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Nancy Pelosi
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Official portrait, 2019
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| 52nd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Ryan |
| Succeeded by | Kevin McCarthy |
| In office January 4, 2007 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Dennis Hastert |
| Succeeded by | John Boehner |
| House Minority Leader | |
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Whip | Steny Hoyer |
| Preceded by | John Boehner |
| Succeeded by | Kevin McCarthy |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Whip | Steny Hoyer |
| Preceded by | Dick Gephardt |
| Succeeded by | John Boehner |
| Leader of the House Democratic Caucus | |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 2, 2023 |
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| Deputy | Steny Hoyer |
| Preceded by | Dick Gephardt |
| Succeeded by | Hakeem Jeffries |
| House Minority Whip | |
| In office January 15, 2002 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Leader | Dick Gephardt |
| Preceded by | David Bonior |
| Succeeded by | Steny Hoyer |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California |
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| Assumed office June 2, 1987 |
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| Preceded by | Sala Burton |
| Constituency |
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| Chair of the California Democratic Party | |
| In office February 27, 1981 – April 3, 1983 |
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| Preceded by | Richard J. O'Neill |
| Succeeded by | Peter Kelly |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro
March 26, 1940 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5, including Christine and Alexandra |
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| Relatives | Thomas D'Alesandro III (brother) |
| Residences | San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Education | Trinity College, Washington (BA) |
| Awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom (2024) |
| Signature |  |
Nancy Patricia Pelosi (born March 26, 1940) is an American politician. She served as the 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives. She held this important role from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Nancy Pelosi was the first woman to be elected as U.S. House Speaker. She was also the first woman to lead a major political party in either part of Congress. She led the House Democrats from 2003 to 2023. She has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1987. Currently, she represents a district in San Francisco, California.
Pelosi grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. Her father, Thomas D'Alesandro Jr., was a mayor and congressman. She graduated from Trinity College, Washington, in 1962. The next year, she married businessman Paul Pelosi. They moved to San Francisco and raised their children there. Nancy Pelosi started in politics as a volunteer for the Democratic Party in the 1960s. After many years of working for the party, she became the chair of the state party. She was first elected to Congress in a special election in 1987. She is now in her 20th term. Pelosi moved up in the House Democratic Caucus. She was elected House minority whip in 2001. A year later, she became House minority leader. She was the first woman to hold both of these positions in Congress.
In the 2006 midterm elections, Pelosi helped Democrats win a majority in the House. This was the first time in 12 years. She was then elected Speaker, becoming the first woman to hold that job. Until Kamala Harris became vice president in 2021, Pelosi was the highest-ranking woman in the presidential line of succession. The Speaker of the House is second in line to become president. During her first time as Speaker, Pelosi was against the Iraq War. She also opposed the Bush administration's plans to change Social Security. She helped pass important laws during the Obama administration. These included the Affordable Care Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. She lost the speakership after the Republican Party won the majority in the 2010 midterm elections. However, she stayed as the leader of the House Democrats.
In the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats won back control of the House. Pelosi was elected Speaker again. She was the first former speaker to get the job back since 1955. During her second time as Speaker, the House twice tried to remove President Donald Trump from office. The Senate did not remove Trump either time. She helped pass important laws during the Biden administration. These included the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. In the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans won control of the House. This ended her time as Speaker. She then stepped down as House Democratic leader. On November 29, 2022, she was named "Speaker Emerita."
Contents
- Early Life and Education
- Starting a Political Career
- Joining the House of Representatives
- First Time as Minority Leader (2003–2007)
- First Time as Speaker (2007–2011)
- Second Time as Minority Leader (2011–2019)
- Second Time as Speaker (2019–2023)
- Continuing Her House Tenure (2023–Present)
- House Committee Assignments and Caucus Memberships
- Role as a Democratic Party Fundraiser
- Political Views
- Electoral History
- Personal Life
- Honors and Decorations
- See also
Early Life and Education
Nancy Pelosi was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She came from an Italian-American family. She was the youngest of seven children. Her mother was from Italy and moved to the U.S. in 1912. Her father, Thomas D'Alesandro Jr., was a Democratic congressman from Maryland. He later became the mayor of Baltimore.
Nancy's mother was also active in politics. She organized Democratic women and taught her daughter about politics. Nancy's brother, Thomas D'Alesandro III, also became mayor of Baltimore. Nancy helped her father at his campaign events. She attended President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address in 1961.
In 1958, Pelosi finished high school at the Institute of Notre Dame in Baltimore. In 1962, she graduated from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. She earned a degree in political science. In the 1960s, Pelosi worked as an intern for Senator Daniel Brewster.
Starting a Political Career
After moving to San Francisco, Pelosi became involved in Democratic politics. In 1976, she was elected to the Democratic National Committee from California. She held this position until 1996. In 1977, she became the party chair for Northern California. Four years later, she was chosen to lead the California Democratic Party. She led the party until 1983.
Later, Pelosi chaired the San Francisco Democratic National Convention Host Committee in 1984. She then served as finance chair for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 1985 to 1986.
Joining the House of Representatives
In 1987, Nancy Pelosi won a special election to join the U.S. House of Representatives. She took the place of Sala Burton, who had passed away. Burton had wanted Pelosi to succeed her. Pelosi defeated her opponents and took office a week later.
Pelosi has represented the same area of San Francisco throughout her career. This area is very supportive of Democrats. She has been reelected to the House 18 times without much opposition. When Pelosi first joined Congress, there were only 23 women in the House.
When Pelosi started in office, the AIDS epidemic was very serious. San Francisco was greatly affected by it. Pelosi became a strong supporter for those impacted by HIV/AIDS. She hired someone to focus on AIDS policy in her office. In her first speech, she promised to fight against "the crisis of AIDS." She helped write the Ryan White CARE Act. This law provided money for treatment and services for people with HIV/AIDS. President George H. W. Bush signed this bill into law in 1990.
In 2001, Pelosi was elected the House minority whip. This made her second-in-command to the Minority Leader. She was the first woman in U.S. history to hold this job. Pelosi won against other strong candidates for the position. She was good at raising money for campaigns. She used these funds to help other members of Congress support her.
In 2002, Pelosi spoke against the Iraq Resolution. This resolution allowed President George W. Bush to use military force against Iraq. She said that using force without trying all other options would hurt the fight against terrorism.
First Time as Minority Leader (2003–2007)
In November 2002, Pelosi was elected to lead the House Democrats. She became the House minority leader. This made her the first woman to lead a major political party in Congress. Some people thought she was too liberal to be a successful leader.
As minority leader, Pelosi strongly criticized President Bush's handling of the Iraq War. She said Bush had shown "incompetence" in 2004. In the 2004 House elections, the Democratic Party lost some seats. Pelosi then focused on winning back the House majority in 2006. She worked to criticize the Bush administration more effectively. She also highlighted the differences between the Democratic Party and the Republicans.
In November 2005, a Democratic congressman, John Murtha, suggested that the U.S. should start taking troops out of Iraq. Pelosi later supported Murtha's idea. Some critics thought Pelosi's support for troop withdrawal would stop Democrats from winning the House in the 2006 elections.
Before the 2006 elections, many Americans did not know much about Pelosi. Republicans tried to make people dislike her. They ran advertisements against her. These ads became a common part of Republican campaigns in later elections.
First Time as Speaker (2007–2011)
Becoming Speaker in 2007
In the 2006 elections, Democrats won control of the House. They gained 30 seats, which was a big win. Because she was the minority leader, Pelosi was expected to become Speaker. On November 16, 2006, the Democratic group chose her for Speaker.
Pelosi supported her friend John Murtha for House majority leader. This is the second-highest position. But Steny Hoyer, who was Pelosi's second-in-command, was elected instead.
On January 4, 2007, Pelosi was elected Speaker of the House. She defeated Republican John Boehner. Pelosi was the first woman to be Speaker. She was also the first person from California and the first Italian-American to hold the job. She was the second Speaker from a state west of the Rocky Mountains.
As Speaker, Pelosi remained the leader of the House Democrats. By tradition, she did not usually join debates or vote on the House floor. She also was not a member of any House committees. Pelosi was reelected Speaker in 2009.
Public Opinion of Speaker Pelosi
During her first time as Speaker, many people had strong opinions about Pelosi. Republican candidates often tried to connect their Democratic opponents to her. Pelosi became a target of criticism from Republicans. Ads that made Pelosi look bad were common. These ads helped create strong negative feelings towards her. They are seen as a main reason for her low popularity.
Social Security and Healthcare
After being reelected in 2004, President Bush wanted to change Social Security. He suggested allowing workers to invest some of their Social Security money in stocks. Pelosi strongly opposed this plan. She said there was no crisis. As minority leader, she made sure her party almost completely opposed the idea. The plan was defeated.
Pelosi is known for leading the effort to pass President Obama's healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act. This law seemed like it might not pass. After Democrats lost a key Senate seat in 2010, Obama thought about trying smaller healthcare changes. But Pelosi convinced him that this was their only chance for big healthcare reform. She worked hard for two months to get the bill ready. The House passed it with a close vote. When Obama signed the bill, he called Pelosi "one of the best speakers the House of Representatives has ever had."
How Experts Viewed Her First Speakership
By 2010, experts saw Pelosi as one of the most powerful women in U.S. history. They also thought she was one of the most powerful Speakers in the last 100 years. Scholars generally thought highly of her first time as Speaker. Norman Ornstein, a congressional expert, said she would rank very high among modern Speakers. He said only Sam Rayburn was a stronger Speaker in the last 100 years.
Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution later said Pelosi was the "strongest and most effective speaker of modern times" during her first speakership.
Second Time as Minority Leader (2011–2019)
In the 2010 elections, Democrats lost 63 seats and control of the House to Republicans. Pelosi was reelected to her own seat. She decided to continue leading the House Democratic Caucus as minority leader. She won against a challenge from another Representative. On the first day of the 112th Congress, Pelosi was elected minority leader.
In 2011, a TV show suggested that Pelosi and other members of Congress used information from private meetings to make money in the stock market. Pelosi denied these claims. She called the report "a right-wing smear." When a bill called the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act (or STOCK Act) was introduced, she voted for it. She praised the bill for closing a gap in ethics laws.
On November 14, 2012, she announced she would stay on as Democratic leader.
Challenges to Her Leadership
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Sometimes, other Democrats questioned Pelosi's leadership. After the 2016 presidential election, some members tried to replace her as House minority leader. Pelosi agreed to give younger members more leadership chances. She won the vote to keep her position.
In 2017, after Democrats lost several special elections, her leadership was questioned again. Some Democrats publicly called for new leadership. Pelosi defended herself. She said, "I am a master legislator. I am a strategic, politically astute leader." She added that her decision to stay was not up to them.
In February 2018, Pelosi gave the longest House speech ever using a special rule. She spoke for over eight hours. She shared stories from DREAMers (young people brought to the U.S. as children without papers). She did this to object to a budget deal that did not help DACA recipients.
In April 2018, a writer for The Atlantic said Pelosi had been "the most effective congressional leader of modern times."
Second Time as Speaker (2019–2023)
In the 2018 elections, Democrats won back control of the House. They gained many seats. On November 28, House Democrats chose Pelosi to be Speaker again. She was reelected on January 3, 2019. To win support, she promised not to stay more than four years in the job.
On February 4, 2020, after President Trump's State of the Union address, Pelosi tore up her copy of it. She said she did it because it was a "dirty speech." Trump and other Republicans criticized her for this.
In December 2021, Pelosi announced she would run for reelection to the House in 2022. She was reelected, but the Democratic Party lost control of the House. Ten days later, she announced she would not seek a Democratic leadership role in the next Congress.
Government Shutdown and Impeachments
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At the start of 2019, Pelosi opposed President Trump's efforts to use a government shutdown. Trump wanted to force Congress to fund a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Pelosi called the shutdown a "hostage-taking" of government workers. She refused to let Trump give his State of the Union Address in the House chamber during the shutdown. After polls showed Trump's popularity falling, he signed a bill to reopen the government.
On September 29, 2019, Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry against Trump. On December 18, the House of Representatives formally impeached Trump.
After the January 6 United States Capitol attack, Pelosi demanded that Trump resign or be removed from office. On January 13, the House voted to impeach Trump a second time.
Important Laws Passed
Pelosi played a key role in passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021. This law provided money for roads, bridges, and other important projects. She also helped pass other major laws during the 117th Congress. These included the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
How Experts Viewed Her Second Speakership
Experts gave Pelosi's second time as Speaker high praise. Many said she was one of the most effective Speakers in history. In 2019, Brent Budowsky said Pelosi was "one of the greatest Speakers who ever served." In 2021, former Republican Speaker John Boehner said Pelosi was the most powerful House Speaker in U.S. history.
In November 2022, many writers and historians called Pelosi "the most effective speaker ever" or "the greatest speaker in history." They noted she achieved a lot while facing challenges as a powerful woman in politics.
Continuing Her House Tenure (2023–Present)
On November 29, 2022, the House Democratic Caucus honored Pelosi by naming her "speaker emerita." This means she holds an honorary title after stepping down from leadership. Her second time as Speaker ended on January 3, 2023.
In 2024, Pelosi was involved in discussions about President Biden's reelection campaign. She advised other Democrats to "speak their conscience" about their concerns. She later endorsed Kamala Harris for president.
House Committee Assignments and Caucus Memberships
In the House, Pelosi served on the Appropriations and Intelligence Committees. She was the lead Democrat on the Intelligence Committee before becoming minority leader. She is also a member of groups like the House Baltic Caucus and the Congressional Equality Caucus.
Role as a Democratic Party Fundraiser
Early in her political career, Pelosi became known for raising a lot of money for the Democratic Party. She was one of the party's best fundraisers. She gave large amounts of money to campaigns for other candidates. From 2003 to 2014, Pelosi raised over $400 million for campaigns.
Political Views
Pelosi has supported LGBT rights for a long time. In 1996, she voted against a law that defined marriage as only between a man and a woman. She also voted against changing the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Pelosi supports the Equality Act. This bill would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In 2019, she spoke in Congress for this bill.
Pelosi opposed welfare reforms proposed by Presidents Bush and Clinton. She also opposed the tax reform signed by President Trump in 2017. She called it "one of the worst bills in the history of the United States of America." She said it took from the future and rewarded the rich.
In 1999, Pelosi voted against showing the Ten Commandments in public buildings. She voted for the No Child Left Behind Act. This law brought in testing to track student progress. It also increased overall education spending.
In 2019, Pelosi said climate change was "the existential threat of our time." She called for action to reduce it. She has supported new technologies to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign oil. She also supports efforts to fix the environmental damage from burning fossil fuels. She has voted to stop oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Pelosi has stopped efforts to allow offshore oil drilling in protected areas. She believes offshore drilling could make the U.S. more dependent on fossil fuels.
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Pelosi was very important in passing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010. She helped convince President Obama to keep pushing for healthcare reform. This was even after a defeat in a special election. After getting enough votes for Obama's healthcare plan, Pelosi was both praised and criticized. Pelosi has voted to increase Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
Pelosi supports stronger background checks for people buying guns. She also supports banning assault weapons.
Electoral History
Pelosi's only close election was in 1987. This was the special election to take the place of U.S. Representative Sala Burton. Pelosi won the Democratic primary with 36 percent of the vote. She then won the general election by a large margin. Since then, Pelosi has won her elections by very large margins. She has usually received over 80 percent of the vote.
Her district boundaries have changed over the years due to population counts. In 1992, she ran in a new district covering San Francisco. After the 2010 census, she represented another district. Now, after the 2020 census, Pelosi represents a district that covers San Francisco.
Personal Life
Nancy D'Alesandro met Paul Francis Pelosi while she was in college. They married in Baltimore on September 7, 1963. They later moved to New York, and then to San Francisco in 1969.
Nancy and Paul Pelosi have five children, including Christine and Alexandra. They also have nine grandchildren. Alexandra is a journalist. Christine wrote a book called Campaign Boot Camp: Basic Training for Future Leaders.
Pelosi lives in San Francisco. Her financial reports show she owns several properties. These include a home and vineyard in St. Helena, California.
In October 2022, while Pelosi was away, an intruder entered her San Francisco home. The intruder attacked her husband, Paul Pelosi. Police arrested a suspect at the scene.
Financial Information
Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul, is a wealthy investor. His investments are the main source of the couple's wealth. In 2009, her net worth was estimated at $58 million. By 2014, it had almost doubled to about $101 million. In 2018, her net worth was estimated at $16 million.
Her earnings are linked to her husband's investments in companies like Apple, Disney, and Facebook. They also own properties worth at least $23 million. This includes a vineyard in Napa Valley.
As of 2021, Pelosi's net worth was valued at $120 million. This made her one of the wealthiest members of Congress.
Involvement in Italian-American Community
Pelosi is a board member of the National Organization of Italian American Women. She also served on the board of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) for 13 years. In 2007, she received an award from NIAF for her public advocacy.
Catholic Faith
On June 29, 2022, Pelosi received Communion at a Mass led by Pope Francis in Rome.
Health Update
In December 2024, Pelosi was hospitalized after falling down stairs during a trip to Luxembourg. She was there to observe the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. On December 14, she had hip replacement surgery in Germany.
Honors and Decorations
See also
In Spanish: Nancy Pelosi para niños
- Electoral history of Nancy Pelosi
- List of female speakers of legislatures in the United States
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
