FILE PHOTO: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) gestures during a news conference on the USMCA trade agreement on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 10, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi opened debate on the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump on Wednesday, leading the way to votes on the two articles later in the day.

“I solemnly and sadly open the debate on impeachment of the president of the United States. If we do not act now, we would be derelict in our duties,” she said.

Graphic: Letter from President Donald J. Trump to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, here