Poverty Eradication

To see video of Congresswoman Lee speaking on this issue, please click here.

“It is unacceptable that in the richest nation in the world, there are 37 million people living in poverty.”

                                                  - Congresswoman Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Lee is dedicated to working towards a comprehensive solution to address the root causes of poverty by providing support for education, job training, childcare, fair and affordable housing, universal healthcare and a living wage in an environmentally sound and sustainable Green Economy that provides opportunity for all.  She is a co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus which seeks to raise awareness about the need to fight poverty, hunger, and homelessness in America and is actively working to advance legislation that will promote poverty eradication.   Congresswoman Lee also works closely with the Half in Ten Campaign to cut poverty by half in the next decade as outlined in her bill H. Con. Res. 198.

As a member of Labor-Health and Human Services-Education (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee, Congresswoman Lee has been instrumental in:

• Increasing LIHEAP: Congresswoman Lee helped craft the Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09) LHHS Appropriations bill which includes $2.8 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program which will provide energy assistance to an additional 450,000 families over last year.
• Increasing CSBG:  The House-version of the FY09 LHHS bill includes $700 million for Community Services Block Grant to help localities provide critical services like housing, home weatherization, and emergency food assistance to meet the needs of 16 million low-income families.

Sponsored Legislation

• H.Con.Res.10: Expressing the sense of Congress that the tax giveaway since 2001 to the wealthiest five percent of Americans should be repealed and those monies instead invested in vital programs to relieve the growing burden on the working poor and to alleviate poverty in America.
• H.Con.Res.19: Affirming the sense of Congress regarding the obligation of the United States to improve the lives of the 36,950,000 Americans living in poverty and the 15,928,000 of those who live in extreme poverty.
• H.Con.Res.161: Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of Dr. King’s launching of the Poor People’s Campaign and Organization of the Poor People’s Army.
• H.Con.Res.198: Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States has a moral responsibility to meet the needs of those persons, groups and communities that are impoverished, disadvantaged or otherwise in poverty and expresses support for setting a national goal to cut poverty by half in ten years. (Passed the House unanimously 1/20/08).
• H.R. 352: Poverty Impact Trigger Act of 2007 – Requires the Congressional Budget Office to determine the impact of all pending legislation on poverty in the United States prior to consideration by the full House of Representatives.
• H.R. 1050:  A Living Wage, Jobs for All Act – Establish a living wage, jobs for all policy for all people in the United States and its territories.
• The Progressive Caucus Budget Alternative – Significantly expands federal funding for healthcare and education to our veterans returning from Iraq, supports the development of green technology and invests in alternative energy, increases affordable housing, improves access to quality healthcare, rebuilds and restores vital infrastructure projects and expands job training programs—especially for new green collar jobs.  These critical investments would be paid for by restoring common sense to defense spending by cutting waste, fraud and abuse at the Pentagon and end support for out-moded Cold War era weapons systems that protect against threats that no longer exist. 

For more information contact the Office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee at 202-225-2661.