Press Releases
Representatives Lee, Pocan, and Bush Urge Congressional Leadership to Exclude Defense Spending from American Jobs Plan Reconciliation Package
Washington, D.C. - Today, Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-13), Mark Pocan (WI-02), and Cori Bush (MO-01) led 21 members of the House in urging Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, to exclude funding for the Department of Defense in the upcoming reconciliation package as part of the American Jobs Plan. The letter alternatively calls for investments to exclusively invest in building an economy that prioritizes the needs of people and invest in … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes in Favor of the Invest in America Act, Applauds Inclusion of East Bay Transportation Projects
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, today voted to pass the Invest in America Act, landmark legislation to invest $715 billion in state and local infrastructure projects. The legislation is now headed to the Senate for consideration before going to President Biden’s desk.For the first time in a decade, Congress considered a surface transportation bill that includes member-requested projects. This will allocate … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
Reps. Lee and Burgess Introduce Legislation to Audit the Pentagon
Washington, D.C.-Today, Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Michael Burgess (R-TX) introduced the "Audit the Pentagon Act of 2021", which aims to increase transparency and accountability in the defense budget. This bipartisan legislation would administer a 0.5% cut to the budget of any office at the Pentagon that does not receive an audit for the first year of the bill's enactment, then rises to 1.0% in subsequent years. The bill exempts funding for personnel, families, and military health care … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
Congresswoman Lee, Speaker Pelosi, Assistant Speaker Clark, Democratic Women’s Caucus Statement on Care Economy
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (MA-05), House Appropriations Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-02), DWC Co-Chairs Congresswomen Lois Frankel (FL-22), Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), Jackie Speier (CA-14), and Vice Chair Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Members of the Democratic Women's Caucus, and care advocates held a press event on the care economy, which you may view here. At a time when women's workforce … Continue Reading
June 30, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes to Establish Select Committee to Investigate January 6th Insurrection
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) voted for H.Res. 503, which empower Congress to find the truth of the January 6th insurrection at the United States Capitol and ensure that this assault on democracy does not happen again. This legislation will create a Select Committee charged with investigating and reporting upon the facts and causes, as well as making recommendations to prevent similar domestic terrorist attacks. "January 6th was more than just a deadly attack … Continue Reading
June 30, 2021
Lee, Hoyer, Clyburn, Beatty, Bass, and Butterfield Applaud House Passage of Legislation to Remove Hate
WASHINGTON, DC - This evening, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), House Majority Whip James Clyburn (SC-06), Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Congresswoman Karen Bass (CA-37), and Congressman G.K. Butterfield (NC-01) applauded the passage of H.R. 3005, legislation to remove the bust of former Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney from the U.S. Capitol building and replace it with a bust of Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall. The … Continue Reading
June 29, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Passage of Funding Bill for Legislative Branch
Washington D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, today applauded the passage of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Legislative Branch funding bill, which includes increases in Congressional staff pay and intern stipends, including a stipend program for interns from underrepresented backgrounds. Specifically, this program focuses on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and other minority serving institutions (Predominantly Black … Continue Reading
June 29, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Recent Airstrikes along Iraq-Syria Border
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Co-Chair of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, released the following statement on the recent airstrikes carried out by the Biden administration along the Iraq-Syria border: "Our top priority will always be to protect American troops. The best path to achieve that is to pursue de-escalation of the current situation. "Moreover, the increased regulatory of the strikes are of concern as Congress has the authority to declare war, not … Continue Reading
June 28, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Commemorates the 52nd Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today released the following statement commemorating the 52nd anniversary of the Stonewall riots: "On June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in New York City, the police arrested LGBTQ+ patrons on fabricated charges that were based solely on prejudice. Frustrated by this mistreatment, Marsha P. Johnson, a Black drag queen, and Sylvia Rivera, a Latina queen, led the demonstration as the first two to actively resist the police. As we take … Continue Reading
June 28, 2021
Appropriations Committee Releases Fiscal Year 2022 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Funding Bill
Legislation supports the displaced and vulnerable, rebuilds public health infrastructure, confronts climate change, advances women's rights and promotes democracy WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, today released the fiscal year 2022 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bill, which will be considered in subcommittee today. The legislation funds U.S. diplomatic, … Continue Reading
June 25, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes to Secure Equality in Access to Credit for LGBTQ+ Small Businesses
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) voted to pass the H.R. 1443, the LGBTQ+ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act, which improves equal access to credit for LGBTQ+-owned small businesses by taking steps to improve data collection by financial institutions.? This important bill will improve transparency around lending practices at financial institutions so that communities, government agencies and lenders can advance fair and equal credit access for the LGBTQ+ … Continue Reading
June 24, 2021
Lee, Adams, Hayes, Velázquez, and Gillibrand Announce Introduction of the Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) joined with Alma Adams (NC-12) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to announce the introduction of the Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2021, transformative legislation that expands and strengthens Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for vulnerable community members who struggle to make ends meet. With food banks experiencing skyrocketing demand across the country, the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 … Continue Reading
June 23, 2021
Reps. Lee, Davis, and Burgess Introduce Legislation Calling for Sickle Cell Trait Research
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-IL), co-chairs of the Congressional Sickle Cell Disease Caucus, and Congressman Michael Burgess (R-TX) reintroduced two key pieces of bipartisan legislation to address Sickle Cell Disease. The first calls for increased investment in Sickle Cell Trait research and a national campaign to raise awareness about the Sickle Cell Trait, and the second recognizes September as National Sickle Cell Disease … Continue Reading
June 17, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Issues Statement in Response to Supreme Court Ruling on GOP Lawsuit to Strike Down Affordable Care Act
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released this statement on the Supreme Court's ruling in California v. Texas, Republicans' lawsuit to strike down protections for people with pre-existing conditions and the entirety of the Affordable Care Act: "For the third time, the Supreme Court has held up the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and guaranteed the groundbreaking protections that it provides for all Americans. For a decade, Democrats have stood strong … Continue Reading
June 17, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s Legislation to Repeal the 2002 AUMF Passes the House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today applauded the passage of her legislation, HR 256, to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. The 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force was passed 20 years ago to utilize military forces to combat the Saddam Hussein Regime in Iraq. Today, almost fifteen years after the death of Saddam Hussein, this outdated authorization has no relevancy to the threats our nation faces. If the … Continue Reading
June 16, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Votes to Establish Juneteenth as a National Holiday
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released the following statement after voting to pass the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act in the House: "On June 19th, 1865, news of the end of slavery finally reached Galveston, Texas more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. My great grandmother and many of my ancestors were born during slavery in Galveston, Texas. This day has always symbolized a time for reflection, as well as a recommitment to … Continue Reading
June 16, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Legislation to Cut $350 Billion from Pentagon Budget
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) recently introduced legislation detailing up to $350 billion in cuts to the Defense budget. Congresswoman Lee released the following statement: "As we continue to fight a pandemic and economic crisis that has pushed millions into poverty, it's clearer than ever that a bloated defense budget does not meet our national security needs. Instead of wasting billions of dollars on forever wars around the globe, we should be investing in housing, … Continue Reading
June 15, 2021
Reps. Lee and Gonzalez-Colon Urge Biden to Appoint Global AIDS Coordinator and Members to the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (PR-At Large), Co-Chairs of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, sent a letter urging President Biden to nominate a Global AIDS Coordinator as well as appoint a full roster of members to the President's Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, including people living with HIV, people of color, transgender/gender non-conforming individuals, and young people. The Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) serves a critical … Continue Reading
June 15, 2021
ICYMI: Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s 2002 AUMF Repeal Legislation to be Considered by the House This Week
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee's legislation to repeal the 2002 AUMF will be considered on the House floor later this week. Congresswoman Lee was the lone vote against the 2001 AUMF following the attacks on 9/11. Congresswoman Barbara Lee presided over the vote on the rule This is the first time Congresswoman Lee's legislation will be considered by the House as a standalone bill. In previous sessions of Congress, she offered a repeal of the 2002 AUMF as an amendment to the … Continue Reading
June 15, 2021
Members of Congress Push Effort to End LGBTQ+ Discrimination in Blood Donations
Today Reps. Barbara Lee (CA-13), Val B. Demings (FL-10), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12), Adam B. Schiff (CA-28), and Ritchie Torres (NY-15) sent a letter to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Acting Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock. Writing in advance of the 5th anniversary of the Pulse Shooting, the members stated strong support of the Assessing Donor Variability and New Concepts in Eligibility (ADVANCE) Study. On June 12, 2016, 49 people were killed and 53 others shot … Continue Reading