NEW CONGRESS

At the beginning of the month, Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives eight years after losing power when the congresspeople, freshly elected in the last midterm elections, took the oath of office. A record 102 women were sworn into the House, 35 of whom were elected for the first time in November, including the first Native American women, the first Muslim women, and the youngest woman to be elected to Congress. Nancy Pelosi has reclaimed her former title as speaker of the House, which she held in 2007 – she was the first woman to hold it –, before handing over her gavel when the Republicans won the House in 2011. “I put on a suit of armor, eat nails for breakfast,” CNN quoted her as saying about her new position.

to regain récupérer, reprendre / House of Representatives Chambre des représentants / congresspeople membre du Congrès (parlement des É.-U.) / freshly récemment / midterm elections (US) élections de mi-mandat (présidentiel) où la totalité des sièges de la Chambre des représentants, un tiers du Sénat et plusieurs législatures ou gouverneurs sont renouvelés / oath of office serment d’entrée en fonction / to be sworn in(to) prêter serment / to reclaim récupérer / speaker of the House président(e) de la Chambre des Représentants / to hand over transmettre, céder / gavel marteau (de magistrat, de commissaire-priseur, etc.). / suit of armor (US) = suit of armour (GB) armure / nail clou (aussi, ongle) / to quote citer.