Press Releases
Barbara Lee to Take Food Stamp Challenge
Representative Will Live on $21 of Food for a Week(Washington, DC) - On Tuesday, in recognition of National Hunger Awareness Day, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) announced that she would be taking the Food Stamp Challenge - living on $21 worth of food for a week, the average weekly benefit for a food stamp recipient.“There are thousands of people in my district and the millions of people in the United States for whom hunger is a daily issue and who rely on food stamps to get by. … Continue Reading
June 04, 2007
House Passes Lee Resolution to Pressure China on Darfur
(Washington, DC) - The House of Representatives today approved a resolution introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) calling on China to use its “unique influence and economic leverage” with the Sudan regime to help stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur.“China is uniquely positioned to help end the genocide in Darfur and the fact is that they have been unwilling to do so,” said Rep. Lee. “This resolution sends a clear message that China needs to join the international community in … Continue Reading
June 01, 2007
Barbara Lee Applauds White House Proclamation Recognizing June as Caribbean American Heritage Month
(Oakland, CA) - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), author of legislation approved in the 109th Congress by both Chambers of Congress that urged the President to make June Caribbean-American Heritage Month, issued the following statement today in response to the White House proclamation marking June once again as Caribbean-American Heritage Month:“Today, June 1st, 2007, communities across the country are launching commemorative celebrations for the 2nd annual national Caribbean-American … Continue Reading
May 30, 2007
Barbara Lee Welcomes Bush Request for AIDS Funds
Renews Call for Elimination of Abstinence-Only Earmark(Oakland, CA) - Congresswoman Barbara Lee, one of the original authors of legislation that created the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), released the following statement in response to President Bush's request today that Congress extend and increase the program:“PEPFAR is one of the few foreign policy initiatives where the President has broad bipartisan support among the Congress. It has demonstrated real results by … Continue Reading
May 30, 2007
Barbara Lee Condemns White House “Permanent Occupation” Policy
(Oakland, CA) - Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who has led the fight in Congress to prevent the establishment of permanent military bases in Iraq, released the following statement today in response to the White House announcement yesterday that it views the U.S. military presence in South Korea as the model for Iraq:“The White House announcement that they view South Korea as the model for a permanent U.S. military presence in Iraq is further evidence of how dangerously out of touch with reality … Continue Reading
May 29, 2007
Barbara Lee Promotes Summer Free Meal Program for Kids
(Oakland, CA) - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) was at the Cherryland Elementary School on Tuesday to help promote a program that provides free meals to children in the Ashland, Cherryland and Hayward area."This meal program provides a vital service to many local children and families, and it is important that people know about it," said Lee, who championed efforts to create a year-round child nutrition program while she was serving in the state legislature.The summer food … Continue Reading
May 28, 2007
Barbara Lee Responds to Bush Sudan Sanctions
(Oakland, CA) - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), a Congressional leader in the fight to end the genocide in Sudan, released the following statement in response to President Bush's announcement of new sanctions against Sudan today:“It is critical that we move forward with the deployment of international peacekeepers, and the Bashir government needs to understand that their stonewalling will not be accepted. The sanctions the President announced today help to send that message, but I … Continue Reading
May 24, 2007
Barbara Lee’s Statement on the Reopening of the MacArthur Maze
(Washington, DC) - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) released the following statement in anticipation of the reopening of the MacArthur Maze only 27 days after a fire caused by a crashed tanker truck closed the I-580 and I-880 interchanges:“Across the board, the I-580 collapse demonstrated how government should work in responding to an emergency situation. From day one, local, state and federal governments forged a cooperative partnership with transit operators and the private sector to … Continue Reading
May 24, 2007
Barbara Lee Blasts Blank Check for Iraq
(Washington, DC) - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) condemned the latest supplemental Iraq spending bill as a "blank check" and renewed her call for "fully funded withdrawal" during debate on the measure on the House floor today. The following is her statement: "Mr. Speaker, in 2003 Congress approved a $78 billion dollar supplemental. In 2004 it was $87 billion. In 2005 it was $82 billion. In 2006 it was $72 billion. And now the administration wants almost $100 billion more? "As of … Continue Reading
May 24, 2007
Barbara Lee Blasts Blank Check for Iraq
May 23, 2007
House Panel Passes Lee Resolution to Pressure China on Darfur
(Washington, DC) - The House Foreign Affairs Committee today approved a resolution introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) calling on China to use its “unique influence and economic leverage” with the Sudan regime to help stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur, clearing the way for a vote on the House floor.“China is uniquely positioned to help end the genocide in Darfur and the fact is that they have been unwilling to do so,” said Rep. Lee. “This resolution sends a clear message … Continue Reading
May 15, 2007
Lee Votes to Increase Community Policing
The House Restores the Highly Successful COPS Hiring Program(Washington, DC) - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today joined a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 1700, the COPS Reauthorization Act. This measure is designed to help local law enforcement agencies to hire an additional 50,000 police officers on the beat over the next six years. The following are her remarks from the floor during debate this afternoon (as delivered):“Thank you and I want to thank the … Continue Reading
May 15, 2007
Congressional Proposal To Officially Pressure China On Genocide In Darfur
Bipartisan, bicameral resolution calls on China to use ties to Sudanese regime, offers reminder of Beijing OlympicsCONTACTS:Afshin Mohamadi (Menendez) 202-224-4744Julie Little Nickson (Lee) 202-225-2661Becky Ogilvie (Brownback) 202-228-3107WASHINGTON - A new movement to pressure China to help stop the genocide in Darfur is being unveiled in Congress today, with support in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle. U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Sam Brownback (R-KS), along with … Continue Reading
May 10, 2007
Lee Praises Strong Support for Withdrawal Proposal
(Washington, DC) - As the House took its first up-or-down vote on the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) characterized the vote as “historic” and the vote in favor of withdrawal as “strong.” While defeat of the measure - which was similar to a proposal to “fully fund withdrawal” drafted by Lee - was expected, it drew far more support than was widely anticipated. The final vote was 171-255.“This was an historic vote and the strong showing in favor of … Continue Reading
May 10, 2007
Support for HR 2237
May 09, 2007
Progressives Force Vote on Fully Funded Withdrawal from Iraq
Contact: Nathan Britton 202-225-2661 (Lee), Chris Shields 202-225-5161 (Woolsey), Mikael Moore 202-225-2201 (Waters)Washington, DC - After months of behind the scenes wrangling, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the Out Of Iraq Caucus succeeded in getting a vote on a measure calling for the fully funded withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq within 180 days, a position advanced for months by Members of both groups, and made part of the CPC's official platform in February. The … Continue Reading
May 09, 2007
As House Prepares for Historic Vote, Barbara Lee Speaks Out in Favor of Withdrawal
(Washington, DC) - As the House prepares to take its first up-or-down vote on the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq later today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) spoke on the House floor this morning in strong favor of the measure, which mirrors a proposal for “fully funded withdrawal” she and other progressive members have been pushing for for months. The following are her remarks as delivered:“More than four years ago, the House of Representatives authorized a war in Iraq based on … Continue Reading
May 03, 2007
Statement in Support of Hate Crimes Bill
May 01, 2007
House Debates Congresswoman Lee's Resolution Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the end of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
April 30, 2007
Barbara Lee Facilitating Federal Response to Freeway Collapse
(Oakland, CA) - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) reported that she has been in contact with federal, state and local authorities to ensure that federal resources are available to deal with the closure of the I-580 and I-880 following a fire and collapse of a section of one of the freeways over the weekend.“Everyone is committed to making sure that the disruptions to local commuters are as short and as painless as possible. My office is working with federal, state and local … Continue Reading