United States
On January 4, 2007, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California was elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. She became the first woman to hold the position, which is second in the presidential line of succession. Her election followed the 2006 midterms, when her party gained control of the House. As Speaker, Pelosi set the chamber’s legislative agenda and oversaw committee leadership and rules. The milestone was widely noted as a breakthrough for representation in national politics. It also signaled shifts in policy priorities at the start of the 110th Congress.
