Nancy Pelosi's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Nancy Pelosi.

Nancy Pelosi is a prominent American politician, notably serving as the 52nd Speaker of the House, twice holding the position. As a Democrat representing California since 1987, she made history as the first female Speaker and the first woman to lead a major party in Congress. She led House Democrats from 2003 to 2023, marking a significant career in American politics. Her district currently encompasses most of San Francisco.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

November 15, 2002: Pelosi Defeats Ford for Leadership

On November 15, 2002, Nancy Pelosi defeated Harold Ford Jr. in a closed-door vote to become the leader of the House Democratic Caucus.

November 2002: Elected to Replace Gephardt as House Minority Leader

In November 2002, Nancy Pelosi was elected to replace Dick Gephardt as House minority leader, becoming the first woman to lead a major party in either chamber of Congress.

2004: Pelosi Opposes Social Security Reform

In 2004, after being reelected, President Bush proposed reforming Social Security, but Pelosi opposed the plan, imposing party discipline and leading her caucus to near-unanimous opposition, which resulted in the proposal being defeated.

November 16, 2006: Pelosi Nominated for Speaker

On November 16, 2006, the Democratic caucus unanimously nominated Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House after the Democrats gained control of the House in the 2006 elections.

2006: Democrats Gain House Majority

In the 2006 midterm elections, Nancy Pelosi led the Democrats to a majority in the House for the first time in 12 years.

January 4, 2007: Pelosi Elected Speaker of the House

On January 4, 2007, Nancy Pelosi was elected Speaker of the House, defeating Republican John Boehner.

2009: Pelosi Reelected as Speaker

In 2009, Nancy Pelosi was reelected as Speaker of the House.

January 2010: Pelosi Spearheaded Affordable Care Act

In January 2010, after Republican Scott Brown won Ted Kennedy's former Senate seat, Nancy Pelosi spearheaded the Affordable Care Act after dismissing Obama's scaled-back ideas as "kiddie care."

November 17, 2010: Pelosi Sought to Continue Leading House Democratic Caucus

On November 17, 2010, Nancy Pelosi sought to continue leading the House Democratic Caucus as minority leader after the Democrats lost control of the House. She defeated Representative Heath Shuler in the caucus vote.

2010: Instrumental in passing the Affordable Care Act

In 2010, Nancy Pelosi was instrumental in passing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. She was a key figure in convincing President Obama to continue pushing for health-care reform.

April 2018: Peter Beinart's Article in The Atlantic

In April 2018, Peter Beinart wrote in The Atlantic, characterizing Nancy Pelosi as "the most effective congressional leader of modern times—and, not coincidentally, the most vilified."

November 2018: Democrats Gain Control of the House

In November 2018, the Democrats gained control of the House of Representatives, and Nancy Pelosi took office as Speaker.

2018: Democrats Recapture House Majority

In the 2018 elections, the Democratic Party regained a majority in the House of Representatives, securing 41 additional seats. This marked the party's most significant gain in the House since the 1974 elections following Watergate.

January 3, 2019: Pelosi Reelected as Speaker of the House

On January 3, 2019, Nancy Pelosi was reelected as Speaker of the House at the commencement of the 116th Congress. This was after weeks of negotiating with fellow Democrats. In order to win over some holdouts, an agreement was made that would put an expiration date on her tenure where she promised not to stay more than four years in the job.

June 2019: Brent Budowsky's Opinion in The Hill

In June 2019, Brent Budowsky wrote in The Hill that Nancy Pelosi had been "the most important, consequential and effective Speaker since Tip O'Neill" as well as "one of the greatest Speakers who ever served."

January 2020: Paul Kane's Assessment in The Washington Post

In January 2020, on the eve of Trump's first impeachment trial before the U.S. Senate, Washington Post political writer Paul Kane called Nancy Pelosi the most powerful House speaker in at least 25 years, noting that some historians were comparing her influence to that of former speaker Sam Rayburn.

2021: Role in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Passage

In 2021, Nancy Pelosi played a key role in facilitating the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

2021: John Boehner's Opinion on Pelosi

In 2021, former Republican speaker John Boehner opined that Nancy Pelosi had been the most powerful House speaker in U.S. history.

August 2, 2022: Pelosi Visits Taiwan

On August 2, 2022, Nancy Pelosi became the highest-ranking U.S. government official in 25 years to visit Taiwan, a trip that heightened tensions between the U.S. and China. During her visit, she met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen and affirmed U.S. Congress's commitment to Taiwan's freedom.

November 2022: Opinions on Pelosi's Effectiveness as Speaker

In November 2022, multiple writers and historians shared opinions on Nancy Pelosi's effectiveness as a Speaker, including Chris Cillizza writing that Pelosi was "the most effective speaker ever," Johnathan Bernstein opining for The Washington Post and Bloomberg News that Pelosi was "the greatest speaker in history," and Sarah Ferris of Politico calling Pelosi "a legislative giant regarded as one of the most powerful speakers in modern U.S. history." Historian Lindsay M. Chervinsky wrote for NBC News that Pelosi was "one of the most effective speakers in history".

November 29, 2022: Pelosi Named 'Speaker Emerita'

On November 29, 2022, the Steering and Policy Committee of the House Democratic Caucus named Nancy Pelosi "Speaker Emerita".

2022: Legislative Achievements During 117th Congress

During the 117th Congress in 2022, the CHIPS and Science Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 (PACT Act) were successfully passed.