Press Releases
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Statement on 18th Anniversary of “Mission Accomplished” Speech
Washington, D.C.-Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations released a statement marking the eighteenth anniversary of President Bush declaring victory in the Iraq War by saying, "major combat operations in Iraq have ended" with a banner in the background that read "mission accomplished": "Eighteen years after former President George W. Bush stood in front of the infamous 'Mission Accomplished' banner backdrop and … Continue Reading
April 30, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Kicks Off GOTV (Get out the Vaccine) Campaign in California’s 13th District
Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today announced a COVID-19 vaccination campaign from May 1-8th, 2021 in California's 13th Congressional District. Similar campaigns are being hosted by members of the Congressional Black Caucus in districts across the country. Congresswoman Lee will join with local faith-based organizations, community health centers, and other groups to campaign for the East Bay community to get vaccinated. "The Congressional Black Caucus has mounted a … Continue Reading
April 30, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Announces American Rescue Plan’s $28.6 Billion Restaurant Relief Grant Program to Open May 3
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released a statement amplifying an announcement from the Small Business Administration (SBA) that the $28.6 billion restaurant relief proposal signed into law as part of President Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan will begin accepting applications at 9:00 a.m. PT on May 3. Congresswoman Lee was an original cosponsor of legislation to create this lifeline for restaurants and advocated for its inclusion in the American Rescue … Continue Reading
April 29, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Recognizes President Biden’s First 100 Days in Office
Washington, D.C. -Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today recognized President Biden's first 100 days in Congress. She also released the following statement on the unveiling of President Biden's American Families Plan, a legislative package that will make investments in education, health care, and childcare. "Today, we mark 100 days since President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were sworn into office. This new administration inherited converging health and economic crises, … Continue Reading
April 28, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on President Biden’s First Address to Congress
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released this statement following President Joe Biden's first Joint Address to Congress as President of the United States: "Tonight, President Biden laid out his vision for our future that builds back bolder after some of the most challenging years in our history. The multitude of crises facing our country-from racial injustice, to police brutality, to the climate crisis-require bold action, and President Biden is seizing the moment. "It … Continue Reading
April 26, 2021
Chairs Lee and DeLauro Praise Biden Administration’s Commitment to Share COVID-19 Vaccine Doses with the World
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Chair of the House Appropriations subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, today praised President Biden's plan to distribute 60 million AstraZeneca doses to countries in need in the coming months. They released the following joint statement: "We support the Biden Administration's announcement that it will begin sharing millions of doses of COVID-19 … Continue Reading
April 24, 2021
Chairwoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on President Biden’s Formal Recognition of Armenian Genocide
Washington, D.C. -Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, today released a statement applauding President Biden for having the United States formally recognize the Armenian genocide: "The world must never forget the tragedy inflicted on the Armenian People over a century ago. I am proud that President Biden has taken this step to have the United States formally recognize the Armenian Genocide. This long-overdue … Continue Reading
April 22, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds the Passage of DC Statehood Bill
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee voted to pass H.R. 51, legislation that would admit D.C. as the 51st state - securing for the city's 712,000 residents voting representation in Congress and full self-government.?Currently, Americans living in the District are subject to federal taxes and federal policies without full representation in the federal government or full self-governance at the local level. This legislation, which was introduced by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes … Continue Reading
April 21, 2021
Rep. Lee and Sen. Sanders Introduce Tax on Wall Street Speculation Act to Curb Greed
Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced the Tax on Wall Street Speculation Act along with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and ten House Democrats. The legislation imposes a tax of a fraction of a percent on the trades of stocks, bonds, and derivatives. This tax on Wall Street speculation, also known as a financial transaction tax, is estimated to generate up to $2.4 trillion in public revenue from wealthy investors … Continue Reading
April 20, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Joins Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Markey in Reintroducing Green New Deal Resolution
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today joined Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey in reintroducing the Green New Deal Resolution (GND). A copy of the resolution can be found HERE. The Green New Deal resolution envisions a 10-year national mobilization, akin to FDR's New Deal, that would put millions to work in good-paying, union jobs repairing the nation's infrastructure, reducing air and water pollution, and fighting the intertwined economic, … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes to Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act
Washington, D.C. -Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today voted to pass H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness?Act, to strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963, eliminate the gender wage gap, and ensure that women can challenge pay discrimination and hold employers accountable. This bill closes loopholes in the 1963 Equal Pay Act that have allowed employers to pay men and women unequally. Under this legislation, employers will be required to prove that pay disparities exist for legitimate, job-related … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Reps. Lee and Joyce Join with Senator Schatz to Introduce Legislation to Protect State-Legal Medical Marijuana Programs for Veterans
Washington, D.C. - Today, Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Dave Joyce (R-OH), co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, joined with Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) to introduce the Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act of 2021, which would allow doctors at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to discuss and potentially recommend medical marijuana to veterans in states that have established medical marijuana programs. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would create a … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Historic Passage of Reparations Legislation out of House Judiciary Committee
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) applauded the historic passage of H.R. 40, The Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act, out of the House Judiciary Committee: "Today's passage of H.R. 40 out of the House Judiciary Committee is historic. Over 30 years after its first introduction in Congress, H.R. 40 is finally making its way to the House floor."Against the backdrop of the horrific events that have recently transpired in Minnesota, … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Applauds President Biden’s Withdrawal of Troops from Afghanistan
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today applauded President Biden for keeping his promise of withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, effectively ending the longest war in American history. President Biden today announced that he will begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan with the goal of eliminating the presence of all troops by September 11, 2021-twenty years since the beginning of the war. "I applaud and strongly support President Biden's decision to withdraw troops … Continue Reading
April 13, 2021
Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Applaud FDA Decision to Suspend Restriction on Mifepristone
Washington, DC - Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Diana DeGette (CO-01) today applauded the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) letter to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) indicating that it will halt enforcement of the medically unnecessary in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone. "It is cruel to restrict access to abortion care at any time, but it is especially dangerous during a global health crisis," said the lawmakers. "The … Continue Reading
April 12, 2021
Rep. Lee Reacts to the Announcement of the First Two Honorees in the American Women Quarters Program
The United States Mint implements the new four year program as authorized by Rep. Lee's Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, which was recently signed into law Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today applauded the United States Mint for announcing the names of the first two women to be honored on coins issued under the American Women Quarters Program. The two distinguished American women celebrated on the reverse of the program's circulating quarters will be … Continue Reading
April 09, 2021
Congresswoman Lee Releases Statement on President Biden’s Budget Proposal
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on President Biden's FY22 budget proposal: "President Biden's budget proposal is a sign that we are reinvesting in human needs in these challenging times. This $1.5 trillion budget proposal will serve as a down payment on our investment in the needs of families across the country. "I was pleased to see in Biden's proposal a substantial increase in … Continue Reading
April 09, 2021
Chairwoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Proposal
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, today released the following statement on President Biden's fiscal year 2022 budget proposal: "President Biden's $63.5 billion budget request for foreign affairs will allow the United States to again be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress, and security. This much-needed 12% increase to our diplomatic and development programs will help us deal with a global … Continue Reading
April 09, 2021
Reps. Lee, Pressley, and Senator Warren Applaud CDC’s Declaration of Racism as a Public Health Crisis
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) released the following statement applauding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) commitment to address centuries of structural racism and discrimination in the U.S. public health system. The lawmakers reintroduced the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act, a bicameral bill to declare structural racism a public health crisis and confront its public … Continue Reading
April 09, 2021
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Reintroduces Legislation Marking National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), co-chair of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, reintroduced legislation marking April 10th as National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD). Inadequate HIV education and low testing rates mean that many young people may not know their HIV status, or what services and prevention methods are available to them. Socio-economic status impacts access to care and stigma may discourage many young people from seeking information or care that … Continue Reading