Press Releases
ICYMI: Congresswoman Lee Publishes Opinion Piece on Affirmative Action Decision in Sacramento Bee
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) recently published an op-ed in the Sacramento Bee reflecting on the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn affirmative action. To read the piece as it was published, click here. --. By ruling that race and ethnicity cannot be considered in college admissions, the U.S. Supreme Court sets us back more than four decades. For generations, affirmative action has been a powerful means of lowering barriers to education for historically marginalized and … Continue Reading
June 30, 2023
Lee, Booker, Kelly, Thompson, Bush, Frost, Espaillat Call for HHS Report on Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis
WASHINGTON-On the last day of Gun Violence Awareness Month,U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (CA-12) joined Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)and Representatives Robin Kelly (IL-02), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Cori Bush (MO-01), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) on a letter with over 50 of their colleagues urging HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to publish a report to uplift the urgency of addressing gun violence as a threat to our nation’s public … Continue Reading
June 30, 2023
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Strongly Condemns SCOTUS Decision to Invalidate President Biden’s Student Debt Relief Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down President Biden’s student debt relief program in Department of Education v. Brown. “By invalidating President Biden’s historic student loan debt relief plan, this corrupt, right-wing court is dealing a major setback to reaching economic parity in this country. Millions of borrowers have had to wait in economic limbo for nearly a year as opponents of debt relief … Continue Reading
June 28, 2023
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces Over $1.8 Billion in Broadband Funding for California
WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) today announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is allocating $1,864,136,508.93 in funds from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to help close the digital divide in California. “Here in the East Bay, access to high-speed internet is a matter of racial justice, economic opportunity, and equity for all,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. “High-speed internet service is no longer a … Continue Reading
June 27, 2023
ICYMI: Op-Ed by Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs: Where were you the moment your world changed?
The Hill—Looking back at the Dobbs ruling: Where were you the moment your world changed? BY REPS. BARBARA LEE (D-CALIF.) AND DIANA DEGETTE (D-COLO.), OPINION CONTRIBUTORS - 06/24/23 1:00 PM ET As first anniversaries go, this is a day we wish we did not remember. Nobody in America should have to remember where they were when a basic freedom was taken from them. Never before has our nation mourned the first anniversary of a fundamental right lost. But today, as we reflect on the lives … Continue Reading
June 27, 2023
Congresswoman Lee Celebrates Over 25 Million in Federal Funding Awarded to AC Transit
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) today celebrated over$25 million in federal funding awarded to AC Transit. This funding will increase the fuel cell-electric bus fleet and retrofit its training and education center to transition to a combined bus maintenance facility and a classroom/laboratory. The project will help train staff on zero-emission bus technologies and improve service and reliability while improving air quality. Congresswoman Lee, along with other members of … Continue Reading
June 26, 2023
Reps. Lee and Jacobs Introduce Resolution Calling for an End to Child Poverty
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) and Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51) today introduced a resolution to fully invest in and address the child poverty crisis in America. The proposed legislation encourages establishing a national child poverty reduction target; calls to make permanent and improve the Child Tax Credit; and urges to make permanent the Children's Interagency Coordinating Council Rep. Lee helped establish through FY22 and FY23 appropriations, to improve domestic … Continue Reading
June 24, 2023
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on One Year Anniversary of Dobbs v. Jackson
Washington DC -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) issued the following statement one year after the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization: “One year ago today, the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade triggered an avalanche of harm, chaos, and confusion, leaving millions of Americans without abortion access. By leaving abortion rights in the hands of individual states, the GOP is harming America’s most marginalized groups. One in three … Continue Reading
June 22, 2023
Lee Joins Jayapal, Van Hollen on Bicameral Letter with Over 70 Members Urging President Biden to Discuss Upholding Human Rights and Democratic Values During Upcoming Meeting with Indian PM Modi
U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (CA-12) joined Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) on a bicameral letter with over 70 of their colleagues urging President Biden to discuss the need to protect human rights and democratic values in India as he meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week. “As the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy, the United States and India have forged a close relationship based … Continue Reading
June 22, 2023
Congresswoman Lee’s Amendment Included in Defense Appropriations Bill
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) today proposed an amendment to address waste, fraud and abuse within the Pentagon that was included in the final text of the Fiscal Year 2024 Department of Defense Appropriations bill. The amendment passed by a voice vote. Congresswoman Lee’s amendment would require the Secretary of Defense to provide a report to Congress that includes comprehensive pricing data from defense contractors to ensure they aren’t taking advantage of American taxpayers’ … Continue Reading
June 21, 2023
Lee, DeGette, Chu Maneuver to Force Vote on Legislation to Restore Roe
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today,U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), and Judy Chu (D-CA) today filed a “discharge petition” that could force Speaker Kevin McCarthy to hold a vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act - a landmark piece of legislation that would restore the protections that were in place under Roe v. Wade. As the nation approaches the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and with the support of Democratic leadership in the … Continue Reading
June 21, 2023
Lee, Jayapal Introduce a Resolution to Eradicate Poverty Nationwide
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-12) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and are today introducing a resolution which seeks to fully eradicate poverty throughout the United States. The Third Reconstruction: Fully Addressing Poverty and Low Wages from the Bottom Up Resolution draws on the history of the First Reconstruction following the Civil War and the Second Reconstruction of the civil rights struggles of the 20th century and addresses the converging injustices of systemic racism, … Continue Reading
June 20, 2023
Congresswoman Lee Leads Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers in Urging Biden Administration to Halt Military Assistance to Azerbaijan
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) led a bipartisan group of 54 U.S. Representatives in urging Secretary Blinken and the Biden Administration to stop all military assistance to Azerbaijan and urged a stronger U.S. response to Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockade and aggression against Artsakh’s 120,000 indigenous Armenian Christian population. The U.S. Representatives urged the Biden Administration to cut all military assistance to Azerbaijan by enforcing Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act. “In … Continue Reading
June 19, 2023
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on the Passing of Gus Newport
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) released the following statement on the passing of former Mayor of Berkeley Gus Newport: “I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Gus Newport - he was a dear friend and a courageous fighter for world peace. Gus was an inspiration, standing alongside civil rights giants like Malcolm X in the fight for the human rights of all African Americans. As Mayor of Berkeley, he not only fought for equity in the Black community, he was a … Continue Reading
June 14, 2023
Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Senator Bernie Sanders Introduce Tax on Wall Street Speculation Act of 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) and Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) today introduced the Tax on Wall Street Speculation Act of 2023 to reform the United States’ inequitable taxation system and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share to the American people. Since the 2008 recession, 45% of all new income has gone to the top one percent who disproportionately hold their wealth in stocks, bonds, and derivatives on Wall Street.The Tax on Wall Street Speculation Act would enact a … Continue Reading
June 13, 2023
Representatives Lee and DeSaulnier Introduce Legislation to Address Major League Baseball’s Anti-Trust Exemption
Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-12) and Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) today introduced the “Moneyball Act”, legislation that would require the owners of any professional baseball club seeking to relocate to compensate the state and local authorities they move away from. If the owners do not oblige, then Major League Baseball would be subject to the anti-trust laws they have been exempt from for over a century. This legislation comes as the Oakland Athletics, who have called Oakland home for half a … Continue Reading
June 09, 2023
Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus Co-Chairs Uplift Efforts of the HIV Community
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-12) and Jenniffer González-Colón (PR-AL), Co-Chairs of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, today celebrated the launch of the National U=U Task Force and applauded the work of the HIV community, stakeholders, and Biden administration in the fight to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. Today marks the 42nd anniversary of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), which identified the first five cases of what became known as AIDS. “In … Continue Reading
June 07, 2023
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Pushes MLB to Reconsider Involvement in Oakland A’s Relocation Process
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) today sent a letter to the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, Rob Manfred, requesting that he reconsider his direct involvement in the negotiations of the Oakland Athletics potential relocation to Las Vegas. The Oakland A’s have been actively negotiating a deal with Las Vegas legislators to fund a new ballpark and relocation to Las Vegas. According to press reports, Commissioner Manfred has committed to waiving the relocation fee, which … Continue Reading
June 01, 2023
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Recognizes Caribbean American Heritage Month
Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) reintroduced a resolution recognizing the significance of National Caribbean American Heritage Month, which is celebrated every year in June. “Caribbean immigration to the United States can be traced back to the 17th century when enslaved Africans from Jamacia, Barbados, and Antigua were bought to the colonies to work on plantations. Since then, Caribbean immigrants of all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds have contributed to every aspect of our … Continue Reading
May 24, 2023
Congresswoman Lee Condemns Republican Attempt to Roll Back Student Loan Debt Relief
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) released the following statement on House Republicans’ H.J.Res.45, a partisan student loan debt Congressional Review Act Resolution that will cause economic havoc for more than 43 million borrowers and their families. The CRA resolution introduced by Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) would retroactively reverse the federal student loan payment pause and block President Biden’s debt relief plan. Currently, over 3 million Californians are … Continue Reading