Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates Women’s History Month
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee issued the following statement in celebration of Women’s History Month:
“Women’s History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the courage and accomplishments of trailblazing women in the East Bay and throughout the country. Our success as a nation has, and will forever be, linked to America’s extraordinary women.
“This year, as we recognize generations of pioneering women, we also celebrate the historic nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Judge Jackson is the first Black woman ever nominated, an amazing step toward equal representation in our highest ranks of leadership.
“Unfortunately, the achievements of so many extraordinary women like Judge Jackson have gone underappreciated and overlooked throughout our history. This year, we took a step toward getting the recognition they deserve through the American Women Quarters program, starting with the release of the Dr. Maya Angelou quarter. This marked the first time a woman of color has been featured on United States currency.
“We felt it would be an incredible opportunity to honor, teach, and memorialize the achievements of phenomenal women through history. Thanks to the legislation I authored last year, many other trailblazing women will be featured in the months to come.
“Symbolism and representation matter. But it is just one of the many efforts to adequately acknowledge and respect women’s contributions. We all know this pandemic has disproportionately impacted women – especially women of color – and has pushed millions of women out of the workforce. Congress has much work ahead to achieve gender equity, like closing the gender pay gap, protecting the right to comprehensive reproductive health care, securing paid leave, childcare and much more.
“As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s continue carrying the torch of progress and putting more cracks in the glass ceiling.”
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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.