Press Releases
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Asks House Members to Reject Singapore and Chile Free Trade Agreements
Trade Agreements Would Undermine Protections for WorkersWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today appeared at a press conference in the Capitol with Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa and Members of Congress who oppose the unfair trade agreements with Chile and Singapore. The agreements, which will be voted on later this week, threaten to undermine worker protections abroad and drive jobs out of the United States.In her remarks, Lee said,“We are here today to champion a … Continue Reading
July 22, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Supports Hinchey Amendment to Preserve Diversity of the Airwaves
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) spoke this afternoon on the House floor in support of the Hinchey Amendment, part of the debate on the FY 04 Commerce, Justice, and State Appropriations bill. The Hinchey Amendment calls for overturning the Federal Communications Commission’s recent decision on deregulating media ownership rules; the Amendment would provide greater restrictions on media ownership within local markets, eliminating the development of monopolies and ensuring … Continue Reading
July 18, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls Interior Appropriations Bill “Badly Underfunded”
Democratic Amendments for Preservation of Public Lands are DefeatedWashington, DC - With the House of Representatives working late into the night, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) early this morning voted against the Interior Appropriations Act, calling it “badly underfunded.” The bill represents President Bush’s broken promise to eliminate the maintenance backlog at the National Parks and fails to provide even a modest programmatic increase for the National Endowment for the Arts, which is … Continue Reading
July 18, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces that Port of Oakland Projects Receive Almost $25 Million in House Version of FY 04 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) announced today that the FY 04 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, passed this afternoon by the House of Representatives, includes $21.785 million in funding for Port of Oakland projects, money that will ensure that the Port will continue to serve as one of the most important economic engines for revenues and jobs in the East Bay. The Port received $15 million to continue construction of its 50’ dredging project and $6.785 for Operations and … Continue Reading
July 17, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds House Democrats’ Success in Delaying Vote on Devastating Head Start Bill
Republican Leadership Unable to Muster VotesWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee applauded House Democrats’ success in at least temporarily fighting off a vote scheduled for today on a bill that would radically alter and decimate one of this country’s most successful early childhood education programs. Under the pressure of a massive, grassroots educational and publicity campaign by Head Start proponents, House Republicans were not able to gain the votes necessary to pass the bill … Continue Reading
July 17, 2003
Los Republicanos han fallado a la Comunidad Latina en el programa de Head Start
Washington, DC—La Cong. Lee hizo la siguiente declaración coincidiendo con el voto programado esta semana para re-autorizar el programa de Head Start. La propuesta republicana le hace daño al programa de Head Start y pone en riesgo el futuro de los niños latinos:“Otra vez, los Republicanos en el Congreso están enviando una señal fuerte de indeferencia a la comunidad Latina y al futuro de nuestro país.“Los Republicanos no solamente están atacando a los niño latinos con su debilitamiento del … Continue Reading
July 15, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Honors 9th Congressional District Students at Georgetown’s Junior Statesmen Summer School
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today met with two students from the East Bay, Alexandra Krasov and Sarah Stoller, who are in town attending the Junior Statesmen Summer School at Georgetown University. Krasov attends Castro Valley High School, and Stoller attends Oakland’s College Preparatory School.Lee joined the two students at a Congressional Reception where the two hundred eighty students attending the Junior Statesmen Summer School were honored, along with C-Span’s … Continue Reading
July 15, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Fights Social Conservatives’ Effort to Defeat United Nations Population Fund Provision in Foreign Relations Authorization Act
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today challenged Rep. Chris Smith’s (R-NJ) amendment to the FY 04 and FY 05 Foreign Relations Authorization Act, which essentially extended the Bush Administration’s refusal to provide any funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).In May, Lee and Joseph Crowley (D-NY) successfully amended the bill in the House International Relations Committee (HIRC) to restore the UNFPA funding that Bush eliminated last year.After vigorous debate … Continue Reading
July 11, 2003
CONG. LEE: LA PROPUESTA DE MEDICARE REPUBLICANA LES HACE DANO A LOS ANCIANOS, NINOS Y MUJERES EMBARAZADAS LATINAS
De nuevo, los Republicanos, bajo el liderato del presidente Bush, optan por ayudar a los donantes de altos ingresos y los intereses corporativos en vez del bienestar de las familias latinas.WASHINGTON, DC — La Cong.Lee hoy día hizo las declaraciones siguientes en respuesta al constante ataque de los republicanos contra los miembros más vulnerables de la comunidad latina: los ancianos, las mujeres embarazadas, y los niños.“Los Republicanos de la Cámara de Representantes han propuesto un … Continue Reading
July 11, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee To Receive National Organization of Women’s Woman of Courage Award
Will Receives Award Saturday at 2003 National NOW ConferenceWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) will receive the National Organization for Women’s Woman of Courage Award tomorrow at the 2003 National NOW Conference.“Barbara Lee has been a courageous legislator,” said NOW President Kim Gandy. “NOW is grateful for Barbara Lee’s fearless support of women’s rights, civil liberties and peace. Her bravery in standing up for her beliefs and her commitment to equality and justice are an … Continue Reading
July 11, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Sends Letter to President Bush Demanding $1 Billion Supplemental Appropriation for AIDS Bill
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Sends Letter to President Bush Demanding $1 Billion Supplemental Appropriation for AIDS Bill Lee Asks Bush to Live Up to Earlier Promise of Full Funding of $3 Billion to Fight Global Pandemic Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), with the bi-partisan support of 115 co-sponsors, sent a letter to President George W. Bush demanding that the … Continue Reading
July 10, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes Against Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill
Bill significantly reduces education funding, shortchanges health and human services programsWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today voted against the FY 04 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill, which significantly underfunds educational programs by billions of dollars, fails to increase Pell Grants in spite of dramatically climbing college tuition costs, and slashes health care programs.The bill underfunds the No Child Left Behind Act by $8 billion, even though President … Continue Reading
July 07, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Supports Bringing Peace Back to Liberia
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) a member of the House International Relations Subcommittee on Africa called on President Bush to address not only the humanitarian crisis in Liberia, but also the serious need for humanitarian and sustainable development across the continent. Over the weekend, the Bush Administration indicated that they are considering providing humanitarian assistance and peacekeepers for Liberia. Lee stated, “The Administration’s rhetoric must turn into … Continue Reading
July 03, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls Unemployment Report Embarrassing
Unemployment at Highest Level in 9 YearsWashington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) said that today’s Department of Labor report showing American unemployment at the highest rate in 9 years signals yet again that the Bush Administration has reversed a once-booming economy. Today’s report showed that 30,000 jobs were lost in June, bringing the total number of jobs lost since the beginning of the Bush Administration to almost 3 million. No President in modern history has failed to create … Continue Reading
July 02, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces August CODEL to Ethiopia, Uganda, and Zambia
Press Invited on Trip Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today announced that she will be leading a bi-partisan Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to Ethiopia, Uganda, and Zambia August 21-29 to explore the devastation created by famine and the AIDS pandemic. These countries have been in the news lately, as the U.S. has been considering possible financial, humanitarian, and medical aid to this region.“It is important that we learn first-hand about events occurring in these … Continue Reading
June 26, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s Amendment Calling for GAO to Conduct Study on U.S. Intelligence Receives 185 Votes
Would Have Investigated to What Extent Department of Defense and Other Intelligence Agencies Shared Information with UN Inspectors in IraqWashington, DC - In what was the first significant Congressional demonstration of support for an investigation into U.S. intelligence used to justify the war against Iraq, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA)’s Intelligence Authorization Act amendment, calling for a study to determine whether the U.S. intelligence community withheld or distorted information from … Continue Reading
June 25, 2003
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Supports Amendment to Increase Port Security
Measure would have been paid for by reducing millionaires’ average tax breaks by $5000Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today supported an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill that would have added almost $400 million for port security grants. The amendment, which was sponsored by Congressman David Obey (D-WI), Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, called for paying for the grants by cutting the average tax break for millionaires under the … Continue Reading
June 23, 2003
Supreme Court Upholds Diversity as a Compelling State Interest
Race Can Be a Factor in Admissions DecisionsWashington, DC - The U.S. Supreme Court today issued rulings in the landmark University of Michigan cases on the use of affirmative action in admissions policies, finding that diversity is a compelling state interest for educational programs. The Court also said that race can be a factor in achieving that diversity. The ruling affirmed the 1978 Bakke decision on the constitutionality of affirmative action and turned back the Bush Administration’s … Continue Reading
June 20, 2003
Oakland Resident Gideon Anders of National Housing Law Project Testifies Before House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Housing
Introduced by Lee at hearingWashington, DC - At a House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity held late yesterday, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) introduced Mr. Gideon Anders, Executive Director of the National Housing Law Project in Oakland. Anders was in Washington testifying before the Subcommittee about needed changes in the Rural Housing Service Program, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lee told the Housing Subcommittee, on which she … Continue Reading
June 19, 2003
Latino News
Washington, DC - La Cong. Lee reaccionó a una encuesta hecha por el New Democrat Network (NDN) que demuestra que el presidente Bush está perdiendo apoyo en la comunidad hispana. “Esto es evidencia que la luna de miel entre el Presidente Bush y los hispanos ha terminado.”“Los republicanos hablan mucho de la importancia de los hispanos, pero en los asuntos importantes para la comunidad: Educación, trabajos, Latinoamérica y inmigración—no hacen nada por ayudar a los latinos,” La Cong. Lee … Continue Reading