Politics

Pelosi Strikes Deal To Secure Enough Votes For House Speaker

Rep. Nancy Pelosi agreed to back a proposal limiting the number of terms Democrats can serve in the top House leadership positions.

Pelosi Strikes Deal To Secure Enough Votes For House Speaker
Getty Images
SMS

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has reportedly secured enough support to reclaim the House speaker position when Democrats take over the chamber in January. 

But she had to negotiate a deal with some of her Democratic critics to get there. 

As part of that deal, Pelosi agreed to back a proposal that would limit the party's top House leaders to three terms. If a leader wanted to serve for a fourth term, two-thirds of the Democratic caucus would need to approve it. 

Pelosi also noted she intends to stick to the term limit proposal even if the House Democratic Caucus doesn't pass it — meaning she'd only serve four years as House speaker at the most.

That's because she already served two terms as House speaker from 2007 to 2011.

If the policy is approved by the caucus on Feb. 15, it would also limit incoming House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and incoming House Majority Whip James Clyburn to one or two terms. 

In order to get elected speaker, Pelosi will need to win a majority of votes in the full House on Jan. 3.