Congresswoman Barbara Lee Leads Congressional Delegation to Africa and Western Europe
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, led a Congressional delegation to Germany, Ghana, Senegal, and Italy to conduct oversight over Department of Defense and State Department appropriations, including global health and international food security programs.
Congresswoman Lee was joined by Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Katherine Clark (MA-5), Jay Obernolte (CA-8), Sara Jacobs (CA-53), and Troy Carter (LA-2).
“It was my privilege as Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations to lead an esteemed Congressional delegation to Europe and Africa to conduct oversight over the United States’ investments abroad, from our defense operations to global health and food security initiatives,” said Chairwoman Lee. “In Germany, Ghana, Senegal, and Italy, our delegation held high-level meetings with country officials and toured sites of importance to nations’ economic, humanitarian, and public health infrastructures. I thank all those who we met with on this trip for their contributions to strengthening the U.S. mission abroad and look forward to returning to committee work and putting our values into action.”
The delegation began with a visit to Stuttgart, Germany, where members received an AFRICOM Command Brief on security cooperation with Africa as well as an update from EUCOM on the latest regarding Ukraine.
In Accra, Ghana, the delegation reaffirmed the strong partnership between our two countries through meetings with the President Nana Akufo-Addo, members of Parliament and other country government officials, as well as members of civil society. Members conducted oversight of U.S. projects including the SEKAF Shea Company and Global Shea Alliance and Tema Fishing Harbor/Canoe Beach to learn about USAID’s support to restore fisheries, Ghana’s primary protein source, and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
In Dakar, Senegal, the delegation received briefings from and met with government officials. Members visited a USAID Feed the Future horticulture program, the USAID Trafficking in Persons Project Wallu Talibe as well as the Peace Corps Training Center. Members visited Goree Island which memorializes the final exit point of slaves from Africa and heard first-hand about the horrors of the Atlantic slave trade.
In Rome, Italy, the members met with the US-UN Rome country team, Vatican country team, and Italy country team. Members received briefings from Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and World Food Program (WFP) leadership on the growing food crisis threatening 345 million people globally with food insecurity.
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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.