'It's about time': With Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi, women share the dais for the first time Savannah Behrmann and Chelsey Cox, USA TODAY For the first time, two women sat behind a US president as he addressed Congress Replay Video UP NEXT WASHINGTON – For the first time in history, two women sat behind a president during an address to a joint session of Congress. The historic image during Joe Biden's speech Wednesday is 245 years in the making since the nation's founding. "Madam Speaker, Madam Vice President," Biden said as he took the podium. "No president has ever said those words from this podium and it's about time."