Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi | |
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60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives | |
Assumed office January 4, 2007 | |
President | George W. Bush |
Preceded by | Dennis Hastert |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 8th district | |
Assumed office June 2, 1987 - Present | |
Preceded by | Sala Burton |
Succeeded by | Incumbent (8th) |
Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives | |
In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 | |
Preceded by | Dick Gephardt |
Succeeded by | John Boehner |
Minority Whip of the United States House of Representatives | |
In office 2002–2003 | |
Preceded by | David E. Bonior |
Succeeded by | Steny Hoyer |
Personal details | |
Born | March 26, 1940 (age 68) Baltimore, Maryland |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Paul Pelosi |
Residence | San Francisco, California |
Alma mater | Trinity Washington University |
Website | Speaker of the House |
The Hon. Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi (D) was born March 26, 1940 and is currently the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Before becoming Speaker in the 110th Congress, she was the House Minority Leader from 2002 to 2007, holding the post during the 107th, 108th, and 109th Congresses.
Since 1987, she has represented the 8th Congressional District of California, which consists of four-fifths of the City and County of San Francisco. The district was numbered as the 5th during Pelosi's first three terms in the House.
With her election as Speaker, she is the first woman, the first Californian, and the first Italian-American to hold the Speakership. She is the second Speaker from a state west of the Rocky Mountains, with the first being Washington's Tom Foley, who was the last Democrat to hold the post before Pelosi. As Speaker of the House, Pelosi ranks second in the line of presidential succession, following Vice President Dick Cheney. She is therefore the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. Government.
Early life and career
Pelosi was born to Italian-American parents in Baltimore, Maryland.[1] The youngest of six children, she was involved with politics from an early age. Her father, Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., was a U.S. Congressman from Maryland and a Mayor of Baltimore. Her mother, Anunciata, was born in Italy and emigrated to the U.S. in 1911.[2] Thomas L. J. D'Alesandro III, one of her five brothers, also served as Mayor of Baltimore from 1967 to 1971.
Pelosi graduated from Baltimore's Institute of Notre Dame high school and from Trinity College (now Trinity Washington University) in Washington, D.C. in 1962. Pelosi interned for Senator Daniel Brewster (D-Maryland) alongside future House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.[3] She met Paul Frank Pelosi (b. April 15, 1940 in San Francisco, California)[4] while she was attending Trinity College, and they both took a summer school class at Georgetown University called "The History of Africa, South of the Sahara."(http://www.house.gov/pelosi/prGeorgetown051802.htm) They married in a Catholic Church on September 7, 1963. After the couple married they moved to New York, and then to San Francisco in 1969, where his brother, Ronald Pelosi was a member of the City and County of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors (San Francisco has a united city and county government).[5]
After moving to San Francisco, Pelosi worked her way up in Democratic politics. She was elected as party chairwoman for Northern California on January 30, 1977. She later joined forces with one of the leaders of the California Democratic Party, 5th District Congressman Phillip Burton. And in 1987, after her youngest child became a high school senior, she decided to run for political office.
Pelosi is an honorary board member of the National Organization of Italian American Women.
Family
Pelosi has five children: Nancy Corinne, Christine, Jacqueline, Paul, and Alexandra, as well as seven grandchildren. Alexandra, a journalist, covered the Republican presidential campaigns in 2000 and made a film about the experience, Journeys with George. She also wrote a book on coverage of the 2004 campaigns.
Financial status
The Pelosi family has a net worth of over US$25 million, primarily from Paul Pelosi's investments. In addition to their large portfolio of jointly owned San Francisco Bay Area real estate, he also has millions of dollars in stock from publicly traded companies such as Microsoft, Amazon.com and AT&T. In 2003, the Pelosi family sold their eight-acre (three hectare) Rutherford vineyard. Pelosi continues to be among the richest members of Congress.[6]
Congressional career
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Pelosi_O%27Neill.jpg/220px-Pelosi_O%27Neill.jpg)
Phillip Burton died in 1983 and was succeeded by his wife, Sala. In late 1986, Sala became ill with cancer and decided not to run for reelection in 1988. She picked Pelosi as her designated successor, guaranteeing her the support of the Burtons' contacts.[7] Sala died on February 1, 1987, just a month after being sworn in for a second full term. Pelosi won the special election to succeed her, narrowly defeating San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt, and took office on June 2, 1987.
Pelosi represents one of the safest Democratic districts in the country. Democrats have held the seat since 1949, and Republicans, who currently make up only 13 percent of registered voters in the district, have not made a serious bid for the seat since the early 1960s. Pelosi has kept this tradition going. Since her initial victory in 1987, she has been reelected 10 times, receiving at least 75% of the vote. She has never participated in candidates' debates.[8]
In the House, she served on the Appropriations and Intelligence Committees, and was the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee for two years.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Ellison-20070104.jpg/220px-Ellison-20070104.jpg)
Democratic Party leadership
In 2001, Pelosi was elected the House Minority Whip, second-in-command to Minority Leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri. She was the first woman in U.S. history to hold that position. Since then, she has campaigned for candidates in 30 states and in 90 Congressional districts, making her a vital factor for the Democratic Party.
In 2002, after Gephardt resigned as minority leader to seek the Democratic nomination in the 2004 presidential election, Pelosi was elected to replace him, becoming the first woman to lead a minority and major party in the House.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Bush%2C_Pelosi%2C_and_Hoyer_meeting_at_White_House%2C_Nov_9%2C_2006.jpg/220px-Bush%2C_Pelosi%2C_and_Hoyer_meeting_at_White_House%2C_Nov_9%2C_2006.jpg)
Blocking of impeachment proceedings against Bush
In the wake of George W. Bush's reelection in 2004, several leading House Democrats, including John Conyers of Michigan (then the ranking Democrat, and now the chairman, of the House Judiciary Committee) believed that Democrats should pursue impeachment proceedings against the president. They asserted that Bush had misled Congress about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and had violated the civil liberties of Americans by authorizing wiretaps without a warrant.
In May 2006, with an eye on the upcoming Congressional elections — which offered the possibility of Democrats taking back control of the House for the first time since 1994 — Pelosi told colleagues that, while the Democrats would conduct vigorous oversight of Bush administration policy, an impeachment investigation was "off the table." (A week earlier, she had told the Washington Post that, although Democrats would not set out to impeach the president, "you never know where" investigations might lead.)[9]
Since becoming Speaker of the House in January 2007, Pelosi has held firm against impeachment, notwithstanding strong support for that course of action among constituents in her home district. In early July 2007, antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan announced that unless Pelosi moved to impeach Bush by July 23, Sheehan would run against Pelosi as an independent candidate in the 2008 election.[10]
Speaker of the House
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Nancy_Pelosi_0009_3.jpg/220px-Nancy_Pelosi_0009_3.jpg)
Democratic nomination and election as Speaker
On November 16, 2006, Pelosi was unanimously chosen as the Democratic candidate for Speaker, effectively making her Speaker-elect. While the Speaker is elected by the full House membership, in modern practice the election is a formality, since the Speaker always comes from the majority party.
Pelosi supported her longtime friend,[11] John Murtha of Pennsylvania for the position of House Majority Leader, the second-ranking post in the House Democratic caucus. His competitor was House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, who had been Pelosi's second-in-command since 2003. Pelosi and Hoyer had a somewhat frosty relationship dating back to 2001, when they ran against each other for minority whip. However, Hoyer was elected as House Majority Leader over Murtha by a margin of 149-86 within the caucus.[12]
On January 3, Pelosi defeated Republican John Boehner of Ohio with 233 votes compared to his 202 votes in the election for Speaker of the House.[13] She was nominated by Rahm Emmanuel of Illinois, the incoming chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, and sworn in by her longtime friend, John Dingell of Michigan. Dingell, as the longest-serving member of the House, traditionally swears in the Speaker.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/2007SOU_Bush_Cheney_Pelosi.jpg/220px-2007SOU_Bush_Cheney_Pelosi.jpg)
With her election, Pelosi became the first woman, the first Californian and the first Italian-American to hold the Speakership. She is also the second Speaker from a state west of the Rocky Mountains. The first was Washington's Tom Foley, the last Democrat to hold the post before Pelosi.
In her speech to Congress she stated:
"I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship, and look forward to working with you on behalf of the American people. In this House, we may belong to different parties, but we serve one country."[15]
During her speech, she discussed the historical importance of being the first female to hold the Speaker's position:
"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."[15]
She also spoke on Iraq as the major issue facing the 110th Congress while incorporating some Democratic Party beliefs:
"The election of 2006 was a call to change — not merely to change the control of Congress, but for a new direction for our country. Nowhere were the American people more clear about the need for a new direction than in Iraq. The American people rejected an open-ended obligation to a war without end."[15]
As Speaker, Pelosi is still the leader of the House Democrats. However, by tradition, she does not normally participate in debate (though she has the right to do so), and almost never votes on the floor. She is also not a member of any House committees.
Since being elected Speaker, the approval rating of the divided Congress has dropped to a historic low of less than 20% due primarily to public frustration over Congress' inability to affect Bush's Iraq policy.[16] Individually, the approval rating of Republicans in Congress is 36%, while the approval rating of Democrats is at 44%.[16][17] Pelosi has also come under fire from Democratic activists for not being aggressive enough in confronting Bush, despite the president's low approval ratings.
The "Hundred Hours"
Prior to the U.S. 2006 midterm elections, Pelosi announced a plan for action: If elected, she and the newly-empowered Democratic caucus would push through most of its program during the first hundred hours of the 110th Congress' term.[18] Later she said this referred to business hours rather than clock time, and began on the Tuesday (January 9, 2007) after the swearing-in ceremony on January 4th.
The origin for the name "first hundred hours" is a play on words derived from former Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt's promise for quick action on the part of government (to combat the Great Depression) during his "first hundred days" in office. Newt Gingrich, the former Republican Speaker, had a similar 100-day agenda to implement the Contract with America.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Bush_and_Pelosi_at_Tuskegee_Airmen_ceremony.jpg/220px-Bush_and_Pelosi_at_Tuskegee_Airmen_ceremony.jpg)
Opposition to Iraq War troop surge of 2007
On January 5, 2007 reacting to suggestions from President Bush’s confidantes that he would increase troop levels in Iraq (which he announced in a speech a few days later) Pelosi joined with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to condemn the plan. They sent Bush a letter saying, “there 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.”[19]
2008 Democratic National Convention
Speaker Pelosi has been named Permanent Chair of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.[20]
Foreign policy
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Boehner_-_Bush_-_Pelosi_20070329-6_d-0774-1-515h.jpg/220px-Boehner_-_Bush_-_Pelosi_20070329-6_d-0774-1-515h.jpg)
2007 trip to Israel and Syria
Pelosi was one of seven American lawmakers to participate in a 2007 Mideast tour — with Keith Ellison (D-MN), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Tom Lantos (D-CA), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Nick Rahall (D-WV), and David Hobson (R-OH) — that included stops in Israel, Syria,[21] the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. Three Republican congressmen — Frank Wolf, Joe Pitts and Robert Aderholt — met with Syrian President Bashar Assad earlier. Pelosi had the opportunity to address the Israeli Knesset where she expressed concern "that the new (Hamas-Fatah) Palestinian government, some of the people in the government, continue to remain committed to the existence of Israel." An Israeli spokeswoman said Pelosi would convey "that Israel is willing to talk if they (Syria) would openly take steps to stop supporting terrorism" in order to be "a partner for negotiations." The delegation talked "extensively" with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert about a relaunched 2002 Saudi peace plan with Israel, which Olmert welcomed as a "new way of thinking, the willingness to recognize Israel as an established fact and to debate the conditions of the future solution," but expressed reservations over the plan and invited Arab leaders to discuss them. The delegation met with the families of the three kidnapped Israeli soldiers during the visit and Pelosi said she planned to raise the issue when she met with Assad.
At a press conference after her meeting with Assad, Pelosi said that she had conveyed a message from Olmert to Syrian President Assad saying that Olmert was ready to negotiate for peace. Olmert's office later clarified what he had actually told Pelosi, saying that "although Israel is interested in peace with Syria, that country continues to be part of the axis of evil and a force that encourages terror in the entire Middle East."[22] Sources at the Israeli Prime Minister's Office at the time said that, "Pelosi took part of the things that were said in the meeting, and used what suited her."[23]
The Bush Administration disapproves of Syria's backing of Hamas and Hezbollah and says Syria is destabilizing Lebanon's government as well as fueling Iraq's violence by allowing Sunni insurgents to operate from its territory. Syrian officials have been implicated in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri in Beirut, and the U.S. subsequently withdrew its ambassador. Pelosi still holds out hope for a peaceful solution, stating that "the road to Damascus is a road to peace."[24]
Later, in Saudi Arabia, Pelosi met with King Abdullah. Pelosi visited the Shura Council, the kingdom's unelected advisory council, and raised the issue of Saudi Arabia's lack of female politicians with Saudi officials.[25]
China
On March 21, 2008, Pelosi criticized China for its handling of the unrest in Tibet and called on "freedom-loving people" worldwide to denounce China.[26] She was quoted as saying, "The situation in Tibet is a challenge to the conscience of the world", while addressing a crowd of thousands of Tibetans in Dharmsala, India.[26] She however did not call for an Olympic boycott.[27]
Colombia
Pelosi publicly scolded Colombian President Alvaro Uribe during Uribe's May 2007 state trip to America. Rather than meet with Uribe, Pelosi released a statement that "expressed growing concerns about the serious allegations" between Paramilitary groups and Colombian government officials.[28] Pelosi also came out against the Colombian free trade agreement.[29]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Al_Gore_-_Nancy_Pelosi_0008_3.jpg/220px-Al_Gore_-_Nancy_Pelosi_0008_3.jpg)
Cuba
Pelosi voted in favor of keeping the travel restrictions on American citizens to Cuba, until the President has certified that Cuba has released all political prisoners, and extradited all individuals sought by the U.S. on charges of air piracy, drug trafficking and murder.[30]
North Korea
Pelosi discussed North Korea's missile launches with the following: "North Korea is moving outside the circle of acceptable behavior and is threatening the region, the United States, and the world. We must use every possible tool to stop North Korea’s unacceptable, provocative actions including six party, multilateral, and bilateral diplomatic negotiations."[31]
Turkey
In mid-October 2007, after the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a resolution to label the 1915 killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide, Pelosi pledged to bring the measure to a vote.[32] The draft resolution prompted warnings from President Bush and fierce criticism from Turkey, with Turkey's prime minister saying that approval of the resolution would endanger U.S.-Turkey relations.[33] After House support eroded, the measure's sponsors dropped their call for a vote, and in late October Pelosi agreed to set the matter aside.[34]
Political positions and voting record
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Bertie_Ahern_with_NancyPelosi_%26_GeorgeWBush%2C_2007March15.jpg/220px-Bertie_Ahern_with_NancyPelosi_%26_GeorgeWBush%2C_2007March15.jpg)
Pelosi is regarded as a liberal, in part because she represents most of San Francisco, well known for its tradition of left-leaning politics. She consistently receives high ratings from liberal lobbying groups such as Americans for Democratic Action and People for the American Way,[35] and she has a lifetime rating of 3 from the right-leaning American Conservative Union.[36] During the 2004 and 2006 election cycles, Republicans frequently used the prospect of a "San Francisco liberal" or "Bay Area liberal" becoming Speaker as a tool to win votes, especially in the South. She was a founding member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, but left in 2003 after being elected Minority Leader. She felt that it would be inappropriate for her to be a member of any caucuses.
Among Pelosi's Democratic colleagues, she is considered to be far less liberal than portrayed. Her longtime friend, Jim McDermott of Washington, told Newsweek that he and other left-leaning Democratic congressmen sometimes wish that "she would tilt a little more our way from time to time." During the 2006 campaign, corporate consultants suggested that the Democrats portray themselves as a party that governed for all. As Speaker, Pelosi has tried to focus more on economic than social issues.[37]
In San Francisco, Pelosi is sometimes seen as being a moderate or even a conservative rather than a liberal, which has led to some conflicts with her constituents, particularly with anti-war activists.[38][39] Nonetheless, she has never faced a serious challenger in the Democratic primary.
Abortion
Pelosi supports the legality of abortion. She voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 and earlier attempts at similar bans.[40] She voted in favor of the 1998 Abortion Funding Amendment, which allowed the use of district funds to promote abortion-related activities.[40] She has also voted in favor of using federal funds to perform abortions in overseas military facilities, against parental notification when a minor is transported across state lines for an abortion, and in favor of providing funding for organizations working overseas that promote or perform abortions and abortion-related activities.[40]
Budget and taxes
Pelosi has been an advocate for a balanced budget, though she voted against the 1995 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment, which was passed by the House by a 300-132 vote, but in the Senate fell two votes short of the 2/3 supermajority required (with 65 out of 100 Senators voting in favor).[41]
Civil liberties
The ACLU's Congressional Scorecard has given Pelosi a lifetime rating of 93% for her voting record on civil liberties.[42] In 2001, she voted in favor of the USA Patriot Act but voted against reauthorization of certain provisions in 2005.[43] She voted against a Constitutional amendment banning flag-burning[44] and against a Congressional resolution supporting the display of the Ten Commandments in courtrooms.[45]
Education
Pelosi voted for the No Child Left Behind Act, which instituted testing to track students' progress and authorized an increase in overall education spending.[46]
Environment and energy
Pelosi has supported the development of new technologies to reduce U.S. dependence upon foreign oil and ameliorate the adverse environmental effects of burning fossil fuels.[47] Pelosi has widely supported conservation programs and energy research appropriations. Pelosi has also voted to remove an amendment that would allow for oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.[48]
Gun control
Pelosi is strongly pro-gun control. In particular, she believes that gun manufacturers should be held responsible for the (mis)use of guns. The NRA has given her an F rating, indicating a strongly anti-gun stance.[49]
Health care
Speaker Pelosi has voted to increase Medicare and Medicaid benefits.[50]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Nancy_Pelosi_060211.jpg/220px-Nancy_Pelosi_060211.jpg)
Immigration
Pelosi has been a supporter of rights for immigrants in the U.S.,[51] including those who enter illegally.[citation needed] She voted against the Secure Fence Act of 2006.[52]
Iraq War
In 2002, Pelosi opposed the Iraq Resolution authorizing President Bush to use military force against Iraq,[53] while stating that Iraq, like "other countries of concern", had WMD.[54] In explaining her opposition to the resolution, Pelosi noted that Central Intelligence Agency Director George Tenet had told Congress that the likelihood of Iraq's Saddam Hussein launching an attack on the U.S. using weapons of mass destruction was low. "This is about the Constitution," Pelosi said. "It is about this Congress asserting its right to declare war when we are fully aware what the challenges are to us. It is about respecting the United Nations and a multilateral approach, which is safer for our troops."
LGBT issues
Pelosi received a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign for the 107th,108th, and 109th sessions of Congress, indicating that she voted in agreement with HRC's slate of pro-gay legislative issues.[55] In 1996 she voted against the Defense of Marriage Act,[56] and in 2004 and 2006, she voted against the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, which would amend the United States Constitution to define marriage federally as being between one man and one woman, thereby overriding states' individual rights to legalize gay marriage.[57][58]
Lobbyist guidelines and ethics issues
Pelosi introduced the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act to Congress.
Middle East conflict
Pelosi reaffirms that "America and Israel share an unbreakable bond: in peace and war; and in prosperity and in hardship."[59] Pelosi emphasized that "a strong relationship between the United States and Israel has long been supported by both Democrats and Republicans. America's commitment to the safety and security of the State of Israel is unwavering,...[h]owever, the war in Iraq has made both America and Israel less safe." Pelosi's voting record shows consistent support for Israel. Prior to 2006 elections in the Palestinian Authority, she voted for a Congressional initiative disapproving of participation in the elections by Hamas and other organizations defined as terrorist by the legislation. She agrees with the current U.S. stance in support of land-for-peace. She has applauded Israeli "hopeful signs" of offering land, while criticizing Palestinian "threats" of not demonstrating peace in turn. She states, "If the Palestinians agree to coordinate with Israel on the evacuation, establish the rule of law, and demonstrate a capacity to govern, the world may be convinced that finally there is a real partner for peace."[59]
Pelosi supports the Syria Accountability Act and Iran Freedom and Support Act. In a speech at the AIPAC 2005 annual conference, Pelosi said that "for too long, leaders from both parties haven't done enough" to put pressure on Russia and China who are providing Iran with technological information on nuclear issues and missiles. "If evidence of participation by other nations in Iran's nuclear program is discovered, I will insist that the Administration use, rather than ignore, the evidence in determining how the U.S. deals with that nation or nations on other issues."[60]
During the 2006 Lebanon War, Pelosi voted in favor of Resolution 921 on the count that "the seizure of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah terrorists was an unprovoked attack and Israel has the right, and indeed the obligation, to respond." She argues organizations and political bodies in the Mideast like Hamas and Hezbollah "have a greater interest in maintaining a state of hostility with Israel than in improving the lives of the people they claim to represent." Pelosi asserts that civilians on both sides of the border "have been put at risk by the aggression of Hamas and Hezbollah" in part for their use of "civilians as shields by concealing weapons in civilian areas."[61]
In a February 15, 2007 interview, Pelosi noted that Bush consistently said he supports a diplomatic resolution to differences with Iran "and I take him at his word." At the same time, she said, "I do believe that Congress should assert itself, though, and make it very clear that there is no previous authority for the president, any president, to go into Iran."[62] On January 12, 2007, Congressman Walter B. Jones of North Carolina introduced a resolution[63] requiring that — absent a national emergency created by an attack, or a demonstrably imminent attack, by Iran upon the United States or its armed forces — the President must consult with Congress and receive specific authorization prior to initiating any use of military force against Iran.[64] This resolution was removed from a military spending bill for the war in Iraq by Pelosi on March 13, 2007.[65]
On February 15, 2007, Pelosi said President Bush lacks the authority to invade Iran without specific approval from Congress, "I do believe that Congress should assert itself, though, and make it very clear that there is no previous authority for the president, any president, to go into Iran."[66]
Military draft
In regards to Representative Charles Rangel's (D-NY) plan to introduce legislation that would reinstate the draft, Pelosi stated that she did not support such legislation.[67]
Minimum wage
As Speaker of the House, she also spearheaded the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 as part of the 100-Hour Plan. The Act raises the minimum wage in the United States and the territories of the Northern Marianas Islands and American Samoa. American Samoa was initially absent from the act, but as part of HR 2206 it was included. One Republican congressman who voted against the initial bill accused Pelosi of unethically benefiting Del Monte Foods (headquartered in her district) by the exclusion of the territory, where Del Monte's StarKist Tuna brand is a major employer.[68] Pelosi co-sponsored legislation that omitted American Samoa from a raise in the minimum wage as early as 1999, prior to Del Monte's acquisition of StarKist Tuna in 2002.[69] As of the 2002, 2004, and 2006 election cycles, Del Monte has not contributed to Democratic candidates.[70]
Waterboarding
Pelosi officially opposes the interrogation technique of waterboarding.[71] In 2002, Pelosi and several other Congressional leaders received a briefing on then-secret interrogation techniques including waterboarding, and did not object to the technique.[72] Pelosi's office stated that she eventually did protest the technique and that she concurred with objections raised by a Democratic colleague in a letter to the C.I.A. in early 2003.[71]
Electoral history
Pelosi's only close race so far has been the special election to succeed Sala Burton's seat after her death in February 1987. In the special election's Democratic primary, Pelosi narrowly defeated San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt, considered the more "progressive" candidate, with 36 percent of the vote to his 32 percent.[7][73] In the runoff against Republican candidate Harriet Ross, Pelosi received more than a 2 to 1 majority of cast votes in a turnout that comprised about 24% of eligible voters.[74] Since then, Pelosi has enjoyed overwhelming support in her political career, collecting 76 and 77 percent of the vote in California's 5th congressional district for the 1988 and 1990 Race for U.S. House of Representatives. In 1992, after the redistricting from the 1990 Census, Pelosi ran in California's 8th congressional district, which now covered the San Francisco area. She has continued to post impressive results since, dropping beneath 80 percent of the vote only once.[75]
See also
Footnotes
- ^ "The Italian American Congressional Delegation". Order Sons of Italy in America. 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
- ^ Ancestry of Nancy Pelosi
- ^ Jonathan Weisman and Lois Romano (November 16, 2006). "Pelosi Splits Democrats With Push For Murtha". Washington Post. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ Date of birth found on the California Birth Index 1905-1995, under Pelosi, Paul Frank, on 15 April 1940 in San Francisco.
- ^ "The First APA Supervisor", Asianweek.com, URL retrieved 10 December 2006
- ^ Zachary Coile (2004-06-26). "Bay lawmakers among wealthiest Feinstein and Pelosi continue to top the list of the richest members of Congress". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-01-05.
- ^ a b Is this the new face of the Democratic Party? Accessed 2007-05-29.
- ^ Edward Epstein: “CAMPAIGN 2006: Eighth Congressional District / 3 challengers fight for Pelosi seat,” San Francisco Chronicle, October 20, 2006, p. B-1, retrieved October 29, 2006.
- ^ "Democrats Won't Try To Impeach President", from the Washington Post 2006-05-12
- ^ "Sheehan considers challenge to Pelosi", by Angela K. Brown, Associated Press, July 8, 2007.
- ^ FOXNews.com - Hoyer Wins House Majority Leader Race, Giving Pelosi First Setback - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum
- ^ "Democrats defy Pelosi, elect Hoyer House leader". Reuters. November 16, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
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(help) - ^ Deirdre Walsh (January 4, 2007). "Pelosi becomes first woman House speaker". CNN.com. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
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(help) - ^ Bush, George W. (2007-01-23). "President Bush Delivers State of the Union Address". The White House. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
- ^ a b c SFGate.com (2006). Text of Nancy Pelosi's speech. Retrieved January 6, 2007.
- ^ a b ABC News: Congress' Approval Ratings Sinking Fast
- ^ Gallup.com
- ^ Office of the Majority Leader Steny Hoyer
- ^ Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) (01/05/2007). "Congressional Leaders Call on President to Reject Flawed Iraq Troop Surge".
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(help) Retrieved on 2007-01-24 - ^ Democrats Announce 2008 Convention Chairs http://www.demconvention.com/democrats-announce-2008-convention-chairs-2/
- ^ Illegal Diplomacy - WSJ.com
- ^ Pelosi's Delegation Presses Syrian Leader on Militants
- ^ PMO: Pelosi did not carry any message from Israel to Assad
- ^ Karin Laub (April 1, 2007). "Olmert seeks regional peace conference". AP via Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
- ^ US Congress leader in Saudi Arabia, day after meeting Syria's Assad
- ^ a b "U.S. House speaker critical of China over Tibet". CNN. 2008-03-20.
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ignored (help) - ^ "Pelosi urges world to condemn China over crackdown". The Guardian. 2008-03-22.
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(help); Text "http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/22/tibet.china1" ignored (help) - ^ "Colombian President Defends His Government". Retrieved 2007-10-04.
- ^ "Pelosi, Hoyer, Rangel, and Levin Statement on Trade". Retrieved 2007-09-26.
- ^ Nancy Pelosi on Foreign Policy
- ^ [1]
- ^ "US House Speaker: Armenian Genocide Measure Will Go Forward". Retrieved 2007-10-11.
- ^ "Turkey's PM says U.S. relations in danger". Retrieved 2007-10-12.
- ^ Walsh, Diedre (2007-10-25). "Vote on Armenian 'genocide' resolution put off". CNN. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
- ^ Representative Nancy Pelosi: Interest Group Ratings: Liberal, Project Vote Smart, accessed November 11, 2007
- ^ 2006 U.S House Votes
- ^ Newsweek
- ^ Erin McCormick: “SAN FRANCISCO / Anti-war activists take Pelosi to task / Minority leader negotiates with lawmakers to her right,” San Francisco Chronicle, January 15, 2006, p. B-1, retrieved December 29, 2006.
- ^ Bill Steigerwald: “FrontPage magazine.com: Meet Speaker Pelosi's Constituents,” FrontPage Magazine, November 30, 2006, retrieved December 29, 2006.
- ^ a b c "Representative Pelosi on Abortion Issues", Vote-Smart.org.(Retrieved November 11, 2007.)
- ^ "Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment". Key Vote. Project Vote Smart. 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
- ^ "ACLU Congressional Scorecard: Nancy Pelosi". ACLU. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
- ^ "Pelosi: Reauthorization of Patriot Act a Massive Invasion of Privacy" (Press release). Office of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. 2005-12-14. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
- ^ Clerk.House.gov
- ^ Vote Smart=H0222103
- ^ "Education". Key Vote. Project Vote Smart. 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
- ^ "Energy Issues". Key Vote. Project Vote Smart. 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
- ^ "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Drilling Amendment". Key Vote. Project Vote Smart. 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
- ^ Nancy Pelosi on the Issues
- ^ "Health Issues". Key Vote. Project Vote Smart. 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
- ^ Project Vote Smart - Representative Nancy Pelosi - Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
- ^ Key Votes by Nancy Pelosi | Congress votes database | washingtonpost.com
- ^ "Final vote results for roll call 455". Office of the Clerk. October 10 2002. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ Pelosi, Nancy (October 10, 2002). "Pelosi: Unilateral Use of Force Will Be Harmful to the War on Terrorism". Press Release by Congresswoman Pelosi. House of Representatives. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
- ^ http://www.hrc.org/documents/HRCscorecard2006.pdf
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1996/roll316.xml
- ^ Nancy Pelosi on Civil Rights
- ^ Top state Dems criticize S.F. mayor
- ^ a b "Archive.org version of a Pelosi Press Release". Archive.org. 2005. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
- ^ "Nancy Pelosi: Israel, don't fear Dems in Congress". ynetnews.com. 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
- ^ Pelosi Floor Statement on House Resolution Reaffirming Support for Israel
- ^ House Passes Resolution Opposing Bush's Plan to Send More Troops to Iraq
- ^ Search Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress)
- ^ Congressman Walter B. Jones - Releases by DexteraNet
- ^ http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/13/us.iraq.ap/index.html
- ^ "Pelosi Says Bush Has No Authority to Invade Iran". NewsMax.com, Feb 16, 2007.
- ^ Pelosi says no to draft legislation, CNN Politics, November 21, 2006
- ^ Shadegg Finds House Wage Hike A Bit Fishy. Retrieved on 2007-01-14.
- ^ Fair Minimum Wage Act of 1999. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
- ^ [2]. Retrieved on 2007-01-25.
- ^ a b Mazzetti, Mark, C.I.A. Official in Inquiry Called a ‘Hero’, New York Times, 2007-12-10
- ^ Warrick, Joby (2007-12-09). "Hill Briefed on Waterboarding in 2002". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
{{cite news}}
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{{cite news}}
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(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=
(help) Accessed via Lexis-Nexis. - ^ "Nancy Pelosi Wins House Seat". The Washington Post. June 3, 1987.
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(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=
(help) Accessed via Lexis-Nexis. - ^ In 2002, she garnered 79.58% of the vote, which rounds up to 80% in any case.
- ^ a b Election Statistics from the Clerk of the House of Representatives, for 1986–2004
- ^ SFGate 2006 election results, for 2006
- ^ 2004 Representative election results from the California Secretary of State, for the identity of Terry Baum, the write-in candidate in 2004 identified only as "write-in" from U.S. House Clerk.
External links
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- Speaker of the House Official website
- U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Official site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Profile at Vote Smart
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — Nancy Pelosi profile
- The American Ireland Fund Peace Award recipient
- Video Biography NIAF Lifetime Achievement Award
Articles
- YouTube — NancyPelosi Channel
- The New York Times — Nancy Pelosi News news stories and commentary
- Trinity Graduates Win Re-election: House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi '62 Poised to Become Speaker, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius '70 Wins Second Term from Trinity Washington University, November 8, 2006
- Rolling With Pelosi, from Newsweek, October 23, 2006
- Pelosi mines 'California gold' for Dems nationwide: Personal skills, wide network of wealthy donors help party's House leader gather millions, from sfgate.com, April 3, 2006
- Pelosi rides high, from The Economist, Feb 22, 2007
- This Is What a Speaker Looks Like, the Winter 2007 cover story to Ms.
- Nancy Pelosi Charlie Rose interviews
- Speakers of the United States House of Representatives
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from California
- Congressional opponents of the Iraq War
- Alumnae of women's universities and colleges
- Female members of the United States House of Representatives
- Italian-American politicians
- People from Baltimore, Maryland
- People from San Francisco, California
- American Roman Catholics
- California Democrats
- 1940 births
- Living people
- Pelosi family
- Italian American Democrats (United States)