Press Releases
Congresswoman Barbara Lee to hold virtual panel discussion on Jan. 6: Remembering the Insurrection and Reclaiming Our Democracy
Oakland, CA - On January 6, 2022, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) will hold a virtual conversation about hope, resiliency, and the fight for our democracy one year after the insurrection at the Capitol. The panel discussion - Remembering the Insurrection and Reclaiming our Democracy - will be part of a series of live-streamed events on January 6 to mark the 1-year anniversary of the attack. The events will be broadcast live on Congresswoman Lee's Facebook page and on C-SPAN. Congresswoman … Continue Reading
December 31, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Statement on State Department Announcement of Additional $99 Million in Contributions to UNRWA
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released a statement following the State Department's announcement that the United States will contribute an additional $99 million in funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): "The Palestinian people have been hit hard by COVID-19. After years of punitive polices and the withholding of U.S. assistance under the Trump administration, today's announcement of an additional $99 … Continue Reading
December 29, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee announces Oakland Airport will receive more than $15 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act
Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today announced that the Oakland International Airport (OAK) will receive more than $15 million from the federal Department of Transportation as part of Bipartisan Infrastructure Act signed into law by President Biden on November 15. The funds will be used for projects related to environmental sustainability, passenger amenities, and security upgrades at the Oakland Airport, which is owned and operated by the Port of Oakland. "We are already … Continue Reading
December 21, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Tests Positive for COVID-19
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today released the following statement after receiving a positive COVID-19 test: "This week, I received a breakthrough positive COVID-19 test result. Fortunately, I have only mild cold-like symptoms, but I know it could have been much worse had I not been vaccinated and boosted. I am isolating and will follow all of the required health protocols to keep my loved ones, my staff, and my community safe. I'm grateful for the miraculous work of … Continue Reading
December 21, 2021
As Omicron Variant Dominates New Cases, Lee, Warren, Markey, Pressley Call on CDC, HHS to Resume Data Collection on COVID-19 Breakthrough Cases
Without comprehensive data collection, experts cannot identify or track racial disparities in breakthrough cases Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), along with Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), sent a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier … Continue Reading
December 19, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Senator Manchin’s Opposition to the Build Back Better Act
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), member of the House Progressive Caucus and senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement in response to Senator Joe Manchin's (D-WV) opposition to President Biden's economic agenda - the Build Back Better Act: "Senator Manchin's announcement today is disappointing, but unfortunately not at all shocking. He is keeping West Virginians and working families across the country from crucial investments in … Continue Reading
December 16, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Calls on Senate to Remain in Session until Build Back Better is Passed
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair Emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, released the following statement in response to developments regarding passage of the Build Back Better Act: “Passage of the Build Back Better Act in the House in November was contingent upon President Biden’s guarantee that he could deliver the 50 Senators needed to make it law. I am still holding the … Continue Reading
December 16, 2021
Lee, McGovern, Meeks, Rush Lead 114 Members of Congress Calling for Biden Administration to Support Human Rights & Humanitarian Needs in Cuba
Full Text of Letter Here (PDF) Spanish Translation (PDF) WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Appropriations subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations Chair Barbara Lee (D-CA), House Rules Committee Chair James P. McGovern (D-MA), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), and House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Energy Chair Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) led 114 Members of Congress in a letter to President Biden asking him to prioritize the well-being of the Cuban people as … Continue Reading
December 10, 2021
Pro-Choice Caucus Leaders Release Statement on SCOTUS Decision on Texas Six-Week Abortion Ban
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The co-chairs of the congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) released the following statement today in response to the Supreme Court's decision to allow Texas's six-week abortion ban to remain in effect: "The Supreme Court's decision to allow Texas's egregious abortion ban to remain in place is shameful. And this court has once again failed to protect Americans' access to abortion care. "Everyone in this country - regardless … Continue Reading
December 09, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee applauds $8 Million Department of Education grant to Oakland-based nonprofit Reading Partners
Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today applauded an $8 million Department of Education grant to Oakland-based Reading Partners, a national nonprofit that helps students in lower-income neighborhoods across the country to excel at reading. The Education, Innovation, and Research grant will help expand the group's National Literacy Tutoring Program to support 16,000 students in grades K-4 annually, and will be used to assess how the program is improving the students' reading … Continue Reading
December 02, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Passage of Continuing Resolution to Avoid Government Shutdown, Calls for Swift Passage of FY22 Appropriations Omnibus
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, applauded the passage of H.R. 6119, the Further Extending Government Funding Act, which continues government funding through February 18. The stopgap funding bill, which passed on a bipartisan 221 to 212 vote, makes minimal changes to address the most urgent of needs … Continue Reading
December 01, 2021
Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus Co-Chairs Call for an End to HIV Discrimination on the 33rd Annual World AIDS Day
Washington, D.C. – Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Jenniffer González-Colón today recognized World AIDS Day, which is celebrated each year on December 1, by reintroducing the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act of 2022. The theme of the 33rd annual World AIDS Day is “Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone's Voice,” which uplifts the need to address health inequities and ensure the voices of people with … Continue Reading
December 01, 2021
Pro-Choice Caucus Leaders Urge SCOTUS to Uphold Roe v. Wade
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Diana DeGette (D-CO), co-chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, released the following statement urging the Supreme Court to strike down Mississippi's abortion ban and uphold nearly 50 years of Supreme Court precedent protecting the constitutional right to an abortion: "This is a critical moment. This case is a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, and the state of Mississippi has explicitly appealed to the Supreme Court to … Continue Reading
November 19, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Speaks on the House Floor in Support of the Build Back Better Bill
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives urging members of the House to support the Build Back Better Bill. A video and transcript of her remarks can be found below: "Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Build Back Better Bill. "I thank Chairman Yarmuth, the Speaker, as well as the committee chairs who worked to craft this transformative legislation. It makes bold investments in our people, … Continue Reading
November 19, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Statement on House Passage of the Build Back Better Act
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair Emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, released the following statement applauding the passage of H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act: "After months of tough negotiations, and just a few weeks after an historic investment in repairing our crumbling infrastructure, we have delivered President Biden's economic agenda-the Build Back Better Act. This transformational … Continue Reading
November 15, 2021
Chairwoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Retirement of Senate Appropriations Chair Senator Patrick Leahy
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, released the following statement on the retirement of Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT): "For decades as the longest serving Senator, Chairman Leahy has served the people of Vermont with dignity, humility, and compassion. He has left an indelible mark on this country and our world, and Congress will miss his principled … Continue Reading
November 12, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Announcement that United States will Host Replenishment Conference for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in 2022
Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee celebrated the announcement by the Biden Administration that the United States would host the upcoming replenishment conference for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in 2022. "I am proud that the United States is showcasing its continued leadership in the global fight against HIV and AIDS, as well as tuberculosis and malaria. As the original author of legislation to create the Global Fund, I am proud of the US legacy of … Continue Reading
November 11, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Recognizes Veterans Day
Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today released the following statement commemorating Veterans Day. "On this Veterans Day, we honor the brave servicemembers who have risked and sacrificed their lives for our nation. "My father, Lieutenant Colonel Garvin Tutt, served in both World War II and the Korean War. He served his country despite the discrimination and racism he faced at home and in the military as an African American. I work each day in Congress honor his legacy and to … Continue Reading
November 03, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Introduces Resolution to Monitor and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the U.S. Military
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today introduced a resolution aimed at monitoring and reducing the carbon footprint of the U.S. military - the single largest institutional source of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet. The resolution calls for the Department of Defense to set clear annual emission reduction targets in line with global goals in the 2015 Paris Agreement and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has said … Continue Reading
October 27, 2021
Chairwoman Barbara Lee Holds Hearing on Global COVID-19 Response
Washington, DC– Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, held a hearing on the global COVID-19 response. The hearing was focused on the administration’s response to the global fight against COVID-19 and vaccine distribution. The featured witnesses in the hearing were: Sarah Charles, Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development Jeremy … Continue Reading