Nancy Pelosi

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Nancy Pelosi : biography

March 26, 1940 –

Pelosi stands in favor of increased background checks for potential gun owners, as well as the controversial banning of assault weapons. In February 2013, she called for the "Boldest possible move" on gun control, similar to a stance made just weeks earlier by former Representative, mass shooting victim and fellow gun control advocate, Gabriel Giffords. In 2012, she was given 0% ratings by both the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America for her stances on gun control.

In a February, 2013, interview with Fox News, Pelosi misstated that gun ownership was protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The First Amendment addresses freedom of speech and the press, and the Second Amendment protects gun ownership.

Fiscal/monetary policy

Pelosi voted against the 1995 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment, which was passed by the House by a 300–132 vote, but in the Senate fell two votes short of the 2/3 supermajority required (with 65 out of 100 Senators voting in favor).

As Speaker of the House, she also spearheaded the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 as part of the 100-Hour Plan. The Act raises the minimum wage in the United States and the territories of the Northern Marianas Islands and American Samoa. American Samoa was initially absent from the act, but as part of HR 2206 it was included. One Republican congressman who voted against the initial bill accused Pelosi of unethically benefiting Del Monte Foods (headquartered in her district) by the exclusion of the territory, where Del Monte’s StarKist Tuna brand is a major employer.. Retrieved on January 14, 2007. Pelosi co-sponsored legislation that omitted American Samoa from a raise in the minimum wage as early as 1999, prior to Del Monte’s acquisition of StarKist Tuna in 2002.. Retrieved on February 7, 2007. As of the 2002, 2004, and 2006 election cycles, Del Monte has not contributed to Democratic candidates. . Retrieved January 1, 2007.

Pelosi opposed the welfare reform proposed by President Bush as well as reforms proposed and passed under President Clinton.

On November 16, 2012, the US leaders announced that President Barack Obama (D) met with House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) "to discuss" the plan, "to work on" a plan "over the weekend", or "to create a plan" that would be ready to present the week of November 26, 2012 concerning the fiscal cliff.

Civil liberties

The American Civil Liberties Union’s Congressional Scorecard has given Pelosi a lifetime rating of 92% for her voting record on civil liberties. In 2001, she voted in favor of the USA Patriot Act, but voted against reauthorization of certain provisions in 2005. She voted against a Constitutional amendment banning flag-burning and against a Congressional resolution supporting the display of the Ten Commandments in courtrooms.

Contraception

In a January 25, 2009, interview with George Stephanopoulos for ABC News, Pelosi said, "Well, the family planning services reduce cost. They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children’s health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those – one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.", ABC News, January 25, 2009

Education

Pelosi voted for the No Child Left Behind Act, which instituted testing to track students’ progress and authorized an increase in overall education spending.

Environment

President [[George W. Bush and Pelosi honor 300 Tuskegee Airmen at the Capitol building, March 2007]] Pelosi has supported the development of new technologies to reduce U.S. dependence upon foreign oil and remediate the adverse environmental effects of burning fossil fuels. Pelosi has widely supported conservation programs and energy research appropriations. She has also voted to remove an amendment that would allow for oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.