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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.
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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.
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Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today was re-elected Whip of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) by unanimous consent of her colleagues.
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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:
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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:
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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 Administration
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Washington, DC – In recognition of the anniversary of the Clean Water Act today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Washington, D.C—Congresswoman 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.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today announced a $6 million Department of Transportation grant for security enhancements at Oakland International Airport.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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:
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WASHINGTON, DC – La Rep. Lee hoy le urgió 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 créditos de la Acta de reinversión en la comunidad (CRA por sus siglas en inglés.) La Rep. Lee hizo las siguientes declaraciones sobre el impacto positivo de permitir el crédito 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:
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Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) received written notice from the State Department that the Bush Administration has temporarily delayed part of the draconian travel restrictions to and from Cuba. Those restrictions could have forced the 80 American medical students studying in Cuba to abandon their studies in the middle of their final exams. Since 2001, American students have studied at the Latin American Medical School in Havana, where tuition is free. Students pledge to return to their communities and offer low-cost health care to those who cannot afford it.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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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:
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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:
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Washington, DC – Con pocas sorpresas sobre las últimas estadísticas sobre las pérdidas de empleo y la tasa general de desempleo, la congresista Barbara Lee le hizo un llamado hoy a la administración de Bush y los republicanos en el Congreso a que se unan a los demócratas 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 políticas económicas que solamente benefician a los que contribuyen dinero para las campañas de los republicanos.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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Washington, D.C.— La Congresista Lee hizo la siguiente declaración en torno a el estudio publicado por la Asociación Nacional de Oficiales Elegidos y Nombrados (NALEO por sus siglas en Ingles):
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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.”
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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.
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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), member of the Congressional Human Rights Coalition, issued the following statement today:
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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Oakland, CA – La congresista Lee hizo las siguientes declaraciones hoy acerca de los latinos:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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WASHINGTON, DC -- “Hoy yo exhorto a mis colegas en el congreso a arreglar una injusticia en nuestras leyes de inmigración, el cual castiga a los jóvenes por las acciones de sus padres por medio de aprobar el Acta de Ajuste Estudiantil,” dijo La Rep. Lee.
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WASHINGTON, DC -- “Hoy yo exhorto a mis colegas en el congreso a arreglar una injusticia en nuestras leyes de inmigración, el cual castiga a los jóvenes por las acciones de sus padres por medio de aprobar el Acta de Ajuste Estudiantil,” dijo La Rep. Lee.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Washington, DC – El congresista Barbara Lee hoy reaccionó a un estudio nacional comisionado por Sallie Mae y conducido por el Instituto Tomás Rivera en la Universidad del Sur de California encontró 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.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Washington, DC – En anticipación del 15 de Abril, el día de impuestos estadounidenses, la Rep. Lee hoy hizo las siguientes declaraciones sobre el impacto negativo en las familias latina de las políticas republicano de impuestos.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Washington, DC -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) has received an A on the American Wilderness Coalition’s environmental scorecard for the 1st Session of the 108th Congress. The votes scored included measures opening up the Alaska rainforest to logging, drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, and the creation of roads on public lands, all of which Lee opposed. The Coalition’s choice of votes was determined by representatives from a number of national and regional conservation groups, including The Wilderness Society, the Sierra Club, and the Alaska Wilderness League.
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Washington, DC – Congressman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced legislation this week to designate a national Caribbean-American Heritage month. H.Res. 570, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a Caribbean-American Heritage Month, acknowledges and celebrates the contributions of Caribbean-Americans to the United States since the inception of the country.
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Washington, DC – At a press conference today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) spelled out her opposition to H.Res. 557, a flawed Republican resolution on the first anniversary of the Iraq War, which fails to seriously examine the real issues underlying the Iraq war and fails to pay tribute to the dead and wounded:
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Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) has signed a discharge petition that would force the U.S. House of Representatives to vote on a plan that would immediately help American manufacturers avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in World Trade Organization (WTO) sanctions and lower taxes for U.S. manufacturers. A number of American industries are being dramatically affected by the WTO sanctions, which began on March 1.
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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and 30 Democratic colleagues today sent a letter to the two leaders of the Budget Committee, asking that $5.4 billion be included in the FY 05 House Budget Resolution to meet the U.S. share of funding for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria - both through bilateral programs and through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The House Budget committee will consider the FY 05 budget beginning tomorrow.
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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Congressional Black Caucus Haiti Task Force Co-Chair, today introduced H.R. 3919 the TRUTH (The Responsibility to Uncover the Truth about Haiti) Act today, which calls for an independent bipartisan commission to uncover the facts about the Bush Administration’s involvement in the recent coup d’etat in Haiti. The bill was co-sponsored by CBC Haiti Task Force Co-Chair John Conyers and 23 other Members.
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Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) tonight will receive an Excellence in Achievement Award from the California Alumni Association (CAA). The award is being given out Friday night at the University’s Charter Banquet gala in San Francisco. The Excellence in Achievement Award recognizes alumni whose career accomplishments, in the arts, business, education, government, science, and social programs, have been exemplary.
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Washington, DC – Following today’s release of the February employment numbers, which showed the creation of only 21,000 jobs – far below even the most conservative prediction of 150,000 new jobs, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement:
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Washington, DC – At “Uncovering the Bush Administration’s Haiti Policy,” a press conference sponsored by the Let Haiti Live Coalition and featuring United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Danny Glover, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement:
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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), a leader in the fight to provide funding for HIV/AIDS, today presided as the Ranking Democratic Member over a House International Relations Committee hearing with the newly appointed Global AIDS Coordinator Randall Tobias, to discuss the Administration’s recently-released 5 year-strategy plan for the coordination and expansion of the US Government’s Global AIDS initiative.
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Washington, DC – At a heated Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere hearing today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) questioned a panel of Bush Administration officials about the Administration’s role in the coup d’etat carried out last week against the democratically-elected Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. A member of the International Relations Committee, Lee called for the hearing last week, and with the events over the weekend, the hearing took on an immediacy and urgency.
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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and 34 others today sent a letter to the Bush-appointed WMD Commission, the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States, expressing concern that the commission was not truly independent and chosen by congressional representatives from both parties. The letter also demanded that a final report on the WMD commission be made long before next March, as Bush ordered, so that, for this year’s elections, the American people would have the opportunity to reach their own conclusions on whether the Bush Administration misused or manipulated information.
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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today looked forward to questioning Bush Administration officials tomorrow, including Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega, about the Bush Administration’s policies toward Haiti, which contributed to support for the ouster of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide over the weekend.
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New York, NY – At a meeting today with the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, John Negroponte, Congresswoman Barbara Lee questioned the Ambassador about why the Bush Administration is painting some Members of Congress’ efforts to seek the truth about what actually occurred in the ouster of democratically-elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide as the work of “conspiracy theorists.
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Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today condemned the Bush Administration for supporting the ouster of democratically-elected Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. According to news reports, Aristide resigned his office this morning and left to seek political asylum in another country, after the Bush Administration, in the last of a series of moves, yesterday publicly “called into question his fitness to govern Haiti.”
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Washington, DC – All 33 members of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation sent a letter today urging Governor Schwarzenegger to join them as they work to get California its fair share of federal funding. The letter sent to the Governor is below:
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WASHINGTON , DC -- As rebel troops descend on the Haitian capital, Democratic Members of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee and other House International Relations Committee Members are calling on the Bush Administration and the UN to immediately provide international peacekeepers.
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Washington, DC – Today, after storming over to the White House and demanding a meeting with President Bush about the Administration’s inadequate efforts to hold off an impending coup d’etat in Haiti, Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) members were granted a meeting with Bush.
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Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) will deliver the weekly Congressional Black Caucus “Message to America” this Saturday, February 21, 2004. Representative Lee’s remarks will highlight the CBC’s call for immediate U.S. engagement with the other regional allies in the political and humanitarian crisis ravaging our southern neighbor, Haiti.
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Oakland, CA -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (District 14), in conjunction with Public Citizen, will hold a joint press conference tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. at the Berkeley Unified School District Headquarters. During the 108th Congress, Lee introduced HR 3120, the Right to Know School Nutrition Act, which calls for labeling of irradiated food in the cafeteria so that parents and students can know if school lunches have been irradiated and provides them with an alternative option. Hancock is introducing AB 1988, California Safe School Lunch Act, which would prevent irradiated ground beef provided though the National School Lunch program from being served in California school lunches.
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Washington -- Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Co-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Haiti Task Force, joined her Congressional Black Caucus colleagues in sending a letter to President Bush, urging the Bush Administration to assist the Government of Haiti in its effort to stabilize the current political crisis and save Haitian lives.
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Oakland, CA -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) was joined by Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and members of the California Delegation today in sending the following letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger asking for a reconsideration of several state budget proposals that could affect the ability of Californians with HIV/AIDS to access lifesaving drugs and other state services. Other California congressional legislators signing on to Lee’s letter include Reps. George Miller, Tom Lantos, Xavier Becerra, Pete Stark, Hilda Solis, Howard Berman, Mike Honda, Susan Davis, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Juanita Millender-McDonald, Grace Napolitano, Adam Schiff, Sam Farr, Maxine Waters, Lois Capps, Bob Filner, Anna Eshoo, Ellen Tauscher, and Robert Matsui:
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Washington, DC – Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), a member of the House International Relations Committee (HIRC) today sent a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell asking for a clarification of the Administration’s Haiti policy. Secretary Powell spoke today at the HIRC, but due to the time constraints of the hearing, Lee was not able to formally pose questions to the Secretary, though she discussed the issue with him afterwards.
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Washington, DC – On the occasion of last night’s scheduled execution of Kevin Cooper, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today sent the following letter to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger urging the Governor to invoke a moratorium on California’s use of capital punishment:
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Washington, DC – During Delta Sigma Theta’s annual Delta Days in the Nation’s Capital conference, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today received the Patricia Roberts Harris Award for Excellence in Government Service from Delta Sigma Theta, the largest black national sorority.
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Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) called today’s January unemployment report proof that there is insufficient serious economic growth for the hundreds of thousands of unemployed workers. Even though economists say that a robust economy should provide at least 200,000 jobs a month, the report showed that only 112,000 jobs across the country were created in January.
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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today received a 100% grade from NETWORK, a national Catholic social justice lobby, for her votes during the 1st Session of the 108th Congress.
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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today joined her Democratic colleagues in supporting an amendment to extend unemployment benefits for those workers whose benefits have expired. The amendment passed 227-179. The amendment was part of the debate on HR 3030, Improving the Community Services Block Grant Act of 2003.
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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.
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Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-California) expressed serious disappointment about President Bush’s FY 2004 Budget, which was released today. In order to clear the way for a $640 billion tax cut and steep increases in defense spending, Bush’s plan would slash education and human services and low-income housing.
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Oakland, CA –Congresswoman Barbara Lee today welcomed reports that President Bush will, this week, create an independent commission to investigate the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) intelligence that was used to justify the Iraqi war. In last year’s session, Lee co-sponsored HR 2625, Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA)’s resolution calling for an independent WMD commission.
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Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) railed against President Bush’s FY 05 budget, released today, a plan that includes making the President’s tax cuts for the wealthy permanent, even though his budget runs the national deficit to $521 billion, the largest in American history. In order to carry out the massive tax cuts, the budget slashes necessary social services, including programs for housing, the environment, healthcare, and education.
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Oakland, CA – Following President Bush’s signing of the FY 04 Omnibus Appropriations Bill over the weekend, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) announced today that California’s 9th Congressional District received more than $14.3 million in funding in the appropriations package.
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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today joined colleagues from the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus to celebrate the landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision:
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Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee today called on President Bush to keep his promise to America’s children, teachers and parents by fully funding the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which was signed into law two years ago today.
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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.
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