On the opening day of the two-year Congress, Nancy Pelosi, a liberal California Democrat, was sworn in as the first woman to lead the U.S. House of Representatives as its speaker.
The convening of the new House and Senate marked the first time in his six years as president that Bush will not have fellow Republicans in control of either legislative body.
Pelosi delivered her first speech as House speaker, warning that the November 7 congressional elections were "a call to change" that went far beyond Democrats' taking power from Republicans.
"Nowhere were the American people more clear about the need for a new direction than in Iraq," Pelosi said, adding voters "rejected an open-ended obligation to a war without end."
"In order to achieve a new America, we must return this House to the American people," Pelosi said. "So our first order of business is passing the toughest ethics reform in history."
"By electing me as speaker you have brought us closer to the ideal of equality that is America's heritage and America's hope," Pelosi said. "This is an historic moment — for the Congress, and for the women of America. It is a moment for which we have waited more than 200 years. Never losing faith, we waited through the many years of struggle to achieve our rights."
Amen Sister! Now get to work.
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