Press Releases
House International Relations Committee Unanimously Passes Congresswoman Barbara Lee's Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2004
Washington, DC - The House International Relations Committee today unanimously passed H.R. 4061, the Assistance for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2004. The bill, introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), a recognized Congressional leader on domestic and international HIV and AIDS issues, seeks to provide a comprehensive United States response to the continuing global problem of orphaned and vulnerable children, exacerbated in the last decade by the … Continue Reading
March 23, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Lauds Passage of Child Nutrition and Integrity Act – Lee Provision Requiring Labeling for Irradiation Food Added
House Passes Child Nutrition Improvement Bill 419-5Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded passage of H.R. 3783, the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act, and lauded the House Committee on Education and the Workforce for including a large part of her Right to Know Student Nutrition Act in the final bill, which passed the House this afternoon 419-5. The Senate has yet to act on its version of the bill.Lee’s Right to Know bill called for proper labeling and … Continue Reading
March 21, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Receives A Rating on American Wilderness Coalition’s Environmental Scorecard
Washington, DC -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) has received an A on the American Wilderness Coalition’s environmental scorecard for the 1st Session of the 108th Congress. The votes scored included measures opening up the Alaska rainforest to logging, drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, and the creation of roads on public lands, all of which Lee opposed. The Coalition’s choice of votes was determined by representatives from a number of national and regional conservation … Continue Reading
March 18, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bill to Designate a Caribbean-American Heritage Month
Washington, DC - Congressman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced legislation this week to designate a national Caribbean-American Heritage month. H.Res. 570, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a Caribbean-American Heritage Month, acknowledges and celebrates the contributions of Caribbean-Americans to the United States since the inception of the country. As a member of the bipartisan Caribbean Caucus, Lee wanted to recognize the role that Caribbean … Continue Reading
March 16, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Holds Press Conference on Opposition to H.Res. 557, Republican Congressional Resolution on 1st Anniversary of Iraq War
Flawed Resolution Ignores Real Issues Related to Bush Administration’s War Effort Washington, DC - At a press conference today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) spelled out her opposition to H.Res. 557, a flawed Republican resolution on the first anniversary of the Iraq War, which fails to seriously examine the real issues underlying the Iraq war and fails to pay tribute to the dead and wounded:“We are here today to mark the upcoming one year anniversary of the needless war in Iraq, which to … Continue Reading
March 10, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Fights for Action on Legislation to Keep Jobs in U.S.
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) has signed a discharge petition that would force the U.S. House of Representatives to vote on a plan that would immediately help American manufacturers avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in World Trade Organization (WTO) sanctions and lower taxes for U.S. manufacturers. A number of American industries are being dramatically affected by the WTO sanctions, which began on March 1. “I hope that every single member of the House of … Continue Reading
March 09, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Democratic Colleagues Send Letter to Budget Committee Asking for $5.4 Billion in FY 05 to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and 30 Democratic colleagues today sent a letter to the two leaders of the Budget Committee, asking that $5.4 billion be included in the FY 05 House Budget Resolution to meet the U.S. share of funding for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria - both through bilateral programs and through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The House Budget committee will consider the FY 05 budget beginning tomorrow. “While we recognize the … Continue Reading
March 08, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces H.R. 3919, the TRUTH (The Responsibility to Uncover the Truth about Haiti) Act
Bill Would Establish Independent Commission Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Congressional Black Caucus Haiti Task Force Co-Chair, today introduced H.R. 3919 the TRUTH (The Responsibility to Uncover the Truth about Haiti) Act today, which calls for an independent bipartisan commission to uncover the facts about the Bush Administration’s involvement in the recent coup d’etat in Haiti. The bill was co-sponsored by CBC Haiti Task Force Co-Chair John Conyers and 23 other … Continue Reading
March 04, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Comments on the Bush Administration’s Failure in Jobs Creation
Washington, DC - Following today’s release of the February employment numbers, which showed the creation of only 21,000 jobs - far below even the most conservative prediction of 150,000 new jobs, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement:“These numbers are a disgrace to the 8.2 million Americans who are out of work and to the 484,000 people who were so frustrated in February by the pathetic job market that they just quit looking for work,” said Lee. “As Commander in … Continue Reading
March 04, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee to Receive Excellence in Achievement Award from California Alumni Association
Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) tonight will receive an Excellence in Achievement Award from the California Alumni Association (CAA). The award is being given out Friday night at the University’s Charter Banquet gala in San Francisco. The Excellence in Achievement Award recognizes alumni whose career accomplishments, in the arts, business, education, government, science, and social programs, have been exemplary.According to the CAA, “Congresswoman Barbara Lee has established … Continue Reading
March 03, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Condemns Bush Haiti Policy at Press Conference
Announces Bill Establishing Independent CommissionWashington, DC - At “Uncovering the Bush Administration’s Haiti Policy,” a press conference sponsored by the Let Haiti Live Coalition and featuring United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Danny Glover, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement: “Today, I’m happy to stand in solidarity with over 30 grassroots Haitian activist groups working in the Let Haiti Live Coalition. Today we stand in complete support of the people of … Continue Reading
March 03, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Co-Chairs International Relations Hearing on HIV/ AIDS
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), a leader in the fight to provide funding for HIV/AIDS, today presided as the Ranking Democratic Member over a House International Relations Committee hearing with the newly appointed Global AIDS Coordinator Randall Tobias, to discuss the Administration’s recently-released 5 year-strategy plan for the coordination and expansion of the US Government’s Global AIDS initiative.Joining Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL) in expressing disappointment over the … Continue Reading
March 02, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Questions Bush Administration Officials at International Relations Subcommittee Hearing
Lee Calls for Independent Commission to Investigate Bush Administration’s Haiti PolicyWashington, DC - At a heated Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere hearing today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) questioned a panel of Bush Administration officials about the Administration’s role in the coup d’etat carried out last week against the democratically-elected Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. A member of the International Relations Committee, Lee called for the hearing last week, and … Continue Reading
March 02, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Sends Letter to Bush WMD Commission Asking for Swift, Thorough Answers
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and 34 others today sent a letter to the Bush-appointed WMD Commission, the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States, expressing concern that the commission was not truly independent and chosen by congressional representatives from both parties. The letter also demanded that a final report on the WMD commission be made long before next March, as Bush ordered, so that, for this year’s elections, the American people would … Continue Reading
March 01, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Looks Forward to Questioning Bush Administration Officials at Tomorrow’s International Relations Subcommittee Hearing
Lee Called for Hearings Last WeekWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today looked forward to questioning Bush Administration officials tomorrow, including Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega, about the Bush Administration’s policies toward Haiti, which contributed to support for the ouster of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide over the weekend. “I look forward to questioning the Bush Administration officials tomorrow to see exactly how and why they have carried out … Continue Reading
February 29, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Honors Long-time Aide Sandré Swanson on His Retirement
Swanson Retires Today after 30 years of ServiceOakland , CA -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today praised Chief of Staff Sandré Swanson for his 30 years of service to former Congressman Ron Dellums, Lee, and the 9th Congressional District. Swanson’s retirement is effective today. For Dellums, Swanson served as a Legislative Aide, Press Secretary, Staff Assistant, and District Director. When Lee was elected in 1998, following Dellums’ retirement, she hired Swanson to be … Continue Reading
February 29, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Condemns Bush Administration for Supporting the Ouster of Haitian President Aristide
Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today condemned the Bush Administration for supporting the ouster of democratically-elected Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. According to news reports, Aristide resigned his office this morning and left to seek political asylum in another country, after the Bush Administration, in the last of a series of moves, yesterday publicly “called into question his fitness to govern Haiti.”“I am outraged that the democratically-elected President … Continue Reading
February 29, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Demands Answers on Administration’s Role in Haiti Coup
Congressional Hearing Scheduled for WednesdayNew York, NY - At a meeting today with the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, John Negroponte, Congresswoman Barbara Lee questioned the Ambassador about why the Bush Administration is painting some Members of Congress’ efforts to seek the truth about what actually occurred in the ouster of democratically-elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide as the work of “conspiracy theorists. Negroponte’s line was one used by various Administration … Continue Reading
February 26, 2004
Congresswoman Barbara Lee and California Democratic Delegation Express Budget Concerns in Letter to Gov. Schwarzenegger
Lee Urges Him to Join the Fight for California’s Fair Share of Federal Funding Washington, DC - All 33 members of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation sent a letter today urging Governor Schwarzenegger to join them as they work to get California its fair share of federal funding. The letter sent to the Governor is below: “As members of the California Congressional Delegation, we are writing with serious concerns about the … Continue Reading
February 26, 2004
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU MUST ACT NOW ON HAITI
International Relations Committee Members Warn of Massive Migration and Complete Chaos in Haiti WASHINGTON , DC -- As rebel troops descend on the Haitian capital, Democratic Members of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee and other House International Relations Committee Members are calling on the Bush Administration and the UN to immediately provide international peacekeepers. Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Ranking … Continue Reading