Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi make history at US President Biden's first address to Congress
Washington: Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have made history as they shared the stage during President Joe Biden's first joint session to Congress, marking the first time that two women sat behind a US president during an address to Congress.
Harris, 56, who is also the first Indian-American and also the first Black woman to become America's Vice President, sat behind on the president's right side as he delivered his first speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night.
Pelosi, 81, who became the first woman in her role in 2007, sat behind on the President's left.
Harris entered the House chamber Wednesday night to a round of applause for Biden's address to Congress.
When asked about the significance of two women sitting behind the President for the address, Harris replied, "Normal," to reporters in the Capitol as she led the Senate delegation to the House chamber.
Asked her view on the historic moment, Pelosi told MSNBC on Wednesday, "It's about time."
"It's pretty exciting. And it's wonderful to make history. It's about time," Pelosi said hours before the speech.
Pelosi already knows what it feels like to sit on the rostrum in the House chamber and introduce a president for speeches. She has sat there for several addresses by Presidents George W Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. In his opening remarks, Biden paid tribute to the historic nature of his vice president, the first woman to serve in that role in American history.
"Thank you all -- Madame Speaker, Madame Vice President," the President said. "From this podium, no president's ever said those words -- and it's about time."
"For the first time in American history, behind the President when he speaks, will be two women: a woman vice president, and a woman speaker of the House. Presidents have been addressing Congress since George Washington did it," White House chief of staff Ron Klain said during a conversation with Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service.
"It wasn't until 14 years ago that the first time one of those seats was filled by a woman. So it took a long time to get to that milestone. Fourteen years later, for the first time, there'll be two women behind the President."
The symbolic seating also connotes the first time that women are first and second in the presidential line of succession, a sign of women in power in their respective roles, CNN said.
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June 6: 12,209 fresh COVID-19 cases and 320 deaths in Karnataka
Dakshina Kannada logs 609 positive Covid-19 cases, five deaths
Bengaluru, Jun 6: Karnataka posted 12,209 new cases of COVID-19, taking the total number of infections in the state so far to 26.95 lakh while the toll surged to 31,580 with 320 more deaths.
The day also saw 25,659 discharges, continuing to outnumber the fresh cases.
Out of 12,209 new cases reported on Sunday, 2,944 were from Bengaluru Urban, as the city saw 10,224 discharges and 187 deaths.
As of June 6 evening, cumulatively 26,95,523 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 31,580 deaths and 24,09,417 discharges, the Health department said in its bulletin on Sunday.
Total number of active cases in the state was 2,54,505.
While the positivity rate for the day stood at 7.71 per cent, case fatality rate (CFR) was at 2.62 per cent.
Out of 320 deaths reported on Sunday, 187 were from Bengaluru Urban, Mysuru 19, Belagavi 15, Dharwad 9, Hassan 8, Ballari, Chamarajanagara, Davangere, Haveri, Shivamogga, Tumakuru and Uttara Kannada 6 each, followed by others.
Among the districts where the new cases were reported, Bengaluru Urban accounted for 2,944, Mysuru 1,237, Tumakuru 698, Hassan 655, Dakshina Kannada 609, Mandya 571, followed by others.
Bengaluru Urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 11,83,126, followed by Mysuru 1,50,885 and Tumakuru 1,08,245.
Cumulatively a total of 3.06 crore samples have been tested in the state so far, out of which 1,58,274 were tested on Sunday alone.
To view today's health bulletin: CLICK HERE
