Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi received a warm welcome as she returned to the floor of the House on Friday for the first time since hip replacement surgery.
The 84-year-old California Democrat was spotted walking into the House chamber with the help of two aides who held her arms.
She received applause from Democratic lawmakers as she made her entrance as some representatives stepped up to greet their former leader.
Her triumphant return to the halls of Congress comes just weeks after the former speaker underwent surgery following a tumble during a bipartisan congressional trip to Europe.
Pelosi opted to wear a pair of flats rather than stilettos as she made her return, which is a change from the heels she often sported before the surgery.
As she slowly made her way through the chamber, she smiled, shook hands and posed for photos, but she was visibly limping as she progressed through the room while saying hello to lawmakers and their families.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) returns to the floor of the House with some help after undergoing hip replacement surgery last month in Europe
The former speaker took the nasty fall on a marble staircase in Luxembourg and was rushed to hospital on Friday, December 13.
Her spokesperson revealed in a statement that weekend that she was then taken to Germany and underwent successful hip replacement surgery.
It was not clear at the time when she would be able to make the trip home to the U.S. from Europe.
She was still recovering as lawmakers wrapped up their final activities before heading home for the holidays.
But on Friday, she made her way through the nation’s capitol for the start of the new 119th Congress where lawmakers are voting for the next speaker.
Republicans have one of the slimmest majorities in the House in U.S. history, so Democrats could hold weight as long as they all show up and stick together.
It was unclear heading into Friday whether Johnson would have enough GOP support to return as speaker as every Democrat, including Pelosi, is expected to vote for Hakeem Jeffries as their next leader.
Johnson could only afford to lose one Republican vote.
Pelosi was all smiles on Friday but was assisted by aides as she arrived in the House chamber
Pelosi greeting lawmakers upon arriving in the House on Friday for the new 119th Congress
Pelosi previewed her return to Washington following surgery with a post on X on Thursday as she traveled back east from California.
‘Hi it’s Nancy. I’m on my way to Washington to proudly represent the people of San Francisco in Congress,’ Pelosi said to the camera while sitting in an airplane.
She said in the video that she’s honored to return to ‘share our San Francisco values. Thank you for giving me that honor.’
Before Congress returned, the California Democrat remained largely out of the public eye as she recovered.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi posted a video sharing that she was on her way back to Washington, DC for the new Congress which begins Friday after she underwent hip replacement surgery following a fall last month in Europe
On one occasion, Pelosi phoned in for a television interview to remember late President Jimmy Carter after he passed away over the holidays.
At Christmas she also released a video message on social media thanking people for their prayers and good wishes.
‘Now more than ever I am determined that health care is available to all Americans,’ she said speaking directly to the camera.
After her fall in Europe, an image of Pelosi went viral online which showed her standing minutes after taking the tumble.
In it, she can be seen smiling as she stood in a pair of stilettos in the front row of the group of lawmakers, but she appeared to have a death-grip on her colleague’s hand.
Pelosi pictured December 13 before she was rushed to the hospital. She is seen here gripping the hand of Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) after falling in Luxembourg
Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) noted former Speaker Pelosi was wearing ‘very high’ heels when she took a tumble in Europe last month. He said despite surgery she was ‘doing well’
That colleague, Congressman Mike McCaul (R-Texas) told reporters in Washington days later that he believed her sky-high heals were to blame.
He recalled her being on the last step of a marble staircase without a railing when she lost her footing and went down. He said he helped her up and that’s when they took the photo before she was taken to the hospital.
The former speaker swapped out the stilettos she’s been known to wear as she wheels and deals in Washington for more reliable footwear in the new year.
