Madam Speaker: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the U.S. Speaker of the House

(September 19–25)

On Tuesday, Madam Speaker visited the “In America: Remember” public art project on the National Mall, a space for national mourning to honor those in the U.S. who have died from COVID-19, created by Washington, D.C.-area artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg. Next, the Speaker joined Members of Congress for a press conference on the Protecting Our Democracy Act, a sweeping set of democratic reforms to protect against presidential corruption and abuses of power. Later, Madam Speaker met with Representative Karen Bass and His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, to discuss strengthening our bilateral relationship, COVID-19 response and recovery, support for reforms and economic prosperity and strategically addressing the climate crisis.

Wednesday, Madam Speaker met with both the Right Honorable Boris Johnson, M.P., Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Honorable Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister of Australia, ahead of respective bipartisan leadership meetings.

On Thursday, Madam Speaker held her weekly press conference in the Capitol Visitor Center where she was joined by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to discuss progress on the Build Back Better agenda. The Speaker later met with Simon Coveney, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense of the Republic of Ireland, and the Hong Kong Democracy Council at the United States Capitol. That afternoon, Madam Speaker joined Member of Congress, essential home care workers and advocates to reaffirm the need for investments in home care in the Build Back Better package.

Friday, Madam Speaker joined Congresswomen Judy Chu, Diana DeGette, Barbara Lee, Ayanna Pressley and Sylvia Garcia at the House Triangle for a press conference ahead of the House passing the Women’s Health Protection Act and later joined the House Democratic Women’s Caucus, other Members of Congress and advocates for a press event highlighting House Democrats’ work to Build Back Better for Women.

Take a look at this week’s behind-the-scenes photos:

September 21

“We look at these flags, and we think of the family — someone missing from the table at dinner, missing from the conversation, in family. I was reading some of the statements on the flags, one of them to Papa, ‘We miss you.’ Their grandfather. ‘We miss you.’”

“The separation of power is the genius of the Constitution of the United States. It is exquisitely beautiful, and it is the essence of a democracy. The provisions in the bill show you why we have to codify this, turn it into law so that no president of whatever party can ever assume that he or she has the power to usurp the power of the other branches of government.”

Madam Speaker shows President Lourenço around the Capitol rotunda on September 21.

September 22

Madam Speaker explains the origin of a statue in the United States Capitol to Prime Minister Johnson on the way to a bipartisan leadership meeting on September 22.

Madam Speaker engages in discussion with Prime Minister Morrison and Majority Leader Hoyer following a bipartisan leadership meeting on September 22.

September 23

“This morning, we met with the Chairs of the Committee, Chairman Wyden and Chairman Neal, along with representatives of the White House. It was a great honor for me to welcome the Secretary of the Treasury, a person I have long admired, and to have the benefit of her wisdom and judgment in the discussions that we had.”

Madam Speaker welcomes Simon Coveney, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense of the Republic of Ireland, to the United States Capitol.

Madam Speaker meets with the Hong Kong Democracy Council to talk about the continuing serious erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong.

“The backbone of our democracy and our country is the middle class and those who aspire to it. As we Build Back Better, we must meet families’ home health care needs — and lift up the caregivers who meet them!”

September 24

“By passing this bill today, we reaffirmed this truth: every woman, everywhere, has the constitutional right to basic reproductive health care!”

“In some ways, this is a great day for the women and indeed, all of the families of America. In another way, it is sad that it is so necessary because of actions of that Supreme Court supporting legislation that is shameful in every way to our country and what we are about.”