Q&A

THE VIEW FROM THE SPEAKER’S SEAT
Nancy Pelosi states her positions on immigration, assistance for small business, the war in Iraq, the upcoming election and the future of the Democratic Party.

Nancy Pelosi is the first woman, first Italian-American and first Californian elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. She is the highest ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government and is second in line in presidential succession following Vice President Dick Cheney.
A mother of five and grandmother of seven, Pelosi learned the art of politics at an early age, campaigning for her father Thomas D’Alesandro Jr. when he ran and served as U.S. congressman from Maryland and as mayor of Baltimore.
Since 1987, she has represented the 8th congressional district of California, which encompasses most of the city and county of San Francisco, a Democratic seat considered one of the safest in the country.
Her focus right now, she says, is to expand the Democratic majority in the House “because there is a great deal of work to be done once we have a new president next January—and that president will be a Democrat.”

HE: What are the challenges and the benefits of being the first female Speaker of the House?
NP: I was not elected Speaker because I am a woman, but I believe women bring a unique perspective to leadership. Women work in a more collaborative fashion and bring a great respect for other voices and experiences. We understand that we each bring value to the debate, and that allowing for a diversity of opinions leads to better results.
I am dazzled by many of our young women [congressional] members who are both raising families and pursuing their careers in politics. It is a balance that we are all trying to achieve. What I tell all the new House members is that politics can be an insatiable beast and that they need to take the time for their family. That time away from the office and with your family renews you and makes you stronger at the job.

HE: Have you ever thought about running for President?
NP: No. I’m quite happy with the job I have now.

HE: This Congress has not done a great deal for small business. In view of the economic situation, what are your plans for helping small business owners?
NP: Well, I disagree with the premise of your question. Hispanics own a record 1.6 million small businesses with annual revenues of more than $221 billion. In April, the House passed legislation that lowers the cost of financing for small businesses by modernizing SBA lending initiatives, allowing entrepreneurs to invest further in their ventures and create jobs.
Democrats also worked to include benefits for small businesses in our recent economic stimulus package. We have approved measures that will reduce the tax liability of small firms and will provide them with needed cash flow. The measures that are in the House package are designed to provide targeted relief for small businesses to help them create new jobs and lift the economy. It will encourage immediate investment, increase productivity and further the prospects for long-term economic growth.

HE: How important is Hispanic turnout in the next election?
NP: Hispanic turnout will be crucial in this year’s election. In 2006, Hispanics turned out in great numbers and helped Democrats gain a majority in Congress. Hispanic voters will be a key part this year’s election and I believe that they will vote for Democrats again, because we are the party that best represents their values and is working to address their needs.

HE: How important are Hispanics and minorities to the Democratic Party?
NP: Hispanics and all minorities are critical to our party. The Democratic Party has always been the party of inclusion, and has always provided a platform for minorities to help drive the direction of our nation. This is evident in the 110th Congress, where 25 of the 30 Hispanics serving in Congress are Democrats, and more Hispanics than ever before are serving in key leadership positions. Thanks to their hard work, Democrats are making Congress work for Hispanics, and indeed all Americans, across the nation.
In our first year in the majority we have increased the minimum wage, giving 2.3 million hardworking Hispanic Americans a raise. We made the largest investment in education since the GI Bill in 1944, making college more affordable for 1.8 million Hispanic students. We provided the Veterans Administration with the largest increase in funding in its 77-year history, expanding benefits for the 1.1 million Hispanic veterans; and we’ve expanded affordable housing for more than 100,000 families.

HE: Do you predict a Democratic sweep of both the House and Senate?
NP: There is a real excitement surrounding Democrats this year and people are excited about the new direction that Democrats have taken our country. I predict that we will gain seats in Congress come November. We’ve accomplished a lot in the past 12 months, and we can do a lot more with a Democratic president and larger majorities in both chambers of Congress.

HE: Can the House reverse the bills and legislation Bush has vetoed?
NP: Unfortunately, for the most part we’ve been unable to override the President’s vetoes, the exception being the Water Resources Development Act, which will help our country make critical investments in infrastructure. Whether it was setting a timetable for the responsible redeployment of our troops or providing health care to more than 10 million children—the President has repeatedly shown that he is out of touch with the values and priorities of this country. He has been unwilling to compromise on critical issues for our country and Republicans in Congress have backed him every step of the way.

HE: Where do you stand on immigration? How should we deal with this contentious problem?
NP: Last year, efforts were made to find a bipartisan consensus on comprehensive immigration reform legislation, which included the following principles: to secure our borders, unite our families, strengthen our economy, protect workers’ rights, and bring everyone out of the shadows. This was one of the issues where we were hoping to work together with President Bush. However, he was unable to get Republicans—who unfortunately wanted to use immigration as a divisive political issue—to support comprehensive immigration reform. There remains a strong need to fix our broken immigration system. We operate in a challenging environment that makes progress difficult, but Democrats will continue to work to build support for a comprehensive and bipartisan approach to immigration reform.

HE: Do you have timetable for Iraq?
NP: A majority of Americans and of Congress oppose the war. The House has repeatedly passed legislation to bring the troops home, but it’s been blocked by Republicans in the Senate. I expected that, having heard the voice of the people in the last election, Republicans in Congress would have responded to their wishes. Instead, they have dug in and continue to support the President’s plan for a 10-year, $1 trillion war. But we will never stop fighting to bring an end to the war in Iraq.