Press Releases
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds State Department Announcement Inviting Monitors for U.S. Presidential Elections
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded news that the request from 13 Members of Congress, including her, to the State Department for international election monitors has been agreed to. The American public has been recently reminded by Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 that the 2000 Presidential elections were rife with deception and fraud. In early July, Lee and her colleagues wrote Secretary of State Colin Powell requesting monitors to ensure free and fair … Continue Reading
July 21, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds 9/11 Commission’s Recommendation for More Homeland Security
Bush Administration Has Repeatedly Underfunded Democrats’ Homeland Security RequestsWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today welcomed the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that American homeland security needed to be beefed up. The final Commission report claimed that the country’s infrastructure, including ports, rail, and airplanes, have been underfunded since 9/11. 90% of the $5 billion spent on transportation security since that day has gone to airport systems, but the … Continue Reading
July 21, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Successfully Champions National Housing Trust Fund Bill
Affordable Housing Production Program for Millions of Americans Gets One Step Closer to PassageWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today introduced a resolution that begins the process for launching a petition to discharge the National Housing Trust Fund, H.R. 1102, from committee and bring to the House for a vote. Under House rules, if 218 Members sign the petition, the bill will be considered by the House. H.R. 1102 has 212 sponsors. Congressman Michael Capuano (D-MA) and … Continue Reading
July 20, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Praises Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Study Showing How Climate Change Affects African Americans
Washington, DC - At a press conference today with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today praised a new study on the impact of climate change on African Americans. The study was done by Redefining Progress, which has an office in Oakland.“For too long, we have overlooked the impact of environmental issues on minority communities in this country. But what we have known -- and what the results from this study confirm -- is that environmental concerns are … Continue Reading
July 20, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls for Extension of Assault Weapons Ban
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today participated in a press conference calling for the extension of the assault weapons ban. The House Republican leadership refuses to allow for a vote on H.R. 2038, which would extend the ban, set to expire in September. 112 House Members, including Lee, support the extension, but House Republicans refuse to permit any action on the bill.“I am strongly opposed to the actions of the NRA and other gun lobbying groups, but I am particularly … Continue Reading
July 14, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Offers Amendment to Add Additional $800 Million for AIDS Global Fund
Republicans Refuse to Allow Vote on AmendmentWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today introduced an amendment to the FY 05 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill to increase the U.S. contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria by $800 million. The only Member of Congress to attend the XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand this week, Lee proposed the amendment in order to meet the contribution that the Global Fund needs from the United … Continue Reading
July 11, 2004
At Global AIDS Conference, Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls Bush Administration’s Focus on Abstinence Out of Touch with Rest of World
Administration Fails to Send its Top AIDS Officials to ConferenceWashington, DC - From the XV World AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today attacked the Bush Administration for its focus on advancing abstinence as the primary component of its policy in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Lee, the only Member of Congress at the AIDS Conference, told reporters, “The majority of the delegations here at the Conference are critical of the Bush Administration’s policy. … Continue Reading
July 08, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to Senate Intelligence Committee’s Report on Bush Administration’s WMD Intelligence
Committee Calls Bush Administration’s Work an “Intelligence Failure”Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded the Senate Intelligence Committee’s 512-page report on the misleading and inaccurate pre-war intelligence on Iraq. The “scathing” report, in the words of one news outlet, reports how the U.S. intelligence agencies manipulated and manufactured intelligence to claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction in order to justify war against Iraq. The report calls … Continue Reading
July 08, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bill to Reduce Women’s Vulnerability to HIV
H.R. 4792 Would Require President to Develop Comprehensive and Culturally-Appropriate HIV Prevention Strategy for Countries Receiving HIV/AIDS AssistanceWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today introduced H.R. 4792, the New United States Global HIV Prevention Strategy to Address Women and Girls Act of 2004, legislation that would revise the current HIV Prevention strategy to focus on the needs of women and girls. The majority of the estimated 40 million people are infected with … Continue Reading
July 07, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins Members of Congress in Calling for UN Election Monitors for 2004 Presidential Election
Washington, DC - At a press conference this morning on the release of a letter to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan calling for United Nations election monitors for the 2004 Presidential Election, Congresswoman Barbara Lee made the following comments: "The intent of our letter is simple: we are asking that the central right of our democracy - or any democracy - be upheld: the right to vote. That seems basic enough. After all, we pride ourselves on being the greatest democracy in the … Continue Reading
July 01, 2004
Miembros del Comité Financiero de la Cámara de Representantes Buscan Crédito CRA para Instituciones Financieras Que Ofrecen Giros
WASHINGTON, DC - La Rep. Lee hoy le urgió a los cuarto reguladores de bancos a examinar la posibilidad de permitir que las instituciones financieras que ofrecen servicios de giros internacionales para individuos de bajos ingresos reclamen créditos de la Acta de reinversión en la comunidad (CRA por sus siglas en inglés.) La Rep. Lee hizo las siguientes declaraciones sobre el impacto positivo de permitir el crédito CRA para las instituciones financieras reguladas por la Oficina del Contralor de … Continue Reading
June 29, 2004
ongresswoman Barbara Lee Disappointed by Secretary of State Powell’s Failure to Call Sudan Crisis “Genocide”
Lee Says Powell Should Condemn Khartoum GovernmentWashington, DC -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) expressed concern today that Secretary of State Colin Powell, on a trip to Sudan with United Nations (UN) Security General Kofi Annan, refused to declare the ethnically-motivated murder of tens of thousands of people “genocide.” With the designation of the Sudan crisis as “genocide,” any country party to the Genocide Convention can ask relevant UN bodies to take appropriate action to prevent or … Continue Reading
June 24, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $35 Million for Port of Oakland 50-Foot Dredging Project
Energy and Water Appropriations Bill Passes HouseWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) announced today that the Fiscal Year 2005 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, which passed the House on a vote of 370-16, includes $35 million for the Port of Oakland’s 50-foot dredging project. The dredging project underpins an $800 million expansion project funded by the Port, which will improve the infrastructure at Oakland by expanding capacity and increasing efficiencies throughout the … Continue Reading
June 23, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins Michael Moore in Press Conference on Fahrenheit 911
Lee, Who Appears in Film, Praises Moore's Exposure of Bush Propaganda Machine Washington, DC - For a press conference today with the Congressional Black Caucus and Michael Moore on Moore's Fahrenheit 911, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement: "Michael Moore has a history of telling the story that needs to be told, exposing the truths often buried under right-wing rhetoric. And thankfully, Mr. Moore has done this again in Fahrenheit 911. Mr. Moore tells the … Continue Reading
June 23, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Praises House Passage of Child Nutrition and Integrity Act
Lee’s Provision on Required Labeling for Irradiation Food Included in BillWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today celebrated the passage of S. 2507, the Child Nutrition and Integrity Act, which passed the House of Representatives by voice vote. Lee was successful in adding a provision to the base text requiring proper notice for irradiated food served as part of the National School Lunch and Breakfast program.Lee originally introduced the provision on September 17, 2003, as … Continue Reading
June 22, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls for Bush Administration to End Genocide in Darfur
Washington, DC - For a press conference today calling on the Bush Administration to address seriously the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement:“We are here today to push the international community and the Bush Administration to act now to address this horrible crisis, which is nothing short of genocide. The Administration’s rhetoric and concern over the situation in Sudan is simply not enough. We are here today to demand action.”“It is … Continue Reading
June 22, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to President Bush’s Decision to Name Vietnam as 15th Country for Global AIDS Initiative
Condoms Must Be Part of Strategy in VietnamWashington, DC - In response to President Bush’s announcement today that Vietnam has been chosen as the 15th focus country for the Global AIDS initiative, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement:“Vietnam faces real challenges in its struggle against HIV/AIDS, with intravenous drug users making up 60% of those infected. The President must embrace condom use as part of a comprehensive prevention strategy if we are to prevent the … Continue Reading
June 17, 2004
La economía de Bush abandona a los latinos
Washington, DC - Con pocas sorpresas sobre las últimas estadísticas sobre las pérdidas de empleo y la tasa general de desempleo, la congresista Barbara Lee le hizo un llamado hoy a la administración de Bush y los republicanos en el Congreso a que se unan a los demócratas en sus esfuerzos por mejorar las vidas de los latinos y de todos los estadounidenses, en vez de ofuscarse en los recortes de impuestos y en políticas económicas que solamente benefician a los que contribuyen dinero para las … Continue Reading
June 16, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Democrats Defeat Legislation That Would Have Allowed Drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)
Republicans Forced to Pull Bill Due to Lack of SupportWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded the efforts of opponents of drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), who won a major victory when Republicans were forced to pull the ANWR bill, a day after they postponed a vote on the bill several times in order to drum up support.In previous years, House Republicans have sought to approve oil drilling in ANWR at the behest of the energy industry and over the … Continue Reading
June 15, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls 9/11 Commission Finding on No Iraq-Al Qaeda Connection Confirmation that Bush Administration Misled American People
Washington, DC - In response to a preliminary report by the 9/11 Commission, which found that, contrary to the repeated claims of the Bush Administration, there was “no credible evidence” between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq regime, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement:“This report by the 9/11 Commission confirms what we’ve known all along: the Bush Administration did not tell the truth to the American people. There was no connection between al Qaeda and Iraq, … Continue Reading