Press Releases
Barbara Lee Statement on the United Nations High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement on a recent United Nations High-Level meeting on HIV/AIDS in New York City: "The adoption of the 2011 United Nations Declaration on HIV and AIDS will intensify our efforts to eradicate this deadly epidemic. This Declaration is vitally important in the continuing fight against HIV/AIDS, recognizing our accomplishments and renewing our commitment to human rights … Continue Reading
June 08, 2011
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces New Direct Charter Passenger Flights Between Oakland International Airport and Cuba
For Immediate Release June 8, 2011 Contact: Ricci Graham 510-763-0370 CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA LEE ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECT CHARTER PASSENGER FLIGHTS BETWEEN OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND CUBA Significant announcement will strengthen people-to-people exchange between the Bay Area and Cuba Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) is pleased to announce that Oakland International Airport (OAK) has received authorization by the United States Customs and Border Protection … Continue Reading
June 03, 2011
Barbara Lee Statement on the Passing of Geronimo Pratt
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement today in reaction to the recent passing of noted human rights activist, Geronimo Pratt: "I was deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of Geronimo Pratt. As part of a larger community-wide effort, I was one of many individuals who worked to support the successful effort to exonerate him for charges that he was wrongfully convicted of. Geronimo was a … Continue Reading
June 03, 2011
Barbara Lee Statement on the 30th Anniversary of First Reported Cases of AIDS in the United States
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement today to commemorate 30thanniversary of the first reported cases of AIDS in the United States, which occurs on June 5. The first five reported cases occurred in Los Angeles, California: "This weekend marks thirty years since the first reported cases of AIDS in the United States. Of course, this is a solemn anniversary, but also an important time for reflection. … Continue Reading
June 03, 2011
Barbara Lee: With Unemployment Rate Still High, We Must Reject Drastic Republican Cuts to Programs That Help the Most Vulnerable and Needy Populations
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement this morning in reaction to the May jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: "While the overall economy may be showing signs of improvement, too many people are unable to find work and millions are still feeling a great deal of pain. Clearly there is still much work to do to ensure that our economic recovery is felt in every community. The national … Continue Reading
June 02, 2011
Barbara Lee Recognizes LGBT Pride Month
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement in recognition of LGBT Pride Month which began this week: "Let us honor the occasion of LGBT Pride Month, by acknowledging the tremendous efforts of so many LGBT individuals who have fought for equality, but also honoring the lives of those who we have lost because of targeted discrimination. "Last Congress we witnessed a tremendous victory for … Continue Reading
May 31, 2011
Port of Oakland to Receive Federal Funding for Dredging Project
Media Contact: Ricci Graham, (510) 763-0370 Funding is vital to maintaining Port's position as gateway for international trade Washington D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) is pleased to announce that the Port of Oakland will receive $18 million in funding through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the maintenance and operation of the 50-foot Harbor Deepening project.Congresswoman Lee hailed the funding, adding that it is vital to ensuring that the Port remains competitive in … Continue Reading
May 26, 2011
Barbara Lee Fights Against Blank Check for Endless War, Pushes for Swift Withdrawal from Afghanistan and Sensible Cuts to Bloated Pentagon Budget
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Lee Opposes Defense Authorization Bill That Repeats the Same Mistakes All Over Again Washington, DC - This week, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced several amendments to the Defense Authorization bill. Through her bipartisan work with Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI), Congresswoman Lee forced a floor vote on the Amash-Lee amendment which would strike the controversial Section 1034 from the bill. Section 1034 represents a broad … Continue Reading
May 26, 2011
Barbara Lee: PATRIOT Act Sacrifices Our Fundamental Freedoms and Civil Liberties
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement this evening following House passage of the PATRIOT Act, which she opposed: "We should balance our national security with protection of our civil liberties, but the PATRIOT Act does not achieve that necessary balance. I opposed the extension of the PATRIOT Act because we cannot sacrifice fundamental freedoms, including the right to privacy, in our effort to manage … Continue Reading
May 25, 2011
INFORMATION ALERT: Housing Information for 9th District Constituents
More information available at this link: … Continue Reading
May 16, 2011
Congresswoman Barbara Lee to Host Jobs and Career Expo at Laney College
Media Contact: Ricci Graham, (510) 763-0370 Congresswoman Lee to open Expo with remarks on job creation and unemployment Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), along with Peralta Community College District Chancellor Dr. Wise Allen, Laney College President Dr. Elnora Webb and trustees of the Peralta Community College District, will hold a press conference prior to the opening of a Jobs and Career Expo that Congresswoman Lee is hosting on Friday, May 20, 2011 from 9:00 … Continue Reading
May 13, 2011
Lee Calls for Status Report on National HIV/AIDS Strategy and Universal Treatment Goal 30 Years After First Reports of AIDS in the United States
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - This week, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and 87 Members of Congress introduced HR 1880, legislation calling for a status report on the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and progress toward achieving universal access to treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS: "In honor of the 25 million heroes that we have lost to this horrific epidemic in the last thirty years, I introduced this legislation to … Continue Reading
May 11, 2011
Barbara Lee: Speaker Boehner and Leader Cantor Should Prevent "Cruel" to Gut Unemployment Benefits from Reaching the House Floor
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 "Chairman Camp's bill to gut unemployment benefits for millions of jobless workers is just the latest Republican salvo in their war on our nation's unemployed. It is cruel for Ways and Means Committee Republicans to further penalize unemployed workers across the country as we face an economy where there are more than 4 unemployed workers for every available job. Instead of moving on the bill that Rep. Scott and I introduced to extend aid for … Continue Reading
May 10, 2011
Barbara Lee Leads House Passage of Legislation to Ensure Support for Victims of Devastating Earthquakes in Haiti
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Earlier today, Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) led House passage of HR 1016, the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act. This legislation directs the government to report on the status of humanitarian, reconstruction, and development efforts in the aftermath of the tragic January earthquake in Haiti. Representative Lee introduced this bill earlier this year, and it has 22 co-sponsors in the House. Passage of this bill not only … Continue Reading
May 09, 2011
Representatives Lee and Scott to Chairman Camp: Stop Penalizing Unemployed Workers, Work with Us to Extend Aid for the Long-Term Unemployed
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) released the following statement today in reaction to legislation offered by Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) that would gut unemployment benefits for millions of displaced workers. Representatives Lee and Scott have requested that Chairman Camp support their bill, HR 589, to extend aid for unemployed workers who have exhausted their benefits. HR 589 … Continue Reading
May 06, 2011
Barbara Lee: High Unemployment Rate Underscores the Need to Leave Afghanistan
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement today in reaction to the April jobs report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): "Our economy is moving in the right direction, but today's job report is just the latest sign that more needs to be done for every community to experience a full economic recovery. The national unemployment rate remains too high and the rate is even higher in … Continue Reading
May 04, 2011
Barbara Lee on House Floor: Reject "Cynical, Divisive" Bill That Would Strip Reproductive Rights from Women
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) spoke on the House floor today against HR 3, Republican legislation that would restrict reproductive rights for women. Yesterday, Representative Lee joined her Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) women colleagues to call on Senate Democratic women to block passage of HR 3. Below are her floor remarks as prepared for delivery: "Here we go again. Instead of working on creating jobs and jumpstarting the … Continue Reading
May 04, 2011
Lee, Leading House Progressives Pen Letter to President Obama Calling for Shift to Withdrawal in Afghanistan Following Bin Laden's Death
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Letter Renews Call for Significant and Sizeable Reduction of U.S. Troops in Afghanistan Beginning No Later Than July 2011 Washington, DC - Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) was joined by Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs, Representatives Keith Ellison (D-MN) and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), and fellow CPC Peace & Security Task Force Co-Chairs, Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Michael Honda (D-CA) and Maxine Waters (D-CA) in sending a letter to … Continue Reading
May 03, 2011
Congressional Black Caucus Women Call on Senate Democratic Women to Defend Reproductive Choice in the District of Columbia
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225- 2661 Washington, DC - Earlier today, the women of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) sent a letter to the Democratic women of the Senate praising them for their indispensible work in defeating the proposed defunding of Planned Parenthood in the Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Resolution (CR), but expressing disappointment that the interests of low-income women in the District of Columbia were sacrificed in the process. The CR reinstituted a rider … Continue Reading
May 02, 2011
Barbara Lee Statement on the Capture of Osama bin Laden
Media Contact: Joel Payne, (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement today in reaction to President Obama's announcement last evening that U.S. forces have captured Osama bin Laden: "I want to join millions of Americans in commending the President and those involved with planning and executing the effort to capture Osama bin Laden. While nothing can ever completely ease the pain that the families of 9/11 victims have endured, I … Continue Reading