Nancy Pelosi, not settling in

It has been almost six months since the California congresswoman relinquished the speakership of the House. Now, as minority leader, she is focused on winning back Democratic control.

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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks to constituents of Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) at the Library of Congress on June 14.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi, then speaker, swore in Schock when he was a freshman congressman, and the two have worked together across the aisle since then.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi shared the stage with Reps. Sander Levin (D-Mich.), right, and Mark Critz (D-Pa.) during her weekly news conference June 16. The lawmakers sought to keep the focus on the issue of job creation, but the news of the day was the resignation of Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.).

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi speaks with reporters June 13 after a procedural vote on Weiner's request for a leave of absence. He resigned three days later.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi is followed by reporters after her weekly news conference June 16. The scandal that led to Weiner's resignation was an unwelcome distraction for House Democrats.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi was a GOP target in ads leading up to the 2010 midterm elections that urged voters to "fire" her.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi, flanked by Rep. C.W. Bill Young (D-Fla.) and Joyce Murtha, widow of representative John Murtha (D-Pa.), attends a tree-planting ceremony in Murtha's honor.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi with Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.) at the ceremony for Murtha.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi, greeting Rep. Young at the tree-planting ceremony as Joyce Murtha looks on, says she remains determined to win back control of the House for the Democrats.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi, awaiting a vote Thursday, June 23, refers to the goal of winning back House control as her "faith-based initiative."

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

"I came here to do a job," Pelosi says. "I didn't come here to keep a job."

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

In her office, Pelosi films an interview for a documentary on Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a leader of the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

On her way off the House floor, Pelosi pauses to talk to Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) while aide Jonathan Stivers, right, waits for her.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

An excited Pelosi prepares to greet a guest: Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi and Sirleaf embrace. As a pioneering woman in politics, Pelosi said her status as a role model for other women made her reluctant to step down from leadership after the disastrous 2010 midterms. "It's important to me that women young in politics -- they're coming out of the kitchen as I did -- are not deterred because of sexism or chauvinism [or the idea that] you can say or do anything about a woman and people will believe it," she says.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Joined by Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), Pelosi listens as Sirleaf talks about the situation in her country.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Staffers brief Pelosi before she heads to the floor for votes.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Democratic colleagues -- Reps. Nita M. Lowey (D-N.Y.), left, Silvestre Reyes (D-Tex.), and Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), right, surround Pelosi as she heads to the House floor.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Pelosi and chief of staff John Lawrence work on a speech while press secretary Drew Hammill works the phones in the next room.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

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