Press Releases
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Mourns the Loss of Three Fallen Oakland Police Officers
For Immediate Release March 22, 2009 Contact: Ricci Graham 1-202-215-4358 Washington D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) released the following statement after learning of a shooting that left three Oakland police officers dead and two others wounded: "It is with a heavy heart that I offer my thoughts and prayers to the family members of the police officers who lost their lives on Saturday. I also hope for a speedy recovery for the two officers who were wounded while … Continue Reading
March 21, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Mourns the Loss of Four Fallen Oakland Police Officers
For Immediate Release March 22, 2009 Contact: Ricci Graham 202-215-4573 Washington D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) released the following statement on Sunday evening upon learning of the passing of a fourth police Oakland Police officer who was gunned down on Saturday. The fourth officer was declared brain dead on Sunday: "I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of the fourth Oakland police officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Saturday. … Continue Reading
March 20, 2009
Barbara Lee Hails Announcement of Economic Recovery Package Funds for Oakland
For Immediate Release March 20, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Oakland, CA - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) applauded the announcement of nearly $30 million in federal funding for homeless prevention, housing and services for Alameda County, including $7.5 million in new funds through the economic recovery package. "With the California unemployment rate currently at a staggering 10.5 percent, these funds will be essential to giving the city of Oakland and the … Continue Reading
March 19, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Income Equity Act
For Immediate Release March 20, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - This week, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced the Income Equity Act which would limit the tax deductibility of executive compensation packages. The tax code already limits the deductibility of wage income at $1 million, which is exactly why complex compensation packages of stock options, housing allowances, cars and drivers and private planes have risen dramatically. This … Continue Reading
March 17, 2009
Senator Lautenberg, Representative Lee and Advocates Say It's Time To Provide 'REAL' Comprehensive Sex Education
For Immediate Release March 17, 2009 CONTACT: Scott Mulhauser/Chris Bender/Michael Pagan (Lautenberg) 202.224.4858 Nicole Williams (Lee) 202.225.2661 Patrick Malone (SEICUS) 212.819.9770, x316 Ted Miller (NARAL Pro-Choice America) 202.973.3032 Tait … Continue Reading
March 12, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee joins Rep. Danny Davis in Introducing the Federal Prison Work Incentive Act
For Immediate Release March 12, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), joined Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) in introducing the Federal Prison Work Incentive Act. Under the proposed legislation, each prisoner convicted of an offense against the United States and confined in a penal or correctional institution for a definite term other than life, whose record of conduct shows that he or she has faithfully observed all the rules, … Continue Reading
March 11, 2009
Barbara Lee Applauds Appointment of Van Jones to CEQ
For Immediate Release March 11, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement on the appointment of Van Jones to the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ): "I am so very pleased that Van Jones, a constituent, friend and strong advocate for green jobs has been chosen to be a special advisor to the White House Council on Economic Quality. "Van has been at the forefront of the green jobs … Continue Reading
March 09, 2009
Barbara Lee Applauds Obama Order Reversing Bush Policy on Stem Cell Research Funding
For Immediate Release March 9, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee applauded President Barack Obama's decision end the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. She released this statement: "For eight years the Bush Administration stood in the way of the very promising and life saving research that comes from embryonic stem cell research. "We know that our population is aging. Debilitating chronic diseases like … Continue Reading
March 06, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Commemorates International Women's Day
For Immediate Release March 6, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement commemorating International Women's Day. "As we reflect on International Women's Day, we must recommit ourselves to women's global struggle for equality and human rights. This year, we call on all people to do their part to end the ongoing scourge of violence against women. "The policies of the previous administration put many obstacles … Continue Reading
March 05, 2009
House Passes Lee Resolution Supporting the Goals and Ideals of MS Awareness Week
For Immediate Release March 5, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, the House of Representative unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee supporting the Goals and Ideals of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Week. MS Awareness Week is recognized this week from March 2nd though March 8th. Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. It's thought to be an auto-immune disorder where the … Continue Reading
March 05, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Supports Legislation to Keep Families in Their Homes
For Immediate Release March 5, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara voted in favor of the Help Families Save Their Homes Act, a bill that takes a key step in implementing President Obama's comprehensive Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. This legislation seeks to help more families obtain affordable mortgages, protect lenders from lawsuits for reasonable loan modifications, and fixes the Federal Housing Administration's … Continue Reading
March 04, 2009
Oakland Youth Join Congresswoman Lee on Civil Rights Pilgrimage
For Immediate Release March 4, 2009 Contact: Ricci Graham (510) 763-0370 OAKLAND, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) and two local high schools students from the Martin Luther King Freedom Center will travel to Alabama to participate in The Faith & Politics 9th Annual Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage, an event hosted by Representative John Lewis (D-GA). The annual pilgrimage to Birmingham, Selma and Montgomery provides members of Congress with a sense of one of the more … Continue Reading
March 04, 2009
Barbara Lee Applauds Issuance of Arrest Warrant for Sudan President Omar al-Bashir by International Criminal Court
For Immediate Release March 4, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC -Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement in response to the issuance an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court. "The decision by the court's judges will add international legal weight to a long obvious truth - primary responsibility for the atrocities in Darfur rests with the regime that President Omar Hassan … Continue Reading
March 03, 2009
Barbara Lee Commemorates Women's History Month
For Immediate Release March 3, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Honors the Legacy of Late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm Congresswoman Lee at the Official Shirley Chisholm Portrait Unveiling Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement commemorating Women's History Month and paying tribute to the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm following the unveiling of a portrait of Chisholm that will be displayed in the Capitol. Congresswoman … Continue Reading
March 02, 2009
Barbara Lee Releases Statement on President Obama's Budget Blueprint
For Immediate Release March 2, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-266 Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement on President Barack Obama's FY10 Budget. "The Bush Administration has left us in an economic crisis on a scale that we haven't seen in decades. Despite the bleak state of our economy, President Obama's budget blueprint has once again managed to inject hope into the future outlook of this country. Following the signing of the economic recovery … Continue Reading
March 02, 2009
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Comments on Administration Announcement of Policy toward Iraq
For Immediate Release March 2, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee issued the following statement in response to President Obama's speech last week regarding U.S. policy toward Iraq: "As one of the co-founders of the Out of Iraq Caucus I opposed the Iraq war and occupation from the beginning and have spent nearly seven years working to extricate the United States from this fiasco. "I welcome President Obama's pledge to the American … Continue Reading
February 26, 2009
Barbara Lee Supports Omnibus Appropriations Bill
Secures Over $41 Million for District Projects Washington, DC - Yesterday, Congresswoman Barbara Lee voted in favor of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009. The legislation passed the house by a 245 - 178 vote. She released this statement: "When we originally began this process over a year ago, we were dealing with a President who told us in no uncertain terms that he would veto any federal budget we passed that tried to invest in education, job training, healthcare, … Continue Reading
February 26, 2009
Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Obama Selection of Crowley as Head Office of National AIDS Policy
For Immediate Release February 26, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement following President Barack Obama's appointment of Jeffrey S. Crowley as the Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy. "I welcome the President's appointment of Jeffrey Crowley to head the Office of National AIDS Policy, and his continued commitment to developing and implementing a National AIDS Strategy. "With the … Continue Reading
February 26, 2009
Barbara Lee Comments on Allocation of Transportation Funding from Economic Recovery Package
For Immediate Release February 26, 2009 Contact: Nicole Y. Williams (202) 225-2661 Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement regarding funds allocated to the regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission from the recently passed Economic Recovery Package. "I appreciate the work of the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in moving swiftly to allocate funding from the economic recovery package to meet our regional transportation needs. … Continue Reading
February 25, 2009
Barbara Lee Introduces Resolution to Increase Non-Military Foreign Assistance to One Percent of GDP
Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced legislation expressing support for providing, on an annual basis, an amount equal to no less than one percent of United States Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for non-military foreign assistance programs. The resolution echoes the 'commitment made with the passage of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to renew our country's commitment to assist people in developing countries to eliminate hunger, poverty, [and] illness' and … Continue Reading