Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Patricia Pelosi (born March 26, 1940) is an American politician serving as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. She is the first woman to hold this office and has served in this role since January 3, 2019, having previously served from 2007 to 2011. Pelosi represents California's 12th congressional district, which consists of four-fifths of the city and county of San Francisco.

Early Life and Education

Nancy Pelosi was born in Baltimore, Maryland, into an Italian-American family. Her father, Thomas D'Alesandro Jr., was a Democratic Congressman from Maryland and a Mayor of Baltimore. Her mother, Annunciata M. "Nancy" D'Alesandro, was also active in politics, organizing Democratic women. Pelosi graduated from Trinity Washington University in 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science.

Political Career

Pelosi began her political career as a volunteer for the Democratic Party. She worked her way up through the ranks, serving as a member of the Democratic National Committee and chair of the California Democratic Party. In 1987, she was elected to the United States House of Representatives, succeeding Sala Burton.

Speaker of the House

Nancy Pelosi was first elected Speaker of the House in 2007, making history as the first woman to hold the position. During her tenure, she was instrumental in the passage of significant legislation, including the Affordable Care Act. After the Democrats lost control of the House in 2011, Pelosi served as the House Minority Leader until the Democrats regained the majority in 2018, at which point she was re-elected as Speaker.

Personal Life

Nancy Pelosi married Paul Pelosi in 1963, and they have five children. The Pelosis reside in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco.

See Also

• List of female speakers of national and sub-national legislatures
• History of women in the United States House of Representatives

External Links

• Official Speaker of the House website
• House of Representatives website