Press Releases
Barbara Lee Applauds News that Obama Administration Will Bring Troops in Iraq Home by Year's End
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C.- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement in response to the Obama Administration's announcement that it will honor the SOFA agreement with Iraq that called for all U.S. combat troops to leave Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011: "I am pleased that the Obama Administration has chosen to fully withdraw the U.S. military force from Iraq. In the face of pressure to extend the counterproductive presence of combat troops, we … Continue Reading
October 14, 2011
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Recognizes National Latino AIDS Awareness Day
Contact Kristal DeKleer 202-225-1882 Washington, D.C.- Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Co-Chair of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, released a statement in honor of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day on October 15th. Latinos represent 16% of the U.S. population but account for an estimated 18% of people living with HIV and 18% of new infections. In 2006, Latina women were almost four times as likely as white women to test positive for HIV and Latino men who have sex … Continue Reading
October 14, 2011
Lee, Bipartisan Leaders Urge Common Sense Defense Spending Reforms
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 House Members pen letter to Supercommittee asking for restraint on military spending Washington, D.C.- Forty-one Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle joined Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) in a request to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Supercommittee) to seek out savings and work to end wasteful spending by considering cuts to the Department of Defense. Realizing that significant savings can be … Continue Reading
October 13, 2011
Lee, Congressional Leaders Urge Protection of Women's Health During Supercommittee Negotiations
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C.- Sixty-nine Members of Congress joined Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) in a request to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Supercommittee) to protect women's health. The Members of Congress penned a letter to the Supercommittee stating the importance of protecting what many consider one of the important public health programs in our nation: Title X Family Planning. The Supercommittee has been tasked with finding at … Continue Reading
October 13, 2011
Lee Calls on Supercommittee to Protect Social Safety Net
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Sixty-four Members of Congress joined Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) in a request to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Supercommittee) to protect the vital programs that comprise our social safety net. The Members of Congress penned a letter urging the Supercommittee to protect the programs that provide economic security and opportunity to millions of Americans, including but not limited to Medicaid, Medicare, and … Continue Reading
October 12, 2011
Barbara Lee, California Democratic Congressional Delegation Call on President Obama to Act on Housing
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C.- Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) and Members of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation sent a letter to President Obama urging him to act immediately to address our country's troubled housing market. Specifically, the letter calls on President Obama to: · Urge the Federal Housing Finance Agency to establish a plan to refinance all mortgages owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie … Continue Reading
October 10, 2011
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Congratulates 2011 Nobel Peace Laureates
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 "Today we celebrate three outstanding non-violent leaders from Africa and Middle East." Washington, D.C.- Congresswoman Barbara Lee responded to the announcement that three women were together awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. Two Liberians, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first female president, and Leymah Roberta Gbowee, a non-violent peace activist, were recognized for their role in bringing an end to civil warfare by leading an organized … Continue Reading
October 08, 2011
Lee Statement on Passing of Oakland Raiders Owner Al Davis
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement on the loss of Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis: "Today, sports fans in the Bay Area and throughout the nation mourn the loss of an iconic American sports figure, Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis. Mr. Davis was a driving and visionary force behind the merger of the National and American Football Leagues. He will be remembered as a fierce competitor and … Continue Reading
October 07, 2011
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Statement on September Jobs Report
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C.- Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following response to the figures released by the Department of Labor showing stagnant unemployment rates: "For 276 days in the majority, House Republicans have failed to enact any jobs measures or put forth any clear jobs agenda. The economy will only continue to worsen if we do not act quickly to address it. The jobs crisis is a national emergency and Americans cannot afford … Continue Reading
October 07, 2011
Congresswoman Barbara Lee: End the War Now
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 CPC Peace & Security Task Force holds hearing on 10th anniversary of U.S. invasion of Afghanistan Washington, D.C.- On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, Congresswoman Barbara Lee hosted a special hearing entitled "Ten Years On: Why the War in Afghanistan Must End Now." Academics, experts, and advocates joined Members of Congress to present opposition to the ongoing war in Afghanistan at a panel event. … Continue Reading
October 06, 2011
Barbara Lee Statement on the Passing of Steve Jobs
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement on the passing of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs: "My thoughts are with the family of Steve Jobs. He changed the way we live, receive information, and connect with one another. Regardless of his success in business, he continued to share his brilliance with others, invest in those around him, and was dedicated to making this world a better place. On behalf … Continue Reading
October 05, 2011
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Fights to Protect the Environment
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington D.C.- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) delivered an address on the Floor of the House of Representatives to urge Members to put public health and a clean environment ahead of corporate interests. Following is an excerpt: "I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2681, and the threat this bills would pose to the Clean Air Act. "Instead of working with Democrats on policies to create jobs, the House Republicans brings H.R. 2681 … Continue Reading
September 28, 2011
US Department of Justice COPS Office Awards Over $243 Million to Hire New Officers
Contact: Ricci Graham, 510-763-0370 Grants to Oakland and 237 additional agencies aimed at creating and saving law enforcement jobs Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) joined the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and officials from the cities of Oakland, Stockton, Salinas, and Tulare to announce nearly $72 million in grant awards to cities in California through the 2011 COPS Hiring Program. In total, more than $243 million in grants … Continue Reading
September 27, 2011
Barbara Lee Statement on National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement in observance of National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: "September 27th, 2011 marks the 4th Annual National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Over the past 30 years, HIV/AIDS has had astronomical impact on this population, nationally and worldwide. Additionally, in the United States, gay and bisexual men, who represent 2 to 4% of the population, … Continue Reading
September 27, 2011
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Makes Statement on Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai's Passing
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C.- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) released the following statement upon learning of the death of Professor Wangari Maathai: "It is with a heavy heart that I received the news of Professor Maathai's passing. I send my sincere condolences to her family and loved ones. Professor Maathai's inspirational work was built on the simple act of planting a tree, an act repeated over forty million times since Maathai founded the Green … Continue Reading
September 26, 2011
Lee Calls Out GOP for Protecting Polluters
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C.- Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement on H.R. 2401, a misguided and dangerous Republican-sponsored bill to block and indefinitely delay two of the most important, life-saving Clean Air rules - the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule: "Today, House Republicans passed the TRAIN Act, a bill to undermine the Clean Air Act's ability to crack down on pollution in our … Continue Reading
September 23, 2011
Congresswoman Lee Announces $209.5 million in USAID Funding for the Oakland-based Public Health Institute
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) is excited to announce that the Oakland-based Public Health Institute (PHI) has been selected to receive $209.5 million in "cooperative agreement" funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The award is nearly twice as large as previous USAID agreements, and will provide PHI the financial resources necessary for it to continue its effort to create a large, … Continue Reading
September 23, 2011
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $15 million DOT Grant Award for AC Transit
Contact: Ricci Graham 510-763-0370 Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) announced today that the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit Agency (AC Transit) has been awarded a $15 million grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation through its Federal Transit Administration program. The funds from this grant award will be used to support AC Transit's state-of-the-art Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, including dedicated bus lanes, transit signal priority, real-time … Continue Reading
September 23, 2011
Lee Introduces Bill to Fight Discrimination Against People Living with HIV
For Immediate Release Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Congresswoman Calls for Repeal of Unfair Criminal and Civil Laws Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced legislation to address the serious problem of discrimination in state criminal and civil laws against those who test positive for HIV. The bill creates incentives and support for states to reform existing policies that use legal authority to target people living with … Continue Reading
September 21, 2011
Congresswoman Lee Welcomes News That Unjust Imprisonment of Iran Hostages is Finally Over
For Immediate Release Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Shane and Josh Are Free! Washington, D.C.- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) issued the following statement today in response to the release of Joshua Fattal and Shane Bauer, the two U.C. Berkeley alumni who have been detained in Iran since July 31, 2009: "I am greatly relieved by the news that Shane and Josh are finally free after over two years of unjust imprisonment. … Continue Reading