Articles & Op-Eds
Congressional Tri-Caucus letter: Preserve and enhance diversity initiative (The Hill Blog) 11/23/10
November 30, 2010By Reps. Michael Honda (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) - 11/23/10 04:09 PM ET Dear Chairmen Brady and Walden, As you plan our transition into the 112th Congress, we urge you to preserve and enhance the House-wide staff diversity initiative that was established in April of this year. The goal of the initiative, namely increasing workforce diversity and opportunities for diverse candidates, must continue to be an important priority for our nation. T… Continue Reading
Black, Hispanic Caucus Members Gain Clout (WSJ) 11/23/10
November 23, 2010By GARY FIELDS The black and Hispanic caucuses emerged from this month's elections as among the largest blocs in the House, and their members said they planned to push hard for liberal priorities such as government spending to create jobs. Members of the two caucuses will hold nearly a third of the Democratic seats in the next Congress-61 of the party's 190 seats-with the outcome of several additional House races still up in the air. While centrist Democrats bore the brunt of… Continue Reading
No Delaying Reality in Afghanistan (Huffington Post) 11/19/10
November 19, 2010By Congresswoman Barbara Lee Today, President Obama announced a 2014 timeline for U.S. and NATO forces to transition leadership of security responsibilities in Afghanistan to Afghan forces. The President's 2014 announcement comes in advance of his scheduled December review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, pre-empting any meaningful evaluation of the progress, feasibility, or assumptions behind the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. Not only does this commitment push back the goal… Continue Reading
Social Security Advocates Slam Obama's Cautious Response To Debt Commission Co-Chairs' Proposal (Huffington Post) 11/18/10
November 19, 2010By Lucia Graves WASHINGTON -- President Obama's cautious response to the fiscal commission co-chairs' proposal was "quite frankly, a disappointment," according to Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women. The draft report would slash Social Security benefits for millions of Americans, hurting poor people and minorities in particular. "These proposals to cut social security really push hundreds of thousands of middle class women into po… Continue Reading
Black Caucus Flexes Muscle In Dispute With Pelosi (NPR) 11/16/10
November 19, 2010November 16, 2010 By Corey Dade On the eve of House Democrats' vote Wednesday on whether to keep Speaker Nancy Pelosi as their leader in the next Congress, the Congressional Black Caucus is still threatening to block her path unless she takes care of one of their own. House Democratic leaders have yet to satisfy the demands of African-American lawmakers that Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina be given real authority as the third-ranking Democrat under Pelosi once the party returns to… Continue Reading
The case for Clyburn as Minority Whip (The Grio) 11/12/10
November 15, 2010By Rep. Barbara Lee With our country and the Democratic Party at a crossroads, it is important that we have a leadership team in place that recognizes and reflects the strength and diversity of both the Democratic Caucus and our great nation.??? As Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I have worked closely with Congressman James E. Clyburn of South Carolina to advance an agenda that has made a difference for millions of Americans. There is no question that Democrats in the House … Continue Reading
Fighting for Jobs, Fighting for You: A Message from Rep. Barbara Lee, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (AOL BlackVoices) 10/19/10
November 15, 2010By Rep. Barbara Lee, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Even without the monthly unemployment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statics, it is obvious that too many Americans are hurting. From the grocers who see the unusual rush of families buying food at midnight because that is the very first moment when their nutrition assistance is available to employers who see overwhelming numbers of applications for any job listing, people all across this country know that their friends and … Continue Reading
Clyburn will get House post, avoiding Democratic spat (McClatchy News) 11/13/10
November 13, 2010James Rosen | McClatchy Newspapers last updated: November 13, 2010 07:27:47 PM WASHINGTON - Speaker Nancy Pelosi will create a new leadership post for Rep. Jim Clyburn as Democrats prepare to cede control of the House of Representatives to Republicans in January. Pelosi's intervention helps House Democrats avoid an internal fight with racial overtones at a time when they're still licking their wounds from their midterm drubbing. Clyburn, the current majority whip and the hi… Continue Reading
Black Caucus leader: Clyburn plays key role in keeping African-American voters (The Hill) 11/13/10
November 13, 2010By Mike Lillis - 11/13/10 10:59 AM ET The head of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) continued a push Friday to keep Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) as party whip in the next Congress, arguing the strategic importance of having an African-American on the leadership team. CBC Chairwoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said Clyburn - in a tough race with Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) for minority whip - is "uniquely positioned" to promote the interests of CBC members and their constituents - v… Continue Reading
House Fight; Financial Help for Kids; Spiritual Journey (Michael Eric Dyson Show) 11/10/10
November 10, 2010With last week's election, Republicans will hold the majority in the House of Representatives, and the current Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, will lose her position. She intends to run for the minority leader position, bumping Steny Hoyer, who is now the majority leader. The next highest position for the Democrats is the minority whip, and both Hoyer and the current majority whip, James Clyburn of the Congressional Black Caucus, are competing for the slot. Barbara Lee, chair of the CBC, joi… Continue Reading
Lee: Voters will regret GOP House (Contra Costa Times) 11/5/10
November 05, 2010Lee: Voters will regret GOP House BAY AREA NEWS GROUP Posted: 11/05/2010 06:35:56 PM PDT Updated: 11/05/2010 06:35:57 PM PDT "When the smoke clears, I think people are going to say, 'My God, what have we done?'" So said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, a few minutes ago, discussing the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives. "We have to regroup. I hope Speaker Pelosi continues to serve as our minority leader," Lee said. "I think we real… Continue Reading
CA Rep. Barbara Lee: Democrats Must Refocus & Continue On (BlackAmericaWeb.com) 11/5/10
November 05, 2010CA Rep. Barbara Lee: Democrats Must Refocus & Continue On EDITOR"S NOTE: On November 5, Congresswoman Barbara Lee joined NAM contributing editor Earl Ofari Hutchinson for an exclusive interview on his radio program, The Hutchinson Report. Lee, a Democrat from California, was candid in her analysis of the results of the midterm election and the role of the Black Congressional Caucus. Was there any silver lining for the Democrats in the GOP and Tea Party Congressional surge? … Continue Reading
Pelosi running for minority leader (The Hill) 11/5/10
November 05, 2010Pelosi running for minority leader By Russell Berman and Michael O'Brien - 11/05/10 12:10 PM ET House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is running for House Democratic leader, rejecting calls from conservative party members that she step down in the wake of devastating midterm election losses. The Speaker announced her decision via Twitter and sent a letter to colleagues asking for their support. "Our work is far from finished," she wrote. "As a result of Tuesday's electi… Continue Reading
Bicycle and pedestrian trails will improve with recent $10.2 million grant (Oakland North) 10/27/10
October 27, 2010Bicycle and pedestrian trails will improve with recent $10.2 million grant By: Shirley Lau | October 27, 2010 - 8:13 am Representatives John Garamendi, Barbara Lee and George Miller, along with East Bay Regional Park District Officials, will be at the Oakland Airport/Coliseum BART Station today at noon to celebrate a recent grant to improve bicycle and pedestrian trails in the Bay Area. Last week, the US Department of Transportation awarded the Park District with $10.2 million. The gr… Continue Reading
BART Airport Connector breaks ground in Oakland (Oakland North) 10/21/10
October 21, 2010BART Airport Connector breaks ground in Oakland By: Ted Trautman | October 21, 2010 - 12:15 pm After more than two decades of debate and a recent sprint for the final bits of funding, on Wednesday a group of local, state and federal officials broke ground to mark the start of construction on BART's long-awaited Oakland Airport Connector. The ceremony, attended by an array of political figures including Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums, BART Board President James Fang and Congresswoman Barbara L… Continue Reading
BART Breaks Ground On Airport Connector (Bay City News) 10/20/10
October 20, 2010BART Breaks Ground On Airport Connector by Bay City News October 20, 2010 11:38 AM Politicians, labor leaders, construction workers and religious figures this morning celebrated the groundbreaking on BART's 3.2-mile connector between its Oakland Coliseum station and Oakland International Airport. Noting that the project has been discussed for more than 20 years, BART board president James Fang said, "We had to face many challenges to get here today." More than 1… Continue Reading
Rep. Barbara Lee: Put the brakes on home foreclosures (The Grio) 10/19/10
October 19, 2010By Rep. Barbara Lee 8:54 AM on 10/19/2010 Losing a home to foreclosure can be a heart-wrenching and economically crippling experience for a family. But when a family loses their home just because the bank or mortgage lender dragged their feet on a modification or even engaged in fraudulent behavior, not only is it financially and emotionally devastating, it is downright unconscionable and we must act to stop it. For some time, my colleagues and I have received complaints from… Continue Reading
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson tours polluted sites in Oakland (Oakland Tribune) 10/16/10
October 16, 2010By Angela Hill Oakland Tribune Posted: 10/16/2010 05:38:04 PM PDT Updated: 10/17/2010 04:59:52 AM PDT OAKLAND -- The head of the Environmental Protection Agency spent Saturday in Oakland, visiting seven sites including the notorious AMCO SuperFund site in West Oakland -- considered one of the most toxic in the nation -- and learning about a residential lead cleanup program set to begin in surrounding neighborhoods. "This SuperFund site is in a community of people wh… Continue Reading
Time to repeal Congress' blank check on wars (SF Chronicle) 9/30/10
October 01, 2010Barbara Lee Thursday, September 30, 2010 Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Congress passed a joint resolution broadly authorizing the president to use "all necessary and appropriate force" against those involved in attacking our nation and to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States. I was the only member of Congress who voted against the "Authorization for the Use of Military Force" because I knew some would… Continue Reading
Reclaiming the Dream (Huffington Post) 9/1/10
September 24, 2010By Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) Glenn Beck chose Aug. 28, the 47th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, to rally his supporters on the Mall in Washington. Beck's choice may seem like a provocation, but it isn't all that surprising, coming from someone who has shown how little he understands about Dr. King and his legacy. There may be no figure in America who has done as much to encourage racial resentment and grievance over the la… Continue Reading