January 4, 2007 – CBS Hourly News – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
January 4, 2007 – A historic day on Capitol Hill. For the first time in U.S. History, a Woman took the gavel as Speaker of The House. Nancy Pelosi, Representative from California, signaled a new era in Washington. Not only did the Democrats regain control of the House for the first time in eleven years, they elected Nancy Pelosi to lead Congress. Pelosi was minority leader since 2003, but regaining the House and putting Nancy Pelosi to be third in line to the Presidency as Majority Speaker was a very big deal.
Of course, the celebration didn’t last long, as partisan sniping quickly took over on the House floor, as debate started over a tough new package of ethics and Lobby rules that Republicans said they weren’t consulted on. Democrats also promised quick action on raising the minimum wage, and forcing prices down for drugs in the new Medicare program.
Meanwhile, President Bush spent nearly two hours on the phone with the Iraqi Prime Minister, trying to iron out issues of having sufficient force in Baghdad, to create a stable situation within the city. Bush was expected to give an address on Iraq policy to the nation within a few days.
Linton Brooks, the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was slated to be replaced this day, the result of an investigation over security breakdowns at various facilities, including Los Alamos.
Homeland Security was going to require dockworkers and others a U.S. ports to get new i.d. cards. The Dockworkers union balked at the idea of having each member pay some $140 for an i.d. card, which was nothing more than a fancy photo i.d. Union Spokesmen said the idea was “a little nutty”.
And that’s a little of what went on this January 4th 2007 – only 10 years ago, via CBS Radio Hourly News.
