{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/barbara-lee-votes-against-defense-appropriations-bill-calls-for-cuts-to-bloated-pentagon-budget-and-swift-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-iraq", "Barbara Lee Votes Against Defense Appropriations Bill, Calls for Cuts to Bloated Pentagon Budget and Swift Withdrawal from Afghanistan, Iraq", "2011-07-08", "2011", "2011-07", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Barbara Lee", "L000551", "lee.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "07.08.11\n\t\t\t Barbara Lee Votes Against Defense Appropriations Bill, Calls for Cuts to Bloated Pentagon Budget and Swift Withdrawal from Afghanistan, Iraq \n\t\t\t\r\n\tFor Immediate Release\r\n\r\n\tContact  \r\n\tRicci Graham, (510) 763-0370\r\n\r\n\tLee Opposes Defense Appropriations Bill That Continues Unchecked Spending During Economic Recovery\r\n\r\n\tWashington, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) was one of 87 Members of Congress who voted to oppose the Fiscal Year 2012 Defense Appropriations bill. Congresswoman Lee introduced several amendments to the Defense Appropriations bill to cut and audit the bloated Pentagon budget and bring our troops home swiftly and safely.\r\n\r\n\tThrough her bipartisan work with Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC), Congresswoman Lee forced a floor vote on the Lee amendment for a fully funded withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. The bipartisan amendment garnered 97 supporters, including 10 Republicans.\r\n\r\n\tWe are fighting in a war with no military solution and with no end in sight. At the same time, critical programs like child nutrition, food stamps, and Medicare are on the chopping block as we seek to get our nation's finances in order,said Congresswoman Lee. My amendment would save $33 billion and bring all our troops home by the end of next year. We need to redirect the savings towards job creation and supporting our most vulnerable, including those who have been unemployed for over two years and have no more unemployment benefits.\r\n\r\n\tBelow is a short description of all the amendments that Congresswoman Barbara Lee introduced and fought for:\r\n\r\n\tBring our troops home by the end of next year and cut $33 billion from Afghanistan Combat Operations \r\n\r\n\tRedirect a $5 billion war slush fund to a deficit reduction account\r\n\r\n\tFreeze DoD spending until the Pentagon budget is audit-ready\r\n\r\n\tEnsure that no combat troops remain in Iraq after Dec. 31, 2011\r\n\r\n\tSee HEREfor video of Congresswoman Barbara Lee speaking on Afghanistan amendment\r\n\r\n\tSee HEREfor video of Congresswoman Barbara Lee speaking on War Slush Fund amendment\r\n\r\n\tSee HEREfor video of Congresswoman Barbara Lee speaking on Pentagon Audit amendment\r\n\r\n\tSee HEREfor video of Congresswoman Barbara Lee speaking on Iraq amendment\r\n\r\n\tFollow Barbara Lee on Twitter @RepBarbaraLee\r\n\r\n\t###\r\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/barbara-lee-votes-against-defense-appropriations-bill-calls-for-cuts-to-bloated-pentagon-budget-and-swift-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-iraq"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8412180468440056, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}