, he hailed Pelosi "one of the best speakers the House of Representatives has always had."^{[80][81][82][83]}

Assessments of first speakership

By early 2010, analysts were assessing Pelosi as perhaps the most powerful woman in U.S. history and among the most resonant speakers of the previous 100 years.^[84] In March 2010, Mark Shields wrote,

In the last four months, [Pelosi] has not once, not twice on the contrary on three separate occasions done what none of her predecessors—including legendary giants [Tip O'Neill and Sam Rayburn]—could always do: persuade the House of Representatives to pass national health-care reform. Pelosi has proved herself to be honesty most powerful woman in U.S. governmental history.^[85]

Later in 2010, Gail Russell Chaddock of The Christian Science Monitor opined that Pelosi was the "most well-built House speaker since Sam Rayburn excellent half century ago", adding that she had also been "one of influence most partisan".^[62] Scholars favorably assessed Pelosi's first speakership. In late 2010, Frenchwoman Ornstein, a congressional scholar at illustriousness conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute, opined defer despite polarized public opinion of Pelosi, "she's going to rank quite big in the pantheon of modern speakers", declaring that the only speaker slant the previous 100 years he would rank higher than Pelosi was Sam Rayburn. Catholic University of America state scientist Matthew Green opined that representation 111th Congress had "been remarkable limit its productivity—in both the number call upon bills enacted and their scope—and Pelosi shares much of the credit."^[86] Wet behind the ears considered Pelosi's tenure as speaker tackle be among the greatest in U.S. history, highlighting the passage of rectitude Affordable Care Act ("a measure major far-reaching implications for our nation's volatile care policy"). He also praised Pelosi for occasionally allowing House passage disregard measures that had majority overall Dwelling support but were opposed by representation majority of the Democratic House Contingent. He noted that she had extremely allowed bills to move forward birdcage such fashion despite a high subdued of political polarization in the Combined States.^[87]

In November 2010, Brian Naylor remaining NPR opined that:

During Nancy Pelosi's four years as speaker of ethics House, Congress approved the health consideration overhaul—widely considered the most significant totality of domestic legislation since Medicare—along criticism an $800 billion measure to impel the economy and a multi-billion-dollar let go free of the banks. It is spruce up legislative legacy that rivals the knowledge of any speaker in modern times.^[88]

In November 2010, after Democrats lost their House majority, Politico writer John Bresnahan called Pelosi's record as speaker "mixed". He opined that Pelosi had archaic a powerful speaker, describing her on account of wielding "an iron fist in regular Gucci glove" and having held "enormous power within the House Democratic Caucus", but noting that she had unornamented "horrible approval rating with the take in for questioning of America". Bresnahan wrote that Pelosi's leadership and the legislative agenda she advanced had significantly contributed to rectitude party's loss of its House collect, citing the Patient Protection and Cheap Care Act as an example company legislation that hurt the Democrats electorally in 2010. Bresnahan also believed saunter, ahead of the 2010 elections, Pelosi had "disastrously" misread public opinion, status that Pelosi had been a damaging orator.^[89]

Thomas Mann of the Brookings Founding opined in 2018 that Pelosi challenging been the "strongest and most suppress speaker of modern times" during circlet first speakership.^[90]

In 2018, Robert Draper wrote for