In the News
Dem rep: GOP complicit in Trump’s sexism and bigotry if they don’t speak out
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) on Thursday said Republicans are giving President Trump a license to continue his "viciously sexist comments" by continuing to support him. Trump earlier Thursday attacked the "Morning Joe" host Mika Brzezinski's appearance, calling her "low I.Q. Crazy Mika" and saying that she was "bleeding badly from a face-lift" when he saw her late last year at his Florida resort. "It's up to everyone to reject this behavior. By not speaking out, my GOP colleagues are … Continue Reading
June 29, 2017
House panel votes to force new debate on terror war
Congress may finally be getting fed up with war on autopilot. A powerful House committee voted unexpectedly Thursday to require Congress to debate and approve U.S. military action in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and other far-flung countries - in a surprise victory for a longtime Democratic critic of the nearly two-decade-old war on terrorism. The amendment from Rep. Barbara Lee of California - one of countless she has offered in recent years - is only a modest first step in getting Congress to … Continue Reading
June 26, 2017
Lawmakers push White House for action after HIV panel resignations
The leaders of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus are demanding answers from the White House after a mass exodus from a presidential advisory group. Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the co-chairs of that group, delivered a letter last week to President Trump that called for the White House to back off proposed budget cuts to HIV/AIDS programs, revamp the currently blank website it scrubbed in January, and to appoint a national AIDS policy director, all after six … Continue Reading
June 13, 2017
Congresswoman Barbara Lee: Resisting The Rise Of Hatred In The Era Of Trump
In recent weeks, a disturbing truth has emerged that we can longer sweep under the rug: hate is on the rise and it's being fueled by a resurging tide of White supremacy in America. Since last year's election, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has documented 1,863 bias based incidents. Although these incidents have targeted African-Americans, people of color, immigrants and the LGBT community have also felt the brunt of the rise in hateful aggression. This should surprise no one. … Continue Reading
May 24, 2017
Betsy DeVos won't say whether she'd withhold federal funds from private schools that discriminate
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos refused to say Wednesday whether she would block private schools that discriminate against LGBT students from receiving federal dollars, explaining that she believes states should have the flexibility to design voucher programs and that parents should be able to choose schools that best fit their children's needs. DeVos returned frequently to the theme of what she called a need for more local control in her first appearance before Congress since her rocky … Continue Reading
May 24, 2017
OMB Director Mulvaney Gets Earful From Lawmakers For ‘Immoral’ Trump Budget
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney received a tongue lashing from Democrats, along with one Republican, when he visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday to defend a White House budget opponents called "a betrayal" to the American people. "Never before, really, have I seen such a cruel and morally bankrupt budget," Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Cali., told Mulvaney during his appearance before the House Budget Committee. Democrats cited cuts to food stamps, the Department of Education, and … Continue Reading
May 01, 2017
Dem rep fires back at Trump: Civil War happened because my ancestors were enslaved
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) is firing back at President Trump after he asked in an interview, "Why was there the Civil War?" "President Trump doesn't understand the Civil War," Lee tweeted on Monday. "It's because my ancestors and millions of others were enslaved." The California Democrat was responding to remarks Trump made in an interview with the Washington Examiner's Salena Zito broadcast Monday on SiriusXM. Trump suggested former President Andrew Jackson would have "worked out" the … Continue Reading
April 21, 2017
Rep. Barbara Lee: Congress must address the famine crisis
The famine in South Sudan and the approaching famines in Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen constitute the worst humanitarian crisis since the end of World War II ["Famine looms in Africa," editorial, April 16]. Millions could starve if Congress fails to act. Thankfully, members of both parties agree we must do something. I recently circulated a bipartisan letter urging Congress to provide $1 billion in emergency funding to address these famines. When Congress reconvenes at the end of the month, … Continue Reading
April 10, 2017
Rep. Barbara Lee: Trump does not have the authority to go to war in Syria
Just days after the Sept. 11 attacks, Congress voted to give President George W. Bush legal authority to take military action against the perpetrators of the terror attacks and associated forces. As the lone vote against this authorization, I believed that it would be used as a blank check for endless war. Sadly, in the past 15 years, we have seen this blank check used over and over by now three presidents. The 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force, as it is known, has become a … Continue Reading
April 09, 2017
Only Member Of Congress To Vote Against War On Terror Says She’d Do It Again
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) received death threats after she cast her vote against launching the "war on terror." She was the only member of Congress to do it. But 16 years later, the California Democrat would do it again. The airstrikes launched by President Donald Trump on Syria this week only further convince her that her vote was the right one. Lee was the only dissenting vote on the 2001 bill that gave President George W. Bush the Authorization for the Use of Military Force, also known … Continue Reading
March 10, 2017
Dem seeks to block US troops going to Syria after Marines deployed
A Democratic lawmaker is introducing a bill to block additional U.S. forces from being sent into Syria after an amphibious task force of Marines landed in Syria for the first time. "The bill I am introducing today prohibits the Department of Defense from funding any attempt by the administration to expand our presence in Syria by putting U.S. combat boots on the ground," Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said in a statement to The Hill. "It is our constitutional duty as members of Congress to … Continue Reading
February 21, 2017
Lawmakers to Trump: End unchecked war powers
Twelve House Democrats and one Republican are calling on President Donald Trump to formally declare war against the Islamic State and submit a resolution to Congress that limits his war powers - a request that is not likely to be heeded. The letter, led by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and obtained by POLITICO, comes as the Pentagon is considering options for ramping up its nearly three-year campaign against ISIL and follows a request by the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan for thousands more … Continue Reading
February 20, 2017
Rep. Barbara Lee: How to Move Toward an AIDS-Free Generation
To the Editor: Re "Why Trump Should Keep Pepfar," by Bill Frist (Op-Ed, Feb. 9): Bill Frist is exactly right: The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or Pepfar, has been one of the most successful public health and peace initiatives in our country's history. This lifesaving program is an important example of what our government can accomplish when we set aside partisan disagreements and focus on saving lives. In the early 2000s, I was honored to lead the bipartisan effort, with the … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Rep. Barbara Lee: The Hyde Amendment Is 'Blatant Discrimination Against Poor Women'
In my time as an elected representative in California and here in Congress, I am proud to have fought side-by-side with constituents, advocates, and my colleagues to end racial and gender discrimination, stand up for our human rights, and work to build a future in which all our families can thrive. I have also seen, time and again, politicians who not only ignore the daily struggles and realities of our lives, but also attempt to interfere in our most personal decisions. President Donald … Continue Reading
January 30, 2017
Rep. Barbara Lee: We Must Keep Fighting For Reforms to End Gun Violence
One year ago today, I held a gun violence town hall in West Oakland, featuring young activists from the East Bay. At that town hall, I had the honor of meeting 19-year-old Roderick "Travon" Godfrey, an Oakland native, painfully impacted by the violence in his community. Travon captured the hearts of all those who attended. He gave an emotional speech, at times fighting back tears, describing the toll of gun violence in his life. In 2015 alone, Travon lost eight friends to gun violence. He … Continue Reading
January 21, 2017
On Day One, Trump Opponent Goes Underground
What do you do on Trump's inauguration day if you're one of the most liberal members of Congress? You can't burn things in the streets with the anarchists or day-drink like many despondent Democratic staffers. If you're California Rep. Barbara Lee, who represents Berkeley and distinguished herself early in the last great era of liberal opposition by being the only member of Congress to vote against George W. Bush's post-9/11 military authorization, you hang out with Michael Moore and prepare … Continue Reading
January 20, 2017
Barbara Lee: Why my seat at the inauguration is empty
January 14, 2017
Rep. Barbara Lee: A Vote For Jeff Sessions Is A Vote Against Freedom And Equality
Donald J. Trump ran one of the most divisive and bigoted campaigns in modern history. In the days following his election, many hoped that the president-elect would turn toward unity. Instead, he has shown that he will govern just as he campaigned: by normalizing racism, discrimination and intolerance. There is no greater example of this disturbing reality than Senator Jeff Sessions' nomination to serve as our nation's Attorney General. Maya Angelou once said, "When people show you who they … Continue Reading
November 16, 2016
America: We are better than this
Just a week into his new job, Donald Trump has already installed a white nationalist just steps from the Oval Office. Instead of working to heal the wounds of a deeply divided nation - a nation in which the majority of voters rejected him - President-elect Trump has doubled down on his dangerous flirtation with the alt-right by naming Steve Bannon as his White House chief strategist. This is simply unacceptable. For more than 200 years, the story of our nation has been about expanding … Continue Reading
November 15, 2016
Congresswoman Barbara Lee on President Trump: 'The Fight is Coming'
November 8 was a sobering and defining moment for the East Bay and our nation. Like you, I was disheartened by the election results, and fearful that the progress we've made over the past eight years would be undone. Yet, we must preserve our faith in our democracy and respect our Constitution. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., our drum major for peace and justice, said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase." As the home of the peace and social-justice … Continue Reading