Press Releases
Lee, Pocan & Auchincloss Lead 50 Members Urging Biden to Cut Defense Budget
March 16, 2021WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, co-chairs of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI) as well as Marine veteran Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-MA9), led a letter of 50 colleagues to President Biden urging him to decrease the Pentagon's budget in his forthcoming proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022. Under Donald Trump, the defense budget ballooned to $740 billion-a more than 20% increase during his tenure. As over 535,000 Americans have lost their l… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Leads Colleagues in Calling on President Biden to Increase Funding for Domestic HIV/AIDS Programs
March 16, 2021Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), along with Representatives Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (PR-At Large) and Maxine Waters (CA-43), led 30 colleagues in a letter urging President Biden to significantly increase funding for domestic HIV/AIDS programs and reestablish the Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP). "As you and your Administration draft your Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request, we urge you to significantly increase funding for domestic HIV/AIDS programs," the lawmakers wrote.… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Leads Colleagues in Sending a Letter to Biden Calling for Increases to Nutrition Safety Net Funding
March 16, 2021Washington, D.C. -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), along with Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), and Alcee Hastings (D-FL), led 48 members of Congress in a letter urging President Biden to increase funding levels for the federal nutrition safety net programs in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. "SNAP is the nation's first line of defense against hunger. SNAP is especially vital for vulnerable populations. More than 85 percent of all SNAP benefits go to households with child… Continue Reading
Rep. Lee and Sen. Warren Reintroduce Legislation to Invest in COVID-19 Resources for Medically Underserved Communities
March 12, 2021Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) reintroduced the COVID Community Care Act-legislation that provides emergency funding for community organizations in medically underserved communities that suffer from health disparities to take action as part of the larger public health effort to contain COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted communities of color and Native communities. Black and Latinx people are dying a… Continue Reading
ICYMI: Reps. Lee, Meeks, McGovern, Schiff, and Brown Hold Virtual Press Conference Calling for an End to Forever Wars
March 12, 2021Washington, D.C. - Today, Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, Gregory Meeks, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Adam Schiff, Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Jim McGovern, Chair of the House Rules Committee, and Anthony Brown, a 30-year Army veteran who served in Iraq, hosted a press conference on the need to end forever wars. This event came one week before the 18th anniversary of the start of the gro… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Reintroduces the Improving Access to Nutrition Act
March 11, 2021Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee reintroduced the Improving Access to Nutrition Act, which will lift the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's (SNAP) three month time limit and ensure that all people have access to nutrition assistance and stay healthy while seeking full-time work. Feeding America, a non-profit organization tackling hunger in the U.S., estimates that more than 42 million people are now experiencing hunger due to Covid-19. Under current law, adults ages 18-49… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes for Lifesaving, Commonsense Gun Violence Prevention Bills
March 11, 2021Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13) voted to pass H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act- two commonsense gun violence prevention measures to require background checks on all gun sales and close the Charleston Loophole that allowed the hate crime at Mother Emanuel AME Church in 2015. This bill passed on a bipartisan basis in the 116th Congress and is now headed to the Senate again. "In California and across the country, the … Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Passage of American Rescue Plan
March 10, 2021Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, today applauded the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 through both chambers of Congress. The $1.9 trillion dollar relief package will deliver critical COVID relief and economic support to the American people. This historic legislation includes much-needed financial and public health relief, including direct payments of $1,400 per person, extension and expansion of unemploy… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Observes International Women’s Day
March 09, 2021Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement in recognition of International Women's Day: "This year, we reflect on International Women's Day and celebrate the contributions of countless women who paved the way for future generations, including trailblazers like Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm and Vice President Kamala Harris. We also recognize the challenges ahead as we face a global pandemic that has disproportionately impacted women and women of color. "We ha… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Biden Administration Support for Ending Forever Wars
March 05, 2021Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, today released a statement applauding the Biden administration for their commitment to working with Congress to end forever wars by repealing the 2001 and 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) which have kept U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for 20 years. Congresswoman Lee has been an advocate for ending forever wars since she cast the lone vote agains… Continue Reading
Lee, Rush, Cohen, Moore, 75 Democratic Colleagues Urge President Biden To Reverse Trump Administration's Cruel Policy Towards Cuba
March 04, 2021Washington, D.C. -U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), and Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) led a group of 75 Democratic Members of Congress in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to take swift executive action to reverse the Trump Administration's draconian policies towards Cuba, return to the diplomatic path charted by the Obama-Biden Administration, and pursue an ultimate end to the nearly six-decade-long economic embargo. The letter emphas… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes to Pass Historic Voting Reform Legislation
March 03, 2021Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) voted to pass H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a sweeping anti-corruption package to clean up Washington, protect and expand voting rights, restore integrity to government and put the needs and priorities of the American people ahead of special interests. "Every election cycle we see rampant voter suppression and efforts to undermine the electoral process and disenfranchise voters, primarily in communities of color," said Congresswoman Lee. "It's past … Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Praises Passage of Landmark Police Reform Bill
March 03, 2021Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and member of the Congressional Black Caucus, voted for H.R. 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021-bold police reform legislation led by the Congressional Black Caucus. Congresswoman Lee released the following statement following the bill's passage: "For generations, law enforcement has systematically abused and tormented communities of color. Today, the House pass… Continue Reading
Congressional Pro-Choice Leaders Urge Biden to Eliminate Abortion Coverage Restrictions from Fiscal Year 2022 Budget
March 02, 2021Washington, D.C. - The Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus - led by U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Diana DeGette (CO-01) - along with the Democratic Women's Caucus leaders, House Appropriations Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro, and pro-choice Senators, sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging the removal of abortion coverage restrictions from the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. In the letter, the lawmakers said that reversing the Trump administration's policies undermining access to sexual and reproductiv… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates Women’s History Month
March 01, 2021Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee issued the following statement in recognition of the beginning of Women’s History Month: “Women’s History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the immense contributions of women in the East Bay and across the country who paved the way for women to lead in government, science, education, and across all fields. This year, as we recognize generations of trailblazing women, we are also celebrating the monumental achievement of electing Vice President Ka… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes to Pass Urgently Needed COVID Relief
February 27, 2021Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, today released a statement following the passage of H.R. 1319, The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which implements President Biden's American Rescue Plan to deliver urgently needed COVID-19 relief to struggling families: "The coronavirus pandemic and economic crises are destroying lives and livelihoods across the country. Tens of millions of Americans have been infected, and on Sunday,… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Legislation to Uplift Black LGBTQ+ Leaders
February 26, 2021Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a vice-chair and founding member of the Equality Caucus, today introduced legislation honoring the contributions of Black LGBTQ+ individuals. This resolution seeks to uplift the contributions of Black LGBTQ+ individuals, both past and present, as fearless trailblazers in American culture and society. Black LGBTQ+ Americans have made significant strides in the fields of politics, entertainment, athletics, and more. This resolution recognizes and cele… Continue Reading
Lee, Pressley, Warren, Bass, Kelly Re-Introduce Bicameral Bill to Mandate Federal Government Collect and Report Coronavirus Demographic Data -- Including Race and Ethnicity
February 26, 2021Robust Data Collection on COVID Disparities Will Help Direct Resources to Hardest Hit Communities Bill Text (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF) WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), along with Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Karen Bass (CA-37), Robin Kelly (IL-13), and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), today led their colleagues in reintroducing the bicameral Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act. The bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services … Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Recent Air Strikes in Syria
February 26, 2021Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today released the following statement on the recent air strikes in Syria carried out by the Biden Administration: "The strike in Syria underscores that tensions between the United States and Iran remain dangerously high, and that there is an urgent need to get back to the table to revive the JCPOA. It also highlights the urgent need to repeal the blank checks for endless wars - the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs - which are now almost 20 years old. L… Continue Reading
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes to Pass Historic Legislation to End Discrimination Against All LGBTQ+ Americans
February 25, 2021Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) released a statement following the passage of H.R. 5, the Equality Act, which ensures that all LGBTQ+ individuals are granted the full protections guaranteed by federal civil rights law. The Equality Act amends existing federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, federal jury service, public accommodations, and the use … Continue Reading