The Honorable Nancy Pelosi

Overwhelmingly elected by her colleagues as Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi is the first woman to lead a major party in the U.S. Congress. In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, she led Congressional reviews of the U.S. intelligence and security agencies and authored legislation to create a commission to assess the performance of the federal government before, during, and after the attacks.

Pelosi has long been an advocate for human rights around the world. She has fought to improve China's human rights record, attempting to tie trade to increased human rights standards. She has also been a leader on efforts to free the people of Tibet. Pelosi hails from a strong family tradition of public service. Her father served as Mayor of Baltimore for 12 years after representing the city for five terms in Congress. Her brother also served as Mayor of Baltimore.