url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-urges-provisional-treatment-of-ohio-electors-pending-results-of-recount-and-challenges,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Urges Provisional Treatment of Ohio Electors Pending Results of Recount and Challenges,2004-12-10,2004,2004-12,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"12.10.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Urges Provisional Treatment of Ohio Electors Pending Results of Recount and Challenges Washington , DC Citing voting irregularities in Ohio and the obligation to ensure every vote counts, today Congresswoman Barbara Lee joined her colleagues, including Representative John Conyers (D-MI), in requesting Ohio's Governor, Speaker of the House, and President of the Senate, treat as provisional the scheduled December 13 meeting of the State of Ohio's 2004 Presidential electors and the submission of the certificates of ascertainment until resolution of pending recounts and challenges regarding the Ohio presidential vote. Democracy requires not only the right to vote, but that that every vote be counted. We must make sure that is the case in Ohio, said Lee. The text of the letter appears below. The Honorable Bob Taft Governor State of Ohio 77 South High Street Columbus, OH 43215 The Honorable Larry Householder Speaker of the House Ohio House of Representatives 77 S. High St 14th Floor Columbus, OH 43215 The Honorable Doug White President Ohio Senate Statehouse Room #201 Second Floor Columbus, OH 43215 Dear Governor Taft, Speaker Householder & President White: We are writing with an urgent request that you either delay or treat as provisional the scheduled December 13 meeting of the State of Ohio's 2004 Presidential electors and the submission of the certificates of ascertainment until resolution of pending recounts and challenged regarding the Ohio presidential vote. We are sure you would agree that no election is final, or should be deemed final, until all votes are counted and disputes are settled. Notwithstanding federal statutory requirements that electors meet in their respective states on December 13, 2004,1 it is imperative and necessary under the Constitution of the United States that the State of Ohio delay or treat as provisional its meeting. First, federal law also provides that state legislatures may settle election controversies and contests six days prior to the meeting of electors, such that all disputes would be resolved by December 7, 2004.2 In this situation, it does not appear that the Ohio state legislature has made a decision to avail itself of this provision. Secretary Blackwell declared his results on December 6, so late a date that he engineered a conflict with state recount laws. Ohio law sets two deadlines pertaining to recounts. First, it provides that applications for statewide recounts must be submitted within five days of the secretary of state's declaration of results.3 Second, such recounts must begin within ten days of the recount request.4 Moreover, it is worth noting that your state law automatically allows candidates who were not declared winners to seek recounts.5 Secretary Blackwell gave county boards of election until December 1 to certify their returns, and then waited to declare his own results on December 6. As a consequence, recounts may be sought at least until December 11 and must begin by December 16. It is impossible, therefore, for the December 6 results to be the official certification of the State of Ohio. The law providing a right to a recount would be an empty right in this scenario. As you know, at least two presidential candidates in your State have applied for statewide recounts.6 Seeing the conflicting deadlines contained within federal and state law, these candidates sought to have the recounts begin even before the votes were declared so the deadlines could be reconciled.7 The federal court hearing the case denied the request Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/calpers-acts-to-stop-genocide-in-sudan,CalPers Acts to Stop Genocide in Sudan,2004-12-07,2004,2004-12,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"12.07.04 CalPers Acts to Stop Genocide in Sudan Pension Fund Responds to Request from Congresswoman Barbara Lee Washington, DC Responding to a letter from Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) and congressional colleagues, CalPers acted Monday to begin moving away from companies that are engaged in business with the Sudanese government.Mark Anson, Chief Investment Officer, sent a letter to all companies and fund managers, asking them to advise CalPers as to whether their company did business with the government in Khartoum. The letter cited the US government's determination in September that the atrocities being committed in the Darfur region constituted genocide and that Khartoum government and government-sponsored militias are responsible. The action by the pension fund came in response to a request from Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland). Lee, who is the senior Democratic woman on the House International Relations subcommittee on Africa and has been very active on issues involving human rights, sent a letter to CalPers President Sean Harrigan on November 17th asking that CalPers conduct a review to ensure that none of the companies in its portfolio do business with the Khartoum regime. The letter requests that CalPers send letters to the CEOs of any companies found to be doing business with the Sudanese government and ask them to reconsider, given the situation in Darfur and the government's role in it. Lee was joined in sending the letter by Representatives Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), Diane Watson (D- Culver City), Zoe Lofgren (D- San Jose) and Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Torrance). No Californian should have to worry that their pension was paid for by genocide, said Congresswoman Lee. We have a responsibility to make sure that the investments in our individual futures are also investments in our collective future. CalPers' actions mark an important first step towards ending the flow of money to a brutal regime, and I hope their example will encourage other pension funds to act on this moral imperative. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-re-elected-as-whip-of-congressional-black-caucus,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Re-Elected As Whip of Congressional Black Caucus,2004-12-05,2004,2004-12,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"12.05.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Re-Elected As Whip of Congressional Black Caucus Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today was re-elected Whip of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) by unanimous consent of her colleagues.The Congressional Black Caucus Whip helps develop strategy, count votes, gather and distribute information among the CBC members. Once again, Congresswoman Lee will join the CBC elected leadership, including the newly elected Chairman, Mel Watt (D-NC), in garnering support for key legislation and bringing members of the CBC together in support of a strong CBC and Democratic agenda. With a record-high 43 members and under the direction of our new Chairman, Mel Watt (D-NC), the CBC is better positioned than ever to continue our work as a leading force within the Democratic Caucus, said Lee. Indeed, we have a special role in history and a special mandate to help set the agenda and lead within the Democratic Caucus in the 109th Congress. ""I look forward to working with my colleagues to help forge a common agenda, increase unity, and score legislative victories for our Caucus, Lee said. ""Now more than ever we must be unified in putting forth an agenda that will protect Social Security, strengthen public schools, ensure that nominees to the Supreme Court will uphold the Constitution, and combat social and racial inequalities that still exist."" Congresswoman Lee was elected CBC Whip in the 108th Congress, and was re-elected unanimously for her ability to bring colleagues to consensus on important legislation and CBC initiatives. Under her leadership, the CBC alternative budget received record support. ""I would like to thank my colleagues for their continued support and confidence. I also want to congratulate the newly elected leadership of the CBC,"" said Lee. ""I look forward to working with all the members to address the challenges and opportunities that we will face together in the 109th Congress."" # Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-responds-to-announcement-of-troop-increase-in-iraq,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to Announcement of Troop Increase in Iraq,2004-12-01,2004,2004-12,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"12.01.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to Announcement of Troop Increase in Iraq Washington, DC- Responding to the announcement yesterday that the American military presence in Iraq will grow by 12,000 troops to nearly 150,000, the highest levels since the invasion last year, Congresswoman Lee issued the following statement:The Bush administration's decision yesterday to increase by 12,000 the troop levels in Iraq is the latest example of just how ill-advised and ill-prepared the President's march to war has been. Unfortunately, the President's bungling in Iraq continues to have a body count. In a security situation that deteriorates daily, the Bush administration's failure to implement successful plans for training Iraqi troops is leaving vulnerable Iraqi civilians and letting American troops pay the price. Last month saw the second highest number of American causalities since the war began nearly two years ago. With no exit strategy in place, the Bush administration has ensured that this war will have no end in sight. This is unacceptable. The President must do everything in his power to safely return our troops home to their families as soon as possible. # Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/2004/11/30/congresswoman-barbara-lees-statement-on-world-aids-day,Congresswoman Barbara Lees Statement on World Aids Day,2004-11-30,2004,2004-11,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"11.30.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee's Statement on World Aids Day Oakland, CA -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Task Force on Global HIV/AIDS and the senior Democratic Woman on the House International Relations Committee, released the following statement today on World AIDS Day:Today on World AIDS Day, we stand together in solidarity to remember the tens of millions around the world who have died since the beginning of this horrible pandemic. And here in Alameda County, we remember the nearly 4000 men, women and children who suffered and died needlessly. Yet at the same time we reflect on the work that must still be done on behalf of the estimated 39.4 million people throughout the world who continue to live with HIV/AIDS. That means we must continue accelerating access to treatment and care by breaking down barriers to generic drugs, linking treatment for tuberculosis and malaria, supporting the development of critical health infrastructures, and assisting in the training of health professionals. But perhaps even more importantly, we must also work to protect those who are most vulnerable to becoming infected with HIV. While in the Bay Area, the disease continues to affect gay men disproportionately, we have known for years that the trend of HIV infection has been increasing among people of color and women especially. In Alameda County, African-American women represent over 66% of all cumulative cases of HIV/AIDS reported to date among all women. That is a staggeringly disproportionate figure when African-Americans as a whole represent only about 14.9% of the population in Alameda County according to the 2000 census. We still face significant challenges among the African-American community in talking frankly and openly about issues like sex, gender, homosexuality, and HIV/AIDS. Unfortunately those challenges are compounded by a President and a Vice-President that do not even care enough to acknowledge that African American women are the new face of HIV/AIDS, and who believe that religion not science should dictate public policy. It is this kind of calculated indifference and neglect that has led the Federal government to reject any increase in funding for the Minority AIDS Initiative during the last four years, despite repeated pleas for more funding from many of my colleagues and me. While we continue to fight in Washington D.C. to demand the necessary funding, we must also continue to work to break the silence among the African American community in the Bay Area and across the nation. # Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-joins-in-press-conference-detailing-plans-for-bringing-pandas-to-oakland-zoo,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins in Press Conference Detailing Plans for Bringing Pandas to Oakland Zoo,2004-11-30,2004,2004-11,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"11.30.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins in Press Conference Detailing Plans for Bringing Pandas to Oakland Zoo Calls Pandas a positive economic force for Oakland Oakland , CA At a press conference with Vice Mayor Henry Chang, the Director of the Oakland Zoo, and several Chinese officials, Congresswoman Lee issued the following statement: I am truly proud and honored to have been a part of the efforts which have brought us here today. The pandas will help boost tourism to Oakland , and provide a vital resource by which our school children can explore the world of animals. Acquiring these pandas represents the great friendship between our two countries and the global dedication to preserve this very much endangered species. It has been very exciting and gratifying to be a part of this dedicated effort. The Giant Pandas will find an excellent home at the Oakland Zoo. # Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-announces-9th-congressional-district-appropriations-projects,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces 9th Congressional District Appropriations Projects,2004-11-21,2004,2004-11,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"11.21.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces 9th Congressional District Appropriations Projects Unable to Support Fundamentally Flawed & Expansive Spending Bill Washington , DC Following House passage of the Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) announced today that California 's 9th Congressional District received more than $38 million in funding in the appropriations package. Among the appropriations, the Port of Oakland would receive $27.5 million in funding for its ongoing 50-foot dredging project. The Port would also receive an additional $7.098 million for its maintenance dredging. The Port's dredging projects are the underpinning for the largest maritime expansion in the history of the Port of Oakland . The City of Oakland would receive $750,000 for the Integration Transportation Management Center (TMC) and Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The Integrated TMC/EOC will enable staff to monitor key City streets and key security locations and to adjust traffic signals to respond to incidents and traffic congestion. The City would also receive a $100,000 Community Oriented Police (COPS) grant from the Department of Justic. The Alameda County Public Works Department would receive $1.2 million from the Department of Transportation for streetscape/sidewalk improvements in Cherryland and Castro Valley and another $121,250 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for additional sidewalk improvements in Cherryland and Ashland . The Ed Roberts Campus (ERC), the planned one-stop service center for people with disabilities, would receive $1 million for construction. Located at Berkeley 's Ashby BART station transportation hub, the ERC's unique universal design provides the disability community with unprecedented access to organizations, services and opportunities. The Chabot Space and Science Center would receive $500,000 from NASA for its education programs. Education projects in the omnibus spending measure include $320,000 for the Oakland Unified School District for the purchase, implementation and maintenance of a district-wide student information system, and $320,000 for Mills College 's Institute for Civic Leadership, and $100,000 for Holy Names University for construction of its science facility. The bill also provides $250,000 for Project Avary, which provides support programs for children whose parents are imprisoned or otherwise involved with the criminal justice system. I am very pleased that we could obtain this money for such important projects. Unfortunately, I was unable to support the entire bill because of the last minute provisions slipped into the bill and the inadequate funding levels provided for critical programs such as No Child Left Behind, most programs in HUD, and environmental protection programs. The bill decimates the Department of Housing and Urban Development by slashing its programs by three to four percent below last years levels, except for Section 8, which faired slightly better. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) overall by $9.6 billion, provides only $999 million for after-school programs, $1 billion less than was promised by NCLB, and freezes maximum Pell Grant, despite the steep rise in college tuition. The bill also fails to provide needed increases in funding for HIV/AIDS programs, cuts funding for environmental protection programs by $292 million. The bill also strips important amendments passed by the House of Representatives, including the Lee amendment, which would have eliminated Bush-instituted restrictions on travel to Cuba for educational purposes; the Obey amendment that would have prohibited enforcement of the Administration's final overtime regulation that went into effect in August 2004 and will cut the pay and lengthen the hours for at least 6 million workers; and the amendment to stop the construction of new logging roads in the Tongass National Forest. The must-pass measure also includes an anti-choice provision that would allow health insurance companies, hospitals, HMO, and other corporations to impose policies barring any physician or other health care provider from performing abortions or even from offering referrals. Speaking on the House floor, Congresswoman Lee said, Once again this is an effort to turn back the clock on women's rights. This is a dangerous time for women around this country. The neo-conservative agenda is on the march. And we must fight back. ## Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-applauds-dr-john-searle-recipient-of-2004-national-humanities-medal,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Dr. John Searle Recipient of 2004 National Humanities Medal,2004-11-16,2004,2004-11,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"11.16.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Dr. John Searle Recipient of 2004 National Humanities Medal Attends White House Medal Ceremony Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee today attended a White House ceremony honoring the 2004 Humanities Medal winners, including University of California at Berkeley professor, Dr. John Searle.Dr. Searle received his Ph.D. in philosophy at Oxford University and is currently the Mills Professor of the Philosophy of Mind and Language at the University of California at Berkeley. Professor Searle is best known for his critique of computationalism and artificial intelligence, his theory of intentionality, and his work on the problem of consciousness. Dr. Searle has won numerous awards, including a distinguished teaching award from the University of California at Berkeley. He is also a former member of the National Council on the Humanities, where he served from 1992 to 1996. The entire East Bay and the 9th Congressional District salute Dr. John Searle and congratulate him on this remarkable honor. I am pleased I was able to attend the ceremony and convey our congratulations in person, said Lee. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-blasts-administration-plans-to-delay-grants-for-global-aids-tuberculosis-and-malaria,"Congresswoman Barbara Lee Blasts Administration Plans to Delay Grants for Global AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria",2004-11-16,2004,2004-11,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"11.16.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Blasts Administration Plans to Delay Grants for Global AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Letter Urges Secretary Thompson to Support Further Funding Washington, DC Responding to recent press reports describing determined U.S. opposition to a further round of grants from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Congresswoman Barbara Lee along with seven of her colleagues sent the following letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, who also serves as Chairman of the Global Fund Board: Dear Secretary Thompson: We write to you in advance of the Global Fund's board meeting in Tanzania this week, to raise our serious concern with recent reports in the press regarding plans by the U.S. delegation to push for a delay in calling for the Fund's fifth round of grant proposals. We believe very strongly that the Global Fund's mission to attract, manage and disburse additional resources to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria will be severely undermined if the Fund moves to delay the fifth round of funding for grant proposals, or moves to reduce the frequency of future funding rounds. Since its establishment, the Global Fund has successfully raised the visibility of its mission, while also dramatizing the magnitude of the global need to combat these three epidemics through the sheer number and dollar figure of grant requests that it has received. In doing so, the Global Fund has generated new funding by identifying programs with the capacity to respond to these epidemics, and by providing oversight through its own tight system of accountability. We believe that by delaying calls for new funding proposals, the Global Fund will undermine one of the strongest rationales it has for soliciting new funds, particularly now as Congress is close to finalizing our contribution for fiscal year 2005. Delaying the fifth round will also set a bad precedent for the Fund, because it will signal a lack of international commitments and consequently will reduce confidence in the Fund itself. Therefore, we urge you to ensure that the Global Fund follows through on its original intent to hold the fifth funding round as previously planned. On behalf of communities affected by AIDS, TB and malaria, we thank you for your continued leadership and we look forward to your reply. Representatives Jim Leach (R-IA), Tom Lantos (D-CA), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Donna Christian-Christensen (D-VI), and Steny Hoyer (D-MD) joined Lee in signing onto the letter. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-announces-81-000-grant-for-womens-initiative-for-self-employment-in-oakland,"Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $81,000 Grant for Womens Initiative for Self Employment in Oakland",2004-10-19,2004,2004-10,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"10.19.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $81,000 Grant for Women's Initiative for Self Employment in Oakland Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today announced that the Women's Initiative for Self Employment in Oakland will receive a $81,000 sustainability grant from the U.S. Small Business AdministrationWomen's Initiative for Self Employment (WI), a Small Business Administration's Women's Business Center (WBC), provides business training and technical assistance in English and Spanish to low-income women in the Bay Area. The English language program consists of a 2-week business assessment workshop, a 14-week business-skills workshop and a 4-week workshop on writing a business plan. The Spanish-language program parallels the English but is in modular format. WI also offers business support services, including one-on-one consultations, peer networking and support groups, and special seminars. The $81,000 federal grant will help Women's Initiative for Self Employment in Oakland fund training, counseling, and mentoring services to women. I am very pleased that this money will be used to continue the terrific work of the Women's Initiative. Bay Area women are among the best and brightest entrepreneurs in the country, so I am particularly delighted that with these dollars, more women will get the opportunity to put their talents to work by gaining the skills needed to start, grow, or expand a business. The Women's Initiative for Self Employment (WI) Oakland is located at 11611 Telegraph Ave., Suite 702 Oakland, CA 94612. Telephone: English 510-451-3415. Spanish: 510-287-9970 #### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-celebrates-32nd-anniversary-of-the-clean-water-act,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates 32nd Anniversary of the Clean Water Act,2004-10-17,2004,2004-10,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"10.17.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates 32nd Anniversary of the Clean Water Act Decries Bush Administration for Attempts to Undermine Landmark Legislation Washington, DC In recognition of the anniversary of the Clean Water Act today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement.Thirty-two years ago today, the Federal government undertook an important national commitment to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of our nation's waters, said Lee. And since the modern Clean Water Act came into existence, I'm proud to say that we have made substantial progress in cleaning up our waterways and restoring the health of our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. But as we celebrate the accomplishments of the modern Clean Water Act, we should be mindful that there is still a lot left for us to do, Lee cautioned. Recent EPA reports indicate that almost 300,000 miles of rivers and streams and more than 7 million acres of lakes still do not meet water quality goals. We should also take this time to re-dedicate ourselves to the fight against the Bush Administration's ongoing efforts to weaken the Clean Water Act and undo all the progress we have made. By rolling back important environmental regulations which curb pollution and by slashing funding for the repair and replacement of our wastewater systems, this administration has repeatedly shown its willingness to endanger our own health and well-being, and to jeopardize the integrity of our natural environment. I believe that as a global community, we must quickly recognize the dramatic impact that human development has made on our natural environment and work to reduce the human footprint that we leave behind on the world. By trying to weaken the Clean Water Act, this Administration only enlarges that footprint. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-urges-gao-investigation-of-reported-voting-irregularities-in-2004-election,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Urges GAO Investigation of Reported Voting Irregularities in 2004 Election,2004-10-11,2004,2004-10,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"10.11.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Urges GAO Investigation of Reported Voting Irregularities in 2004 Election Advocates for Vigorous Defense of Voting Rights Washington , DC Calling for a swift and comprehensive investigation, Congresswoman Barbara Lee today requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) formally undertake an investigation of widespread reports regarding voting irregularities during the presidential election of 2004.The right to vote and the right to have our votes counted are both fundamental to our democratic system of government, said Lee. As elected representatives of the people, we hold a sacred responsibility to every voter across this nation to ensure that their vote is counted and recorded properly. We cannot, and we should not accept any flaws in our election process. Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-lee-votes-against-bill-to-reinstate-the-draft,Congresswoman Lee Votes Against Bill to Reinstate the Draft,2004-10-04,2004,2004-10,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"10.04.04 Congresswoman Lee Votes Against Bill to Reinstate the Draft Admonishes House Republican Leadership for Playing Election Year Politics Washington, DC- Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee voted against H.R. 163, the Universal National Service Act. The bill was defeated by a vote of 401-2.Congresswoman Lee, a staunch and vocal opponent of the draft, issued the following statement: There is little doubt that our military is overextended right now because of the immoral and unnecessary war in Iraq. We know the problems of recruitment and retention are real and we know that there is a back door draft going on right now. Given the quagmire in Iraq and the President's record of war making, I understand why the rumors are flying and our young people are concerned about the prospect of President Bush bringing back the draft after the November election. The scheduling of this bill on the suspension calendar is a transparent attempt to provide political cover for a President who deserves none. The suspension calendar is typically reserved for non-controversial bills, the vast majority of which pass with little debate or opposition. President Bush has much explaining to do to the American people and to our military. We must hold President Bush accountable for his failures in Iraq in November and we must oppose any and all attempts to reinstate morally reprehensible draft policies. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/house-passes-congresswoman-lees-resolution-urging-assistance-for-hurricane-devastated-caribbean-countries,House Passes Congresswoman Lees Resolution Urging Assistance for Hurricane Devastated Caribbean Countries,2004-10-03,2004,2004-10,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"10.03.04 House Passes Congresswoman Lee's Resolution Urging Assistance for Hurricane Devastated Caribbean Countries Washington, DC - Last night, by voice vote, the House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Lee's bi-partisan resolution, H. Con. Res. 496, calling for the United States to support relief and reconstruction efforts for Caribbean islands ravaged by recent hurricanes.The region was attacked by four hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne -- in five weeks. The Administration has proposed a $50 million emergency supplemental appropriation to assist the region. This is a good, small - very small first step, but much more is needed. Now we begin the work to ensure the substantial needs are matched with more substantial resources. The hardest hit countries, Grenada, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Haiti, and the Bahamas are still struggling to offer relief to residents, and reconstruction will take years. More than 440, 000 people were displaced throughout the region. In Grenada, the opening of the school year is postponed until 2005. More than 2,000 Haitians died and hundreds remain missing as a result of the floods caused by Tropical Storm Jeanne. Although more than 15 islands throughout the region were affected by the hurricanes, the entire Caribbean community has supported the relief and reconstruction efforts for those most in need. Congresswoman Lee noted that, Americans, especially Floridians and Californians, know firsthand the suffering caused by natural disasters, hurricanes, fires, tornadoes and earthquakes. She explained that, Our third border is in great need and the United States needs to show our support for the entire region. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-to-receive-kpfas-integrity-award,Congresswoman Barbara Lee to Receive KPFAs Integrity Award,2004-09-30,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.30.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee to Receive KPFA's Integrity Award Oakland, California- On October 3 rd, radio station KPFA 94.1 will honor Congresswoman Barbara Lee with their Integrity Award. First Unitarian Church of Oakland will host the ceremony, where Congresswoman Lee, other award recipients and public officials will gather for the awards dinner. Other award recipients include Michael Franti, Father Bill O'Donnell, and Medea Benjamin. KPFA presents Peace and Justice Awards to local leaders who resist and question dangerous politics of aggression and violence. The station chose to honor Representative Lee with the Integrity Award in light of her unwavering commitment to peace, human rights and democracy. I am honored to receive this award and do so on behalf of the people of the 9th Congressional district, who continue to be the most well-informed and forward-thinking constituency in the country. Congresswoman Lee has garnered several similar awards including the National Peacemaker Award (2003); the Wayne Morse Integrity in Government Award (2002); the Humanitarian Award from 45th Annual City Wide Revival (2002); the Sean MacBride Prize from the International Peace Bureau (2002); the Leifr Eriksson Peace Award from the Peace 2000 Institute (2002); and the Aachen Peace Prize from the Aachen Peace Foundation in Germany (2002). ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/barbara-lee-receives-petitions-to-repeal-patriot-act-provision,Barbara Lee Receives Petitions to Repeal Patriot Act Provision,2004-09-28,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.28.04 Barbara Lee Receives Petitions to Repeal Patriot Act Provision Calls for restoring freedom to read Washington, DC Congresswoman Lee joined Congressman Bernie Sanders at a press conference today to receive petitions, gathered at bookstores and libraries nationwide, urging the repeal of Section 215 of the Patriot Act. Section 215 of the Patriot Act gives the FBI access to ""books, records, papers, documents and other items"" when the agency gets a warrant from a special secret federal anti-terrorism court. Library or bookstore staff who reveal that an investigation is under way can be charged with a felony. The petitions were presented by author Salman Rushdie, president of PEN American Center; former Colorado Rep. Patricia Schroeder, president of the Association of American Publishers; and Carla Hayden of the American Library Association. Congresswoman Lee, a leader in the effort to repeal portions of the Patriot Act, issued the following statement: Thank you for these petitions and for joining us in our effort to overturn Section 215 of the Patriot Act. We get the message loud and clear and we are here today to say we will not give up our fight to correct this gross injustice. We all know the Patriot Act was passed in a blind rush, and in that rush to judgment Congress trampled some important civil liberties including the right to read. Justice is supposed to be blind, but lawmakers should not be. We must not sacrifice our fundamental freedoms in the Age of Ashcroft. We cannot allow basic Constitutional freedoms to be a casualty of the war on terrorism. I ask you, what kind of patriot would allow that to happen? Let's restore to all Americans the freedom to read. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-hails-new-report-demonstrating-californias-ineffective-three-strikes-law,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Hails New Report Demonstrating Californias Ineffective Three Strikes Law,2004-09-22,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.22.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Hails New Report Demonstrating California's Ineffective Three Strikes Law Renews Call for Repeal of Law Washington, DC In response to a report released today by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI), which found that California, the only state in which any felony can trigger a life sentence as a third strike, uses the strike policy much more frequently than other states and that violent crime has dropped more in states not enacting three strikes laws than states with Three Strikes, the Congresswoman issued the following statement:This report shows that, on Three Strikes, California is far out of step with the rest of the country. We can change this, and we must change this. I voted against the original Three Strikes measure 10 years ago as a Member of the California State Assembly. During the debate proponents argued that Three Strikes was the answer to crime and this report proves their arguments were just plain wrong. As a State Senator, I co-authored SB 2048 legislation to limit the application of Three Strikes to violent and serious offenses. Many major California news outlets supported that effort. When you consider that over 65 % of the people being locked up under Three-Strikes are incarcerated for non-violent offenses, which is draining our state's budget of millions that could be used for education and alternatives to incarceration, the choice is simple. California is struggling to recover from a budget catastrophe; reallocating our resources away from the Three Strikes policy that is over-used and under-regulated makes fiscal sense. And the JPI study clarifies the issue -- why should California strikeout four times as many persons as all other Three Strike states combined? Three Strike laws are imbalanced and illogical; they are responsible for unfairly locking up so many African-American and Latino males for non-violent offenses. The laws do not deter violent criminals, and are an irresponsible response to a serious problem of crime prevention and rehabilitation. The Three Strikes laws were wrong when introduced 10 years ago, and wrong now. I commend the work of JPI on conducting this much-needed report and hope that its release helps move our efforts to repeal, or at least modify California's Three Strikes Law. A copy of the report Three Strikes and You're Out: An Examination of the Impact of Strikes Laws 10 years after their Enactment, can be obtained at www.justicepolicy.org September 23, 2004, or by contacting Malik Russell at (202) 363-7847, ext. 308. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/support-for-lee-sanders-capuano-discharge-petition-for-housing-bill-passes-100,Support for Lee-Sanders-Capuano Discharge Petition for Housing Bill Passes 100,2004-09-22,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.22.04 Support for Lee-Sanders-Capuano Discharge Petition for Housing Bill Passes 100 Lee calls for action on the bill before Congress adjourns Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee convened a press conference today to push members of the House to sign a discharge petition for National Housing Trust Fund legislation in order to force action on the bill, which the House Republican leadership has long refused to schedule for floor consideration. National Housing Trust Fund legislation (H.R. 1102) was first introduced in the House in 2001, and it passed the Financial Services Committee in 2002. Support for National Housing Trust Fund legislation across the country is strong, with more than 5,200 national, state, and local organizations and leaders having endorsed the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign. A National Housing Trust Fund would provide communities with funds to help build, rehabilitate, and preserve 1.5 million homes affordable to people with the lowest incomes over the next 10 years. If a majority of Members sign the petition, the bill could come directly to the House floor for debate and a vote. The 101 signers of the petition include House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD), and House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Barney Frank (D-MD). H.Res. 748 is only the 11th discharge petition to be filed in the 108th Congress. Debate and action on this bill is long overdue and desperately needed, Congresswoman Lee said. We must remember that not only will this bill create 1.5 million affordable housing units, but it will also create 1.8 million new jobs. We all know our economy needs the type of economic stimulus this bill will provide. We are fully committed to action on this bill before we adjourn, Congresswoman Lee added. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-to-help-provide-assistance-to-hurricane-ravished-caribbean,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Help Provide Assistance to Hurricane Ravished Caribbean,2004-09-21,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.21.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Help Provide Assistance to Hurricane Ravished Caribbean Washington, DC In response to the devastating impact of recent hurricanes in the Caribbean , Congresswomen Barbara Lee today introduced bipartisan legislation, the Caribbean Hurricane Assistance Act (H. Con. Res. 496), expressing the need for humanitarian assistance to the region. The bill urges adequate emergency spending to assist in efforts to help the people of the region, particularly in Grenada, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Bahamas, with assessing damage and providing relief to affected communities.Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne tore through the Caribbean within the span of only 5 weeks. The storms devastated much of the region, killing over one thousand people, leaving thousands without homes, and dealing a major blow to the region's economy. Americans, especially Floridians and Californians, know firsthand the suffering caused by natural disasters such as hurricanes, fires, tornadoes and earthquakes. I introduced this legislation because the U.S., as a world leader, really does need to step up and lend a helping hand. We cannot sit back and wait as people suffer in Florida and in the Caribbean. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/house-passes-congresswoman-barbara-lees-amendment-to-restore-opportunities-for-students-to-study-abroad-in-cuba,House Passes Congresswoman Barbara Lees Amendment to Restore Opportunities for Students to Study Abroad in Cuba,2004-09-21,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.21.04 House Passes Congresswoman Barbara Lee's Amendment to Restore Opportunities for Students to Study Abroad in Cuba Calls on Republican Leadership to retain important Cuba Amendment Washington, DC This morning, by voice vote, the House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Barbara Lee's amendment to overturn the Administration's new restrictions on students' travel to Cuba. Today's vote delivers hope to U.S. students who want and deserve the opportunity to study abroad in Cuba.Until recently, thousands of U.S. students participated in study programs in Cuba run by scores of U.S. educational institutions. Students of all ages across the country took part in these programs. On June 30, 2004, the Administration implemented new restrictions that severely limit U.S. citizens' participation in educational activities in Cuba. Under the new regulations: educational travel licenses are only granted to undergraduate and graduate institutions; no high schools or other educational institutions are allowed to have Cuba travel programs; licenses to these institutions are only valid for one year now, instead of two; only students enrolled in the licensed institution may travel on that license; therefore, students may no longer travel to Cuba under the license of an educational institution other than their own, even if their own institution accepts the licensed institution's program for credit toward the student's degree; and educational activities in Cuba may be no shorter than 10 weeks, unless they are for purposes of graduate research. The Lee - Rangel - Tubbs-Jones amendment to the Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2005 would reverse these regulations. I am pleased with today's victory on behalf of U.S. students. Now we must work to ensure the Republican leadership allows this important amendment to remain in the final conference report. Congresswoman Lee has consistently advocated lifting the travel ban and trade embargo with Cuba. Most recently she successfully ensured that students at the Latin American Medical School in Cuba were able to continue to their studies despite new regulations. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-celebrates-40th-anniversary-of-the-wilderness-act,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates 40th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act,2004-09-20,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.20.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates 40th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act Calls for Expansion of Wilderness Areas Washington , DC In recognition of the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, and wilderness advocacy events planned in Washington D.C. this week, Congresswoman Lee released the following statement.Earlier this month we celebrated the 40th Anniversary of an historic piece of legislation, the Wilderness Act, which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3rd, 1964 . Since the Act's inception, over 105 million acres of our collective natural heritage has been protected under the wilderness designation. This week, as we take time to recognize the accomplishments of the Wilderness Act, we must also recognize the work that has yet to be done. Throughout the nation, there are many more wilderness areas that have yet to fall under the full protection of the Wilderness Act - places like the Arctic Coastal Plain, Utah's Redrocks wilderness, and the Northern California Coastal wilderness. We must continue our efforts to safeguard these existing natural habitats from human exploitation and development in order to protect threatened and endangered species and to ensure the long-term health and vitality of the entire ecosystem. And I believe that as a global community, we must quickly recognize the dramatic impact that human development has made on our natural environment and work to reduce the human footprint that we leave behind on the world. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-questions-urgency-of-administrations-global-hiv/aids-treatment-programs,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Questions Urgency of Administrations Global HIV/AIDS Treatment Programs,2004-09-13,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.13.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Questions Urgency of Administration's Global HIV/AIDS Treatment Programs Calls Provision of Anti-retroviral Drugs to Only 25,000 Patients Shameful Washington , DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee today responded to the Bush Administration's recent admission that the United States ' Global HIV/AIDS initiative has so far only placed 25,000 people on anti-retroviral treatment despite the urgency of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic and despite the targets set by Congress.It's been almost 21 months since the President stood before the American people during his 2003 State of the Union Address promising to provide life-saving anti-retroviral treatment to 2 million people in the next five years, Lee said, and all we have to show for our efforts is just barely 25,000 people on treatment. Since the President's announcement, over 5 million people throughout the world have died of HIV/AIDS. I can only ask, where is the sense of urgency? When we passed our global HIV/AIDS legislation last year we set a target of putting 500,000 people on treatment by the end of fiscal year 2004. The Administration's progress so far is just shameful, and in my opinion is yet another indication of this President's lack of leadership. While challenges do indeed exist to rapidly scale up our treatment programs, they are not insurmountable challenges. If this administration does not treat the global HIV/AIDS pandemic for what it really is, then we will have a much larger problem on our hands and a much higher death toll in the coming months and years. Unfortunately the greatest burden of all will fall on those who are the most vulnerable to this dreaded disease, the millions of children who have been and will be orphaned by this horrible disease. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/democrats-win-vote-to-protect-overtime-rights-for-workers,Democrats Win Vote to Protect Overtime Rights for Workers,2004-09-08,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.08.04 Democrats Win Vote to Protect Overtime Rights for Workers Congresswoman Barbara Lee Stands with Workers in the 9th Congressional District Washington, D.C. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) stood with workers and families in the 9th Congressional District of California today, voting to protect the overtime rights of millions of American workers. The amendment to the FY 05 Labor-Health, and Human Services Appropriations Bill passed 223-193. It halts the implementation of the Bush Administration's new regulation that strips overtime rights and pay from millions of workers. Today's vote is a real victory for American workers, Lee said. The regulations by the Bush Administration are really unconscionable. They are part of the ongoing effort by this Administration to undo the protections of our American workers. Even some House Republicans, as today's vote show, recognize that the President's regulations mean longer hours and fewer jobs for American workers. If this amendment had not passed, it would have meant a pay cut for our workers, and during the economic downturn that has marked the Bush Administration, our workers simply cannot afford any greater loss in their wages. Today's vote to block these regulations will hopefully put a stop to the largest middle class pay cut in years. The Appropriations Bill now goes to the Senate for a vote. The Senate now must finish this job so that we can close the deal on blocking this horrible provision, said Lee. In the past, there has been bipartisan support for this proposal, and I hope that, again, Republican Senators will resist pressure from their leadership and the White House and join Democrats to block these harmful regulations. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-participates-in-national-coalition-for-the-homeless-rally-on-the-bush-administrations-turning-a-blind-eye-to-problem-of-homelessness-in-america,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Participates in National Coalition for the Homeless Rally on the Bush Administrations Turning a Blind Eye to Problem of Homelessness in America,2004-09-07,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.07.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Participates in National Coalition for the Homeless Rally on the Bush Administration's Turning a Blind Eye to Problem of Homelessness in America Washington, DC For a rally sponsored by the National Coalition for the Homeless on the Bush Administration's unwillingness to reduce homelessness in America, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) made the following statement:We are here today to send the message to the Bush Administration that we must end homelessness now because housing is a fundamental human right! This is a message critical to the average American because under this Administration, homelessness has become a way of life for far too many families. My home state of California is supposed to be a land of riches, but homelessness robs the state of its promise. On any given night, there are over 360,000 people homeless in our great state. Over the course of a year, 1 million Californians are homeless. I guarantee that you won't see many stories on the over 2.5 million homeless men, women and children throughout this country! You won't hear stories on how our streets have become poor substitutes for treating those in our country desperately in need of medical care: 22% of the homeless in our cities are considered mentally ill, and 37% suffer from substance abuse. The Administration can approve billions of dollars for rebuilding Iraq, but we can't come up with the relatively small resources necessary to end homelessness in this country. This Administration must develop new priorities. We as a country must develop new priorities. We must make housing a basic civil right. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/housedemocrats-website-features-congresswoman-barbara-lee,HouseDemocrats Website Features Congresswoman Barbara Lee,2004-09-07,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.07.04 HouseDemocrats' Website Features Congresswoman Barbara Lee Washington, D.CCongresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) is featured this week on the HouseDemocrats.gov website. Each week, the site, which operates as a clearinghouse on the work and views of House Democratic Members, features a different Democrat. The House Democrats webssite serves as an excellent way for Americans to see the individuals behind the policies that are being debated in Congress, Lee explained. Being the featured member gives me an opportunity to highlight the work I'm doing in Congress. Lee devotes her website piece to the fight against the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, which kills 3 million people each year around the world. Lee shares information about her recent participation in the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok. (Lee was the only Member of Congress to attend.) There, I spoke with a number of people from the international community who expressed concerns with the way our Global HIV/AIDS initiative is being implemented, Lee writes. I heard concerns that our HIV prevention policy lacks the proper balance of prevention, treatment and research. I heard complaints that our treatment policies were too focused on protecting patent rights, rather than on channeling life-saving drugs to those who need them. We must also recognize here at home that HIV/AIDS has not been defeated. Today, AIDS is ravaging minority communities throughout the US. We need more targeted outreach to provide culturally-competent prevention information to minority communities so that we can break through the stigma associated with the disease. And we need to break down the barriers to accessing treatment by providing quality, affordable health care for everyone. To read the full profile and view the site, visit www.housedemocrats.gov or click on the Visit House Democrats.gov button available at www.house.gov/lee. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/ongresswoman-barbara-lee-blasts-bush-administration-for-not-providing-enough-jobs-for-americans,ongresswoman Barbara Lee Blasts Bush Administration for Not Providing Enough Jobs for Americans,2004-09-02,2004,2004-09,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"09.02.04 ongresswoman Barbara Lee Blasts Bush Administration for Not Providing Enough Jobs for Americans President Bush Will Almost Certainly End Administration as First President since Depression-Era Herbert Hoover Not to Create Net Positive Number of Jobs during Presidential Administration Oakland, CA Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today attacked the Bush Administration for the August jobs report, which shows that yet again, the President's economic policies have not provided enough jobs for Americans. 8 million American workers are currently unemployed.During August, 144,000 jobs were created, although economists claim that the Administration should be creating more than 200,000 new jobs per month. Bush would need to create more than 1 million jobs in the last month of his Presidency to avoid becoming the first President since Herbert Hoover sunk the United States into a recession to actually lose American jobs over the course of his Administration. The latest employment numbers for California show that 17,300 jobs were lost in July, adding up to 202,600 jobs lost in the state since Bush took office. The President continues to say that this economy is growing, but the numbers actually tell a different story, said Lee. We can no longer wait for the President's promises to bear fruit because too many Americans and their families need real jobs -- and they need those jobs now. We need a new Commander-in-Chief of our economy. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-announces-1-million-us-department-of-labor-grant-for-oakland-youth-self-sufficiency-project,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $1 Million U.S. Department of Labor Grant for Oakland Youth Self-Sufficiency Project,2004-08-30,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.30.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $1 Million U.S. Department of Labor Grant for Oakland Youth Self-Sufficiency Project Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today announced that the Oakland Youth Self-Sufficiency Project has received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. This funding will help high-risk youth between 16-24 to avoid the major institutional barriers that keep many youth from gaining and retaining permanent unsubsidized employment. The Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC) will administer the program, while the Youth Employment Partnership and Scotland Youth & Family Center will also be involved. The 330 youth served during this grant will come primarily from the juvenile justice or foster care systems, or they will have a disability. Each youth will participate in the program for an average of 18 months. They will undergo a comprehensive program of screening, assessment, pre-employment training, employment skills training, subsidized employment experience, unsubsidized employment placement, and post-program evaluation. I am very excited that the Oakland Youth Self-Sufficiency Project is receiving this funding, said Lee. Through this program, we will be able to help these youth so that on a long-term basis they will be able to help themselves. The Oakland Youth Self-Sufficiency Project represents the sort of investment in people that we should be making. We are gratified that the U.S. Department of Labor saw the importance of funding the Youth Self-Sufficiency grant, said Gay Plair Cobb, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council, Inc. Through this grant, a consortium of dedicated organizations will be able to assist Oakland's at-risk youth, including those in the juvenile justice and foster care systems through intensive job training and financial literacy education. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-announces-6-million-department-of-transportation-grant-for-oakland-international-airport,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $6 Million Department of Transportation Grant for Oakland International Airport,2004-08-26,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.26.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $6 Million Department of Transportation Grant for Oakland International Airport Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today announced a $6 million Department of Transportation grant for security enhancements at Oakland International Airport. I'm pleased that the Oakland Metropolitan International Airport will receive this money, said Lee. These types of grants are critical to securing our transportation systems and making our communities safer. Funding for our airports, our rail systems, and our ports should be a topmost priority. Unfortunately, we have seen the Bush Administration pouring money into an unnecessary war, while failing to provide the resources to protect us here at home. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-responds-to-findings-from-abu-ghraib-reports,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to Findings from Abu Ghraib Reports,2004-08-25,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.25.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to Findings from Abu Ghraib Reports Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) responded to the Bush Administration's recent findings on the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandals, both of which claimed that mistakes had been committed at numerous levels of the Administration: I was not surprised by the findings and revelations of both the independent Schlesinger Prisoner Abuse Panel and the Department of Defense-commissioned panel (Fay Report), led by Major General George R. Fay. Both of the recently-released reports heavily criticized the absence of leadership at the most senior levels of the Defense Department regarding the brutal abuses at the Abu Ghraib military prison in Iraq. When the abuses were first reported, I demanded full accountability in order to help restore the tremendous damage that occurred to the Iraq detainees at Abu Ghraib. Months later now, we still need that accountability: we need to have a full and independent, bipartisan investigation into the detainees being held in Iraq and elsewhere, and we need Secretary Rumsfeld to resign ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-responds-to-new-census-data-showing-45-million-americans-without-health-insurance-and-third-year-of-decline-in-income,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to New Census Data Showing 45 Million Americans Without Health Insurance and Third Year of Decline in Income,2004-08-25,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.25.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to New Census Data Showing 45 Million Americans Without Health Insurance and Third Year of Decline in Income Numbers Worsen Under Bush Administration Washington, DC Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) challenged the Bush Administration and Congressional Republicans to do more to address the rising number of Americans who have no health insurance and the steady decline in household income. Today, the Census Bureau announced that the number of people without health insurance nationwide increased by 1.4 million the third annual increase in a row. 45 million people are now without insurance, many because they have lost their jobs. Over 5 million people have lost their health insurance since the beginning of the Bush Administration. The new Census Bureau numbers are tragic and indicate that millions of Americans are one doctor's bill away from financial crisis said Lee. As President Clinton left office, the number of uninsured had decreased for the first time in 12 years, and the economy was booming. Now, there are 45 million Americans without insurance, including more than 4.6 million in California, and family income has dropped by $1,535 over the past three years. The Census Bureau also reported that over 1.3 million people fell out of the middle class into poverty into 2003, an increase of 4.3 million people living in poverty since the beginning of the Bush Administration. The President said we're turning the corner, but we have to look at the facts, said Lee. Over 8 million people are still looking for work, and the average length of unemployment is at a 10-year high. As these numbers indicate, the small number of jobs being created pay less than the jobs we are losing and are less likely to include benefits. These issues are vital to the lives of Americans. It is time for new leadership that will fight to protect the health and well-being of Americans. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/2004/08/10/congresswoman-barbara-lee-announces-98-000-grant-for-martin-luther-king-jr-freedom-center,"Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $98,000 Grant for Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center",2004-08-10,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.10.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $98,000 Grant for Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today announced that the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center has received a $98,948 grant from the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. With the grant, the MLK Center has launched a Youth and Non-Violence Leadership Team initially composed of 24 young people between the ages of 12 and 18 from across Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The inaugural team began its training on August 2 and will continue throughout the month, followed by a graduation on Saturday, August 28 - the 41st anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech. They spend three days per week in trainings in leadership skills, root causes of violence, unlearning racism, ecological sustainability, conflict resolution, and community organizing skills. The other two days per week are spent in service placements in community-based organizations. The team will continue through the Fall and Spring with after-school and occasional weekend programs. The MLK Center will also use the grant to update, expand and reprint Keep the Peace - a Nonviolence Resource Directory and to create a searchable online database of the Directory. The Directory was initially published in collaboration with the Alameda County Department of Public Health. I am very happy that the MLK Freedom Center has received this money, said Lee. This grant will enable the Center to better carry out the effort to combat crime and violence through a visionary approach of shaping the minds of our youth to believe that violence is never an appropriate option. We have been deeply moved by the response from our young people from Oakland and the East Bay to our Youth Nonviolence Leadership Training, said Claire Greensfelder, Executive Director of the Freedom Center. Their serious commitment to our month-long study and practice of peace and community responsibility is impressive and belies the myth that young people today are apathetic. We are very grateful to the Congresswoman for her help in securing this grant. The Congresswoman understands the need to support creative, interactive approaches to training our young people to be a new generation of leaders in our community -- a generation committed to the path of nonviolence for positive social change. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-announces-98-000-grant-for-martin-luther-king-jr-freedom-center,"Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $98,000 Grant for Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center",2004-08-10,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.10.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $98,000 Grant for Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today announced that the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center has received a $98,948 grant from the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.With the grant, the MLK Center has launched a Youth and Non-Violence Leadership Team initially composed of 24 young people between the ages of 12 and 18 from across Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The inaugural team began its training on August 2 and will continue throughout the month, followed by a graduation on Saturday, August 28 - the 41st anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech. They spend three days per week in trainings in leadership skills, root causes of violence, unlearning racism, ecological sustainability, conflict resolution, and community organizing skills. The other two days per week are spent in service placements in community-based organizations. The team will continue through the Fall and Spring with after-school and occasional weekend programs. The MLK Center will also use the grant to update, expand and reprint Keep the Peace - a Nonviolence Resource Directory and to create a searchable online database of the Directory. The Directory was initially published in collaboration with the Alameda County Department of Public Health. I am very happy that the MLK Freedom Center has received this money, said Lee. This grant will enable the Center to better carry out the effort to combat crime and violence through a visionary approach of shaping the minds of our youth to believe that violence is never an appropriate option. We have been deeply moved by the response from our young people from Oakland and the East Bay to our Youth Nonviolence Leadership Training, said Claire Greensfelder, Executive Director of the Freedom Center. Their serious commitment to our month-long study and practice of peace and community responsibility is impressive and belies the myth that young people today are apathetic. We are very grateful to the Congresswoman for her help in securing this grant. The Congresswoman understands the need to support creative, interactive approaches to training our young people to be a new generation of leaders in our community -- a generation committed to the path of nonviolence for positive social change. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/2004/08/09/congresswoman-barbara-lee-joins-house-democrats-in-briefing-with-chairmen-of-9/11-commission,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins House Democrats in Briefing with Chairmen of 9/11 Commission,2004-08-09,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.09.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins House Democrats in Briefing with Chairmen of 9/11 Commission Washington, DC Breaking with the traditional August recess, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and House Democrats returned today for a briefing with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the 9/11 Commission, former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean and former Congressman Lee Hamilton. House Democrats also received briefings from representatives of the Terrorism Threat Integration Center and the FBI on the reasons for the recent elevation of the terrorism threat level.Following the release of the 9/11 Commission report, Democrats moved quickly to consider the Commission's recommendations, successfully urging the reluctant Republican leadership to hold hearings, which began last week and will continue throughout August. Today's briefing by the Commissioners gave us the opportunity to hear first-hand about the findings of the 9/11 Commission, said Lee. We must not only strengthen our intelligence capabilities we must do more to protect all of our transportation systems, including providing full funding for port security, rail security, and our first responders. Instead of fully funding homeland security, the Bush Administration has needlessly spent billions of dollars on tax breaks for the wealthy, while misleading the nation into an unnecessary, costly, and ongoing war in Iraq that has inflated an already bloated defense budget. The President's FY 05 budget cuts homeland security formula grants in California by more than $73 million. These grants provide police, firefighters and emergency management teams with the training and equipment they need to keep communities safe. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-calls-disappointing-december-jobs-report-a-reflection-of-president-bushs-failed-economic-policies,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls Disappointing December Jobs Report a Reflection of President Bushs Failed Economic Policies,2004-08-09,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.09.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls Disappointing December Jobs Report a Reflection of President Bush's Failed Economic Policies Oakland, CA Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today called the December unemployment report a further reflection of President Bush's failed economic policies. The jobs report, released this morning, showed that the economy created only 1000 jobs in December. In addition, the jobs report for November was revised downward from 57,000 jobs created to 43,000 jobs created. For the month of December, manufacturing jobs actually fell, with 26,000 jobs lost. Economists say that a robust economy should be creating at least 200,000 jobs per month. Since President Bush's inauguration in January 2001, the American economy has lost almost 3 million jobs, 2.6 million of which are in manufacturing. Bush will likely be the first President since Depression-era President Herbert Hoover to lose jobs during his administration. The story that these numbers tell is that millions of Americans are still unable to find the jobs they need to pay for the most basic necessities, said Lee. Our people cannot wait for the promise of better days ahead they need jobs now. In the short-term, the Administration needs to quit relying on its tax cuts for the rich as its economic policy and provide unemployment support to workers by immediately extending the federal unemployment benefits that they have allowed to expire. The unemployment rate for all Americans stands at 5.7%. Hispanic unemployment is at 6.6%, and the unemployment rate for African Americans is 10.3%. Lee has co-sponsored a bill to extend the federal benefits program for an additional six months, increase the amount of benefits to 26 weeks, include coverage for 1.4 million workers who have already exhausted their extended benefits, and expand unemployment insurance coverage for low-wage and part-time workers. Congressional Republicans have repeatedly refused to provide aid for the unemployed, claiming that the number of jobs for the American economy will increase. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-joins-house-democrats-in-briefing-with-chairmen-of-9/11-commission,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins House Democrats in Briefing with Chairmen of 9/11 Commission,2004-08-09,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.09.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins House Democrats in Briefing with Chairmen of 9/11 Commission Washington, DC Breaking with the traditional August recess, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and House Democrats returned today for a briefing with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the 9/11 Commission, former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean and former Congressman Lee Hamilton. House Democrats also received briefings from representatives of the Terrorism Threat Integration Center and the FBI on the reasons for the recent elevation of the terrorism threat level.Following the release of the 9/11 Commission report, Democrats moved quickly to consider the Commission's recommendations, successfully urging the reluctant Republican leadership to hold hearings, which began last week and will continue throughout August. Today's briefing by the Commissioners gave us the opportunity to hear first-hand about the findings of the 9/11 Commission, said Lee. We must not only strengthen our intelligence capabilities we must do more to protect all of our transportation systems, including providing full funding for port security, rail security, and our first responders. Instead of fully funding homeland security, the Bush Administration has needlessly spent billions of dollars on tax breaks for the wealthy, while misleading the nation into an unnecessary, costly, and ongoing war in Iraq that has inflated an already bloated defense budget. The President's FY 05 budget cuts homeland security formula grants in California by more than $73 million. These grants provide police, firefighters and emergency management teams with the training and equipment they need to keep communities safe. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-applauds-state-department-announcement-inviting-monitors-for-us-residential-elections,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds State Department Announcement Inviting Monitors for U.S. residential Elections,2004-08-05,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.05.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds State Department Announcement Inviting Monitors for U.S. residential Elections Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded news that the request from 13 Members of Congress, including her, to the State Department for international election monitors has been agreed to. The American public has been recently reminded by Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 that the 2000 Presidential elections were rife with deception and fraud. In early July, Lee and her colleagues wrote Secretary of State Colin Powell requesting monitors to ensure free and fair elections. Even though Congressional Republicans have repeatedly blocked efforts to make the elections transparent, the recent letter from Assistant Secretary of State Paul V. Kelly indicated that the State Department supports the presence of monitors. Kelly wrote that the Bush Administration has now invited the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]'s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the November 2, 2004 Presidential Elections. The OSCE, made up 55 countries the vast majority of which are UN members -- is active in conflict prevention and crisis management around the world. This represents a step in the right direction toward ensuring that this year's elections are fair and transparent, said Lee. I am pleased that the State Department responded by acting on this need for international monitors. We sincerely hope that the presence of the monitors will make certain that every person's voice is heard, every person's vote is counted. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-blasts-bush-administration-for-horrible-july-employment-numbers,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Blasts Bush Administration for Horrible July Employment Numbers,2004-08-05,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.05.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Blasts Bush Administration for Horrible July Employment Numbers Economists Had Expected 200,000 New Jobs; Administration Delivers Only 32,000 Oakland, CA Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today lambasted the Bush Administration for failing yet again to provide enough jobs for Americans. After today's release of the July employment numbers, economists criticized the Bush Administration for producing only 32,000 new jobs even though a minimum of 200,000 jobs had been expected. In addition, the weak employment increases for May and June were revised downward by a total of 61,000 jobs.Especially hard hit were African Americans and Latinos, whose unemployment numbers continue to be far above the national average of 5.5%. The unemployment rate for Latinos rose from 6.7% to 6.8%, while the rate for African Americans shot up from 10.1% to 10.9%. Since President Bush's inauguration in January 2001, the American economy has lost more than 1 million jobs, and Bush stands to become the first President since Depression-era President Herbert Hoover to lose jobs during his administration. These numbers are proof once more that this Administration is not able to provide real job growth for Americans, said Lee. We have heard promise after promise from the President that jobs are on the way, but with every monthly report, we learn that the President's economic policies are hurting people, not helping them. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-applauds-state-department-announcement-inviting-monitors-for-us-presidential-elections,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds State Department Announcement Inviting Monitors for U.S. Presidential Elections,2004-08-04,2004,2004-08,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"08.04.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds State Department Announcement Inviting Monitors for U.S. Presidential Elections Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded news that the request from 13 Members of Congress, including her, to the State Department for international election monitors has been agreed to. The American public has been recently reminded by Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 that the 2000 Presidential elections were rife with deception and fraud. In early July, Lee and her colleagues wrote Secretary of State Colin Powell requesting monitors to ensure free and fair elections. Even though Congressional Republicans have repeatedly blocked efforts to make the elections transparent, the recent letter from Assistant Secretary of State Paul V. Kelly indicated that the State Department supports the presence of monitors. Kelly wrote that the Bush Administration has now invited the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]'s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the November 2, 2004 Presidential Elections. The OSCE, made up 55 countries the vast majority of which are UN members -- is active in conflict prevention and crisis management around the world. This represents a step in the right direction toward ensuring that this year's elections are fair and transparent, said Lee. I am pleased that the State Department responded by acting on this need for international monitors. We sincerely hope that the presence of the monitors will make certain that every person's voice is heard, every person's vote is counted. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-applauds-9/11-commissions-recommendation-for-more-homeland-security,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds 9/11 Commissions Recommendation for More Homeland Security,2004-07-21,2004,2004-07,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"07.21.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds 9/11 Commission's Recommendation for More Homeland Security Bush Administration Has Repeatedly Underfunded Democrats' Homeland Security Requests Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today welcomed the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that American homeland security needed to be beefed up. The final Commission report claimed that the country's infrastructure, including ports, rail, and airplanes, have been underfunded since 9/11. 90% of the $5 billion spent on transportation security since that day has gone to airport systems, but the commission rightly pointed out that Opportunities to do harm are as great, or greater, in maritime or surface transportation. The report also indicated that first responders are not receiving the funding that they need to meet basic security for America's towns and cities. The report also cites poor information-sharing between intelligence agencies under the Bush Administration in the months before the attacks, which they deemed operational failures. I think that the commission's final report was constructive, said Lee. It pointed out missed opportunities in the days and weeks before the 9/11 hijackings, but it also pointed out that we need to do more to ensure that our homeland is safe. Congressional Democrats have repeatedly pushed for more funding for transportation infrastructure and for first responders, but the Republicans have repeatedly rebuffed these efforts to make our country safer in favor of providing more money for the war in Iraq and record military spending. We need to move quickly to enact these recommendations on homeland security, and we need to rapidly increase our level of funding for Port and Rail security, so that we can remove these systems as a point of entry for attack. We do not need to wait until the next attack to wake up. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-successfully-champions-national-housing-trust-fund-bill,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Successfully Champions National Housing Trust Fund Bill,2004-07-21,2004,2004-07,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"07.21.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Successfully Champions National Housing Trust Fund Bill Affordable Housing Production Program for Millions of Americans Gets One Step Closer to Passage Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today introduced a resolution that begins the process for launching a petition to discharge the National Housing Trust Fund, H.R. 1102, from committee and bring to the House for a vote. Under House rules, if 218 Members sign the petition, the bill will be considered by the House. H.R. 1102 has 212 sponsors. Congressman Michael Capuano (D-MA) and Congressman Bernie Sanders (D-VT) are also co-sponsors of the discharge petition.The National Housing Trust Fund would construct 1.5 million affordable housing rental units over the next decade, and in the process, would create approximately 1.8 million new jobs and nearly $50 billion in wages. This is a very proud day for all those people across the county in need of quality, affordable housing, said Lee. The Lee-Capuano-Sanders Discharge petition will set in motion the long-awaited process of starting a national affordable housing production program. 1.45 million California housing units are in need of replacement in California, and 60% of substandard housing is rental housing. Housing costs are so high in the Bay Area that in order for a person to afford two-bedroom apartment, he or she must earn approximately $21 per hour, even though the minimum wage is $6.25. Passing this bill would represent a historic victory for millions of Americans across the country, said Lee. We will work hard to get the 218 signatures needed to successfully get the bill to the floor. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-calls-for-extension-of-assault-weapons-ban,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls for Extension of Assault Weapons Ban,2004-07-20,2004,2004-07,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"07.20.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls for Extension of Assault Weapons Ban Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today participated in a press conference calling for the extension of the assault weapons ban. The House Republican leadership refuses to allow for a vote on H.R. 2038, which would extend the ban, set to expire in September. 112 House Members, including Lee, support the extension, but House Republicans refuse to permit any action on the bill.I am strongly opposed to the actions of the NRA and other gun lobbying groups, but I am particularly appalled by their efforts to unleash semi-automatic weapons on the American people. This is not the right for private citizens to bear arms -- this is about a right to wage war against their communities. The United States already has the highest overall gun mortality rate of the 36 industrialized countries in the world! I do not see the groups who are fighting to end the Assault Weapons Ban offering to compensate the victims of gun violence and their families. Instead these organizations and corporations are seeking to make a quick buck off of the domestic terrorists who use these weapons -- drug traffickers, gangs and paramilitary extremist --groups who want to tear our society apart. In my hometown of Oakland, firearms are the single leading cause of injury deaths among all age groups. Cities across the country are struggling to reduce access to firearms, yet this Republican Administration is working to get election year points and donations by putting American lives on the line. I have a suggestion for the gun lobbying groups why don't they offer to fund the rehabilitation of those drug dealers and criminals who would assault our communities, instead of arming them to commit crimes. We cannot afford to do nothing while thousands of innocent Americans give everything their lives and their livelihoods. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-praises-congressional-black-caucus-foundation-study-showing-how-climate-change-affects-african-americans,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Praises Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Study Showing How Climate Change Affects African Americans,2004-07-20,2004,2004-07,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"07.20.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Praises Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Study Showing How Climate Change Affects African Americans Washington, DC At a press conference today with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today praised a new study on the impact of climate change on African Americans. The study was done by Redefining Progress, which has an office in Oakland.For too long, we have overlooked the impact of environmental issues on minority communities in this country. But what we have known -- and what the results from this study confirm -- is that environmental concerns are not abstractions for our communities; they are real, and they affect us in very real ways. We know that environmental decisions disproportionately affect African Americans and other people of color because it is in our communities, our homes, our places, where the worst environmental crises occur. Life expectancy itself is an environmental justice issue. In this country, life expectancy projections are shaped as much by race as by gender. These disparities follow a cradle to grave cycle: beginning with infant mortality, continuing with workplace hazards and increased exposure to pollution, and ending with disparate access to healthcare, diagnoses, and medical treatment. Death rates from asthma and a host of other treatable diseases are also significantly higher among African Americans than any other ethnic group. Asthma rates in Oakland, in my district, are among the highest in the country. In fact, children in West Oakland are seven times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than children in the rest of California. We need to stop the Bush Administration's assault on existing environmental protections, including their unwillingness to abide by the Kyoto Protocol, and we need to invest in new solutions that will create livable communities for everyone that will increase our own quality of life, as well as protect the environment around us. We also need to make sure that environmental organizations such as Sierra Club and Greenpeace extend their reach to understand this crucial connection between climate change and the health of minorities. I applaud the efforts of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and Redefining Progress to make this issue real and relevant for the lives of African Americans and other people of color. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-offers-amendment-to-add-additional-800-million-for-aids-global-fund,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Offers Amendment to Add Additional $800 Million for AIDS Global Fund,2004-07-14,2004,2004-07,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"07.14.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Offers Amendment to Add Additional $800 Million for AIDS Global Fund Republicans Refuse to Allow Vote on Amendment Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today introduced an amendment to the FY 05 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill to increase the U.S. contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria by $800 million. The only Member of Congress to attend the XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand this week, Lee proposed the amendment in order to meet the contribution that the Global Fund needs from the United States. During debate on the House floor, Lee said, I recently returned from Thailand, where I met with international leaders on the global pandemic and people living with the virus, and I can tell you that the international community is very disappointed, to put it mildly, with the U.S. failure to deliver on promised funding. It is disingenuous that the Administration claims to be a leader, yet cuts support for the Global Fund, proposing a measly contribution of $200 million, rather than the $1.2 billion that is needed. Only the efforts of Congressional leaders have enabled the doubling of the President's proposed Global Fund contribution to $400 million. My amendment would help restore U.S. leadership and credibility on HIV/AIDS because we must go further in providing the resources to battle against this devastating and deadly pandemic. True leadership on HIV/AIDS requires nothing less than passing this amendment. After the debate, the Republican leadership ruled, on procedural grounds, that no vote would be allowed on Lee's amendment. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/at-global-aids-conference-congresswoman-barbara-lee-calls-bush-administrations-focus-on-abstinence-out-of-touch-with-rest-of-world,"At Global AIDS Conference, Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls Bush Administrations Focus on Abstinence Out of Touch with Rest of World",2004-07-11,2004,2004-07,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"07.11.04 At Global AIDS Conference, Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls Bush Administration's Focus on Abstinence Out of Touch with Rest of World Administration Fails to Send its Top AIDS Officials to Conference Washington, DC From the XV World AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today attacked the Bush Administration for its focus on advancing abstinence as the primary component of its policy in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Lee, the only Member of Congress at the AIDS Conference, told reporters, The majority of the delegations here at the Conference are critical of the Bush Administration's policy. That policy, which is centered on abstinence, is irresponsible, not working, and it is inhumane.We must have every conceivable option at our beck and call to fight this horrible pandemic. Only a comprehensive approach that includes condoms will work because science tells us that condoms provide the best technology that we have to fight AIDS. The Bush Administration continues to put politics before science. Thousands of people are dying every day, yet the Administration's focus on abstinence seriously undermines the ability of people not just in the United States, but around the world, to be able to negotiate the terms of their own lives. Being here in Bangkok this week, I am reminded that the entire world understands what we already know back in the United States: that this Administration's policy towards AIDS is backwards. We have isolated ourselves again in this global community. We will restore America's leadership in global health only when we reject policies driven by ideology instead of science. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-introduces-bill-to-reduce-womens-vulnerability-to-hiv,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bill to Reduce Womens Vulnerability to HIV,2004-07-08,2004,2004-07,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"07.08.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bill to Reduce Women's Vulnerability to HIV H.R. 4792 Would Require President to Develop Comprehensive and Culturally-Appropriate HIV Prevention Strategy for Countries Receiving HIV/AIDS Assistance Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee today introduced H.R. 4792, the New United States Global HIV Prevention Strategy to Address Women and Girls Act of 2004, legislation that would revise the current HIV Prevention strategy to focus on the needs of women and girls. The majority of the estimated 40 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS throughout the world today are women and girls. In sub-Saharan Africa, women and girls make up 60 percent of those infected with HIV/AIDS.Lee's bill would require the President to develop a comprehensive, integrated, and culturally-appropriate HIV prevention strategy for women in each of the countries receiving assistance to combat HIV/AIDS. That approach would include increasing access to female condoms; reducing the incidence of child marriage; reducing violence against women; supporting the development of micro-enterprise; expanding educational opportunities for women and girls; protecting property and inheritance rights; coordinating HIV prevention services with existing health care services; and promoting gender equality. The legislation would also seek to balance funding for United States HIV prevention initiatives by removing earmarks in last year's Global AIDS bill that required 33% of prevention funding to go towards undefined abstinence-until-marriage programs. For a number of reasons, women and girls are biologically, socially, and economically more vulnerable to HIV infection than men, said Lee. Our current HIV prevention strategy, however, fails to effectively target the needs of women and girls to their increased vulnerability to HIV. We have an obligation to better address the specific needs of women in this horrible pandemic. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-responds-to-senate-intelligence-committees-report-on-bush-administrations-wmd-intelligence,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to Senate Intelligence Committees Report on Bush Administrations WMD Intelligence,2004-07-08,2004,2004-07,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"07.08.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to Senate Intelligence Committee's Report on Bush Administration's WMD Intelligence Committee Calls Bush Administration's Work an Intelligence Failure Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded the Senate Intelligence Committee's 512-page report on the misleading and inaccurate pre-war intelligence on Iraq. The scathing report, in the words of one news outlet, reports how the U.S. intelligence agencies manipulated and manufactured intelligence to claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction in order to justify war against Iraq. The report calls claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction wrong and based on overstated Central Intelligence Agency analyses.On the day of the report, the number of American deaths in Iraq climbed over the 1000-person mark. Untold thousands of Iraqis and other internationals have also been killed. Once again, we get a report that calls the Bush Administration's intelligence inaccurate and wrong, said Lee. We had other options. United Nations inspectors in Iraq were doing their job, and they should have been allowed to continue doing their work. In opposition to President Bush's authorization to go into Iraq, Lee offered a resolution (H.AMDT.608 to H.J.RES.114) that would have allowed the UN inspectors to remain in Iraq. Even under the enormous pressure leveled by the Bush Administration, who questioned opponents' patriotism, 72 Members of Congress voted for the resolution. Knowing what we know now about this misleading intelligence, if we held another vote on my resolution, I feel sure that we would get many, many more votes, said Lee. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-joins-members-of-congress-in-calling-for-un-election-monitors-for-2004-presidential-election,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins Members of Congress in Calling for UN Election Monitors for 2004 Presidential Election,2004-07-07,2004,2004-07,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"07.07.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins Members of Congress in Calling for UN Election Monitors for 2004 Presidential Election Washington, DC At a press conference this morning on the release of a letter to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan calling for United Nations election monitors for the 2004 Presidential Election, Congresswoman Barbara Lee made the following comments: The intent of our letter is simple: we are asking that the central right of our democracy or any democracy be upheld: the right to vote. That seems basic enough. After all, we pride ourselves on being the greatest democracy in the world. We pride ourselves on exporting our democratic beliefs by sending election observers to other parts of the world to ensure that there are free and fair elections. I myself have been privileged to participate in this process: first in South Africa in 1994 during the historic presidential election of Nelson Mandela and in the Nigerian 1999 presidential election. My question is: if we attempt to ensure free and fair elections for other countries, why wouldn't we do the same for our own elections? Why wouldn't we want to encourage transparency in our own elections process? As we have been recently reminded by Fahrenheit 9/11, there are very good reasons why we need election monitors. In the 2000 Presidential Election, we saw hundreds of thousands of voters denied their fundamental right to vote. We had voters trying to decipher unreadable and confusing ballots, voters who were intimidated and didn't make it to the polls, voters who made it to the polls but were denied the right to vote, voters who should have voted but were systematically purged from the rolls as felons. Already, there are signs that we may have similar problems this year. Just last week, The Miami Herald found that more than 2,100 people who were classified as ineligible to vote because of felony records have actually been restored through the state's clemency process. I know that this report is just the tip of the iceberg, and unless we put in place measures to ensure that there are free and fair elections, including the use of UN monitors, we will once again see hundreds of thousands of people denied this absolutely fundamental right of our democracy. That is unconscionable, and that is a shame. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/miembros-del-comit-financiero-de-la-cmara-de-representantes-buscan-crdito-cra-para-instituciones-financieras-que-ofrecen-giros,Miembros del Comit Financiero de la Cmara de Representantes Buscan Crdito CRA para Instituciones Financieras Que Ofrecen Giros,2004-07-01,2004,2004-07,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"07.01.04 Miembros del Comit Financiero de la Cmara de Representantes Buscan Crdito CRA para Instituciones Financieras Que Ofrecen Giros WASHINGTON, DC La Rep. Lee hoy le urgi a los cuarto reguladores de bancos a examinar la posibilidad de permitir que las instituciones financieras que ofrecen servicios de giros internacionales para individuos de bajos ingresos reclamen crditos de la Acta de reinversin en la comunidad (CRA por sus siglas en ingls.) La Rep. Lee hizo las siguientes declaraciones sobre el impacto positivo de permitir el crdito CRA para las instituciones financieras reguladas por la Oficina del Contralor de la Moneda (OCC por sus siglas en ingles) quienes ofrecen servicios de giros internacionales:Inmigrantes latinoamericanos contribuyen un estimado $450 mil millones de dlares a la economa estadounidense. Giros son una necesidad central para muchos de nuestros residente de bajos ingresos, quienes mantienen enlaces fuertes con sus familias en Amrica latina y en otras regiones del mundo, y ellos beneficiaran mucho de mas competicin y costos bajos en el mercado de giros. La cantidad de giros enviados a Amrica Latina aumento desde $10 mil millones en 1996 hasta $32 mil millones en 2003. De acuerdo al Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) emigrantes de Amrica latina viviendo en los estados unidos enviaran casi $40 mil millones para sus pases de origen en el 2.004. Los estados unidos es el mercado mayor y mas activo para giros enviados a Amrica Latina. Sin embargo, estoy preocupado que el costo de giros para consumidores en los estados unidos no han experimentado disminucin adecuada con el aumento de la cantidad de giros remitidos y la incorporacin de nuevas entidades, como bancos, al mercado. El crdito CRA es una forma de animar a instituciones financieras reguladas a entrar al mercado EEUU-Mxico, lo cual puede resultar en beneficios competitivos que bajaran los cosos para los consumidores. Con el aumento consistente del nmero de giros enviados de estados no asociado por lo general con migracin de Amrica Latina, es claro que los giros ya no son un fenmeno local. Por medio de permitir que las instituciones financieras reguladas por el OCC puedan recibir el crdito CRA podemos asegurar que los inmigrantes tengan la oportunidad de envirar giros con seguridad a sus pases de origen y tambin puedan participar completamente en el mercado de servicios financieros, concluyo la Rep. Lee. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/https//lee.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/state-department-backs-down-temporarily-on-interrupting-americans-study-at,State Department Backs Down Temporarily on Interrupting Americans Study at Cuban Medical School,2004-06-30,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/ongresswoman-barbara-lee-disappointed-by-secretary-of-state-powells-failure-to-call-sudan-crisis-genocide,ongresswoman Barbara Lee Disappointed by Secretary of State Powells Failure to Call Sudan Crisis Genocide,2004-06-29,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.29.04 ongresswoman Barbara Lee Disappointed by Secretary of State Powell's Failure to Call Sudan Crisis Genocide Lee Says Powell Should Condemn Khartoum Government Washington, DC -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) expressed concern today that Secretary of State Colin Powell, on a trip to Sudan with United Nations (UN) Security General Kofi Annan, refused to declare the ethnically-motivated murder of tens of thousands of people genocide. With the designation of the Sudan crisis as genocide, any country party to the Genocide Convention can ask relevant UN bodies to take appropriate action to prevent or stop the killing, including bringing the issue before the International Court of Justice. The International Court has the authority to order immediate protective measures.Annan has previously called the situation the world's worst humanitarian crisis, but when Powell was asked by reporters about whether the situation constituted genocide, Powell responded, Let's not put a label on things. We know what the situation is like, we know what we have to do and we're going to do it. I am pleased that Secretary Powell has gone to Sudan to view this horrible crisis, but I am disappointed that, once again, we are seeing a lot of talk from this Administration, but no real action, said Lee. The Administration's rhetoric and concern over the situation in Sudan is simply not enough. They need to push the Khartoum Government to take responsibility for their role in this genocide. We demand action. Without emergency assistance, the killing of thousands of lives will continue. That assistance will begin as soon as the Bush Administration says what the world already knows: genocide is occurring in the Sudan. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-announces-35-million-for-port-of-oakland-50-foot-dredging-project,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $35 Million for Port of Oakland 50-Foot Dredging Project,2004-06-24,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.24.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces $35 Million for Port of Oakland 50-Foot Dredging Project Energy and Water Appropriations Bill Passes House Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) announced today that the Fiscal Year 2005 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, which passed the House on a vote of 370-16, includes $35 million for the Port of Oakland's 50-foot dredging project. The dredging project underpins an $800 million expansion project funded by the Port, which will improve the infrastructure at Oakland by expanding capacity and increasing efficiencies throughout the cargo distribution chain. I am very excited that the Port of Oakland's dredging project will receive such a significant amount of funding, said Lee. This money will enable our port to continue to be a vital economic engine for the 9th Congressional District and for the region and state. The 50 foot dredging project will translate into more commerce for the Port, more revenue for our community, and more jobs for our people. Projections for the Port's expansion project indicate that that the project will create 8,800 jobs, increase business revenue by $1.9 billion, and expand local tax revenues by $55.5 million. 100% of the dredged materials will be reused for wetlands restoration, habitat enhancement, and upland use within the San Francisco Bay Area. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-joins-michael-moore-in-press-conference-on-fahrenheit-911,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins Michael Moore in Press Conference on Fahrenheit 911,2004-06-23,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.23.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins Michael Moore in Press Conference on Fahrenheit 911 Lee, Who Appears in Film, Praises Moore's Exposure of Bush Propaganda Machine Washington, DC - For a press conference today with the Congressional Black Caucus and Michael Moore on Moore's Fahrenheit 911, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement:""Michael Moore has a history of telling the story that needs to be told, exposing the truths often buried under right-wing rhetoric. And thankfully, Mr. Moore has done this again in Fahrenheit 911. Mr. Moore tells the American public what many of us have known all along, but have been unable to convey on C-Span the way that Michael Moore does on the big screen."" ""Michael Moore's account of this crucial era in American history is important because it exposes the propaganda machine that has been used by the Bush Administration. Sadly, the story of this propaganda machine has continued beyond the film, and the actions that have been taken in the past few weeks and months by Republicans and American corporations to try to stop this movie actually confirms what Fahrenheit 911 conveys: that anything contrary to the beliefs of the Bush Administration will not be tolerated."" ""Just this morning, wire reports indicate that the Republicans are going to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission that somehow this film violates the blackout rules under Shays-Meehan. That is crazy: Mr. Moore is not a political candidate. In fact, he's not even a registered Democrat."" ""This is an issue of free speech, and yet again, the very fact that this complaint is going to be filed is proof again that Republicans will use every means within their power to suppress any message that is counter to their own. I believe that patriotism involves a willingness to hear other voices, which is what our country is all about: multiple voices, not one voice."" ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-praises-house-passage-of-child-nutrition-and-integrity-act,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Praises House Passage of Child Nutrition and Integrity Act,2004-06-23,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.23.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Praises House Passage of Child Nutrition and Integrity Act Lee's Provision on Required Labeling for Irradiation Food Included in Bill Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today celebrated the passage of S. 2507, the Child Nutrition and Integrity Act, which passed the House of Representatives by voice vote. Lee was successful in adding a provision to the base text requiring proper notice for irradiated food served as part of the National School Lunch and Breakfast program.Lee originally introduced the provision on September 17, 2003, as H.R. 3120, The Right to Know Student Nutrition Act. As written into the Child Nutrition bill, Lee's provision will require schools that serve irradiated food to provide notification to parents and children about what constitutes irradiated food and will require proper labeling and separate handling of such irradiated products. Lee was alerted to the issue after the Berkeley School Board moved to ban irradiated food products following passage of the 2002 Farm Bill, which relaxed the rules preventing school districts from purchasing irradiated food products. I'm very happy that this bill passed, and I'm happy that the key components of my original bill are in the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act, said Lee. Our parents and children must be kept informed about what our children are consuming. I hope that if school districts do decide to serve these products, they provide an alternative meal to those students who don't want to eat irradiated food. I am pleased to hear that Congresswoman's Lee provision for the labeling of irradiated food has passed the House of Representatives, said Assemblywoman Loni Hancock. She and I started on the path together earlier this year by jointly introducing legislation at the federal and state levels. We are both supporters of parents' and students' rights to have sound information on irradiated foods so that parents and students can make informed choices. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-calls-for-bush-administration-to-end-genocide-in-darfur,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls for Bush Administration to End Genocide in Darfur,2004-06-22,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.22.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls for Bush Administration to End Genocide in Darfur Washington, DC For a press conference today calling on the Bush Administration to address seriously the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement:We are here today to push the international community and the Bush Administration to act now to address this horrible crisis, which is nothing short of genocide. The Administration's rhetoric and concern over the situation in Sudan is simply not enough. We are here today to demand action. It is impossible to describe the urgency of our need to act. Hundreds of thousands are dying and that blood will be on the hands of not only this Administration but the entire international community if we fail to act on the lessons we learned 10 years ago in Rwanda. The Bush administration must first recognize what the overwhelming evidence shows and reality is: a genocide is taking place in Darfur. Then the Administration and indeed the entire international community must commit the resources that genocide demands. USAID estimates that at least 3.5 million people will die if no one in the international community stops this massacre and delivers emergency humanitarian assistance immediately. Nevertheless, in spite of this evidence, the Bush Administration continues to praise the Khartoum government as a participant in the Sudan peace process.' How can their actions be called peaceful? The actions of the Khartoum government are completely devoid of the true spirit of peace. Without our express concern and emergency assistance, the killing will continue. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of that tragedy. Hundreds of thousands of lives hang in the balance. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-responds-to-president-bushs-decision-to-name-vietnam-as-15th-country-for-global-aids-initiative,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to President Bushs Decision to Name Vietnam as 15th Country for Global AIDS Initiative,2004-06-22,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.22.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to President Bush's Decision to Name Vietnam as 15th Country for Global AIDS Initiative Condoms Must Be Part of Strategy in Vietnam Washington, DC In response to President Bush's announcement today that Vietnam has been chosen as the 15th focus country for the Global AIDS initiative, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement:Vietnam faces real challenges in its struggle against HIV/AIDS, with intravenous drug users making up 60% of those infected. The President must embrace condom use as part of a comprehensive prevention strategy if we are to prevent the disease from spreading to the general population. But we also need the President to live up to his promises and provide full funding to our Global HIV/AIDS initiative if we are to tackle not only Vietnam but India, Russia and China. That means that we need nothing less than $3.6 billion this year. Congresswoman Lee, who co-authored the U.S. Leadership Against Global HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, also introduced H.R. 4449, which called for India to be the 15th country in the Global AIDS initiative. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/la-economa-de-bush-abandona-a-los-latinos,La economa de Bush abandona a los latinos,2004-06-17,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.17.04 La economa de Bush abandona a los latinos Washington, DC Con pocas sorpresas sobre las ltimas estadsticas sobre las prdidas de empleo y la tasa general de desempleo, la congresista Barbara Lee le hizo un llamado hoy a la administracin de Bush y los republicanos en el Congreso a que se unan a los demcratas en sus esfuerzos por mejorar las vidas de los latinos y de todos los estadounidenses, en vez de ofuscarse en los recortes de impuestos y en polticas econmicas que solamente benefician a los que contribuyen dinero para las campaas de los republicanos.La fuerza laboral de los latinos en Estados Unidos es esencial para el xito y la prosperidad de nuestra economa. Hay ms de 16 millones de trabajadores latinos en Estados Unidos y con 35% de los latinos menores de 18 aos de edad, esta comunidad seguir creciendo, dijo la congresista Lee. Sin embargo, mientras el crecimiento del os latinos es parte de la espina dorsal de la economa estadounidense, las oportunidades, el avance y la compensacin han seguido fallando en crecer a la par con su importancia. De hecho, la economa de Bush ech hacia atrs bastante del progreso que los latinos disfrutaron bajo el mandato del presidente Clinton. La economa de Bush ha sido daina, en particular para la comunidad latina. El desempleo entre los latinos ha subido un 20% desde que el presidente Bush entr a la Casa Blanca y, a pesar de que el alega que se crearn 2.4 millones de empleos para fines de su mandato, el desempleo para los latinos fue de 7% en mayo, aadi la congresista Lee. Del total de la cantidad de empleos perdidos entre enero a febrero de 2004 (265,000), 52% fueron latinos (138,000). Evidentemente ha habido una reduccin dramtica en los empleos de los latinos que ha sido facilitado por una combinacin de recortes de impuestos inefectivos y una falta de suficiente inversin en programas de empleo que han sido exitosos para los latinos en el pasado. Las promesas huecas y repetidas que sus recortes de impuestos levantaran a todos result en un alivio financiero que favorece desproporcionadamente a sus contribuyentes ricos a expensas de la salud de todos el pas, dijo la congresista Lee. Los demcratas lucharon contra estos recortes de impuestos porque saban el dao que estos causaran a la nacin, especialmente a la comunidad latina. Por otro lado, los demcratas lucharon por un crdito contributivo infantil ms abarcador, mientras que los republicanos dejaron a 4.1 millones de nios latinos sin un centavo. Los republicanos decan que los recortes de impuestos ayudaran a todos los estadounidenses, pero el latino promedio solo recibi $30 devuelta bajo el recorte de impuestos a los dividendos de las acciones (en la bolsa de valores). Los demcratas lucharon por una medida bi-partidista que fue aprobado por el Senado 94-2 que le hubiese otorgado alivios contributivos a los soldados de este pas, pero los republicanos en la Cmara eliminaron ese lenguaje en la conferencia legislativa. Ms de dos aos luego de que los recortes de impuestos fueron aprobados, estos han fallado en levantar a todos, con una tasa de desempleo de 5.6%, y la comunidad latina tiene una tasa de 7%. El hecho es que el desempleo en la comunidad latina ha subido a una tasa alarmante bajo esta administracin, especialmente preocupante si se considera que la tasa de participacin laboral de los latinos es ms alta que ningn otro grupo tnico, y hasta ms alta que el promedio nacional, dijo la congresista Lee. Mientras que 68.7% de los latinos participaron en la fuerza laboral durante el ao pasado, su desempleo despeg a 1,370,000 en enero de 2004. Cuando los latinos estn participando en la fuerza laboral sin el beneficio de un empleo a tiempo completo, ellos sufren una desventaja particular porquen o gozan del as mismas garantas de protecciones ene l trabajo y beneficios asegurados en las leyes laborales. Estos nmeros demuestran las verdaderas intenciones de una administracin que est dispuesta a aceptar el trabajo de la comunidad latino, mientras que ignora la necesidad ms amplia de empleos a tiempo completo para la cantidad creciente de los latinos desempleados, concluy la congresista Lee. Los republicanos dicen que entienden a la comunidad latina y que pueden hablar espaol si quisieran, pero hasta que no cumplan con lo que prometan con soluciones que demuestren un verdadero entendimiento de la comunidad latina, ellos seguirn contribuyendo a detener el progreso del a comunidad latina y de todos los Estados Unidos, como ha sido evidenciado por el camino desastroso por el que nos han llevado en los ltimos aos. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-and-democrats-defeat-legislation-that-would-have-allowed-drilling-in-the-alaska-national-wildlife-refuge-anwr,Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Democrats Defeat Legislation That Would Have Allowed Drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR),2004-06-16,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.16.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Democrats Defeat Legislation That Would Have Allowed Drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Republicans Forced to Pull Bill Due to Lack of Support Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded the efforts of opponents of drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), who won a major victory when Republicans were forced to pull the ANWR bill, a day after they postponed a vote on the bill several times in order to drum up support.In previous years, House Republicans have sought to approve oil drilling in ANWR at the behest of the energy industry and over the outcries of Democrats and environmental groups alike. But thanks to Senate Democrats, who have consistently managed to kill the initiative through a filibuster threat, oil drilling has never been approved in the pristine Alaskan wilderness lands. But this year, under heavy pressure from House Democrats and with the support of key Republican votes, the Republican leadership was not even able to gather enough support to bring the vote to the House floor without risking major embarrassment. I'm glad that the House Republican Leadership's effort to destroy ANWR was defeated, said Lee. Even if we drained every drop of oil out of the wilderness, it would be consumed within 6 months. And then what? We go somewhere else and drill? That's hardly the answer. We should be supporting alternative solutions to reform our energy policy in its entirety so that we reduce our dependence on oil and natural gas, said Lee. The Arctic refuge is a fragile ecosystem. If we allow drilling to spoil this natural environment, we can never go back and make it whole. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-calls-9/11-commission-finding-on-no-iraq-al-qaeda-connection-confirmation-that-bush-administration-misled-american-people,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls 9/11 Commission Finding on No Iraq-Al Qaeda Connection Confirmation that Bush Administration Misled American People,2004-06-15,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.15.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls 9/11 Commission Finding on No Iraq-Al Qaeda Connection Confirmation that Bush Administration Misled American People Washington, DC In response to a preliminary report by the 9/11 Commission, which found that, contrary to the repeated claims of the Bush Administration, there was no credible evidence between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein's Iraq regime, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement:This report by the 9/11 Commission confirms what we've known all along: the Bush Administration did not tell the truth to the American people. There was no connection between al Qaeda and Iraq, no connection between 9-11 and Iraq. President Bush and Vice President Cheney believe that if they say over and over that there is an Iraq-al Qaeda connection they will be able to deceive the American people. But no amount of repetition can create a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda. Even the President's own handpicked 9/11 commission now has said that there is no connection. As a result of the Bush Administration's misguided actions, the world is a more dangerous place, not less dangerous; innocent men and women are dying every day; and billions of dollars are being misspent on this war instead of funding absolutely essential programs for Americans, including education, health care, housing, and homeland security. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/us-house-of-representatives-passes-congresswoman-barbara-lees-orphans-and-vulnerable-children-act,U.S. House of Representatives Passes Congresswoman Barbara Lees Orphans and Vulnerable Children Act,2004-06-13,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.13.04 U.S. House of Representatives Passes Congresswoman Barbara Lee's Orphans and Vulnerable Children Act Washington, DC The House of Representatives today passed H.R. 4061, the Assistance for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2004. The bill, introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), a recognized Congressional leader on domestic and international HIV and AIDS issues, seeks to provide a comprehensive United States response to the continuing global problem of orphaned and vulnerable children, exacerbated in the last decade by the growing global AIDS pandemic. Every 14 seconds, another child is orphaned by AIDS. Without parents, these children are left without food, shelter, education, and protection. As of 2001, 110 million children were orphaned throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. The Orphans and Vulnerable Children Act would better coordinate and provide assistance in support of basic care; treatment for HIV-infected children; psychosocial support; school food programs; and inheritance rights for orphans and vulnerable children. I'm very happy that the House has agreed to move forward on this issue, so that we can provide a more effective US response to the global orphan and vulnerable children crisis, said Lee. The spread of AIDS has only added to the urgent necessity to provide care for the world's most vulnerable populations. These children are victims, and we have a moral duty to address their needs. I look forward to my colleagues in the Senate taking up this bill, so that we can get resources to help these victims. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-appalled-by-actions-of-enron-employees,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Appalled by Actions of Enron Employees,2004-06-02,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.02.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Appalled by Actions of Enron Employees Tapes Show that Enron Manipulated California Energy Market Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today attacked the actions of Enron Corporation employees for discussing the manipulation of the California power market during the Western energy crisis in 2000-2001. In tapes of telephone conversations released yesterday, Enron traders openly joked about stealing money from California consumers. A class action lawsuit is currently pending before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Some analysts estimate that Californians alone were cheated out of $9 billion.Lee joined other California Congressional Democrats last month in an amicus brief to the 9th Circuit, demanding that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) move more quickly in its case against the energy companies to ensure that Californians are returned the money that they were overcharged. I am disgusted by these tapes and the actions of these Enron officials, said Lee, They do confirm, however, our belief that Enron and other energy companies willingly manipulated the energy market. We must crack down on these illegal business practices, and the FERC must move more quickly to return the billions that California consumers are owed. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-applauds-resignation-of-cia-director-george-tenet,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Resignation of CIA Director George Tenet,2004-06-02,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.02.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Resignation of CIA Director George Tenet Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today welcomed the resignation of Central Intelligence Authority (CIA) Director George Tenet. Tenet has been under fire most recently for reports that the former President of the Iraqi National Congress, Ahmad Chalabi, had been given CIA national security secrets, which he then allegedly passed on to the Iranian government. More broadly, though, Tenet has taken the blame for a series of catastrophic intelligence failures, including 9/11 and erroneous claims about the presence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. According to Bob Woodward's recent book, Plan of Attack, Tenet told President Bush that the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq represented a slam-dunk case.In October 2002, in the debates over the authorization of military action against Iraq, Lee introduced an amendment that would have forced the President to allow the UN inspectors in Iraq to complete their work. Lee said at the time, Our decision today is further weighted by the fact that we are being asked to sanction a new foreign policy doctrine that gives the President the power to launch a unilateral and preemptive first strike against Iraq before we have utilized our diplomatic options. My amendment provides an option and the time to pursue it. Its goal is to give the United Nations inspections process a chance to work. The amendment received 72 votes. Under the influence of Tenet's CIA intelligence, President Bush moved forward with the war against Iraq. Had the inspections process been allowed to go on, a war with Iraq, which has cost more than more than 800 American lives, thousands of Iraqi lives, as well as the lives of other nationals, would likely have been averted. Clearly, the CIA under Director Tenet's direction has made a series of costly missteps, and it is clear that their intelligence on the Weapons of Mass Destruction was wrong. We had inspectors in the country, and given the time they needed to complete their work, they would have discovered what we know now. This has been a failure of leadership, which is not just limited to Mr. Tenet, but should be extended to many members of the Bush Administration. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/press-release-from-congresswoman-barbara-lee,Press Release from Congresswoman Barbara Lee,2004-06-02,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.02.04 Press Release from Congresswoman Barbara Lee Washington, D.C. La Congresista Lee hizo la siguiente declaracin en torno a el estudio publicado por la Asociacin Nacional de Oficiales Elegidos y Nombrados (NALEO por sus siglas en Ingles):Segn los analistas polticos y un informe recientemente anunciado por la Asociacin Nacional de Funcionarios Electos Latinos (NALEO pos su siglas en ingles), se espera que casi siete millones de Latinos voten en las elecciones presidenciales. Estas proyecciones tambin revelan que los Latinos tendrn un impacto enorme en algunos estados donde las batallas entre los partidos eran algunas de las ms feroces, incluyendo Arizona, Colorado, Florida y Nuevo Mxico. Ms Latinos estarn votando en las elecciones de Noviembre de 2004 que en cualquier otro momento en la historia de nuestro pas. NALEO proyecta que mas de un milln de Latinos van a votar por Presidente en 2004 que en las elecciones del 2003, un record nuevo para la comunidad Latina. Como el segundo grupo ms grande, los Latinos estn listos para jugar un papel crtico en determinar quien ser nuestro presidente nuevo. Las proyecciones de NALEO, que son basadas en el crecimiento de la poblacin Latina en las ultimas do dcadas, reflejan los logros polticos de una comunidad que esta ansiosa de participar en el proceso democrtico. Le suplico a todos los Latinos que se registren para votar en Noviembre, y que ejerciten su derecho en Noviembre. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-calls-on-khartoum-government-to-halt-support-of-violence-in-darfur-and-northern-uganda,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls on Khartoum Government to Halt Support of Violence in Darfur and Northern Uganda,2004-06-01,2004,2004-06,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"06.01.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls on Khartoum Government to Halt Support of Violence in Darfur and Northern Uganda Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), member of the Congressional Human Rights Coalition, issued the following statement today: I stand in solidarity with the Darfur Union and the people struggling for survival in Darfur. The Khartoum government has not been an honest broker in the ongoing peace talks, as is evident in the genocide occurring in Darfur and their continued support of violence in Northern Uganda. The United States, the European Union, African Union, and others in the international community must make Darfur a priority and act immediately to stop the atrocities taking place. If the international community stands by and allows the slaughter of innocent people, we will not have learned our lesson from the Rwandan genocide where 1 million people were killed in 100 days. I join Members of Congress and community activists in calling on the Khartoum government to stop these atrocities and honestly work for peace in the Sudan. And lastly, I call upon the President to withhold any normalization of relations with Sudan. We must do what is necessary to bring an end to this conflict and to bring security to the long-suffering people of Darfur. Our challenge as a nation supporting global leadership and supporting democracy, freedom, and humanity depends on it. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-introduces-bill-to-reform-iraqi-prisons,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bill to Reform Iraqi Prisons,2004-05-23,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.23.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bill to Reform Iraqi Prisons Bill Calls for International Commission to Monitor U.S.-Held Prisons Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) has introduced H.R. 4448, which would create an international commission to ensure compliance with the Geneva Convention in U.S.-held prisons in Iraq. According to Lee's bill, this commission should include representatives from the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, the Iraqi transitional government, Iraqi civil society, the United Nations, and U.S. and Coalition armed forces. The revelations of the incidents at Abu Ghraib have been a damaging blow to the reputation of our country, said Lee. Now is the time for the United States not only to take responsibility at the highest levels for its actions but to take steps to ensure compliance with the Geneva Convention and to assure the Iraqi people and the international community that we are abiding by international law. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-and-congressional-black-caucus-members-send-letter-to-president-bush-criticizing-administrations-new-cuba-policy,Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressional Black Caucus Members Send Letter to President Bush Criticizing Administrations New Cuba Policy,2004-05-20,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.20.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressional Black Caucus Members Send Letter to President Bush Criticizing Administration's New Cuba Policy Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and nine other Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Members late last night sent a letter to President Bush criticizing his endorsement of the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba report. During yesterday's Cuban Independence Day festivities, President Bush hailed the report's findings, which would strengthen the travel embargo and have harsh effects on African Americans and Afro-Cubans.Lee and the CBC members wrote, Although we have reservations about many aspects of the report, we are especially troubled by the implications of the new licensing restrictions on people of African descent both in the United States and in Cuba. This report is one-sided and ignores pertinent facts. For instance, the report condemns the Cuban political system because only 33% of the Cuban National Assembly is Afro-Cuban but ignores the fact that only 7% of the US Congress is African American. Additionally, over a quarter of Cuba's provincial leaders are black, whereas we do not have a single African American governor in this country. At the very least, the Cuban government is using social workers and public school system to level the playing field, and we hardly seem to be in a position to criticize Cuba's proportional representation. The letter went on to criticize specific aspects of the report, saying that the plan's recommendations were detrimental to American-Cuban relations. The Commission proposes restricting educational exchange programs, leading Members to be concerned that American students at the Latin American Medical School may be affected. Additionally, they claimed that the limitations on Cuban-American familial visits would penalize recent Cuban immigrants, who are disproportionately of African descent. Instead of these harmful proposals, Lee and CBC members said that humanitarian and cultural exchanges should be promoted, especially between American minorities and Cubans; and H. Con. Res. 47 should be passed, which recognizes the plight and role of people of African descent throughout the Americas. The letter also called for an end to the travel ban and embargo. The letter ended with a warning that the President's new policy towards Cuba will have severely adverse effects on Cubans and Americans, alike. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-introduces-bill-calling-for-india-to-be-added-to-us-global-aids-focus-list,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bill Calling for India to be Added to U.S. Global AIDS Focus List,2004-05-20,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.20.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bill Calling for India to be Added to U.S. Global AIDS Focus List Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) late last night introduced a bill intended to emphasize the importance of assisting India in its fight against AIDS by adding it as the 15th country under the authority of the Global AIDS Coordinator. H.R. 4449 would give Ambassador Randall Tobias the mandate to move more aggressively with U.S. assistance to combat the growing AIDS epidemic in India. The bill is co-sponsored by Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ).As the world's largest democracy with a population of over one billion people, the Republic of India stands at a crossroads in its response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Estimates are that 4.58 million people may already be infected, putting India just behind South Africa as the country with the largest total disease burden. According to the National Intelligence Council, without the urgent implementation of a sizable, coordinated, and sustained response to the epidemic, India could have as many as 25 million cases of HIV/AIDS by the end of the decade. It is important that we move to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in India, said Lee. India is at a turning point in this fight, and we should stand ready to help the Indian people. We need to do this now. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-rails-at-hud-secretarys-statement-that-being-poor-is-state-of-mind,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Rails at HUD Secretarys Statement that Being Poor Is State of Mind,2004-05-19,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.19.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Rails at HUD Secretary's Statement that Being Poor Is State of Mind Comment Comes During Hearing with Housing Committee Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today condemned Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Alfonso Jackson's statement, I do not believe being poor is a condition. I believe it is a state of mind. Secretary Jackson, who was recently named by the Bush Administration as HUD Secretary, was making his first appearance before the Subcommittee on Housing, which has oversight of HUD.Joined by other Members on the Housing committee, Lee led the charge against Jackson, saying that his statement -- and the mindset that it revealed -- was a disgrace and insult to the millions of Americans who are victims of the Bush Administration's harsh policies. It's obvious then, Lee said, why you're cutting Hope VI, Shelter Plus, and all the other homeless programs. Under President Bush's FY 05 budget, Section 8 funding is $1.63 billion below the level necessary to renew all Section 8 assistance; care for the chronic homeless is cut by $128 million, and the Hope VI program is terminated. Afterwards, Lee said, The Secretary's statement was really unconscionable and insensitive. I defy the Secretary to tell all those people looking for jobs in this horrible economy; all those people who spend night after night in the cold; and all those working poor and their families who must live in transitional shelters because the cost of housing is so high that poor is a state of mind.' ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/progressive-caucus-protests-rejection-of-iraq-related-amendments-by-house-republicans,Progressive Caucus Protests Rejection of Iraq-Related Amendments by House Republicans,2004-05-18,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.18.04 Progressive Caucus Protests Rejection of Iraq-Related Amendments by House Republicans Not One Progressive Caucus Member's Amendment Included in Floor Debate Washington, DC Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) decried the House Republicans' unwillingness to accept any Progressive Caucus Members' amendments for the debate on H.R. 4200, the Defense Authorization Act. H.R. 4200 includes the $25 billion that the Bush Administration recently requested to continue the war in Iraq. This bill includes an authorization for a third installment on the war in Iraq, and yet the House Republicans refuse any debate on serious amendments that want to examine the conduct of this war, said Lee. That's outrageous and an insult to the American people. ""This is yet another attempt by the Republicans in Congress and the Administration to stifle debate on the war, stated Kucinich. This Congress has failed in its oversight of this Administration's policy in Iraq. Now, as we are being asked to authorize another $25 billion to continue the occupation, the Republican majority is once again preventing real and honest debate. Some of the amendments rejected: DeFazio: Would have prohibited the Pentagon from continuing to provide taxpayer money to Ahmad Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress for intelligence collection. Jackson Lee: Would have directed the Department of Defense to conduct a full review into the situations in which women are placed within the Armed Forces, specifically focusing on the intimidation many women in the Armed Forces face in relation to higher ranking male officers. Kucinich: Would have provided that not later than 60 days, the President would transmit to Congress, in unclassified form, a report setting forth the criteria for the withdrawal of all United States combat forces from Iraq, or in short, an exit strategy. Kucinich: Would have expressed the sense of Congress that the United States has no long-term military intentions in Iraq and the United States will not create any permanent military bases in Iraq. Lee: Would have directed the executive branch to work to create an international commission to monitor compliance with the Geneva Convention in U.S.-held prisons in Iraq; the commission would have included representatives from the International Red Cross, the International Red Crescent, the transitional government in Iraq, Iraqi civil society, the United Nations, and the United States and Coalition armed forces. Sanders: Would have prohibited companies from receiving future defense contracts if they lay off a greater percentage of U.S. workers than workers in other countries. Schakowsky: Would have required monthly reporting on contracts for services in Iraq and Afghanistan between the United States and private companies in excess of $1 million. Serrano: Would have identified and provided health screenings for military personnel who are or have been exposed to depleted uranium contaminants. Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/republicans-reject-congresswoman-barbara-lees-efforts-to-reform-iraqi-prisons-and-protect-democracies,Republicans Reject Congresswoman Barbara Lees Efforts to Reform Iraqi Prisons and Protect Democracies,2004-05-18,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.18.04 Republicans Reject Congresswoman Barbara Lee's Efforts to Reform Iraqi Prisons and Protect Democracies Lee Amendments Would Have Created International Monitoring Commission to Ensure Compliance with Geneva Convention Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) this morning learned that the Republican-controlled House Rules Committee refused to allow her amendments on Iraqi prison reform to the Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 4200. H.R. 4200 includes the $25 billion that the Bush Administration hastily included to continue the war in Iraq.One of Lee's amendments called for an international commission to oversee U.S.-held prisons in Iraq to ensure that the administration of these prisons complies with Geneva Convention accords. That commission would have included representatives from the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, the Iraqi transitional government, Iraqi civil society, the United Nations, and U.S. and Coalition armed forces. Another Lee amendment on Iraqi prison reform called for the creation of a database of all detained persons in Iraq in U.S. custody that, to the extent practicable, would have been available to Iraqi family members. We have an enormous human rights crisis in these prisons, and the Republicans are again ceded our constitutional duty to oversee the President's foreign policy, said Lee. The Geneva Convention is neither quaint nor obsolete, and these amendments would have ensured compliance and helped to restore badly damaged US credibility. Instead of serious amendments to address these issues, the House Republicans have opted for a non-binding amendment that merely expresses their concern about the abuse of Iraqi prisoners. That's a sham and a shame. A third Lee amendment rejected by Republicans would have prohibited Department of Defense (DoD) spending on the overthrow of democratically elected governments. Borne out of the Bush Administration's alleged involvement in the recent coup in Haiti and inspired by former Massachusetts Rep. Edward Boland's famous amendment prohibiting the Reagan Administration from using money to fund the Nicaraguan contras, Lee's amendment called for a ban of the use of DoD funds for military training, equipment, or other support aimed at the overthrow of a democratically elected government. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-awaits-fate-of-three-amendments-to-defense-authorization-act-which-includes-new-25-billion-appropriations-for-iraq,"Congresswoman Barbara Lee Awaits Fate of Three Amendments to Defense Authorization Act, Which Includes New $25 Billion Appropriations for Iraq",2004-05-17,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.17.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Awaits Fate of Three Amendments to Defense Authorization Act, Which Includes New $25 Billion Appropriations for Iraq Amendments Call for Comprehensive Iraqi Prison Reform, Prisoner Database, and Prohibition on DoD Spending to Overthrow Democratically-Elected Governments Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) testified today before the House Rules Committee in an attempt to have added to the Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 4200, amendments calling for an international commission on the oversight of U.S. prisons in Iraq; the creation of an Iraqi prisoner database; and a prohibition on U.S. spending to overthrow democratically elected governments. H.R. 4200 includes the $25 billion that the Bush Administration hurriedly included to continue the war in Iraq.Lee's amendment on the monitoring of Iraqi prison would seek to create an international commission to ensure compliance with the Geneva Convention in U.S.-held prisons in Iraq. According to Lee's amendment, this commission should include representatives from the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, the Iraqi transitional government, Iraqi civil society, the United Nations, and U.S. and Coalition armed forces. In a related amendment, Lee called for the creation of a database of all detained persons in Iraq in U.S. custody and, to the extent practicable, to make that database available to Iraqi family members of detained persons. Lee also testified on her amendment to prohibit Department of Defense (DoD) funds from being used to overthrow democratically elected governments. The amendment represents an extension of former Massachusetts Congresswoman Edward Boland's famous amendment prohibiting the Reagan Administration from using money to fund the Nicaraguan contras. Lee's amendment would ban the use of funds for military training, equipment, or other support aimed at the overthrow of a democratically elected government. Lee's amendment was inspired by the U.S. government's alleged involvement in the recent overthrown of the Haitian government. Either late tonight or early tomorrow morning, the Rules Committee will announce whether Lee's amendments will be debated during consideration of the bill on the House floor later this week. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-announces-artistic-discovery-winners,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces Artistic Discovery Winners,2004-05-16,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.16.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces Artistic Discovery Winners Winner's Photograph Will Hang in U.S. Capitol for Next Year Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) announced that College Preparatory School Senior Dan Ackerman-Greenberg was the winner of yesterday's 23rd annual Congressional High School Art Competition, Artistic Discovery. Yesterday's event took place at The African American Museum and Library of Oakland.By winning first place, Ackerman-Greenberg will have his photograph, Hug, hung in the U.S. Capitol where it will join other winners from other congressional districts. A ceremony for all winners will be held in Washington, DC in July. Berkeley High School students took home the competition's second and third place prizes. Senior Roberto Huarcaya won second place for Once Was, and Senior Peter Logan won third place for Self Portrait. I was impressed with the efforts of all of the students who participated in Artistic Discovery, said Lee. The creativity and energy of these students and their art is an inspiration to us all. I congratulate Dan and all of the students who took part in the competition. The Artistic Discovery submissions will be on display at The African American Museum and Library of Oakland through May. Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Artistic Discovery winner, College Preparatory School Senior Dan Ackerman-Greenberg, stand in front of Greenberg's winning piece, Hug. Yesterday's event took place at The African American Museum and Library of Oakland. Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-celebrates-50th-anniversary-of-brown-vs-board-of-education,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education,2004-05-16,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.16.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education Washington, DC On the 50th anniversary of the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education decision, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today issued the following statement: Today, we are marking the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education, an enormously important day in the lives of African Americans and in the history of this country. Almost without question, Brown is the most important Supreme Court case of the twentieth century. With Brown, the Court threw out decades of doctrine and centuries of racist practice in this country in their conclusion that Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.' This decision forced this nation to begin to live up to its own promises and its own ideals, and thanks to their efforts and those of many civil rights activists, Brown became the reality of the nation, not just the law of the land. Today, Brown is still the law of the land, but it is no longer a national reality. Legal walls of segregation have been replaced in many areas by de facto separation by neighborhood and community. Our schools are becoming less integrated by the year, and in too many cases, integration has vanished entirely from some schools. Does this mean that Brown v Board of Education failed? No, but it means that our revolution is not yet over. It means that our revolution is still incomplete. On this anniversary, we must rededicate ourselves to carry out the victories that were won so hard 50 years ago by Thurgood Marshall, Linda Brown, and so many others. Today we celebrate that moment, and we rededicate ourselves to ensuring that justice thrives in this country. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/la-congresista-lee-dice-los-demcratas-luchan-para-aumentar-la-cobertura-de-pensiones-para-los-hispanos,La Congresista Lee Dice: Los Demcratas Luchan Para Aumentar La Cobertura de Pensiones Para Los Hispanos,2004-05-13,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.13.04 La Congresista Lee Dice: Los Demcratas Luchan Para Aumentar La Cobertura de Pensiones Para Los Hispanos Oakland, CA La congresista Lee hizo las siguientes declaraciones hoy acerca de los latinos:Mientras el Congreso se acerca al receso de agosto, los demcratas estamos trabajando para darle oportunidades econmicas para todos los estadounidenses. No es un secreto que los latinos ha sido afectado ms negativamente que otros grupos por esta recesin de Bush, y que esta va a ser la comunidad que le va a tomar ms tiempo salir de esta recesin. Un asunto importante que fue dejado fuera del debate republicano es la falta de participacin de los latinos en los programas de pensin: un activo clave para construir un mejor futuro en Estados Unidos. La falta de pensiones y de ahorros entre los latinos hace que los tiempos econmicos difciles como los que vivimos hoy sean ms difciles para el grupo minoritario de mayor crecimiento en los Estados Unidos. De acuerdo al Concilio Nacional de La Raza (NCLR), los trabajadores latinos son los estadounidenses con menos probabilidades de tener acceso o participar dentro de pensiones patronales: 26.3 % de los trabajadores hispanos en el 2001 participaron dentro de un plan de pensin patronal, comparado con un 43.2 % de todos los trabajadores en Estados Unidos. A la misma vez, el total de personas que participan dentro de planes de retiro del sector privado se ha duplicado en las pasadas dos dcadas y los activos del os planes de pensiones representan una cantidad substancial de los ahorros de un hogar tpico en Estados Unidos. La brecha general de ahorros entre los hogares hispanos y los hogares blancos fue de 8 a 1 ($9,750 vs. $79,400) en el 2000, y 12 a 1 si el valor del hogar es excluido, el valor neto de un hogar h abajado dramticamente de $1,850 comparado con $22,566 de un hogar anglo. Los niveles bajos de participacin en las pensiones son factores claves que influyen en que existan estas brechas. La brecha en los ahorros no afecta a los latinos solamente, en trminos de menos oportunidades econmicas sino que tambin las tiene para una nacin que est ms polarizada econmica y socialmente mientras atraviesa cambios demogrficos significativos. Earlier this year, the Bush Administration elevated retirement savings as a cornerstone policy issue. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill also continue to work on pension legislation that focuses on coverage and participation levels, specifically. But legislation President Bush signed on April 8 does not include major provisions directly aimed at expanding pension coverage, shutting many Hispanic Americans out of the opportunity to use pension benefits to build wealth and gain financial security for their retirement years. Moreover, Hispanics have been on the sidelines of the pension coverage policy debate despite how critically important an issue it is. El puente hacia oportunidades econmicas mejores, seguridad y riqueza para los trabajadores latinos se construye, en parte, con la participacin completa de ms trabajadores en los planes de pensin que proveen los patronos. A pesar de que algunos expertos dicen lo contrario, el camino hacia la prosperidad econmica y hacia mayor seguridad en el retiro para ms latinos no es un cambio radical al sistema del Seguro Social; lo podra empeorar la brecha de ahorros an ms. Dado que la cobertura de pensiones es un medio importante para estar dentro de una posicin financiera saludable, los demcratas seguiremos luchando para expandir los niveles de participacin y de cobertura para ayudara aumentar la cantidad de familias hispanas para que sean parte de la clase media. Dado que la dinmica de la fuerza laboral atraviesa cambios constantes, si no nos aseguramos que los trabajadores latinos tengan un lugar importante en la discusin sobre las pensiones, los esfuerzos para lograr una cobertura universal o por lo menos mejoras substanciales al sistema de retiro para los trabajadores estadounidenses podran fracasar. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/media-advisory-23rd-annual-congressional-high-school-art-competition-to-be-held-sunday,MEDIA ADVISORY 23rd Annual Congressional High School Art Competition to be Held Sunday,2004-05-12,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.12.04 MEDIA ADVISORY 23rd Annual Congressional High School Art Competition to be Held Sunday Oakland, CA Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) will be on hand Sunday for the exhibit opening and award presentation of An Artistic Discovery, the 23rd Annual Congressional High School Art Competition. 32 high school students from throughout California's 9th Congressional District are participating in this year's contest, and the winner will go to Washington in June for an awards ceremony with Artistic Discovery winners from around the country. The finalist's piece will hang in the Capitol for the next year. What: 23rd Annual Congressional High School Art Competition: Artistic Discovery When: Sunday, May 16, 2004 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Where: African American Museum and Library of Oakland, 659 14th St., Oakland For more information, please call Jennifer Thompson at 510-763-0370. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-and-congressional-democrats-file-amicus-brief-in-support-of-california-consumers,Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressional Democrats File Amicus Brief in Support of California Consumers,2004-05-11,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.11.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressional Democrats File Amicus Brief in Support of California Consumers Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and California Democratic leaders in the United States Congress and Sacramento announced today that they have jointly filed an amicus brief before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit regarding the inflated prices California citizens and businesses were forced to pay during the 2000-2001 electricity crisis.In a remarkable show of unity and support, the brief was signed by California's United States Senators, all 33 House members, the President pro Tempore of the California State Senate, and the Speaker of California's State Assembly. The vast majority of their constituents suffered significant economic harm during the 2000-2001 electricity crisis as the result of inflated energy prices caused by widespread illegal manipulation of California's energy markets by energy wholesalers and marketers. Unless the Court grants the requested relief, the accounts of consumers will not be permitted. Specifically, the brief asks the Court to clarify a previous order and direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to collect evidence of energy market manipulation in an existing remedy proceeding subject to judicial review. FERC has been adjudicating these issues in non-public proceedings that shut California consumers out of the process. This is not just an issue about cracking these illegal business practices or about protecting the rights of California consumers, said Lee. It is about returning to consumers money that is rightfully theirs, money that they need in order to survive the economic downturn that President Bush has brought about through his tax breaks to the wealthy and to corporations, including the big utility companies. I am proud to be part of this amicus brief, and I call on the 9th Circuit to force the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to make real progress on this case. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-pushes-house-leadership-for-vote-on-orphans-and-vulnerable-children-bill,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Pushes House Leadership for Vote on Orphans and Vulnerable Children Bill,2004-05-05,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.05.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Pushes House Leadership for Vote on Orphans and Vulnerable Children Bill Bill Expected to Be Introduced in Senate Next Week Washington, DC At a press conference this morning organized by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Lee said that she and the 83 co-sponsors of H.R. 4061, The Assistance for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2004, would push the House leadership for a quick vote on this comprehensive United States response to the continuing global problem of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC). As of 2001, 110 million children were orphaned throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Every 14 seconds, another child is orphaned by AIDS. Without parents, these children are left without food, shelter, education, and protection. On March 31, the House International Relations Committee unanimously passed the bill, which would create a separate office in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to better coordinate and provide assistance in support of basic care; treatment for HIV-infected children; psychosocial support; school food programs; educational opportunities through the elimination of school fees; and inheritance rights for OVCs. The bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate next week. Lee said, We are holding this press conference to encourage the House leadership to bring up the bill for consideration as quickly as possible so that we can pass this important initiative and provide relief for millions of orphaned and vulnerable children throughout the developing world. There is no reason not to pass this bi-partisan bill because we have an obligation to alleviate the pain and suffering of orphans. I'm proud of our efforts to provide a more effective US response to the global orphan and vulnerable children crisis, said Lee. The spread of AIDS has only added to the urgent necessity to provide care for the world's most vulnerable populations. These children are victims, and particularly as we celebrate Mother's Day this weekend, we should remember that we have a moral duty to address their needs. Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-votes-against-weak-iraqi-prisoners-resolution-because-it-fails-to-address-real-problems-of-abuse-in-iraq,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes Against Weak Iraqi Prisoners Resolution Because It Fails to Address Real Problems of Abuse in Iraq,2004-05-05,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.05.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes Against Weak Iraqi Prisoners Resolution Because It Fails to Address Real Problems of Abuse in Iraq Lee Calls for Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to Resign Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today opposed H.Res. 627, the weak Republican resolution on the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers. This resolution offered by Congressional Republicans condemns abuse but presents glaring and unacceptable omissions, said Lee. The boilerplate language of this resolution offers no real apology. It does nothing to ease the enormous international tension that has grown out of revelations of clear abuse and humiliation and allegations of torture. And it calls on the Department of Defense to investigate itself. We need a full-scale, bipartisan congressional investigation into these charges and their devastating international consequences. We also need to fully investigate the role of private contractors in the war, the reconstruction effort, and the prison system. Tens of thousands of American troops are serving with great honor and courage. These outrages do not typify their behavior, but they do endanger their lives. As for those accused, I worry for our young men and women in uniform who are being dehumanized, dehumanized by a war that allows them to cross this threshold. In explaining my 9/14 vote against giving this Administration a blank check to wage war essentially as it saw fit echoing the words of Nathan Baxter, Dean of the Washington National Cathedral -- As we act, let us not become the evil that we deplore.' I am afraid that these words are all the more relevant today because some forces among us are turning us into that evil. This is not about a handful of pictures. It's about a failure of leadership at the highest levels. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld has failed in this and in planning for this war as a whole. He should resign. Lee also participated in a Congressional Black Caucus press conference calling for Rumsfeld's resignation. Lee has been a vocal opponent of Rumsfeld for months, signing a resignation resolution back in November 2003. I said then, and I say now, that Rumsfeld is one of the chief engineers of a military action that is deeply flawed. His role in the Iraqi prison abuse just shows once again that the failures of leadership are at the very highest levels. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-has-three-amendments-accepted-in-zero-down-payment-initiative,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Has Three Amendments Accepted in Zero-Down Payment Initiative,2004-05-04,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.04.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Has Three Amendments Accepted in Zero-Down Payment Initiative Bill Passes House Committee Unanimously Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today fundamentally improved the Bush Administration's new Zero-Down Payment Initiative, H.R. 3775, by having three amendments accepted by the House Financial Services' Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity. Gaining the backing of Subcommittee Chairman Bob Ney (R-OH), Lee had amendments accepted, including requiring the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to report annually on the success of the zero-down program as it relates to foreclosure and default rates, in comparison to the standard FHA program and the American Dream Down payment program; requiring HUD to draft a generic disclosure of the program's additional costs and fees for zero-down participants at the application stage; and providing borrowers in danger of foreclosure the option of contacting borrowing counselors instead of being hounded by lenders. The bill passed unanimously. The subcommittee worked together to incorporate several of my requests, said Lee. These are the sort of actions that we should be taking because to build wealth in a community, policymakers must help people understand their financial situation. I think that these amendments will help make home mortgages more transparent and understandable for borrowers. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-cautions-seniors-to-weigh-new-rx-discount-drug-cards-offered-by-bush-administration,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Cautions Seniors to Weigh New Rx Discount Drug Cards Offered by Bush Administration,2004-05-02,2004,2004-05,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"05.02.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Cautions Seniors to Weigh New Rx Discount Drug Cards Offered by Bush Administration Oakland, CA Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today cautioned 9th Congressional District seniors to consider the new prescription drug cards offered by the Bush Administration's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) before enrolling. Starting today, seniors and people with disabilities can sign up for a new drug discount card, which will go into effect June 1. Currently, seniors can have multiple discount cards, which enable them to maximize their savings for each drug they take. But under the new law, seniors and people with disabilities will only be allowed to sign up for one card a year. This prohibits them from maximizing savings through using multiple cards or from changing cards during the year to follow the lowest prices for their drugs. Lee said that some seniors will be able to save money using this card to purchase their prescriptions, but, as with the new prescription drug benefit, the big drug and insurance companies, not Medicare, determine what drugs seniors save on and how much they pay. Lee also cautioned that companies offering these cards can change the drugs they cover and the discounts they have promised weekly. This means that seniors who sign up for a card because it discounts the medication their doctor has prescribed will be stuck if the card suddenly changes the discount or drops the drug. There is absolutely no guarantee that this is a good deal for seniors, said Lee. Cards are expected to offer discounts, but with these cards, there is no requirement of a discount. In fact, drug companies have already begun increasing their prices prior to the implementation of the law so that discounts offered don't cut into their bottom line. In the end, seniors may actually pay more than they're already paying. In order to determine if the prescription drug discount card is right for you, please call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-to-be-honored-by-boston-womens-fund,Congresswoman Barbara Lee to be Honored by Boston Womens Fund,2004-04-29,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.29.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee to be Honored by Boston Women's Fund Will Receive Fund's 2004 Take a Stand Award Boston, Massachusetts The Boston Women's Fund tonight will bestow its 2004 Take A Stand Award on Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA). The award will be given during the Boston Women's Fund 20th anniversary dinner. The Fund called Lee an icon of strength and endurance, inspiring millions of Americans to take part in improving the quality of community and national life. The Fund also said that Lee is receiving the award for ensuring that freedom and justice issues always have a voice at the legislative table. I am very honored to be recognized by the Boston Women's Fund, said Lee. The Boston Women's Fund has been a great example of how you make social change a mission, not just a goal, and they are living proof of the immense power of grass-roots activism. The Boston Women's Fund empowers women and girls, and they change lives in the process changing the system. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/2004/04/28/el-congreso-debe-de-promulgar-el-acta-de-ajuste-de-estatus-inmigratorio-para-estudiantes,El Congreso debe de promulgar el Acta de Ajuste de Estatus Inmigratorio para Estudiantes,2004-04-28,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.28.04 El Congreso debe de promulgar el Acta de Ajuste de Estatus Inmigratorio para Estudiantes WASHINGTON, DC -- Hoy yo exhorto a mis colegas en el congreso a arreglar una injusticia en nuestras leyes de inmigracin, el cual castiga a los jvenes por las acciones de sus padres por medio de aprobar el Acta de Ajuste Estudiantil, dijo La Rep. Lee. Cada ao, aproximadamente 65,000 de los estudiantes que se gradan de las escuelas secundarias publicas de los Estados Unidos no pueden inscribirse como estudiantes estatales en su universidad local o trabajar legalmente en los estados unidos, por ninguna falta propia, aadi La Cong. Esto no es justo, y no debemos permitir que esta injusticia siga siendo la realidad para tantos estudiantes inteligentes. Reconociendo que estos jvenes inmigraron de manera indocumentada a este pas de manera involuntaria, la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos decidi que estos jvenes tienen el derecho de recibir una educacin publica sin costo ninguno hasta terminar la preparatoria. Gracias a esta oportunidad, muchos de estos estudiantes se han convertido en algunos de los estudiantes ms destacados en nuestra nacin. Pero, el potencial de estos estudiantes no es reconocido despus que se gradan de la preparatoria y descubren que son excluidos de la universidad, o que no pueden pagar por su educacin porque su estado no les puede ofrecer las tarifas ms baratas dedicadas a los estudiantes residentes. El estatus de estos estudiantes les niega la oportunidad no solo de poder asistir a la universidad local y pagar una tarifa estatal que pueden costear, sino tambin les niega la oportunidad de trabajar legalmente o de regularizar su estatus de inmigracin, aunque hayan vivido la mayora de su vida en los Estado Unidos, dijo La Rep. Lee. La propuesta de ley con respaldo bipartidista, la Acta de Ajuste Estudiantil, conocida en ingls como The Student Adjustment Act, H.R. 1684, rompe los obstculos enfrentados por estos jvenes por su estatus de indocumentado. El Acta le daria a los estados la oportunidad de ofrecerles a los estudiantes inmigrantes indocumentados, quienes han vivido en sus estados por cierta temporada, la misma tarifa para las universidades locales y estatales que reciben los residentes del estado. Tambin les daria la oportunidad para calificar para los prestamos y becas federales para asegura que la pobreza no sea obstculo para realizar sus sueos de recibir una educacin universitaria. Finalmente, le daria a estos estudiantes la oportunidad de alcanzar el sueno americano de prosperidad por medio de ofrecerles la oportunidad de vivir legalmente en este pas. Este semestre de otoo, mientras que estudiantes inteligentes y llenos de entusiasmo se inscriben en clases de Universidad, miles de jvenes inmigrantes, quienes son inteligentes y recibieron la misma preparacin, sern dejados atrs. Los Demcratas, no dejaremos que otro ao pase desperdiciando este potencial, concluyo La Cong. Lee. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/el-congreso-debe-de-promulgar-el-acta-de-ajuste-de-estatus-inmigratorio-para-estudiantes,El Congreso debe de promulgar el Acta de Ajuste de Estatus Inmigratorio para Estudiantes,2004-04-28,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.28.04 El Congreso debe de promulgar el Acta de Ajuste de Estatus Inmigratorio para Estudiantes WASHINGTON, DC -- Hoy yo exhorto a mis colegas en el congreso a arreglar una injusticia en nuestras leyes de inmigracin, el cual castiga a los jvenes por las acciones de sus padres por medio de aprobar el Acta de Ajuste Estudiantil, dijo La Rep. Lee. Cada ao, aproximadamente 65,000 de los estudiantes que se gradan de las escuelas secundarias publicas de los Estados Unidos no pueden inscribirse como estudiantes estatales en su universidad local o trabajar legalmente en los estados unidos, por ninguna falta propia, aadi La Cong. Esto no es justo, y no debemos permitir que esta injusticia siga siendo la realidad para tantos estudiantes inteligentes. Reconociendo que estos jvenes inmigraron de manera indocumentada a este pas de manera involuntaria, la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos decidi que estos jvenes tienen el derecho de recibir una educacin publica sin costo ninguno hasta terminar la preparatoria. Gracias a esta oportunidad, muchos de estos estudiantes se han convertido en algunos de los estudiantes ms destacados en nuestra nacin. Pero, el potencial de estos estudiantes no es reconocido despus que se gradan de la preparatoria y descubren que son excluidos de la universidad, o que no pueden pagar por su educacin porque su estado no les puede ofrecer las tarifas ms baratas dedicadas a los estudiantes residentes. El estatus de estos estudiantes les niega la oportunidad no solo de poder asistir a la universidad local y pagar una tarifa estatal que pueden costear, sino tambin les niega la oportunidad de trabajar legalmente o de regularizar su estatus de inmigracin, aunque hayan vivido la mayora de su vida en los Estado Unidos, dijo La Rep. Lee. La propuesta de ley con respaldo bipartidista, la Acta de Ajuste Estudiantil, conocida en ingls como The Student Adjustment Act, H.R. 1684, rompe los obstculos enfrentados por estos jvenes por su estatus de indocumentado. El Acta le daria a los estados la oportunidad de ofrecerles a los estudiantes inmigrantes indocumentados, quienes han vivido en sus estados por cierta temporada, la misma tarifa para las universidades locales y estatales que reciben los residentes del estado. Tambin les daria la oportunidad para calificar para los prestamos y becas federales para asegura que la pobreza no sea obstculo para realizar sus sueos de recibir una educacin universitaria. Finalmente, le daria a estos estudiantes la oportunidad de alcanzar el sueno americano de prosperidad por medio de ofrecerles la oportunidad de vivir legalmente en este pas. Este semestre de otoo, mientras que estudiantes inteligentes y llenos de entusiasmo se inscriben en clases de Universidad, miles de jvenes inmigrantes, quienes son inteligentes y recibieron la misma preparacin, sern dejados atrs. Los Demcratas, no dejaremos que otro ao pase desperdiciando este potencial, concluyo La Cong. Lee. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-and-congresswoman-carolyn-maloney-hail-missing-information-about-womens-lives,Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney Hail Missing: Information about Womens Lives,2004-04-27,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.27.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney Hail Missing: Information about Women's Lives Report Released by National Council for Research on Women Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) today applauded the National Council for Research on Women report Missing: Information About Women's Lives, which delineates the actions of Bush Administration officials to delete, bury, and alter information that directly affects women's lives from government websites and publications. As Missing spells out, such distortions and omissions have debilitating consequences for women's health and livelihoods. The report identifies the manipulated information as falling into four categories: accurate and science-based information on women's health; accurate and reliable information on women's economic status; scientific objectivity and expertise; and information to help protect and advance women's and girl's interests. The report includes a 2002 example in which the National Cancer Institute (NCI) website was changed to suggest, contrary to broad medical consensus, that abortion and breast cancer are related. The report also details how White House entities designed to assure that the concerns of women are addressed in policy development, such as the Office of Women's Initiatives and Outreach in the White House and The President's Interagency Council on Women, were disbanded by the Bush Administration. This report outlines a disturbing pattern of decisions by federal agencies to close down, delay, alter, or spin data about what is happening to American women and girls, said Lee. Science must not be sacrificed and silenced like this. I applaud the Missing report and the work of the National Council for Research on Women for shedding light on this administration's ongoing efforts to trump science with politics and ideology. What this report shows is that there has been a systematic, determined effort to erase information from government websites and publications, said Maloney. Instead of misleading Americans, the Administration should be providing them with the cold, hard facts, so that American women and girls can better understand their status and work to improve their lives. I hope that this report will serve as a wake-up call to all Americans so that they will demand accurate data and comprehensive information from the U.S. government. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-calls-on-president-bush-to-live-up-to-promise-to-renew-federal-assault-weapons-ban,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls on President Bush to Live Up to Promise to Renew Federal Assault Weapons Ban,2004-04-27,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.27.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls on President Bush to Live Up to Promise to Renew Federal Assault Weapons Ban Washington, DC At a press conference today with the Brady Campaign and Reverend Jesse Jackson, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) called on President Bush to adhere to his campaign promise to renew the federal assault weapons ban, which is pending before Congress. The current ban expires on September 13, 2004. Lee has co-sponsored H.R. 2038, the Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2003, which would extend the ban for 10 years:I call on President Bush to keep his promise to renew the federal Assault Weapons Ban. If we don't take action, this important protection will expire six months from now. This is a fundamental matter of public safety. Mayors, police chiefs and officers, and a long list of public safety organizations, including the National Black Police Association, are demanding that Congress and the White House do the right thing and renew this ban on weapons that are capable of such massive destruction. It makes no sense not to renew the ban because these are military style weapons that will flood back into our neighborhoods if President Bush doesn't keep his promise. In my own district in Oakland, we confront a troubling homicide rate. We had 114 homicides in Oakland last year, and already this year, we have had 27 homicides. Think how much blood would be shed if AK-47s and Uzis are legally allowed to come back into our communities. We need to extend this ban as part of a comprehensive, common sense approach to public safety that will get guns off our streets. This is not optional this is a matter of life and death. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congressional-democrats-release-plan-on-winning-war-on-terror,Congressional Democrats Release Plan on Winning War on Terror,2004-04-26,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.26.04 Congressional Democrats Release Plan on Winning War on Terror Plan Would Significantly Strengthen Port Security Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) joined Congressional Democrats today in issuing a plan that would dramatically improve homeland security and prevent the threat of terrorism in the future. The 90-page document includes over 100 specific recommendations for ensuring that the United States wins the war against terrorism. These recommendations include increasing the number of FBI agents by 50%; securing all unprotected nuclear material worldwide and destroying all chemical weapons by 2010; and hiring and training an additional 500 Arabic speakers at the State Department over the next 3 years. The plan would also double the number of exchange program visitors from the Arab-Muslim world and would increase the Peace Corps to 25,000 volunteers. The plan is especially strong on port security measures where the Bush Administration continues to underfund the most basic needs of our ports. The Coast Guard has estimated that ports need to spend $1.1 billion this year and $5.4 billion over ten years to meet security standards set by the Coast Guard as instructed by Congress. Since 9/11, the Administration has requested only $46 million for port security and even though Congress has provided more funding, there remains a $566 million funding gap for this year alone. The Democratic plan calls for screening 100% of the 7 million cargo containers entering America for nuclear materials, instead of the small percentage that are presently inspected. The report also calls for the establishment of security standards for container seals, as well as beefed-up security in foreign ports to examine U.S.-bound ships. The U.S. presently has less than 100 inspectors currently assigned to foreign ports under the Container Security Initiative. Our plan puts in place the sort of real homeland security measures that President Bush and the Congressional Republicans have refused to fund all along, said Lee. By waging an unjust war in Iraq and squandering billions of dollars on the war and hundreds of billions of dollars on tax cuts, this Administration has been unable to fund first responders and homeland security here at home. That's unacceptable. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-along-with-70-members-of-congress-send-letter-to-house-appropriators-requesting-36-billion-to-fight-aids-in-fy-05,"Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Along with 70 Members of Congress, Send Letter to House Appropriators Requesting $3.6 Billion to Fight AIDS in FY 05",2004-04-25,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.25.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Along with 70 Members of Congress, Send Letter to House Appropriators Requesting $3.6 Billion to Fight AIDS in FY 05 President Bush's Budget Falls Short With Request for $2.8 Billion Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today was joined by 70 co-signers in a letter to House Appropriators urging them to approve an FY 05 AIDS appropriation of $3.6 billion with at least $1.2 billion of such funds going towards the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Since the announcement of the 5-year, $15 billion Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the President has twice sought to undercut this important initiative. Although last year the initiative received $600 million less than the $3 billion promised, rather than making up this shortfall, the President's FY 05 request again provides $200 million less than promised. Lee and the co-sponsors wrote, Regrettably the nature of the global AIDS pandemic demands that we provide more funding in the short term if we want to make any meaningful progress towards treating those who are infected and preventing the continued spread of this devastating virus. That is why this year we are requesting $3.6 billion to make up for the shortfall in funding in FY04. Perhaps most deserving of our support is the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. So far the Fund has approved a total of $2 billion covering 224 programs in 121 countries and 3 territories. These funds will help treat an additional 2 million people for tuberculosis and an additional half a million people for AIDS. Based on its most recent projection of need, the Fund estimates it will require approximately $3.6 billion in FY05. We believe that the US must seek to meet at least 1/3 of that figure, as laid out in the Global AIDS legislation, by providing $1.2 billion in the coming fiscal year. We can also maximize our AIDS funding by providing an additional $36 million to support the World Health Organization's efforts to build capacity for AIDS treatment in countries heavily affected by HIV. This WHO initiative builds upon the work of the United States, the Global Fund, the World Bank, and other international HIV/AIDS assistance programs in order to reach a goal of treating 3 million people by 2005. We understand that this year we face an extremely tight budget, and that foreign assistance programs in particular may be subject to some reduction. But we must respectfully request that any increase in AIDS funding not come at the expense of our other existing foreign assistance commitments. Every year 3 million people die of HIV/AIDS, and another 5 million people become infected. The longer we wait to ramp up our foreign assistance efforts, the greater the toll the virus will take on the social, political and economic systems of those heavily affected countries. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-marches-in-march-for-womens-lives,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Marches in March for Womens Lives,2004-04-25,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.25.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Marches in March for Women's Lives Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today joined hundreds of thousands of women and men from across the country in the March for Women's Lives. The march, which capped off a week of activities dedicated to preserving a woman's right to choice and right to privacy, included a series of speakers who focused on upholding justice, access, health, reproductive rights, and global access to family planning for women and their families worldwide. On Thursday, Lee introduced a Congressional resolution honoring the participants of Sunday's March for Women's Lives. This march represents a historic moment for this issue, and we need to do everything possible to support those who support women's reproductive rights, health and privacy, said Lee. It is our responsibility and our obligation to fight in support of these precious freedoms. Despite our nation's overwhelming support for reproductive freedom, education, and choice, conservative lawmakers from the halls of Congress to the White House to state legislative chambers have slowly, but surely, led an unrelenting assault on a woman's right to choose. The Bush Administration, especially, is jeopardizing these basic freedoms and ignoring those values. They are attacking fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution. On Wednesday, Lee, along with more than 70 co-sponsors, also introduced the Family Life Education Act (FLEA), which would reform an abstinence-until-marriage provision in the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, to allow states to receive funding for both abstinence and comprehensive sexuality education, including contraception and HIV/AIDS education. 49 states have accepted the federal funding, in many cases because of misinformation about what the abstinence-only-until-marriage programs require. Only California, in defense of comprehensive sex education, has rejected the funding. Because of their principled stance, California has lost over $40 million since 1998. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/estudio-nacional-encuentra-que-los-latinos-carecen-de-informacin-sobre-ayuda-financiera-para-los-estudios-universitarios,Estudio Nacional Encuentra Que Los Latinos Carecen de Informacin Sobre Ayuda Financiera Para Los Estudios Universitarios,2004-04-22,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.22.04 Estudio Nacional Encuentra Que Los Latinos Carecen de Informacin Sobre Ayuda Financiera Para Los Estudios Universitarios Washington, DC El congresista Barbara Lee hoy reaccion a un estudio nacional comisionado por Sallie Mae y conducido por el Instituto Toms Rivera en la Universidad del Sur de California encontr que la comunidad latina carece de opciones de ayuda financiera para los universitarios y que esto ha impactado directamente la asistencia para los latinos en las universidades. Los estudios de esta encuesta corroboran los resultados de una encuesta Harris, comisionado por la Fundacin Sallie Mae en el 2002, que relev que el conocimiento de la ayuda financiera es clave en determinar la asistencia en las universidades para varios grupos tnicos. El congresista Lee hizo las siguientes declaraciones: Esta encuesta confirma lo que hemos sospechado durante toda esta trayectoria sobre las barreras que los latinos enfrentan al solicitar ayuda financiera. Nosotros siempre hemos sabido que los latinos tienen menos probabilidades de graduarse de la escuela superior y tienen menos probabilidades de entrar a la universidad. Mejorar la educacin para los latinos en este pas no va a ser un asunto latino solamente, sino una prioridad nacional. En la actualidad, solo 53% de los hispanos se gradan de la escuela superior y de los que se gradan, solo 53% se matriculan inmediatamente en la universidad. En ambas categoras, los latinos estn atrs del promedio general: la tasa nacional de graduacin de escuela superior es de 68% y 65% de estos graduados van a la universidad. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/on-earth-day-2004-congresswoman-barbara-lee-calls-on-bush-administration-to-stop-its-attack-on-the-environment,"On Earth Day 2004, Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls on Bush Administration to Stop Its Attack on the Environment",2004-04-21,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.21.04 On Earth Day 2004, Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls on Bush Administration to Stop Its Attack on the Environment Washington, DC During today's Earth Day events, Congresswoman Barbara Lee joined with environmental organizations in calling on the Administration to stop its assault on the environment. In a Congressional Record statement, Lee said: I support policies that protect our planet, promote energy security, and preserve human health. Unfortunately, in its three years in office, the Bush Administration has launched an all-out assault on our environment in all three of these areas. Bush policies have weakened protections on air, water, and public lands, and these assaults pose a direct threat to public health now and in the future. The actions we take now to protect these vital resources and to reinvent our approach to energy will have enormous consequences for future generations. Global warming, perhaps the most catastrophic and far-reaching consequence of our current practices, will not wait; our efforts to tackle these problems can't wait either. We need to begin by preserving existing protections, from maintaining the well being of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by continuing to ban drilling in this precious wilderness to maintaining the well being of our children by halting the disastrous Bush Administration rollbacks of our clean air and water regulations. Our next step must be enforcement of existing laws and regulations. The Republican budget cuts environmental programs by $39 billion. At those levels, we cannot enforce existing public health safeguards. To make matters worse, the Administration has abandoned the polluter pays principle: taxpayers, not the polluters themselves, will now be responsible for the costs of cleaning up toxic Superfund sites. And one in every four people in this country live within four miles of a major toxic waste site on the Superfund list. For people of color, these numbers are even worse and so are the consequences. Life expectancy itself is an environmental justice issue. In this country, life expectancy projections are shaped as much by race as by gender. These disparities follow a cradle to grave cycle: beginning with infant mortality, continuing with workplace hazards and increased exposure to pollution, and ending with disparate access to healthcare, diagnoses, and medical treatment. We see these forces clearly in diseases that strike most deeply into our cities and affect children most severely. Asthma rates among the urban poor are reaching alarming proportions. Death rates from asthma, and a host of other treatable diseases, are significantly higher among African Americans than any other ethnic group. Asthma rates in Oakland, in my district, are among the highest in the country. Children in West Oakland are seven times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than children in the rest of California. On Earth Day, it is important that we recognize just what is at stake here: our air, our water, our lands, and our children's health. We need to stop the Bush Administration's assault on existing protections, and we need to invest in new solutions, especially in the energy arena, that will increase our own security as well as protect the environment around us. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-along-with-over-70-co-sponsors-introduces-hr-4182-family-life-education-act,"Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Along With Over 70 Co-Sponsors, Introduces H.R. 4182, Family Life Education Act",2004-04-20,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.20.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Along With Over 70 Co-Sponsors, Introduces H.R. 4182, Family Life Education Act Washington, DC Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced the Family Life Education Act (FLEA), which would reform an abstinence-until-marriage provision in the 1996 Welfare Reform Act to allow states to receive funding for both abstinence and comprehensive sexuality education, including contraception and HIV/AIDS education.49 states have accepted the funding, in many cases because of misinformation about what the abstinence-only-until-marriage programs require. Only California, in defense of comprehensive sex education, has rejected the funding. The state has lost over $40 million since 1998 due to the law. Prevention starts with education, Lee said. We must deal with the reality that close to 90 percent of Americans have intercourse before marriage and that about 50 percent of teens are sexually active by the time they leave high school. And we must also remember that an average of two young people in the United States are infected with HIV every hour of the day. If we are truly committed to reducing unwanted teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection rates, we must teach our teens about using contraceptives once they make the choice to become sexually active. This bill would do that. Even though introduced just today, FLEA has already received over 70 co-sponsors. In another show of support for FLEA, the bi-partisan Pro-Choice Caucus, of which Lee is a member, today incorporated the bill's provisions into the Putting Prevention First Act, a comprehensive prevention package that will help prevent unintended pregnancies and STDs and will significantly reduce the number of abortions. I'm very pleased that the bi-partisan Pro-Choice Caucus would incorporate my bill into the Putting Prevention First Act. Clearly, this bill has broad support, and we should push all Members to get on board. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-introduces-congressional-resolution-honoring-participants-of-the-march-for-womens-lives,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Congressional Resolution Honoring Participants of The March for Womens Lives,2004-04-20,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.20.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Congressional Resolution Honoring Participants of The March for Women's Lives Washington March to Be Held on Sunday Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today introduced a Congressional resolution honoring the participants of Sunday's March for Women's Lives. The March, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of men and women to Washington -- people who believe in a woman's right to privacy and choice -- will focus on upholding justice, access, health, reproductive rights, and global access to family planning for all women and their families worldwide. Despite our nation's overwhelming support for reproductive freedom, education, and choice, lawmakers from the White House to state legislative chambers have slowly, but surely, led an unrelenting assault on a woman's right to choose, said Lee. The Bush Administration, especially, is jeopardizing these basic freedoms and ignoring those values. They are attacking fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution. This march represents a historic moment for this issue, and we need to do everything possible to support those who support women's reproductive rights, health and privacy; it is our responsibility and our obligation to fight in support of these precious freedoms. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/on-equal-pay-day-congresswoman-barbara-lee-co-sponsors-the-paycheck-fairness-act,"On Equal Pay Day, Congresswoman Barbara Lee Co-Sponsors the Paycheck Fairness Act",2004-04-19,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.19.04 On Equal Pay Day, Congresswoman Barbara Lee Co-Sponsors the Paycheck Fairness Act Washington, DC Today, on Equal Pay Day, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) co-sponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would take the steps necessary to eliminate gender-based wage discrimination. Under this legislation, the Department of Labor would enhance outreach and training programs to work with employers to eliminate pay disparities; employees could share salary information with their co-workers; and women would be allowed to sue for punitive damages, in addition to compensatory damages now available under the Equal Pay Act.Equal Pay Day represents the day of the year on which the wages paid to American women catch up to the wages paid to men from the previous year. This year, with women still earning only about 77 percent of what men did in 2003, Equal Pay Day is on April 20. Over the course of their career, working women stand to lose $250,000 because of unequal pay practices, according to the National Committee on Pay Equity. In 2003, African American women and other women of color fared even more poorly African Americans made only 66 cents on the dollar compared to the highest earners (white men), while Hispanic women made only 54 cents. Over the past three decades, we have made strides in closing the wage gap between women and men, but as these numbers indicate, we still have a very long way to go, said Lee. It is absolutely unconscionable and inexcusable that women and especially minority women earn a fraction of what men earn for the same job. We must eradicate this unfair treatment. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/2004/04/04/congresswoman-barbara-lee-calls-bush-environment-budget-a-natural-disaster,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls Bush Environment Budget a Natural Disaster,2004-04-04,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.04.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls Bush Environment Budget a Natural Disaster Defense Budget, Deficit, and Tax Breaks for the Wealthy Soar to Record Levels Washington, DC -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today declared the Bush FY 05 Budget a disaster. If Bush has his way, for the first time since 1981, environmental programs will be cut for the second consecutive year. According to the Bush budget, the Natural Resources and Environmental programs in the budget will be cut from $32.2 billion to $30.3 billion, a six percent reduction. The Environmental Protection Agency will suffer a $606 million (7.2%) reduction.These cuts are being made in an effort to spend money for what the President deems to be more important priorities. The wealthiest Americans will receive another $1.1 trillion in tax cuts over the next 10 years, and the defense budget will increase to $420.7 billion (7.9% increase) even without any funding for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This budget represents a natural disaster for our efforts to clean up and protect our environment and therefore for our efforts to safeguard human health, said Lee. This budget displays the sort of nearsightedness of an Administration that refuses, against all evidence, to believe that global warming exists. The President's budget dramatically cuts spending for clean water funding by $335 million (78%). Although last year's budget for clean water funded ultimately reached $429 million after the environmental community and Members of Congress grew outraged at a similar 79% cut in clean water funding, nevertheless Bush launched the same assault again with his proposal of $94 million. The budget also once again revisits the controversial issue of drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The budget calls on the Department of Interior to conduct oil and gas exploration and development in this critical area. Further, the budget presumes that the first sale of ANWR's oil and gas leases would be scheduled for 2006. These actions are morally reprehensible. The Bush Budget ought to come with its own environmental impact statement because its consequences will be long-lasting and devastating, said Lee. We cannot let the Halliburtons of the world determine what should be our policy for preserving the earth and our own health. I am outraged by these provisions. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/2004/04/01/congresswoman-barbara-lee-announces-local-transportation-projects,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces Local Transportation Projects,2004-04-01,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.01.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces Local Transportation Projects Washington, DC Today, following passage of the $275 billion Transportation Equity Act by the House of Representatives by a vote of 357-65, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) announced funding for several 9th Congressional District projects earmarked in the Transportation bill. This bill provides much-needed money for East Bay transportation projects, said Lee. It also serves as an economic stimulus because money pumped into the 9th Congressional District will mean more jobs for our residents. Even though today's March unemployment report showed an increase in jobs, President Bush's economic policies over the last three years have produced a net loss of 2.2 million jobs. At present, more than 9 million Americans are looking for work, with minorities being especially hardhit. In fact, the unemployment rate for African Americans actually increased during the last month from 9.8% to 10.2% With 2.2 million people out of work across the nation, I am disappointed that President Bush refused to support a $375 billion bill as the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously recommended. Apart from helping to build and maintain our nation's aging infrastructure, this money could have created another 4.75 million new jobs over the next six years. Clearly, this President has misplaced priorities. Below is the list of 9th Congressional District earmarks in the Transportation Equity Act: Group Making Request Program Description Amount Ed Roberts Campus Intermodal transit center above Ashby BART station providing multiple services for disabled people. $3 million City of Oakland Next Article Oakland 1301 Clay Street, Ste. 1000-N Oakland, CA 94612 P: (510) 763-0370 F: (510) 763-6538MF: 9 am 5 pm (PST) Washington, DC 2470 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 P: (202) 225-2661 F: (202) 225-9817MF: 9 am 5:30 pm (EST)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresista-lee-los-republicanos-ignoran-a-las-necesidades-de-los-trabajadores-latinos-el-da-de-impuestos,Congresista Lee: Los Republicanos Ignoran a las Necesidades de los Trabajadores Latinos el Da de Impuestos,2004-04-01,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.01.04 Congresista Lee: Los Republicanos Ignoran a las Necesidades de los Trabajadores Latinos el Da de Impuestos Washington, DC En anticipacin del 15 de Abril, el da de impuestos estadounidenses, la Rep. Lee hoy hizo las siguientes declaraciones sobre el impacto negativo en las familias latina de las polticas republicano de impuestos. Gracias a la administracin de Bush, y los republicanos del Congreso, el da de los impuestos es un gran da para los beneficiarios de la recesin republicana: los sper ricos de este pas. Sin embargo, para la mayor parte de los estadounidenses y de la comunidad latina, este da es un mal recuerdo de la respuesta republicana al aumento de la taza de desempleo en la comunidad latina; a los ingresos disminuyendo; al aumento en los nmeros de estudiantes que abandonan a la escuela; al aumento en los nmeros de personas que viven en pobreza; al aumento en la poblacin sin seguro medico: no un alivio para las familias latinas sino un recorte de presupuesto para los programas importantes para el futuro de la comunidad, dijo la Rep. Lee. El sistema de impuestos federal afecta a ms hispanos que cualquier otro programa, resultando en beneficios econmicos para familias hispanas a nivel nacional. Por ejemplo, ms de un tercio de familias hispanas benefician del Crdito por Ingreso del Trabajo (EITC, por sus siglas en ingles) y el Crdito Tributario por Hijo (CTC, por sus siglas en ingls). Reconociendo el impacto de estos programas, es horroroso que los republicanos niegan expandir al EITC y deciden excluir a familias con ingresos entre $10,500 y $26, 625 del CTC. De este modo, mientras que los republicanos dicen que buscan a trabajar con la comunidad hispana en si deciden excluir a 4.1 millones de nios latinos para pagar para una reduccin de impuestos para los estadounidenses mas ricos, aadi la Rep. Lee. Los cambios en las polticas de impuestos por los republicanos a veces fallan en considerar que las familias hispanas tienen tendencia a tener bajos ingresos y son mas probable de ser afectados por cambios de impuestos de nomina, que por cambios de impuestos en ingreso federal, gastos de negocios, o dividendos. Por lo tanto, los cortes de impuestos que enfocan en proveer beneficios a las ultimas categoras, por lo mayor no ayudan a las familias latinas con hijos. Los demcratas apoyan a cortes de impuestos, prefiriendo cortes que son reembolso, como un mtodo efectivo para ayudar a las familias trabajadoras hispanas, quienes no deben mucho en impuestos federales, pero quienes si sientan el efecto de los impuestos y necesitan asistencia para disminuir el efecto. Desafortunadamente, muchas familias hispanas no declaran impuestos ni reclaman los crditos y deducciones para cuales son elegibles. Por consiguiente, estrategias para aumentar el nmero de elegibles y la cantidad de los beneficios debe ser acompaado por una estrategia de implementacin y educacin mejor, dijo la Rep. Lee. De acuerdo a una encuesta patrocinada por el NCLR en el 2001, solo el 32% de padres hispanos conocan al EITC, comparados al 72.7% de padres afro-americanos y el 75.9% de padres blancos-no-hispanos. Los demcratas se oponen a medidas de alivio de impuestos que no logran ayudar a la mayora de familias de bajos ingresos y apoyan a medidas tributarias con metas especificas como aumentando el reembolso del Crdito Tributario por Hijo y una expansin del EITC, declaro la Rep. Lee. Adems, los demcratas oponen la Acta de Aliviar Impuestos Y Aumentar la Economa del 2001 y opondrn a cualquier propuesta de impuestos o de estimular a la economa que es inclinado a beneficiar a las familias ricas y que no ayudara a los millones de trabajadores latinos de bajos ingresos, muchos de cuales se encuentran ahora sin trabajo, ni a sus familias. Los demcratas apoyan a dos programas patrocinado por el Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS, por sus siglas en ingls)-- Asistencia Voluntaria al(la) Contribuyente (del Impuesto sobre el Ingreso) (VITA, por sus siglas en ingls) y Clnicas para los Contribuyentes de Bajo Ingreso (LITC, por sus siglas en ingls)los cuales ayudan a las familias de bajo ingreso tener acceso a los beneficios de impuestos para cuales son elegibles. Los demcratas continuaremos abogando en el Congreso por las inversiones necesarias en educacin, cuidado medico, programas para pequeas empresas y para entrenamiento que son vitales para el futuro de la comunidad latina. Adicionalmente, continuaremos a avanzar los principios de responsabilidad y disciplina fiscal que resulto en aumentos econmicos histricos para la comunidad latina durante la administracin de Clinton: presupuestos equilibrados y recortes de impuestos para los arduos trabajadores latinos, concluyo la Rep. Lee. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-announces-local-transportation-projects,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces Local Transportation Projects,2004-04-01,2004,2004-04,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"04.01.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces Local Transportation Projects Transportation Bill Passes House Washington, DC Today, following passage of the $275 billion Transportation Equity Act by the House of Representatives by a vote of 357-65, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) announced funding for several 9th Congressional District projects earmarked in the Transportation bill. This bill provides much-needed money for East Bay transportation projects, said Lee. It also serves as an economic stimulus because money pumped into the 9th Congressional District will mean more jobs for our residents. Even though today's March unemployment report showed an increase in jobs, President Bush's economic policies over the last three years have produced a net loss of 2.2 million jobs. At present, more than 9 million Americans are looking for work, with minorities being especially hardhit. In fact, the unemployment rate for African Americans actually increased during the last month from 9.8% to 10.2% With 2.2 million people out of work across the nation, I am disappointed that President Bush refused to support a $375 billion bill as the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously recommended. Apart from helping to build and maintain our nation's aging infrastructure, this money could have created another 4.75 million new jobs over the next six years. Clearly, this President has misplaced priorities. Below is the list of 9th Congressional District earmarks in the Transportation Equity Act: Group Making Request Program Description Amount Ed Roberts Campus Intermodal transit center above Ashby BART station providing multiple services for disabled people. $3 million City of Oakland I-880 Operational Improvements (High Street - I-980) $2.5 million Next Article Oakland 1301 Clay Street, Ste. 1000-N Oakland, CA 94612 P: (510) 763-0370 F: (510) 763-6538MF: 9 am 5 pm (PST) Washington, DC 2470 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 P: (202) 225-2661 F: (202) 225-9817MF: 9 am 5:30 pm (EST)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-to-speak-at-new-yorks-riverside-church-on-sunday-april-4-at-7-pm,"Congresswoman Barbara Lee to Speak at New Yorks Riverside Church on Sunday, April 4 at 7 p.m.",2004-03-31,2004,2004-03,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"03.31.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee to Speak at New York's Riverside Church on Sunday, April 4 at 7 p.m. On Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's Renowned Riverside Speech against Vietnam War Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) will speak on Sunday, April 4 at 7 p.m. at New York's renowned Riverside Church. Lee will be the keynote speaker at the United NY Black Radical Congress' second annual Celebration of the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr, Festival of Dissent. At the event, Lee will not only address King's famous pronouncements, but her own understanding of the relationship between civil rights and peace, as well as how those lessons should be applied to an investigation of the Bush Administration's role in the overthrow of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the war in Iraq.Dr. King was a prophet of the gospel of peace, Lee will say. He left us both a message and a road map to follow, and in his honor, and in upholding his legacy, we must challenge the Administration's foreign and domestic policies and demand peace with justice. Who: Congresswoman Barbara Lee Where: Riverside Church, New York City When: Sunday, April 4 at 7 p.m. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/oakland-private-industry-council-receives-125-000-job-training-grant-for-innovative-environmental-cleanup-and-minority-jobs-program,"Oakland Private Industry Council Receives $125,000 Job Training Grant for Innovative Environmental Cleanup and Minority Jobs Program",2004-03-31,2004,2004-03,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"03.31.04 Oakland Private Industry Council Receives $125,000 Job Training Grant for Innovative Environmental Cleanup and Minority Jobs Program Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected the Oakland Private Industry Council (PIC) for a $125,000 job training grant as part of the EPA's Brownfields Program. With the award, Oakland PIC plans to train 75 students in a 152-hour training program that will certify them as hazardous waste workers. Students will be recruited especially from inner-city Enhanced Enterprise Community zones in the City of Oakland with an emphasis on recruiting minorities and women. They will be trained in hazardous waste work, confined space entry, lead remediation, asbestos removal, and alternative and innovative technologies. Following graduation, the Alameda County Building and Construction Trades Council and the Association of General Contractors will assist in the placement of students in environmental jobs.I am pleased that the Oakland Private Industry Council has received this grant, said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Their innovative program of combining environmental cleanup with job creation is a win-win situation, said Lee. We must safeguard our environment in ways that both preserve it and create economic opportunities -- both through new jobs and safer cities. This grant will support the important goal of training Oakland's unemployed residents while also contributing to a cleaner environment through the reduction of dangerous contaminants, said Gay Plair Cobb, Oakland Private Industry Council's Chief Executive Officer. We are pleased to join in this creative partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Oakland. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/house-international-relations-committee-unanimously-passes-congresswoman-barbara-lees-orphans-and-vulnerable-children-in-developing-countries-act-of-2004,House International Relations Committee Unanimously Passes Congresswoman Barbara Lee's Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2004,2004-03-30,2004,2004-03,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"03.30.04 House International Relations Committee Unanimously Passes Congresswoman Barbara Lee's Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2004 Washington, DC The House International Relations Committee today unanimously passed H.R. 4061, the Assistance for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2004. The bill, introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), a recognized Congressional leader on domestic and international HIV and AIDS issues, seeks to provide a comprehensive United States response to the continuing global problem of orphaned and vulnerable children, exacerbated in the last decade by the growing global AIDS pandemic. Every 14 seconds, another child is orphaned by AIDS. Without parents, these children are left without food, shelter, education, and protection. As of 2001, 110 million children were orphaned throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. The Orphans and Vulnerable Children Act creates a separate office in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to better coordinate and provide assistance in support of basic care; treatment for HIV-infected children; psychosocial support; school food programs; educational opportunities through the elimination of school fees; and inheritance rights for orphans and vulnerable children. I'm proud to offer this bill as a first step to provide a more effective US response to the global orphan and vulnerable children crisis, said Lee. The spread of AIDS has only added to the urgent necessity to provide care for the world's most vulnerable populations. These children are victims, and we have a moral duty to address their needs. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-lauds-passage-of-child-nutrition-and-integrity-act-lee-provision-requiring-labeling-for-irradiation-food-added,Congresswoman Barbara Lee Lauds Passage of Child Nutrition and Integrity Act Lee Provision Requiring Labeling for Irradiation Food Added,2004-03-23,2004,2004-03,Democrat,House,CA,Barbara Lee,L000551,lee.house.gov,,,legacy,"03.23.04 Congresswoman Barbara Lee Lauds Passage of Child Nutrition and Integrity Act Lee Provision Requiring Labeling for Irradiation Food Added House Passes Child Nutrition Improvement Bill 419-5 Washington, DC Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded passage of H.R. 3783, the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act, and lauded the House Committee on Education and the Workforce for including a large part of her Right to Know Student Nutrition Act in the final bill, which passed the House this afternoon 419-5. The Senate has yet to act on its version of the bill.Lee's Right to Know bill called for proper labeling and alternatives for irradiated food served under the National School Lunch Program. Under new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rules, the federal government will no longer prevent school districts from purchasing irradiated food products for their students. I'm happy that several of the key components of the Right to Know bill were included in the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act, said Lee. But I'm hopeful that as this bill moves forward, we can strengthen the existing language in order to provide balanced information on the purpose of irradiation, the effects of irradiation on the nutritional value of foods, and any potential health consequences. It is absolutely necessary that our students and their parents know what they are eating. If students are being served irradiated meat, then at the very least, this information should appear in their cafeterias. We must also make sure that instead of merely encouraging school districts to provide alternatives to irradiated food as the bill calls for, that we require them to do so, and we provide them with the money they need to do that. Nevertheless, this represents a good beginning for parents and children, who have the right to know what is being consumed. ### Next Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z