Press Releases
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Urges Colleagues to Catch up with the Will of the American People and End the War in Afghanistan
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Download the picture here Lee leads bi-partisan group of 90 Representatives in penning letter to President WASHINGTON - Today 91 Members of the House of Representatives, led by Barbara Lee (D-CA), sent a letter to President Obama urging an expedited withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Afghanistan. Ninety Members of the House of Representatives signed the letter, including four Republicans. The Congresswoman was joined by a dozen … Continue Reading
May 11, 2012
Lee Statement in Opposition to the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement in opposition to the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act, which passed the House with a vote of 218-199: "I strongly oppose the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act. "Today, House Republican leadership is asking low and middle income families to sacrifice their health care and basic services in order to protect a bloated and wasteful pentagon … Continue Reading
May 10, 2012
Lee Announces Millions in Upward Bound Grants
Contact: Katherine Jolly (510) 763-0370 Washington, D.C.- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) announced today that three universities in the 9th Congressional District have been selected to receive a total of $3,641,067 in Upward Bound grants. Upward Bound is a federally-funded program designed to identify and provide support services for low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities. Mills College was the recipient of three Upward Bound grants totaling … Continue Reading
May 04, 2012
Lee Statement on April Jobs Report
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C.- Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following response to the figures released by the Department of Labor showing a slight decline in unemployment rates: "Today's report shows that the unemployment rate continues to slowly trend downward. After gaining just 115,000 new jobs in April, the national unemployment rate remains high at 8.1%. We must target investment and focus our efforts at rapidly reducing … Continue Reading
May 04, 2012
Four Medical Institutions to Receive Over $8 million in HHS Grant Funding
Contact: Kristal DeKleer 202-225-1882 Oakland, CA- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) announced today that four health agencies that provide services throughout the Bay Area will receive a total of $8.3 million in grant funding through the Health and Human Services. Berkeley-based Lifelong Medical Care will receive a discretionary grant of $4,966,552, and Children's Hospital and Research Center of Oakland will receive two discretionary grants totaling $2,913,505. Other grant … Continue Reading
May 02, 2012
Barbara Lee Releases Statement on U.S.-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Barbara Lee Releases Statement on U.S.-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Oakland, CA- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), a tireless advocate for ending the war in Afghanistan and the lone vote on September 14, 2001, against the overly broad Authorization of Use of Military Force, released the following statement in response to the U.S.-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership announcement by President Obama: "I had hoped that President Obama … Continue Reading
April 27, 2012
Barbara Lee: Republicans Not Serious About Addressing Student Loan Rate Increase Hikes
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) voted against the GOP plan to eliminate the Prevention and Public Health Fund as a way to stop the doubling of student loan interest rates. The plan passed the House with a 215-195 vote. The Congresswoman spoke in opposition to H.R. 4628 on the House Floor: "Mr. Speaker, I'm here today to speak out against H.R. 4628, the so-called Interest Rate Reduction Act. "It is clear to me that Republicans are not serious … Continue Reading
April 26, 2012
Senate Committee Passes Lee Legislation to Assess Progress in Haiti
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) released the following statement in response to Senate Foreign Relations Committee passage of H.R. 1016 (Lee), the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act: “I am pleased that the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs today passed H.R. 1016, a bill I introduced to require the United States government to report on the status of humanitarian, reconstruction, and development efforts in … Continue Reading
April 24, 2012
Amid Ongoing Crisis in Sudan Region, Congresswoman Barbara Lee Named Co-Chair of Congressional Sudan Caucus
Washington, D.C.- Congresswoman Barbara Lee has been named co-chair of the Congressional Sudan Caucus in the House of Representatives. Lee has been a long-standing leader within the Caucus, focusing her efforts on bringing the world's attention to the genocide in Darfur. Congresswoman Lee continues to call attention to the ongoing human calamity in the Sudanese border areas of South Kordofan, Blue Nile, Abyei, and Darfur, and in Yida and other refugee camps in South Sudan. The Sudanese … Continue Reading
April 23, 2012
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces Artistic Discovery Winners
Contact: Ricci Graham 510-763-0370 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces Artistic Discovery Winners Winner's work will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year Oakland- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) announced that Saint Mary's High School junior Freddie Lambright, III was selected as the winner of the 30th annual Artistic Discovery High School Congressional Arts Competition. Congresswoman Lee announced the winner of this year's competition during a ceremony at Ed … Continue Reading
April 18, 2012
Congresswoman Lee Statement on Equal Pay Day
Contact: Kristal DeKleer(202) 225-1882 Congresswoman Lee Statement on Equal Pay Day Washington, D.C.- Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement today in recognition of Equal Pay Day: "Today is Equal Pay Day - a day to reflect on the wage gap and how it affects women, families, and the economy. Although the wage gap between men and women has narrowed since the passage of the Equal Pay Act in 1963, gender-based wage discrimination remains a serious … Continue Reading
April 09, 2012
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Visits Global Health Programs in Uganda, Participates in 126th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Contact: Ricci Graham (510) 763-0370 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) joined a number of U.S. policymakers and stakeholders in traveling with CARE - a global poverty-fighting organization - on a Learning Tour through Uganda to focus on health, governance, gender and savings in urban and rural settings. Congresswoman Lee, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, was joined on the trip by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA.), Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA), CARE … Continue Reading
April 06, 2012
Congresswoman Lee Issues Statement on March Jobs Report
Contact: Ricci Graham (510) 763-0370 Washington, D.C.- Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following response to the figures released by the Department of Labor showing a continuing decline in unemployment rates: "Today's jobs report showed a gain of 120,000 jobs in March. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the number of unemployed and the national unemployment rate both edged lower to 12.7 million and 8.3 percent. March marks the 25th consecutive month of … Continue Reading
April 02, 2012
Barbara Lee Comments on Shooting at Oikos University
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement on today's shooting at Oikos University: "I join the entire Oakland and East Bay community today in expressing my deepest condolences to the families of those who were lost in the tragic shooting at Oikos University today. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family members and friends of all the victims, including those wounded by this senseless act of … Continue Reading
March 29, 2012
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Supports Progressive Budget that Rewards Work, Not Wealth
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C.- Congresswoman Barbara Lee cast her vote for the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) alternative budget, the Budget for All. The Budget for All is fiscally sustainable and sharply reduces the deficit even as it makes smart investments in our schools and our critical national infrastructure that would create 3.3 million new jobs by 2014,in stark contrast to the House Republican cuts-only scheme that eliminates 4.1 million jobs even … Continue Reading
March 29, 2012
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Statement on Legislation to Strengthen Life-Saving Supports to Victims of Violence
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee voiced her support for H.R. 4271, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012. This legislation strengthens the abilities of the federal government, states, law enforcement, and service providers to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. "We must protect the right of all Americans to feel safe at home, in the workplace, and every place in between," said … Continue Reading
March 28, 2012
Barbara Lee: Reckless Republican Budget Hurts Families, Working Poor
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) spoke in opposition to the GOP budget plan considered on the House Floor that would threaten Medicare and Medicaid and hurt our nation's most vulnerable communities: "I rise in strong opposition to the Republican Budget for the 1%. "Once again, Republicans are proposing a budget that pays for tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of the poor and most vulnerable … Continue Reading
March 27, 2012
Barbara Lee Celebrates Two-Year Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act as Supreme Court Takes up the Case
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 or (202) 957-2176 Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) issued the following statement today as the Supreme Court begins its historic review of the Affordable Care Act: "Today, the Supreme Court will begin its historic review of the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, a law passed to improve access to health care, extend insurance to nearly 32 million people, lower health care costs. I continue to support this … Continue Reading
March 26, 2012
Barbara Lee Statement on the Trayvon Martin Case
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) issued the following statement regarding the Trayvon Martin case: "The tragedy surrounding the senseless shooting death of unarmed, 17 year-old Trayvon Martin has pricked the conscience of our nation. This young teenager was gunned down because of how he looked, because of the color of his skin. We need to see justice in this case immediately. The alleged assailant continues to walk … Continue Reading
March 26, 2012
Barbara Lee: End the Cuba Embargo
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882 Washington, DC - Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement today in reaction to Pope Benedict's travels to Cuba: "As a long time supporter of ending the ineffective and unnecessary embargo of Cuba, I sincerely hope that Pope Benedict's visit will help us move forward in that effort. I am saddened to see that very little has changed in the fourteen years since Pope John Paul II's landmark trip to Cuba. "After … Continue Reading