Congresswoman Lee Slams GOP Exporting War on Woman and Restricted Funding for Peacekeeping Forces
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lee, a member of the Appropriations Committee, offered several amendments to the Fiscal Year 2015 State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) Appropriations bill.
“The funding in this bill is critical to the U.S.’s long-term strategic and national security goals of promoting human rights and representative government. Congress must continue to support critical initiatives by the State Department and USAID to advance diplomacy and peace around the globe.”
Congresswoman Lee inserted a provision to secure a future donation towards the construction and dedication of The Permanent Memorial at the United Nations in Honor of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
“I am pleased that the committee included my provision for a one-time donation to construction and dedication of The Permanent Memorial at the United Nations in Honor of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. “The Trans-Atlantic slave trade was a brutal, inhumane and immoral stain on the history of the U.S. and the collective history of humankind. As the descendants of this horrific Middle Passage, African Americans deserve to see their government participating in this powerful and important memorial."
Rep. Lee’s language to condemn the actions of Boko Haram in Nigeria was also included in the bill.
Congresswoman Lee offered an amendment to strike Republican language on reinstating the “Global Gag Rule,” which endangers the lives of the world’s most vulnerable women by restricting the flow of health information between patients and their doctors. The measure failed 19-26.
“Year after year, Republicans attempt to reinstate the Global Gag Rule. This policy endangers the lives of low-income women around the world by denying funds for critical health services,” said Congresswoman Lee. “I remain committed to the fight to prevent this dangerous policy from being reinstated.”
Additionally, Congresswoman Lee, who also serves as one of two U.S. Representatives to the 68th Session of the U.N. General Assembly, offered an amendment to lift the current cap of 25 percent and to increase funding to the full assessed rate of 28.36 percent for United Nations peacekeeping operations.
“I was disappointed that my Republican colleagues blocked my amendment to provide necessary funding for the critical UN peacekeepers working to secure the safety of people around the globe,” said Congresswoman Lee. “As a member of the UN Security Council, the U.S. frequently supports operations that put peacekeepers in harm’s way. As long as we continue to support peacekeeping missions, we must also provide the necessary resources to the brave men and women who carry out this important work.”
The final bill passed the Committee with a voice vote.
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Follow Barbara Lee on Facebook and Twitter at @RepBarbaraLee. To learn more, visit lee.house.gov.
Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, as well as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), where she serves as the Co-Chair of the CPC Peace and Security Task Force.