House

Ocasio-Cortez becomes youngest woman to preside over House

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) became the youngest woman to ever preside over the House of Representatives on Friday. 

The freshman lawmaker, also the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, presided over “special orders” or brief speeches given by House members that often highlight special concerns to their districts, according to Reuters

Ocasio-Cortez, 29, tweeted that her time in the chair reminded her that her congressional tenure is a “sacred privilege.”{mosads}

“Today I presided over the House floor for the first time,” she wrote. “Every day here is a sacred privilege + responsibility entrusted to me by my community. I never forget that, and moments like these drive it home.”

“Thank you to the people of NY14 + beyond. This House belongs to all of us,” she added.  

“That was my first time presiding. And it’s exciting. It’s certainly a view. I wish we could, I wish we were allowed to take photos,” she told reporters afterward, according to Reuters.