Press Releases
Barbara Lee Welcomes Arlen Specter to the Democratic Party
For Immediate Release April 28, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement welcoming Senator Arlen Specter to the Democratic Party: "I welcome Senator Specter back to the Democratic Party," said Congresswoman Lee. "Senator Specter has long been an independent thinker and willing to work in a bipartisan way to do what is best for the American people. I look forward to working with him on issues … Continue Reading
April 28, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Attends Unveiling of Sojourner Truth Bust
For Immediate Release April 28, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement following the unveiling of the bust of Sojourner Truth: "How fitting it is that we gathered today in Emancipation Hall to celebrate the life and legacy of one of the greatest heroines of American history - Sojourner Truth. I along with my colleagues stand of the shoulders of Sojourner Truth and so many other great women who have … Continue Reading
April 28, 2009
Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Equal Pay Day
For Immediate Release April 28, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement in recognition of Equal Pay Day. "Although the wage gap between men and women has narrowed since the passage of the Equal Pay Act in 1963, gender-based wage discrimination remains a significant problem for women in the U.S. workforce. It is a shame that women, particularly minority women, earn a fraction of what men earn … Continue Reading
April 24, 2009
National Bar Association Honors Barbara Lee with Gertrude E. Rush Award
For Immediate Release April 24, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. -Tonight, Congresswoman Barbara Lee will be presented with the Gertrude E. Rush Award from the National Bar Association. The presentation of the award will take place during the National Bar Association's 29th Annual Awards Dinner in New York City. The award commemorates the life and uniqueness of Gertrude E. Rush, the only woman co-founder of the National Bar Association and the first … Continue Reading
April 24, 2009
Congresswoman Lee Applauds Appointment of Dr. Eric Goosby as Global AIDS Coordinator
For Immediate Release April 24, 2009 Contact: Ricci Graham (510) 763-0379 WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) released this statement following the appointment of Dr. Eric Goosby as Global AIDS Coordinator: "I applaud the appointment of Dr. Eric Goosby as Global AIDS Coordinator. A Bay Area native, Dr. Goosby has been a pioneer in the fight against the global AIDS pandemic and has extensive international experience in the development of treatment guidelines and … Continue Reading
April 24, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Confirmation of Tony West as Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice
For Immediate Release April 24, 2009 Contact: Ricci Graham (510) 763-0370 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) attended the swearing-in ceremony of Tony West as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division in the United States Department of Justice. West was sworn in by Attorney General Eric Holder at the request of Congresswoman Lee. Congresswoman Lee issued this statement following the ceremony: "Tony is an excellent addition to President Obama's … Continue Reading
April 23, 2009
Barbara Lee Raises Questions on Cuba, Iraq and Tristan Anderson during Foreign Affairs, Appropriations Committee Hearings with Secretary Clinton
For Immediate Release April 23, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - This week, both the full House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations held hearings to receive testimony from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on foreign affairs policy and funding priorities of the Obama Administration. "The challenges faced by our nation are many, and never more so from beyond our borders. Our nation is currently … Continue Reading
April 23, 2009
Barbara Lee Reintroduces Resolution Encouraging STD Prevention
For Immediate Release April 23, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - Today, in recognition of April being National STD Awareness Month, Congresswoman Barbara Lee reintroduced a resolution urging the House of Representatives to focus greater attention on activities related to the prevention, screening and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). This resolution was first introduced last Congress by the late Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. The … Continue Reading
April 23, 2009
Barbara Lee Commemorates World Malaria Day
For Immediate Release April 23, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement on World Malaria Day which will be commemorated this year on April 25, 2009: "Across the globe, 350-500 million people suffer from malaria every year, a million of whom die from their illness- mostly infants, young children and pregnant women. Additionally, in the developing world, HIV/AIDS is often compounded by … Continue Reading
April 22, 2009
Barbara Lee Commemorates Earth Day 2009
For Immediate Release April 17, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) released the following statement commemorating Earth Day 2009: "Earth Day provides us with an opportunity to focus on protecting the environment for future generations and to further commit ourselves toward working to achieve energy independence by tackling global warming. "For eight years the Bush Administration stood in the way of progress on energy … Continue Reading
April 22, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Says Those Who Authorized Torture Should Be Held Accountable
For Immediate Release April 23, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) today released the following statement in response to news reports that Obama Administration is considering whether to prosecute Justice Department officials who formulated the legal justification authorizing the torture of detainees: "Nothing has so thoroughly stained the reputation of the United States than revelations that the torture of detainees was … Continue Reading
April 22, 2009
Barbara Lee to Receive Sankofa Award from Gondobay Manga Foundation
For Immediate Release April 23, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Tonight, Congresswoman Barbara Lee will receive the Sankofa Award from the Gondobay Manga Foundation. Congresswoman Lee will join fellow honorees Gina Paige and Dr. Rick Kittles, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Forest Whitaker in being honored for their humanitarian efforts on behalf of all people. "I am honored and humbled to receive this award from the Gondobay Manga Foundation," said … Continue Reading
April 21, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Resolution to Reduce Poverty in Half over Next Ten Years
For Immediate Release April 22, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - This week, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) introduced a resolution that would set a national goal for the United States of cutting poverty in half over the next ten years. She authored similar legislation (H. Con. Res. 198) during the 110th Congress which passed the House of Representatives unanimously. In 2007, there were over 37 million people living in poverty in 2007. Of those 37 … Continue Reading
April 17, 2009
Barbara Lee Releases Statement in Response to Administration's Comments on Cuba
For Immediate Release April 17, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - Today in response to Cuban president Raul Castro's comments, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the Obama administration views current U.S. policy toward Cuba as "having failed." Secretary Clinton added that the Administration "welcomed the overture" by Raul Castro and is "considering its response." In response to this news, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the … Continue Reading
April 17, 2009
Barbara Lee Applauds Obama Administration Pledge of $20 Million toward Remaining Haiti Debt
For Immediate Release April 17, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) applauded the Obama Administration's pledge of $20 million dollars to cover Haiti's upcoming debt payments to the World Bank and Inter American Development Bank. Earlier this year, Congresswoman Lee with Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL), and more than 70 other Members of Congress wrote a letter urging the administration to … Continue Reading
April 16, 2009
Congresswoman Lee Urges Secretary of the Interior to Protect California's Shoreline from Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling
For Immediate Release April 16, 2009 Contact Ricci Graham (510) 763-0370 Oakland - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) testified at University of California, San Francisco's Mission Bay Conference on Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf. The daylong conference was hosted by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, who is exploring new approaches to developing energy resources on the Outer Continental Shelf. During the conference, Congresswoman Lee urged Secretary … Continue Reading
April 13, 2009
Barbara Lee Applauds President Obama's Decision to Allow Unlimited Family Travel and Remittances to Cuba
For Immediate Release April 13, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) applauded the President's decision to end restrictions on travel and remittances for Cuban Americans' with family still in Cuba. She released this statement: "President Obama's decision today to end the unfair travel and remittance restrictions on Cuban -Americans will allow them to provide basic humanitarian assistance to their families and help them … Continue Reading
April 10, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Energy Czar Carol Browner Visit Green Job Training Center
For Immediate Release April 10, 2009 Contact Ricci Graham (510) 763-0370 Oakland - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) and Ms. Carol Browner, the assistant to President Obama for Energy and Climate Change, visited the Cypress Mandela Training Center on Friday, April 10, 2009 to tour the facility and meet with students and instructors. Congresswoman Lee offered to host the listening tour after Ms. Browner expressed interest in visiting Cypress Mandela Training Center as part of her … Continue Reading
April 10, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Energy Czar Carol Browner to Visit Green Job Training Center
For Immediate Release April 9, 2009 Contact Ricci Graham (510) 763-0370 Oakland - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) and Ms. Carol Browner, the assistant to President Obama for Energy and Climate Change, will tour the Cypress Mandela Training Center located at 2229 Poplar Street, Oakland on Friday, April 10, 2009. The hour-long tour will begin at 11:30 a.m. Congresswoman Lee offered to host this tour after Ms. Browner expressed interest in visiting Cypress Mandela Training Center as … Continue Reading
April 10, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Skeptical of Supplemental Funding for Iraq, Afghanistan Requested by President Obama
For Immediate Release April 10, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement in response to the Obama Administration's request for an $83.4 billion to fund the wars and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan: "I applaud President Obama for moving forward to address the difficult situations in Iraq and Afghanistan which he inherited from the Bush Administration. "As the only Member of … Continue Reading