Democrats officially nominate Nancy Pelosi for House speaker
In a closed-door meeting Wednesday, House Democrats nominated House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to return as House speaker next year. It's a "vote of confidence," as Pelosi described it, for when the whole House officially votes for its leader in January.
Pelosi ran unopposed to become speaker, the same role she held when Democrats held a House majority from 2007-2011. But she faced opposition from some Democrats, mostly newcomers, who wanted to see fresh leadership. Sixteen representatives signed a letter officially opposing Pelosi, and the nine Democratic members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus demanded a set of rule changes before they would back Pelosi.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Also on Wednesday, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) beat Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), 123-113, for caucus chair. The spot was vacated by outgoing Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.), who Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez surprisingly beat earlier this year. Both Jeffries and Lee are members of the Congressional Black Caucus, but the 72-year-old Lee said "institutional barriers" including gender and age likely prevented her from winning the race. The 48-year-old Jeffries will take the No. 5 spot in the Democratic House and is seen as a "future party leader," Politico writes. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), meanwhile, was elected to chair the Congressional Black Caucus.
-
Buddhist monks’ US walk for peaceUnder the Radar Crowds have turned out on the roads from California to Washington and ‘millions are finding hope in their journey’
-
American universities are losing ground to their foreign counterpartsThe Explainer While Harvard is still near the top, other colleges have slipped
-
How to navigate dating apps to find ‘the one’The Week Recommends Put an end to endless swiping and make real romantic connections
-
Judge rejects California’s ICE mask ban, OKs ID lawSpeed Read Federal law enforcement agents can wear masks but must display clear identification
-
Lawmakers say Epstein files implicate 6 more menSpeed Read The Trump department apparently blacked out the names of several people who should have been identified
-
Japan’s Takaichi cements power with snap election winSpeed Read President Donald Trump congratulated the conservative prime minister
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
