Nancy Pelosi is an American politician and a long-serving member of the United States House of Representatives. She has been in Congress since 1987 and is the longest-serving member of California’s delegation. Pelosi made history as the first woman to become Speaker of the House, holding the role from 2007 to 2011 and 2019 to 2023. She also led House Democrats from 2003 to 2023.
Pelosi became the House Minority Whip in 2001 and House Minority Leader in 2002, the first woman to hold these roles. She became Speaker in 2007 after leading the Democrats to a House majority in the 2006 midterms. During her tenure, she opposed the Iraq War, supported major legislative efforts like the Affordable Care Act, and played a key role in passing financial reform and economic recovery laws.
Nancy regained the speakership in 2019 after Democrats retook the House in the 2018 midterms. During her second term as Speaker, she oversaw the impeachment of President Donald Trump twice and helped pass significant legislation under the Biden administration, including pandemic relief and infrastructure bills.
When people ask me, ‘What are the three most important issues facing the Congress?’ I always say the same thing: ‘Our children, our children, our children.’ Their health, their education, the economic security of their families, a healthy, safe community in which they can thrive, and a world at peace in which they can reach their fulfillment – that is my ‘why.’ 1msa.maryland.govÂ
Nancy Pelosi Bio
Nancy Patricia D’Alesandro was born on March 26, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA and she is 84 years old as of 2024.
Nancy Pelosi Education
Nancy Pelosi helped her father with his campaigns and attended President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961. She graduated from the all-girls Catholic high school, the Institute of Notre Dame, and earned a degree in political science from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. During the 1960s, she interned for Senator Daniel Brewster, where she worked alongside future House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.
Nancy Pelosi Husband
Nancy Pelosi met Paul Pelosi during college, and they married on September 7, 1963, at Baltimore’s Cathedral of Mary Our Queen they have five children named Alexandra Pelosi, Christine Pelosi, Jacqueline Pelosi, Nancy Corinne Pelosi, and Paul Pelosi Jr. along with ten grandchildren. Their daughter Alexandra, a journalist, documented the 2000 Republican presidential campaigns in her film “Journeys with George.” In 2007, Christine authored “Campaign Boot Camp: Basic Training for Future Leaders.” 2imdb
Nancy Pelosi Family
Nancy Pelosi was born into an Italian-American family. She is the only daughter of Annunciata “Nancy” D’Alesandro and Thomas D’Alesandro Jr. Her father was a Democratic congressman when she was born and later became the mayor of Baltimore. Her mother was active in politics, teaching Pelosi important political skills. Her brother, Thomas D’Alesandro III, also served as mayor of Baltimore. 3pelosi.house.gov
Nancy Pelosi’s Career Influences
Political Reforms of Nancy Pelosi’s
Nancy Pelosi was a founding member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus but left in 2003 when she became House Minority Leader. She is still considered a liberal leader in Congress.
Impeachments of President Donald Trump
First Impeachment
In September 2019, Nancy announced an impeachment inquiry into President Trump. By December 5, she directed the Judiciary Committee to draft articles of impeachment. After hearings, two articles were finalized on December 10 and approved by the House on December 18, formally impeaching Trump.
Second Impeachment
After the January 6 Capitol attack, Nancy demanded Trump resign or be removed via the 25th Amendment, threatening impeachment if he did not. On January 10, she gave Vice President Pence a 24-hour deadline to invoke the amendment. When Pence did not act, the House impeached Trump for the second time on January 13, 2021.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Response
Nancy played a key role in passing the CARES Act, providing economic relief during the pandemic. However, she faced criticism in September 2020 when a video showed her visiting a hair salon in San Francisco, violating local COVID-19 restrictions.
Civil Liberties
Nancy supported the USA Patriot Act in 2001 but voted against renewing some of its provisions in 2005. She also opposed a constitutional amendment to ban flag burning.
Immigration
Pelosi has often spoken against restrictive immigration policies. She voted against the Secure Fence Act of 2006 and criticized the Trump administration’s immigration ban. In 2018, she visited a facility holding children separated from their families and called for the resignation of the Secretary of Homeland Security. Pelosi also criticized a Republican immigration bill, calling it a “deal with the devil.”
LGBT Rights
Pelosi has been a strong supporter of LGBT rights. She voted against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 and against constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriage in 2004 and 2006. She welcomed California’s decision to overturn its ban on same-sex marriage in 2008 and opposed Proposition 8, which aimed to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.
Pelosi has said her Catholic faith motivates her stance against discrimination, including on LGBT issues, even if it conflicts with Church doctrine. She supports the Equality Act, which seeks to protect LGBT people from discrimination, and opposed the Trump administration’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.
Economy and Key Policies
Nancy opposed the 1995 Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment. As Speaker, she pushed for the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, raising the minimum wage in the U.S. and its territories. She opposed welfare reforms under Presidents Clinton and Bush, as well as the 2017 tax reform under Trump, calling it unfairly favorable to the wealthy and corporations.
Infrastructure
Pelosi has supported bipartisan infrastructure development, emphasizing job creation and economic growth. In 2019, she held discussions with Trump on a $2 trillion infrastructure plan, but talks fell apart.
Disaster Relief
In 2018, Pelosi called for more federal aid for California wildfires and urged stronger action to address climate change, which she linked to worsening disasters.
Education
Nancy voted for the No Child Left Behind Act, which expanded education funding and introduced standardized testing. She opposed displaying the Ten Commandments in schools and other public buildings.
Environment
Pelosi sees climate change as a major threat. She supports clean energy development, and conservation programs, and opposes oil drilling in protected areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Pelosi has worked to block efforts to revive offshore drilling.
Health Care
Pelosi played a key role in passing the Affordable Care Act in 2010, encouraging Obama to continue pushing for reform despite setbacks. She has supported expanding Medicare and Medicaid but does not endorse single-payer healthcare. Pelosi has opposed Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and focused on making healthcare more affordable.
Abortion and Reproductive Rights
Pelosi has consistently voted to protect abortion rights. She opposed the 2003 Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and other restrictions. She also supports funding for abortion services at overseas military facilities and opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Contraception
Nancy supports expanding access to family planning services, highlighting their role in reducing costs for states and the federal government.
Security Reform
Gun Control
Pelosi supports stricter gun laws, including expanded background checks and banning assault weapons. In 2013, she called for bold action on gun control, inspired by Gabby Giffords’ advocacy. After the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Pelosi criticized Republicans for failing to act on gun violence and urged them to expand background checks and fund research on gun violence as a public health issue. She also supported creating a special committee on gun violence. Following the Thousand Oaks shooting in late 2018, Pelosi pledged to prioritize gun control in the new Congress.
Military Draft
Nancy Pelosi opposed Representative Charles Rangel’s proposal to reinstate the military draft.
Government Aircraft Use
In 2009, Pelosi faced criticism for using government aircraft for travel. She explained that the practice began under President Bush for security reasons, as the Speaker of the House is third in line for presidential succession. The Air Force provided larger aircraft capable of non-stop flights at the request of the Sergeant at Arms. The Pentagon confirmed her use was not deemed excessive. 4wikipediaÂ
Nancy’s Speech on her first speakership This is a historic moment—for the Congress, and for the women of this country. It is a moment for which we have waited more than 200 years. Never losing faith, we waited through the many years of struggle to achieve our rights. But women weren’t just waiting; women were working. Never losing faith, we worked to redeem the promise of America, that all men and women are created equal. For our daughters and granddaughters, today, we have broken the marble ceiling. For our daughters and our granddaughters, the sky is the limit, anything is possible for them. 5sfgate
Nancy’s words on Iraq Issues Here is no purely military solution in Iraq. There is only a political solution. Adding more combat troops will only endanger more Americans and stretch our military to the breaking point for no strategic gain. … Rather than deploy additional forces to Iraq, we believe the way forward is to begin the phased redeployment of our forces in the next four to six months while shifting the principal mission of our forces there from combat to training, logistics, force protection, and counter-terror. 6web.archive.orgÂ
Nancy Pelosi’s Net Worth
Nancy Pelosi’s husband is a successful investor and the main source of their wealth. In 2009, it was reported at $58 million, and by 2021, it had grown to around $120 million which made Nancy Pelosi one of the wealthiest members of Congress.
Their wealth is tied to investments in major companies like Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook. They also own properties worth over $23 million, including a vineyard in Napa Valley valued at $5 million.
Paul Pelosi’s stock trades, especially in tech companies, have drawn attention, particularly while Nancy Pelosi was involved in legislation affecting those industries. Nancy Pelosi has opposed banning stock trades by Congress members, arguing they should have the same opportunities as others in a free-market economy.
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