Press Releases
Lee, Schakowsky, Blumenthal, and Booker Lead Colleagues in Pressing Federal Agencies to Reinforce Helms Amendment Exceptions to Countries and Organizations That Receive U.S. Foreign Assistance
Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13), Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), led a group of 76 Members of Congress in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of State, and U.S. Agency for International Development to immediately communicate to countries and organizations that receive U.S. Foreign Assistance that U.S. assistance is permitted to provide abortion … Continue Reading
July 29, 2022
Reps. Lee, Waters, Jeffries, Clarke Introduce Bill to Honor Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm With the Congressional Gold Medal
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-13), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), and Yvette Clarke (NY-09) introduced HR 8535, legislation to award the Honorable Shirley Chisholm with the Congressional Gold Medal. Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman to the United States Congress. In 1968, the Congresswoman took her seat as the Representative for New York's 12th Congressional District-a post that she would hold for seven terms. During her tenure in … Continue Reading
July 29, 2022
Congresswoman Lee Releases Statement on House Vote for Assault Weapons Ban
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today released the following statement on the announcement that the House of Representatives would hold a standalone vote on the Assault Weapons Ban: "I applaud Speaker Pelosi and my Democratic colleagues for taking action to advance the Assault Weapons Ban for a standalone vote today. From Sandy Hook to Parkland to Uvalde, AR-15 style firearms have been the weapon of choice for shooters looking to kill as many people as quickly as possible. They … Continue Reading
July 27, 2022
REPS. BARBARA LEE, HAKEEM JEFFRIES, AND YVETTE CLARKE LEAD DELEGATION OF CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS MEMBERS TO BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, TO HONOR SHIRLEY CHISHOLM
BROOKLYN, NY- On Sunday, July 24th, Congresswoman Barbara Lee led a delegation of Congressional Black Caucus members to honor the legacy of the late Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman in Congress and the first woman and African American to seek the nomination for president of the United States. The delegation toured Congresswoman Chisholm's former home and attended service at Concord Baptist Church of Christ, the historic church where she announced her candidacy for president. … Continue Reading
July 21, 2022
Rep. Lee Votes to Protect the Right to Contraception from Extremist Threats
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today voted to enshrine the right to contraception in federal statutory law. The Right to Contraception Act ensures that neither states nor a hostile Republican administration can limit people's access to contraceptives or the ability of health care providers to provide contraceptives and information related to them. "Today, I proudly voted to enshrine the right to contraception into federal law. Contraception is fundamental to the health and human … Continue Reading
July 19, 2022
Rep. Lee Votes to Protect Marriage Equality Amid Right-Wing Threats
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to continued right-wing threats to Americans' personal liberties, Congresswoman Barbara Lee today voted to enshrine marriageequality into federal law. The Respect for Marriage Act will officially repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a defunct and discriminatory statute excluding same-sex couples from marriage under federal law. This legislation will also codify new protections ensuring that no married couple can be denied protections and benefits under … Continue Reading
July 14, 2022
Reps. Lee, Pocan Issue Statement on House Vote to Reduce Defense Budget
WASHINGTON, D.C.- U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Mark Pocan (WI-02), co-founders and Co-Chairs of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus and members of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on the House vote on their amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would cut the Pentagon's budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 by $100 billion. Reps. Lee and Pocan also proposed a $37 billion dollar cut to bring the FY23 NDAA topline back to … Continue Reading
July 13, 2022
Congresswoman Lee Pushes for Emergency Title X Family Planning Program Funding
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswomen Barbara Lee (CA-13), Judy Chu (CA-27), Dina Titus (NV-01), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), and Diana Degette (CO-01) led 123 of their colleagues in a letter calling on House and Senate Democratic Leadership to include robust emergency funding for the Title X Family Planning Program in any must-pass legislation following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which removed the constitutional right to abortion. "As states move to ban abortion … Continue Reading
July 13, 2022
Congresswoman Lee Commemorates the Unveiling of Capitol Statue Honoring Mary McLeod Bethune
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today released a statement on the Mary McLeod Bethune statue unveiled Wednesday in the U.S. Capitol, making her the first Black American in the National Statuary Hall collection. Although the Bethune statue is the first of a Black American in the Statuary Hall collection, it is not the first statue of a Black American in the Capitol building. There are also statues of Frederick Douglass and Rosa Parks, and busts of Martin Luther King Jr. and Sojourner … Continue Reading
July 04, 2022
Congresswoman Lee Statement on Independence Day
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement marking Independence Day: "On Independence Day, I am reminded of our continuing fight for a more perfect union-one that truly guarantees liberty, equality and justice for all. These principles have never been realized for large parts of this country: neither in 1776, when the most powerful figures were slaveowners, or in 2022, as a far-right Supreme Court disregards the will of the people. In recent months, … Continue Reading
June 29, 2022
Appropriations Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2023 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Funding Bill
Legislation supports allies, promotes democracy, rebuilds public health infrastructure, confronts climate change, and advances women's rights WASHINGTON - The House Appropriations Committee today approved the fiscal year 2023 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill on a 32 to 24 vote. In total, the bill provides $64.57 billion, which is $8.475 billion above 2022 - an increase of 15 percent. The legislation: Increases humanitarian and development assistance to help the world's … Continue Reading
June 28, 2022
Congresswoman Lee Applauds Committee Passage of Key Cannabis Amendment
Washington, DC - Today, the House Committee on Appropriations passed an amendment introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, that protects all state, territory and tribal marijuana programs from federal intervention. The Lee-Joyce amendment, which passed with bipartisan support, is now included in the FY23 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) spending legislation. "Today the majority of Americans reside in a jurisdiction where … Continue Reading
June 24, 2022
Congresswoman Lee Releases Statement on Supreme Court Overturning Roe v. Wade
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee issued this statement after the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade: "Today, I share the anger, outrage and devastation of the millions of Americans who have just lost the fundamental, precedented right to abortion care. "After a decades-long coordinated strategic assault on women's rights by right-wing extremists, Roe was overturned in a 6-3 decision by an unelected conservative court. This decision is a blatant attack on reproductive … Continue Reading
June 24, 2022
Congresswoman Lee Votes for Historic Gun Reform
Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee voted for bipartisan legislation that takes historic steps to combat gun violence and protect California communities. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will help save lives by keeping weapons out of dangerous hands, strengthening mental health services and bolstering school safety. The first major gun violence prevention legislation passed by Congress in nearly three decades, this bill now heads to the President's desk to be signed into … Continue Reading
June 23, 2022
Congresswoman Lee Honors Chief of Staff of Over Two Decades
Congresswoman Barbara Lee released a statement on the retirement of her Chief of Staff of over 20 years, Julie Nickson. "For two decades, Julie Nickson has been one of my most trusted and valued advisors," said Congresswoman Lee. "She is a tremendous leader and public servant who has guided my office and me through several of the most historic events, from ending forever wars abroad to the ongoing battle against COVID-19. My gratitude to her and her family is unending, and I look forward to … Continue Reading
June 23, 2022
Appropriations Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2023 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Funding Bill
WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs today approved by voice vote its fiscal year 2023 funding bill. In total, the bill provides $64.57 billion, which is $8.475 billion above 2022 – an increase of 15 percent. The legislation: Increases humanitarian and development assistance to help the world’s most vulnerable meet urgent needs, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the global rise of food … Continue Reading
June 16, 2022
Congresswoman Lee Votes to Pass Comprehensive Racial and Economic Justice Package H.R. 2543
Washington, DC - Yesterday, Congresswoman Barbara Lee voted to pass H.R. 2543, the Financial Services Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Economic Justice Act and issued the below statement. "I'm proud to support H.R. 2543, a comprehensive racial justice package that builds on this Congress' work to advance racial and economic justice. America's wealth gap is the direct result of generations of slavery, segregation, and institutional racism. These disparities in opportunity are plagues that harm … Continue Reading
June 16, 2022
Faith-Based and Community Leaders from Across the Country Hold Briefing with Congressional Progressive Caucus, Majority Leader Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, and Other Members of Congress on Urgent Call for Policies that Meet the Needs of the 140 Million Poor and Low-Wealth People in America
Washington, D.C.-On Wednesday, June 15th, members of Congress convened to hear directly from poor and low-income people who are part of the Poor People's Campaign. Twelve poor people and low-wage workers, along with the National Co-Chairs of the Poor People's Campaign, offered testimony to members of Congress on a "Third Reconstruction Agenda" to confront systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, the denial of health care, militarism and the false narratives of religious nationalism … Continue Reading
June 13, 2022
Reps. Lee and Pocan Introduce Bill to Cut Defense Spending by $100 Billion and Prioritize People Over the Pentagon
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Defense Spending Reduction Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Barbara Lee and Mark Pocan introduced legislation to cut $100 billion from the Defense budget and reallocate the funds to prioritize people over the Pentagon. "For far too long, this country has put profits ahead of its people. Nowhere is that more apparent than in our Pentagon topline budget," said Congresswoman Lee. "Just last year, key priorities like Build Back Better were left on the negotiating table, while … Continue Reading
June 12, 2022
Congresswoman Lee Releases Statement on the Bipartisan Senate Framework for Gun Reform Legislation
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today released a statement on the bipartisan Senate framework on gun reform legislation that was announced today: "The bipartisan Senate framework on gun reform legislation is a crucial first step. This legislation will make critical investments in mental health resources, school safety, and increased vetting for weapons purchases. But while this is a start, much more must be done to address the gun violence epidemic. "I've recently met with gun … Continue Reading