Nancy Pelosi wins House speaker in historic Congress vote as Democrats inherit government shutdown
In response to the incoming Congress, the president called a surprise meeting to promote border security that was quickly labelled a 'stunt'
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Congress has reconvened for its 116th session, with the Democrats taking majority control of the House of Representatives after their success in last November’s midterm elections.
Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi has made history by becoming speaker of the House for a second time, the first person to do so in 50 years. She is the first woman in US history to hold the office — which is third in line from the presidency — and on Thursday took the speaker's gavel for the second time in her life.
Ms Pelosi, during her first speech behind the speaker's lectern in the 116th Congress, laid out a vision to push for progressive policies to tackle climate change issues, while protecting America's social safety net. She expressed an optimism in American democracy, while reaffirming the legislature's obligation to serve as oversight of the executive branch of government — a clear threat to President Donald Trump, who has so far enjoyed Republican control of the entire government since taking office.
"They called upon the beauty of our Constitution: our system of checks and balances that protects our democracy, remembering that the legislative branch is Article I: the first branch of government, co-equal to the president and judiciary," Ms Pelosi said.
She continued, describing the expectations of America for it's elected representatives: "They want a Congress that delivers results for the people, opening up opportunity and lifting up their lives".
The San Francisco liberal has promised her first act will be to quickly pass legislation to bring the recent government shutdown to an end without releasing funds for President Donald Trump‘s proposed Mexico border wall. The Republican-held Senate could block such a bill but doing so would see the GOP left accountable for the continued federal hiatus. The Senate had previously passed legislation to keep the government open without the level of border wall funding requested by Mr Trump, but that measure was not passed by the then-Republican controlled House.
In response to the events on Capitol Hill, Mr Trump declared a last-minute event in the White House press briefing room that included senior members of the National Border Patrol Council, a labour union representing Border Patrol agents. That labour union lobbies heavily in Washington in favour of border security measures and immigration legislation.
That even was seen as an attempt to divert attention from Ms Pelosi, and was labelled by pundits and critics as a "stunt". That group included CNN anchor Brianna Keilar.
Ms Pelosi could prove to be an effective opponent for Mr Trump as talks surrounding the government shutdown — which are expected to restart on Friday — continue onward. During a meeting before the shutdown itself, Ms Pelosi and her Democratic counterpart in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, managed to get the president to take responsibility for the shutdown during a televised meeting in the Oval Office. Their next meeting after that, on Wednesday, occurred behind closed doors.
But, Ms Pelosi also faces a difficult task ahead as she looks to maintain a cohesive Democratic party and avoid the fracturing that was seen after the conservative Tea Party wave washed through Washington in 2010 and let establishment and centrist Republican leaders with little room to manoeuvre in the face of hard line members of their caucus.
To maintain that cohesion, Ms Pelosi has promised to limit her speakership to four years in order to help usher in a younger generation of leadership in the party.
Ms Pelosi has also faced pressure from the party's ascendant progressive wing, with popular candidates like New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez among those leading the push for causes like a transformative and ambitious Green New Deal programme that would eliminate the United States' reliance on fossil fuels — but would require massive investment and political will to be made into law.
Please read along for our coverage of the day's events, as they happened
Ms Pelosi now has the gavel, and is receiving a standing ovation. She is officially giving her first speech in her second stint as speaker of the House.
Ms Pelosi has said she looks forward to working with Mr McCarthy "in a bipartisan way".
Ms Pelosi has congratulated all of the members of the House in attendance, and thanked them for their "courage" to run for office.
Ms Pelosi has noted the historic nature of this congress, which has the most women in history and is being started on an historic anniversary.
"I'm particularly proud to be a woman speaker of the house of this congress, which marks the 100th year of women having the right to vote," Ms Pelosi said.
She continued: "And that we all have the ability and privilege to serve with over 100 women members of Congress. The largest number in history".
Ms Pelosi is referencing the US Constitution, and noted that the legislature is "co-equal" to the president.
She has promised to work "together" with her colleagues, and said that "we must be pioneers of the future".
Ms Pelosi has pledged to uphold the middle class, and to work for average Americans during her speakership.
"We must be champions of the middle class and all those who aspire to it," Ms Pelosi said.
She continued to say that she would protect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
Ms Pelosi now says that the American people are head of Congress when it comes to climate change.
She noted that the new Congress will include a special panel to work on climate issues, and to ensure that climate denials are not dominant in popular discourse.
Ms Pelosi's announcement was met with a near-party-line applause. Republicans did not appear to support the climate change committee.
Ms Pelosi has pledged that "transparency will be the order of the day".
Ms Pelosi is hitting on most of the major democratic talking points in her first speech as speaker.
In addition to climate change, she has also discussed supporting the US social safety net, and ensuring livable wages for all Americans.
To some degree, her focus on those issues reflects the liberal undercurrent that could be seen in the 2018 midterm elections, which saw the election of more progressive candidates in many districts across the country.
Ms Pelosi — like Mr McCarthy — has quoted former Republican President Ronald Reagan, who urged against discriminating against welcoming immigrants to become new Americans during one of his final speeches.
The line is particularly relevant at the moment, as one of the first orders of business for the new congress will be to work with the White House to pass a workable budget. That as so far been untenable as President Donald Trump has demanded over $5bn in funding for a wall along the southern US border.
Ms Pelosi is now going to be administered the oath of office by Representative Don Young.
She invited her grandchildren "and any other children" who want to join her as she takes the oath of office.
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