Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds the Passage of the NO BAN Act
Washington, D.C. –Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Vice-Chair of the House Appropriations State and Foreign Operations subcommittee, today applauded the passage of the NO BAN ACT, legislation to reverse the Trump administration’s Executive Order banning foreign nationals’ entry to the United States from several Muslim majority countries.
“Trump’s racist and xenophobic ‘Muslim ban’ rejects the promise and creed of this nation, which was built by immigrants and celebrates diversity,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. “The NO BAN Act is a landmark piece of civil rights legislation, not just for Muslims, but for all of this country’s diverse communities and sends a clear message that Congress does not accept this administration’s Islamophobic policy agenda.
“Our nation was founded by, shaped by, and continues to be influenced by our diverse and wonderful immigrant communities. To turn our backs on people who are simply looking for a better life isn’t just wrong – it goes against our values as a nation.
“Religious freedom is one of the pillars of our democracy, and the NO BAN Act is a necessary measure to fight back against Trump’s blatant white nationalist agenda. We have to continue the fight and protect our values of inclusion, diversity, and acceptance.”
The NO BAN Act rescinds the Muslim Ban, as well as abuses of power harming refugees and individuals seeking asylum. It includes measures to limit the President’s overly broad authority to issue future bans by requiring these actions to be temporary and increases mandatory reporting requirements to Congress.
Rep. Lee was an original cosponsor of this legislation and it passed the House on a vote of 233-183.