Nancy Patricia Pelosi, born March 26, 1940, is a prominent American politician renowned for being the first woman to serve as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. A Democrat representing California, she held the powerful gavel for two distinct periods: from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. Beyond her speakership, Pelosi made history as the first woman to lead a major political party in either chamber of Congress, heading House Democrats for two decades (2003-2023), a tenure that ranks among the longest.

During her first speakership, she was instrumental in passing landmark legislation under the Obama administration, including the Affordable Care Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act. Her second term saw the House impeach President Donald Trump twice and the enactment of significant Biden-era bills, such as the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act. Having served in the House since 1987, Pelosi retired as House Democratic leader in 2022, leaving a profound and often polarizing legacy on modern American politics.