Press Releases
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmember Karen Bass (D-CA), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, along with Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Congresswoman Shelia Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA), Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-TX), and Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) issued the following joint statement:
“Our offices have been alerted that African asylum-seekers from Cameroon and other African countries, many of whom were allegedly improperly coerced by ICE to sign voluntary deportation orders, will be deported as early as tomorrow morning. Upon their arrival to their designated countries, many will be at imminent risk of death.
WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa issued the below joint statement with Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA), Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D-VA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Jamie Raskin (R-MD), and Brad Sherman (D-CA) regarding instability in Ethiopia.
"We are deeply concerned about the ongoing crises in Ethiopia that have the potential to further destabilize the country while endangering civilians’ lives and liberties and call for a ceasefire and national dialogue.
WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) issued the following statement after cosponsoring legislation supporting the Republic of Artsakh and condemning Azerbaijan's military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
"I am proud to have joined my colleagues in supporting legislation to not only condemn Azerbaijan's military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, but also to denounce Turkish interference in the conflict. I stand with the people of Armenia."
The Congresswoman has cosponsored the below pieces of legislation:
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmember Karen Bass (D-CA), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, released the following statement after news broke that a missionary who is a United States citizen had been kidnapped in Niger.
“I am deeply concerned for the safety of the American citizen who has been kidnapped in Niger. The safety of American citizens abroad is one of our top priorities and I urge the Government of Niger to do all that they can to work toward returning him to safety. The Sahel region has been grappling with increased violence over the past years.
Today, Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, and the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on the state sanctioned violence against peaceful non-violent protesters in Nigeria and calling for dialogue with the CBC and the Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Sylvanus Nsofor.
In the letter, the Congressmember expressed particular concern with the documented force used by the Nigerian police and military, which has resulted in the loss of lives and injury of dozens of protestors like the recent events at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmember Karen Bass (D-CA), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, introduced a resolution encouraging respect for human rights and encouraging continued democratic progress in Ethiopia. Congressmember Bass was joined by Congressman Chris Smith, who serves as Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, as well as Congressman John Garamendi and Congressman Joe Wilson.
“Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed spearheaded significant and commendable reform measures following his selection in April 2018, including releasing thousands of political prisoners, inviting exiled political opposition back to Ethiopia, negotiating a peace agreement with Eritrea, lifting bans on over 200 websites and improving media freedom.
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Albio Sires (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) and Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa introduced H.Res. 1178, a resolution opposing any inclusion of apparel, textile, and footwear products in the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP):
“This resolution marks an important step toward strengthening our supply chains in the Western Hemisphere and confronting a rising China,” said Congressman Sires.
WASHINGTON— Rep. Brad Schneider and The Congressional Tri-Caucus Chairs – composed of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) – led a letter to President Trump demanding that he make a national television address to disavow his comments instructing the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”
Representatives Schneider, CBC Chairwoman Bass, CHC Chairman Castro, CAPAC Chairwoman Chu, Blumenauer, Lawrence, Davis, Davids, Haaland, and Wasserman-Schultz signed the letter addressed to President Trump.
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representative Karen Bass (D-Calif.) were joined by local and national justice advocates to announce new legislation to improve our emergency response capabilities by creating systemic alternatives to police involvement, especially where it could lead to unnecessary escalation. Their new legislation, the Community-Based Response Act, creates a new Community-Based Emergency and Non-Emergency Response Grant Program through the Department of Health and Human Services to establish programs to provide an additional option beyond law enforcement for community-based emergency response. The bill will promote an additional option for a community-based response in emergency situations, allowing the dispatch of professionals trained in mental and behavioral health or crisis response instead of law enforcement. As shown by new polling, this approach receives widespread support from the American people, regardless of political affiliation.
Senator Van Hollen and Representative Bass were joined on the call today by Clint Odom, Senior Vice President, Policy & Advocacy and Executive Director, Washington Bureau of the National Urban League; Kate Chatfield, Director of Policy for The Justice Collaborative; Erricka Bridgeford, Executive Director at the Baltimore Community Mediation Center and founder of the Baltimore Ceasefire move
WASHINGTON – Today, the House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Health and Wellness of Babies and Pregnant Women in Custody Act of 2020, introduced by Congressmember Karen Bass (D-CA), Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, to provide a national standard of care to address pregnancy-related needs of incarcerated women during pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum periods.
Women are the fastest-growing incarcerated population in the United States and both pieces of legislation address the growing need for the humane treatment of these individuals and decreasing the chance of reoffending.