Press Releases
Congresswoman Lee Releases Statement on Conflict in Sudan
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released the following statement on the ongoing conflict in Sudan: "I unequivocally condemn the military takeover in Sudan. Reporting has indicated violence against protesters and internet connection being cut from civilians. This is unacceptable and must stop. I strongly urge the Sudanese military to release the detained officials and cease violence immediately. The Sudanese people deserve a government that is accountable to them. It's … Continue Reading
October 20, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Latest Meeting With President Biden on Build Back Better Agenda
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, released this statement following her meeting with President Biden and her Progressive Caucus Colleagues on the Build Back Better Agenda: "President Biden continues to be a good faith partner in the negotiations of his Build Back Better Agenda. As a member of the Progressive Caucus, the House Budget Committee, and as a supporter of the Build Back Better bill, I thank him for his invitation to the … Continue Reading
October 19, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on U.S. election to serve on the UN Human Rights Council
Washington, D.C. -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released a statement following the election of the United States to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC): "Beginning in January, the United States will regain our voice and vote at the UN Human Rights Council. By regaining a seat at the table, where the world's most pressing human rights needs are discussed, the United States will once again play its traditional, leadership role in ensuring the Council serves its purpose in holding countries … Continue Reading
October 18, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Statement on the Passing of General Colin Powell
Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released the following statement today on the passing of General Colin Powell. "I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of General Colin Powell. I send my sincere condolences to General Powell's wife, Alma, his family, his friends, and all of his loved ones. "General Powell was a trailblazer, serving as the first Black Secretary of State. I was fortunate enough to travel with General Powell during my early days in Congress to monitor … Continue Reading
October 14, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Urges State Department to Address Dispute in Wadi Foquin
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, and Congressman David Price, Senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, sent a letter alongside 20 of their colleagues requesting the State Department address the dispute in Wadi Foquin, an agricultural village of approximately 1,300 residents in the West Bank. The letter responds to concerns that the Israeli government could confiscate farmland to construct … Continue Reading
October 07, 2021
Chairwoman Lee Applauds World Health Organization Endorsement of Malaria Vaccine
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 World Health Organization's endorsement of the world's first malaria vaccine: "I applaud the World Health Organization for their endorsement of the world's first ever malaria vaccine. This historic scientific breakthrough is a testament to the tremendous work of scientists that have remained committed to this incredibly … Continue Reading
October 06, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces American Rescue Plan Funding to Modernize Local Health Centers & Support Underserved Communities
Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today announced more than $5.5 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding will go to modernize health centers and support underserved communities in the East Bay. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding nearly $1 billion in ARP funds to almost 1,300 health centers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories to support major health care construction and renovation projects. "I want to express … Continue Reading
October 05, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Latest Meeting with President Biden
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), former Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, released the following statement on the ongoing discussions with President Biden on the next steps for the Build Back Better Agenda: "I'd like to thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for their leadership and for the invitation to meet in the White House yesterday. My progressive colleagues and I spoke with the President about the path forward. I emphasized to him how … Continue Reading
September 30, 2021
Rep. Lee joins Reps. McGovern and Meijer to Introduce Sweeping New Legislation to Reassert Congressional Power Over National Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, & Accountability, alongside Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), and Ted Lieu (D-CA) introduced H.R. 5410, the National Security Reforms and Accountability Act (NSRAA), sweeping new legislation in the U.S. … Continue Reading
September 30, 2021
Congressional Cannabis Caucus Co-Chairs Lee, Blumenauer Issue Statement Following Judiciary Committee Passage of Historic Cannabis Reform Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)-co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus-released the following joint statement today after the House Judiciary Committee passed the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act: "Today's Judiciary Committee approval of the MORE Act continues our monumental effort to get the federal government in step with the rest of America, and move toward modernizing our federal cannabis policies and … Continue Reading
September 24, 2021
PCC Co-Chairs Applaud Passage of Women’s Health Protection Act
Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Diana DeGette (CO-01), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, today applauded the passage of the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) - legislation that protects the right to access abortion nationwide. This legislation safeguards abortion rights against the barrage of these state-based attacks and provides a bulwark against any Supreme Court action to strike down or erode the protections established in Roe v. Wade. The bill passed on a vote … Continue Reading
September 23, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Resignation of Special Envoy to Haiti Ambassador Daniel Foote
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Chair of the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement on the resignation of Special Envoy to Haiti Ambassador Daniel Foote: "I'm disappointed to see Special Envoy to Haiti Ambassador Daniel Foote resign from his position. Ambassador Foote understood the importance of Haitian-led solutions to the current crises and recognized the value in empowering Haitians to decide their future. His … Continue Reading
September 23, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Opposes FY22 Defense Budget
Washington, D.C. - Representative Barbara Lee (CA-13), Co-Chair of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, today voted against the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Rep. Lee and Rep. Mark Pocan proposed an amendment to the FY22 NDAA to cut the Defense Budget by ten percent. She also proposed an amendment with Rep. Pocan and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to cut the FY22 Pentagon budget by at least $25 billion-the amount increase approved by Republicans on the House Armed Services … Continue Reading
September 22, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Meeting with President Biden
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, released the following statement after meeting with President Biden and Progressive Caucus colleagues on the path forward for President Biden's Build Back Better agenda: "I'd like to thank President Biden for the invitation to the White House and for his continued commitment to building back better. Our conversation was productive. We had a good faith discussion about the urgent need to deliver for the American … Continue Reading
September 21, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Statement on President Biden’s Address to the UNGA
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congressional Representative to the United Nations and Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, released the following statement in reaction to President Biden's first speech to the United Nations General Assembly: "President Biden demonstrated his commitment to restoring the United States' leadership and respectability on the world stage. I was pleased to see his continued support for closing the chapter on the … Continue Reading
September 21, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes to Pass Continuing Resolution, Provide Wildfire Relief Fund
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) voted to pass H.R. 5304, Extending Government Funding/Suspending Debt Limit, to fund the government through December 3, which includes emergency funding to for recent natural disasters, including California wildfires, and the resettlement of Afghan evacuees. "I'm glad to see the House pass this Continuing Resolution to keep our government open during this critical time. I thank Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro and Speaker Pelosi for their leadership … Continue Reading
September 21, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Mistreatment of Haitian Migrants at Southern Border
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released the following statement on the mistreatment of Haitian migrants at the southern border: "The photos and footage of U.S. Border Patrol's disgusting mistreatment of Haitians at the southern border are deplorable. This abuse not only contradicts American values, it bring us back to a time where this imagery was commonplace and Black people were treated as less than human. These people are at risk of being sent back to a country that … Continue Reading
September 20, 2021
Rep. Lee and Congressional Democrats Urge SCOTUS to Protect Reproductive Rights by Upholding Roe and Rejecting Mississippi’s Blatantly Unconstitutional Law
48 Democrats in the Senate and 188 in the House file a bicameral amicus brief in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, joined 48 Democrats in the Senate and 187 in the House in filing a bicameral amicus brief in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, urging the Supreme Court to uphold nearly 50 years of precedent in Roe v. Wade and protect the constitutional right to … Continue Reading
September 18, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Jenniffer González continue to fight for those living with HIV Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus Co-chairs introduce bipartisan bill
Washington, D.C. - The Co-Chairs of the Congressional HIV / AIDS Caucus, Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Jenniffer González Colón (PR-At Large), continue to join forces to combat the stigma felt by people living with HIV, as well as to promote prevention and research to achieve a cure to this epidemic. This time, they introduced a bipartisan resolution in the House (H. Res. 649) in support of the goals of HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day, which is observed on September … Continue Reading
September 17, 2021
Reps. Lee, Bush Urge President Biden To Commute Sentences of Individuals Released Due to COVID-19 Without Immediate Executive Action
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), along with Reps. Cori Bush, Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), David Trone (MD-06), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and over 20 of their colleagues, sent a letter to the Biden Administration urging the President to commute the sentences of the more than 4,000 people who were released on home confinement in 2020 as part of an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. In their letter, the members also called on the administration to create an … Continue Reading