WASHINGTON: Democrats in the US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to retain House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in her job for another two years.
A full House floor vote for the speakership will take place in January, and Pelosi is poised to remain in the top leadership post for House Democrats, CNN reported.
“There was a move to put limits on the leadership and the chairs of committees. They said they were going to do it; they didn’t do it. But what I said then, was whether it passes or not, I will abide by those limits,” Pelosi said, adding, “I can’t wait to be working with Joe Biden … I don’t want to undermine any leverage I may have, but I made the statement.”
In 2019, Pelosi had pledged that she would only serve four more years as speaker, meaning the next Congress would be her last.
House Democrats are choosing their leadership team this week following the US elections, in which they have lost at least 10 incumbent seats, failed to pick off any Republicans seeking re-election and now face their slimmest majority since World War II.
In a speech accepting the nomination, Pelosi vowed to work with the Biden administration to tackle a host of issues Democrats had promised on the campaign trail, including expanding access to health care, strengthening environmental protections, reforming police practices and bridging the vast racial disparities in the economy.
The caucus on Wednesday also re-elected Pelosi’s top lieutenants, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip James Clyburn (ANI)