Rep. Barbara Lee: “Pope Francis’s Message of Peace and Social Justice Should Inspire Congress to Act”
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement following Pope Francis’s historic address to Congress:
“During a joint-session of Congress today, His Holiness Pope Francis reminded us of our sacred duty: to protect and advocate for the most vulnerable and voiceless in our society and our world.
His call for peace and justice should inspire Congress and our entire nation. As we work to address the immense challenges facing our nation – climate change, persistent poverty, and global conflicts – the Pope’s call for mutual understanding has never been more timely or necessary.? We must strive to end all injustices that devalue human dignity, especially inequality and war.
During his speech, the Pope called on Congress ‘to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome.’
He is right - we cannot afford to delay cooperation, however difficult it might be, while our planet and our people suffer."
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the Whip’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.