Nancy Pelosi, 84, hobbles onto House floor with a walker after hip replacement

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi uses a walker on her road to recovery after a fall and hip replacement surgery.

The 84-year-old California Democrat was spotted on the floor of the House of Representatives on Monday using the walker as she greeted fellow lawmakers.

Pelosi was among members who participated in a joint session of Congress to certify the results of the 2024 presidential election.

The former speaker could be seen wearing a green blazer and smiling as she walked around the chamber saying hello to senators visiting the chamber.

It was Pelosi’s second appearance in the House of Representatives since returning to Washington last week for the new 119th Congress.

Her continued recovery comes after she suffered a fall during a bipartisan congressional trip to Europe last month.

On Friday, Pelosi received a warm welcome and applause from Democrats as she appeared on the floor of the House of Representatives for the first time since her surgery.

During that visit to the chamber, Pelosi was helped by two aides who held her arms as she made her way around the chamber, shaking hands and taking photos with lawmakers and their families.

Since her return to Washington, Pelosi has also been wearing flat shoes instead of her favorite stilettos that she often wore before the fall and surgery.

The former speaker suffered a nasty spill 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 the successful hip replacement surgery.

Former Speaker Pelosi was greeted by senators as she made her way through the House for the joint session of Congress. It was her second time back on the House floor since returning to Washington, and she used a walker to make her way around the chamber.

Pelosi walks down the aisle on the House floor on January 6, 2024

Pelosi still was 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 voted for the next speaker.

Republicans have one of the smallest majorities in the House of Representatives in US history, so Democrats could have some leverage in this Congress as long as they all show up and stick together. Pelosi and her fellow Democrats cast their votes for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Pelosi’s presence at the joint session on Monday came as lawmakers were certifying the election of President-elect Donald Trump.

The trial once received little attention in Congress, but that changed after the attack on January 6, 2021, when insurrectionists tried to prevent Congress from certifying President Biden’s 2020 election.

“We must never forget the extraordinary courage of law enforcement officers who stood in the breach and stared down insurrectionists on January 6 to protect the Capitol, Congress and the Constitution,” Pelosi said in a statement marking four years after the January 6 attack . on Monday.

“We are forever grateful to these heroes whose courage ensured that democracy survived on that dark day – and we continue to pray for the fallen, those affected and their families,” she added.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) returns to the House of Representatives with some help after undergoing hip replacement surgery in Europe last month

Pelosi was all smiles on Friday but was accompanied by aides as she arrived in the House chamber

Pelosi greets lawmakers as they arrive at the House of Representatives for the new 119th Congress on Friday

Pelosi previewed her return to Washington after her surgery last Thursday with a post on X as she traveled back east from California.

‘Hi, I’m Nancy. I am on my way to Washington to proudly represent the people of San Francisco in Congress,” Pelosi told the camera while on a plane.

She said in the video that she is honored to return to “share our San Francisco values.” Thank you for giving me that honor.”

Before Congress returned, the California Democrat largely stayed out of the public eye as she recovered.

After her fall in Europe, an image of the former speaker went viral online, showing her standing minutes after the fall.

In it, she can be seen smiling as she stood in the front row of the group of lawmakers in a pair of stilettos, but she appeared to have a death grip on her colleague’s hand.

Pelosi introduced herself on December 13 before being rushed to the hospital. Here she is seen grabbing the hand of Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) after falling in Luxembourg

Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) noted that former Speaker Pelosi wore “very high” heels when she fell in Europe last month. He said she was ‘doing well’ despite the surgery

That colleague, Congressman Mike McCaul (R-Texas), told reporters in Washington days later that he believed her skyrocketing recoveries were to blame.

He remembered that she was standing on the last step of a marble staircase without a handrail when she lost her balance and fell down. He said he helped her up and then they took the photo before she was taken to the hospital.