Co-Chairs' Biography
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09)
The congresswoman co-founded the Congressional Out-of-Poverty Caucus (COPC) after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The caucus seeks to raise awareness about the need to fight poverty, hunger, and homelessness in America and is working on legislation that will promote poverty eradication. She is the author of the Living Wage, Jobs for All Act that would establish a living wage, jobs for all policy for all people in the United States and its territories, and has introduced legislation to limit the amount of executive compensation corporations can deduct from their taxes as a legitimate business expense to 25 times the pay of a company’s lowest paid workers. For full bio, click HERE. |
For Congresswoman Barbara Lee, it is unconscionable, unacceptable and immoral that the wealthiest nation in the world has more than 37 million people living in poverty.
Congressman G.K. Butterfield (NC-01)Prior to being elected to represent North Carolina’s First Congressional District on July 24, 2004, Congressman G. K. Butterfield enjoyed a distinguished legal career. He worked in private practice for before serving as a state Superior Court Judge and as a North Carolina Supreme Court Justice. Currently, Congressman Butterfield sits on the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce Committee, where he serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade. He also serves as a member of the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy.
Congressman Butterfield is currently serving his third term as Chief Deputy Whip after first being appointed to the Democratic leadership post in the 110th Congress. For full bio, click HERE. |
Congressman John Conyers (MI-14)Having entered the House of Representatives in 1965, Mr. Conyers is the second most senior member in the House of Representatives. He served as Chairman of the House Committee on Government Operations (now renamed Committee on Oversight and Government Reform) from 1989 until 1994. In 2006, Congressman Conyers was elected by his congressional colleagues to lead, as Chairman, the pivotal House Committee on the Judiciary in the 110th and 111th Congress. In addition to its oversight of the Department of Justice (including the FBI) and the Federal Courts, the Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction over copyright, civil rights, consumer protection, and constitutional issues. In recent years, Mr. Conyers has focused his efforts on promoting economic development in Southeast Michigan, fighting for equal justice and the protection of the civil rights for all Americans, and promoting peace around the world. For full bio, click HERE. |
Congressman Michael Honda (CA-15)U.S. Congressman Michael Honda has represented the 15th Congressional District of California in the U.S. House of Representatives for a decade. In Congress, Rep Honda is a member of the powerful House Appropriations and Budget Committees, Chair Emeritus of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Co-chair of the Democratic Caucus’ New Media Working Group, House Democratic Senior Whip and the original author of the Equity and Excellence Commission now housed in the US Department of Education. For full bio, click HERE . |
