The Speaker has teeth.

I don't know if I like Nancy Pelosi because she's the first female speaker of the House or because she's Italian. I definately appreciate her because she doesn't fear much. She's recently come under fire from the Department of Defense for supposedly asking for a larger plane. Don't the Department of Defense have other, burning, issues they should be contending with? But catch her response via CNN:

"Why would the Department of Defense be putting forth any of this information,
which is misinformation and mischaracterization of a request by the Sergeant at
Arms [of the US House] for security? I know that it is not coming from the
president of the United States because he has really been insistent that I have
the security that I need. And I myself would rather not have security.So, no we
haven't asked for any larger plane.B, this is not my request, it is a request of
the Sergeant at Arms.C, I don't know why they would say this was necessary for
the previous speaker but it's not necessary for you. And that's what the
Department of Defense seems to be saying. So if you want to take it to a
place... I'm not saying I'm being discriminated against because I'm a woman, I'm
just saying I have no intention of having any less respect for the office I hold
than all of the other speakers who have gone before me."