Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates Designation of the John R. Lewis Post Office Building in Atlanta, GA
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released the following statement to celebrate the vote to designate the main U.S. Postal Service facility in Atlanta, GA as the “John R. Lewis Post Office Building.”
“On the first day of Black History Month, I had the great honor of voting to rename the main U.S. Postal Service Facility in Atlanta after my late friend, colleague, and hero – Congressman John Lewis,” Congresswoman Lee said. “Every year, I joined him on a civil rights pilgrimage to Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma, Alabama, places where he risked his life for the cause of freedom. And last year I was proud to be part of a Congressional Delegation to San Diego to name a U.S. Navy ship in his honor.
“John Lewis was a beacon of hope and justice for our nation. The John R. Lewis Post Office Building in Atlanta will be a fitting tribute to John’s lifetime of work to advance democratic rights, especially as more and more voters participate in our democracy with mail-in ballots. My deepest gratitude goes to Congresswoman Nikema Williams for introducing this bill and leading this effort.
“However, members of Congress can’t honor a hero of democracy and simultaneously oppose everything he stood for. I hope that every member of Congress who voted to honor John’s legacy will now join our effort to continue his life’s work and protect voting rights for ALL Americans. Since the 2020 election, state lawmakers have introduced more than 400 bills to restrict access to the ballot, especially for communities of color. This should not be a partisan issue. Congress must take action to protect the basic democratic rights that John Lewis and so many others fought and risked their lives to secure."
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the House Democratic Leadership, she is the highest ranking Black woman in the U.S. Congress.