Harris, Pelosi make history, become first woman duo to share stage with President

As the US President Joe Biden took off his address on Wednesday to a joint session of Congress for the first time, history was made behind the podium, with two powerful women, who took their places on the rostrum for the first time. 

Though, speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has been in the position before during presidential speeches before. But, for the first time, the country’s first female vice president, Kamala Harris, sat next to the speaker. 

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History was made when the two people sat behind and the either side of the US President during the State of the Union address were women. 

This marks a milestone in the nation’s long history as the female lawmakers have taken to reach positions of American power. 

House Democrat Barbara Lee tweeted, “Like so many women, I feel pride in this moment and seeing this representation, It’s long overdue.”

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It also marks a first of another sort: both the speaker and the vice president will be wearing masks, a key plank of policies implemented in Congress beginning last year to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.

Harris and Pelosi are the first and second, respectively, in the presidential line of succession.