Rep. Nancy Pelosi Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro PelosiOvernight Defense: Senate bucks Trump with Yemen war vote, resolution calling crown prince 'responsible' for Khashoggi killing | House briefing on Saudi Arabia fails to move needle | Inhofe casts doubt on Space Force On The Money: GOP senator floats options to prevent shutdown | Republicans stunned by Trump shutdown threat | Schumer insists Dems won't budge on wall | Pelosi expects fierce fight over Trump tax returns | Trump warns GM won't be treated well after layoff Will Congress score headlines or legislative wins in next session? MORE (D-Calif.) agreed to a term-limit deal on Wednesday that ensures her election to a second stint as House Speaker — but also makes it certain her Speakership will end after a maximum of four more years. 
 
 The decision secures Pelosi the backing of some of her most vocal critics, leaving a crumbled opposition. 
 
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 If approved in a caucus vote next year, it would allow Democrats serving in the top three leadership positions to serve three terms in each of those spots when they hold the majority — with a fourth term possible if the candidate wins two-thirds support of the caucus. 
 
 The rule would count the terms served by the top three Democrats when they had the House majority from 2007 to 2011, meaning it would have ramifications for the other two longtime Democratic leaders that have run the caucus with Pelosi — Reps. Steny Hoyer Steny Hamilton HoyerDeGette dropped from chief deputy whip spot Pelosi agrees to term limits vote; insurgency collapses Tim Ryan backs term limits deal with Pelosi MORE (Md.) and James Clyburn (S.C.). 
 
 Whether the rule is approved or not, Pelosi said she would follow it. 
 
 “It is my understanding that Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries Hakeem Sekou JeffriesPelosi agrees to term limits vote; insurgency collapses Pelosi divides Democrats with term-limit proposal Luján will have 'assistant Speaker' title MORE and incoming Rules Committee Chair Jim McGovern plan to bring up this proposal for a discussion and a vote by February 15th. I am comfortable with the proposal and it is my intention to abide by it whether it passes or not,” she said in a statement. 
 
 The deal had previously been disclosed and ends days of haggling between Pelosi and her detractors. 
 
 It was a capitulation for the insurgents, who had vowed to block Pelosi’s rise to the Speakership next year — and claimed to have the numbers to do so. But it also marked a concession for Pelosi, who had said she would never agree to put a cap on her leadership tenure. 
 
 Both sides quickly claimed victory: Pelosi, for picking off her opponents and paving the way to retake the Speaker’s gavel she last held eight years ago; and the insurgents, for limiting Pelosi’s tenure as Speaker to a maximum of two terms, thereby clearing a foreseeable path for a younger crop of Democratic lawmakers to take the reins of the party. 
 
 “This process has given us the time to choose who we want to be as a party, not let inertia decide for us,” Rep. Seth Moulton Seth Wilbur MoultonPelosi agrees to term limits vote; insurgency collapses Tim Ryan backs term limits deal with Pelosi Dem strategist: 'Every elected male should be concerned about a female challenger in 2020' MORE (D-Mass.) said in a statement. 
 
 Before the agreement, at least 20 Democrats were on the record vowing to oppose Pelosi in the Jan. 3 Speaker vote on the House floor — a large enough figure to prevent her from winning the necessary majority to take the gavel next year. 
 
 The deal, however, seems to have put Pelosi over the top, bringing with it the backing of at least seven Democratic rebels who have fought for weeks to take her down. That list includes Reps. Moulton, Tim Ryan Timothy (Tim) John RyanPelosi agrees to term limits vote; insurgency collapses Tim Ryan backs term limits deal with Pelosi On The Money: Trump touts China actions day after stock slide | China 'confident' on new trade deal | GM chief meets lawmakers to calm anger over cuts | Huawei CFO arrested MORE (D-Ohio), Ed Perlmutter Edwin (Ed) George PerlmutterPelosi agrees to term limits vote; insurgency collapses Tim Ryan backs term limits deal with Pelosi Pelosi, Dem rebels near deal on term limits for party leaders MORE (D-Colo.), Filemon Vela Filemon Bartolome VelaPelosi agrees to term limits vote; insurgency collapses Tim Ryan backs term limits deal with Pelosi Pelosi, Dem rebels near deal on term limits for party leaders MORE (D-Texas), Bill Foster George (Bill) William FosterPelosi agrees to term limits vote; insurgency collapses Tim Ryan backs term limits deal with Pelosi Pelosi, Dem rebels near deal on term limits for party leaders MORE (D-Ill.) and Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), as well as Rep.-elect Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.). 
 
 All seven lawmakers were among the 16 Democrats who had endorsed a letter last month calling for an overhaul at the top of the party. The insurgents, at the time, had argued that voters handed the Democrats the House majority in the midterms expecting changes in Washington — beginning with leadership — and the party had better heed that message if they hoped to keep their hold on the chamber in 2020. 
 
 Yet the group had trouble building their numbers — at least publicly — while Pelosi launched a furious outreach campaign designed to scoop up support from each and every Democratic lawmaker who might have been on the fence. 
 
 The lopsided divide infuriated Pelosi’s supporters, who wondered why a small group of insurgents was wagging the overwhelming majority of the caucus. 
 
 “Ninety percent of the Democrats clearly want Pelosi — 90 percent. So, come on. If that were a regular election, it wouldn’t be a contest,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings Elijah Eugene CummingsWill Congress score headlines or legislative wins in next session? Pelosi agrees to term limits vote; insurgency collapses Black Caucus huddles as talk of term limits heats up MORE (D-Md.), who’s in line to lead the Oversight and Government Reform Committee next year. “It bothers me that a few people can wield that much power over the 90-plus percent [that supports Pelosi].” 
 
 Helping Pelosi’s cause, the insurgent group was never able to field a challenger, allowing Pelosi to skate to an overwhelming 203-32 victor for the Speakership nomination during the closed-door ballot of the Democratic Caucus last month. 
 
 Lawmakers said Pelosi also gave herself a big boost on Tuesday with her feisty confrontation with President Trump Donald John TrumpProsecutors investigating Trump inaugural fund, pro-Trump super PAC for possible illegal foreign donations: NY Times George Conway: Why take Trump's word over prosecutors' if he 'lies about virtually everything' Federal judge says lawsuit over Trump travel ban waivers will proceed MORE at the White House, where the pair sparred over funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall — a major campaign promise of the president that’s anathema to many Democrats. 
 
 Pelosi had made the case that she’s the Democrats’ best negotiator in confronting Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell sets Monday test vote on criminal justice bill Senate votes to end US support for Saudi war, bucking Trump Former FBI official says Mueller won’t be ‘colored by politics’ in Russia probe MORE (R-Ky.) in the next Congress. And some of the insurgents agreed. 
 
 Vela, who represents a district bordering Mexico, said he was persuaded to back Pelosi partly because of her performance at the White House on Tuesday, and partly because Pelosi had promoted Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) to the assistant Speaker position the same day. 
 
 “Two things that happened yesterday kind of helped me along. One was the way she stood up to Trump on the border wall. And, 2, changing Ben Ray’s position to assistant Speaker,” Vela said. “For me, those were two steps in the right direction.” 
 
 Vela said another overriding factor was the simple fact that the insurgency was so small, relative to the broader caucus. 
 
 “There is an overwhelming sentiment with other members of the caucus, that just wanted us to move forward,” he said. “Nobody ever pressured me or anything like that. But she’s got 200 votes, right?” 
 
 Other Pelosi critics did not share the same enthusiasm, including Rep. Kathleen Rice Kathleen Maura RicePelosi agrees to term limits vote; insurgency collapses Dem strategist: 'Every elected male should be concerned about a female challenger in 2020' WHIP LIST: Pelosi seeks path to 218 MORE (D-N.Y.). That group is vowing to continue in their effort to oppose Pelosi on the floor next month. 
 
 The term-limit proposal will not be included in a package of House rules that Democratic leaders are currently cobbling together — a packet that must be adopted by the full House by Jan. 3. 
 
 Instead, the proposed reform will be taken up in February, as part of internal Democratic rules changes. That debate is sure to get heated, as a number of powerful voices within the caucus are fervently opposed to term limits for committee heads or leadership posts. 
 
 Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who will become majority leader in the next Congress, and James Clyburn (D-S.C.), who will become majority whip, have been fiercely opposed to term limits of any kind, arguing they’re simply undemocratic. 
 
 “She’s not negotiating for me,” Hoyer said Tuesday. 
 
 Leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) are also lining up against the new limitations. 
 
 “I agree with Steny Hoyer,” Cummings said. “People have an opportunity to vote for who they want.” 

 The accord is a major triumph for Nancy Pelosi, who has spent the past several weeks engaged in a full-court lobbying campaign to line up the remaining votes she needed to clinch the speakership. | John Shinkle/POLITICO Congress Pelosi clinches deal with rebels in speakership standoff The California Democrat has agreed to limit her time as speaker to four years at most. 
 
 Nancy Pelosi struck a deal Wednesday with Democratic rebels intent on denying her the speakership, paving the way for her to reclaim the gavel she lost eight years ago. 
 
 The California Democrat has agreed to limit her time as speaker to four years at most. In return, a critical number of lawmakers who vowed to oppose Pelosi will support her in a crucial Jan. 3 House floor vote. 
 
 Story Continued Below 
 
 The proposal also limits the time her two deputies, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), can stay in their posts, although those changes will likely have to be ratified by the full caucus. 
 
 “Over the summer, I made it clear that I see myself as a bridge to the next generation of leaders, a recognition of my continuing responsibility to mentor and advance new Members into positions of power and responsibility in the House Democratic Caucus,” Pelosi said in a statement announcing the agreement. 
 
 The accord is a major triumph for Pelosi, who has spent the past several weeks engaged in a full-court lobbying campaign to line up the remaining votes she needed to clinch the speakership. 
 
 Following her announcement seven of Pelosi‘s critics released a joint statement endorsing her for speaker. 
 
 “We wish to thank Nancy Pelosi for her willingness to work with us to reach this agreement," the lawmakers wrote. "We are proud that our agreement will make lasting institutional change that will strengthen our caucus and will help develop the next generation of Democratic leaders. We will support and vote for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House in the 116th Congress.” 
 
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 The proposal will come up for a vote before Feb. 15. Even it it fails, Pelosi has promised to abide by the rules as if they were enacted, limiting her tenure to a maximum of four years. 
 
 The proposal limits the top three Democrats to three terms in their current leadership posts. The leaders have an option to pursue a fourth term but must win two-thirds support of the caucus to do so. Currently only a majority is required. 
 
 The term limits are retroactive, meaning the four years Pelosi served as speaker beginning in 2007 would count against her. The same goes for Hoyer and Clyburn, meaning the longest the three of them can serve in their current posts is through 2022, though they could serve in other leadership positions. 
 
 The deal came after days of wrangling between Pelosi and the rebel camp over the terms of what is an unprecedented agreement, one that marks a major win for the group of a dozen-plus Pelosi critics. 
 
 Until now, Pelosi has rebuffed any attempts by the group to get her to provide details about when she will step down, defiantly refusing to say how long she planned to serve as speaker or what a transition to new leadership might look like. 
 
 But that has all changed after a week of intense negotiations, mostly through talks with Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), who has served as a conduit between the longtime Democratic leader and the coalition of lawmakers who promised to oppose her on the floor. 
 
 Perlmutter has a personal relationship with Pelosi and is the closest to her out of the current and incoming Democrats who signed a letter opposing her speakership. 
 
 Pelosi met with Perlmutter and two others in the group of critics — Reps. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) and Bill Foster (D-Ill.) — on Tuesday afternoon to hammer out final details. The lawmakers then presented the pact to the broader group on a conference call Wednesday morning. The agreement was formally announced Wednesday afternoon, although POLITICO first reported details of the compromise earlier this week. 
 
 The seven rebels who agreed to support Pelosi on the floor as part of the deal are Reps. Perlmutter, Sánchez, Foster, Filemon Vela of Texas, Tim Ryan of Ohio and Seth Moulton of Massachusetts will back Pelosi, as will Rep.-elect Gil Cisneros of California. 
 
 Rep. Kathleen Rice of New York, another rebel, still plans to vote against Pelosi in January, as do at least a handful of incoming freshmen who campaigned against the Democratic leader this year. 
 
 Under the agreement, Pelosi will not retaliate against her critics, sources familiar with the agreement said. 
 
 As speaker, Pelosi has the power to make the lives of her adversaries miserable. She can keep members from serving on their favored panels, refuse to move their legislation and make them ineffective in other ways. 
 
 Knowing this, the rebels pushed her to promise not to do so, calling for “fair treatment” of her critics. 
 
 While the compromise clears the path for Pelosi to return to the speaker’s chair, it’s likely to set off a heated debate within the broader Democratic Caucus. Term limits is one of the most controversial and divisive issues for House Democrats, often pitting members against each other along both generational and racial lines. 
 
 Pelosi has agreed to abide by the term limits for her speakership even if the caucus doesn’t approve the proposed changes. Hoyer and Clyburn, meanwhile, were expressing opposition even before the deal was announced. 
 
 Hoyer, the incoming majority leader, has already staked out his position, declaring on Tuesday he’s against the idea and emphasizing that Pelosi doesn’t “negotiate for me.” 
 
 Clyburn told POLITICO on Wednesday evening, just before the announcement, that Pelosi had not consulted him on the deal and had yet to share details of the agreement. He panned the idea, citing concern for younger black lawmakers looking to move into leadership positions in the future. 
 
 “I stand squarely with the Congressional Black Caucus’ position … The caucus is adamantly opposed to term limits and seniority modifications,” Clyburn said. “I’m not concerned about me. I’m concerned about those young people in the Congressional Black Caucus and whether or not these modifications will have an adverse impact on them … We didn’t come here privileged.” 
 
 Any vote to impose term limits on current and future Democratic leaders likely won’t happen until the start of January, when the 60-plus Democratic freshmen are back in town, according to incoming Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries of New York. 
 
 Given the tight time crunch before the Jan. 3 speaker’s vote, the caucus could vote on the rules changes after Pelosi has been elected speaker. Still, the rebels said they’re confident in the agreement given that Pelosi has promised to impose the limits on herself, no matter the decision by the broader caucus. 
 
 In the meantime, the proposed term limits could trigger a fierce behind-the-scenes intra-party battle in the weeks leading up to the speaker’s vote. 
 
 Several members of the CBC spoke out against the idea Wednesday, saying that leaders already face potential limits on their tenure every two years when they run for reelection. 
 
 “Let’s vote and whoever wins, wins. That’s term limits,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), incoming chairman of the House Oversight Committee. “I don’t believe in changing the rules in the middle of the game, okay?” 
 
 The CBC has long been opposed to term limits, particularly for committee chairmen, arguing such a cap would unfairly harm minority lawmakers, who spent years, sometimes decades, working their way to the top. 
 
 “I don’t believe in term limits, I think [Pelosi] has the votes and I think this whole thing about these guys needing something so they can land the damn plane is getting silly,” said CBC Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.). “Land the plane, vote for her and let’s please get on with trying to raise the minimum wage or something.” 
 
 Some of the Pelosi critics had also floated term limits for committee chairmen over the past week, but that debate was shelved, at least for now, after outspoken opposition from the CBC and other veteran lawmakers during a caucus meeting Tuesday. 
 
 Some of those senior lawmakers worry that term limits for Democratic leadership will eventually lead to limits on committee leaders. But the caucus is about to welcome a huge class of freshmen, many of whom campaigned on the promise of new leadership. 
 
 “I think there’s a strong desire for that among freshmen,” Rep.-elect Katie Hill of California said in an interview when asked about term limits. Hill was one of two freshmen elected by the incoming members to represent them in Democratic leadership. 
 
 “I just think that would help a lot in terms of some of the concerns that have been voiced even before we got elected,” she said. 
 

– Democratic rebels wanted new blood at the top and they're going to get it—but possibly not until 2022. In a deal with rebels that will pave the way for Nancy Pelosi's return as House speaker, she has agreed to limit her time in the role to a maximum of four years. "Over the summer, I made it clear that I see myself as a bridge to the next generation of leaders, a recognition of my continuing responsibility to mentor and advance new members into positions of power and responsibility in the House Democratic Caucus," Pelosi said in a statement, per the Washington Post. She said she plans to stick to the deal whether or not it is approved by the House caucus in a vote next year. The deal limits House Democratic leaders to three terms when they are in the majority, or four if they win two-thirds support, Politico reports. It applies retroactively to 2007, meaning Pelosi deputies Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn can also serve no later than 2022 in their current positions. The deal immediately won the support of seven Democratic holdouts who had demanded an overhaul of House leadership, giving Pelosi enough votes to reclaim the gavel, the Hill reports. (Before the deal, the Jan. 3 vote had been seen as a "showdown.")