Congresswoman Lee Sends Recommendations on Darfur to President-Elect Obama
Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Nicole Y. Williams
(202) 225-2661
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee joined House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer in releasing a report to President-elect Barack Obama outlining their goals and recommendations in working towards peace in Darfur for the 111th Congress. She released this statement:
“It has been over five years since Congress declared that genocide was taking place in the Darfur region of Sudan. With hundreds of thousands killed, deteriorating conditions and no end in sight, we felt it important to release this white paper outlining our recommendations for the incoming administration on addressing this genocide.
“The U.S. must be leaders in the peace process in Darfur. President-elect Obama has already stated his commitment to addressing the genocide in Darfur and we in Congress are prepared to work diligently with his administration towards a swift resolution to this dire situation.”
Lee has led efforts in Congress to end the genocide in Darfur, including authoring legislation signed into law to allow states to divest from companies doing business with the government of Sudan, and two separate resolutions calling for action on the part of the League of Arab States and the government of China to use their leverage with Sudan to end the genocide which both passed in the House. Arrested for protesting the genocide in front of the Sudanese embassy in Washington in June, 2006, Lee has traveled three times to Darfur, most recently on a delegation led by Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer in April, 2007.
For a copy of the white paper, click here or contact Nicole Y. Williams at (202) 225-2661.
# # #