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In The Recent News
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11APR2006
Immigrant Rights March in Oakland
Cheers greeted Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s statement pledging
solidarity “against any immigration bill filled with injustice
and inhumanity,” and calling for “liberty, justice and freedom
for all.” @ pww.org
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16MAR2006
"The House took an important first step regarding the war in
Iraq. It voted in favor of an important amendment to the Iraq
supplemental spending bill that I introduced .The
amendment we offered was very simple: it stated that no
funds from this spending bill will be used to enter into
military base agreements between the United States and Iraq.
Stating this will clearly indicate that the U.S. has no
intention of maintaining a permanent military presence in Iraq.
I’m pleased to say that the House unanimously approved this
amendment. |
Watch Video |
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The Caribbean Diaspora |
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2005
Brooklyn Carnival Parade Grand
Marshal |
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2006: Campaign to
Establish Caribbean Heritage Month
House Congressional Resolution 71 Passed by the House and Senate
[14FEB2006] |
| 2005: nominated for the
Nobel Peace Prize along with women from 150 countries as part of
the international project, 1000 Women for Peace. |
2005:Congresswoman Lee
has been active in fighting to protect individual rights by
opposing the PATRIOT ACT
supporting greater financial privacy.
promoting free speech by opposing media consolidation.
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| 2005: New Partnership
with Haiti (H.R. 945) |
| 2004: She was one of
only several members of Congress to formally object to the
certification of Ohio's electoral votes in an effort to push
electoral reforms to address the widespread voting
irregularities in Ohio and elsewhere during the 2004
Presidential elections. |
| 2002: On September 15,
the US Congress approved a resolution authorizing President Bush
to use "all necessary and appropriate force" against anyone
associated with the terrorist attacks of September 11. The
measure passed 98-0 in the Senate and 420-1 in the House. The
lone dissenting vote was a colonel's daughter and longtime
maverick from Oakland, California |
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The term diaspora (Ancient Greek
διασπορά, "a scattering or sowing of seeds") is used (without
capitalization) to refer to any people or ethnic population
forced or induced to leave their traditional ethnic homelands;
being dispersed throughout other parts of the world, and the
ensuing developments in their dispersal and culture.
wiki/Diaspora
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| Congresswoman
Barbara Lee, Democrat from Alameda County is the Grand Marshall
of the 2006 Carnaval San Francisco Bay Area Festival, the
largest ethnic event on the West Coast.
As the most senior
Democratic Woman on the House International Relations Committee
and the bipartisan Caribbean Caucus she has authored a bill
establishing Caribbean-American month Lee’s bill
(H. Con. Res. 71) was approved by the House on June 27, 2005 and
had 81co-sponsors and support from more than 40 non-governmental
organizations working on CARIBBEAN-American
issues. The Bill has passed the Floor of the House in June 26th
and passed the Senate by Unanimous consent on February 14, 2006.
The Bill now awaits a Presidential Proclamation. President
George W. Bush has threatened a rare veto and all who enjoy the
spirit of community expressed through the fun and joy of jumping
up in the streets in fancy dress are asked to invite the
President to also participate in the inclusive Spirit of
Carnival by signing this act of Congress.
Congresswoman Lee, through her leadership roles in the Congressional
Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has
been a leader in the fight for civil rights and civil
liberties.
Congresswoman Lee was born in El Paso
Texas. She graduated from Mills College in Oakland and received
her MSW from the University of California in Berkeley.
Congresswoman Lee began her political career working in the
office of her predecessor, Congressman Ron Dellums, where she
eventually became his Chief of Staff. Before being elected to
Congress, she served in the California State Assembly from
1990-1996 and in the California State Senate from 1996-1998. When Dellums retired in
1998, Lee easily won his seat; she was reelected in 2005 with 85
percent of the vote.
| COMMUNITY
BUILDING: |
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a
compelling vision
of a different America where we all share an
American Dream
of Diversity in Unity |
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State of the District
March 23 2006 |
“We are a nation in
profound crisis. The authority of the President, the
corruption, oversight by Congress, the role of
government, even the meaning of our constitution – all
of these things – are in question as we speak.”
… “The mess in Iraq, the warrantless surveillance of
Americans, the Abramoff corruption scandals, the massive
tax cuts for the wealthy in the face the abandonment of
Katrina survivors, these are not isolated events. They
are the predictable results of a neo-conservative, right
wing government.
“The crisis I am talking about is not a crisis of
events. It is not the result of September 11th, or
hurricane Katrina, but rather a philosophy of government
that threatens our democracy and places a priority on
the interests of the wealthy few over those of the
majority.”
… “It is common to hear pundits these days say that the
Democratic Party doesn’t stand for anything. I don’t
believe that…and I believe that our work together and
the work I have described to you tonight represents a
set of core principles that stand in stark contrast to
the cynicism and corruption of the Bush administration
and Congress.
“In the face of lawlessness and corruption, we represent
a deep belief in serving the public trust and the common
good.
“In the face of abuse of power, we represent the
democratic insistence on accountability, checks and
balances and the rule of law.
“In the face of a reckless unilateralism that has
squandered our nation’s standing and left us alone and
vulnerable in the world, we represent robust
international leadership.
“In the face of an indifference that abandoned African
Americans and the poor long before hurricane Katrina
tore back the curtain, we represent the belief that
every man, woman and child deserves the opportunity to
take part in the American Dream.”
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"I'm convinced that Congress's role in this is to look at every
dimension of international terrorism and to help develop a
strategy to combat it, to stamp it out, and ensure the safety of
our country"
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Eyes of Sorrow
by Naomi Drexler
(oil pastel, color
pencil, watercolor). 9th Congressional District
constituent Naomi's portrait will be on display
through 2006 in the Nation's Capital as winner of
the 21st Annual Congressional Art Competition |
For Congresswoman Lee, building
healthy communities goes beyond her protecting our environment
and fighting against pollution and environmental racism. It
means supporting violence prevention programs, programs that
help lay the foundation where a strong community can grow. It
means working to eliminate disparities in quality and access to
healthcare and protecting women’s right to make their own
decisions about their reproductive health. It means recognizing
the contributions of the entire community and supporting just
immigration policies. It means working for quality education and
smaller class sizes, making sure that the door to opportunity is
open to everyone.
She led the fight to create the
Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS and to bring affordable generic
AIDS treatments to impoverished regions.
Alternatives to War at counterpunch.org
by REP. BARBARA LEE
"B. Lee says No to big oil" at envirosAgainstWar.org
Speaking Truth to Power:
"This amendment is not about the war, though I offered an
alternative to keep us out of Iraq. This amendment is not
about bringing our troops home, though I believe we should.
This amendment is not about holding the President
accountable for misleading us into an unjust and unnecessary
war, though we should.
Barbara Lee opposes Permanent Bases in Iraq
2006-MAR-17 atAfterDowningStreet.org
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| "As we
act, let us not become the evil that we deplore."
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| Congresswoman Lee's
willingness to stand on principle earned her international
attention when she was the only member of Congress to vote
against the resolution authorizing President Bush to "use all
necessary and appropriate force against those nations,
organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized,
committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on
September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons,
in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism
against the United States by such nations, organizations or
persons. |
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Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), we are prepared to help
lead our caucus in forceful, impassioned and organized
opposition.
The Progressive Promise is rooted in three core principles:
Fighting for economic justice and security for all;
Protecting and preserving our civil rights and civil liberties;
and
Promoting global peace and security. |
| Representatives Barbara Lee (D-Calif.)and Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.)
—co-chairs of the 62-member Congressional Progressive
Caucus—present an alternative vision for the country |
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Marin & Sonoma
"Where
others have been cautious, we have been bold and
outspoken. Where others have been afraid to say “the
emperor has no clothes,” we have been honest enough
to shout that if the hopes of Americans—rather than
their fears—are the clothes of a Presidency, this
President is truly naked!"
Progressive State of the Union 2006 with Barbara Lee
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"Our
nation faces a crisis, and we stand at a crossroads.
Will we continue to be a nation of laws, or a nation
where the executive claims the privilege of
lawlessness? Will we be nation run for the benefit
of big corporations and wealthy donors, or a nation
of opportunity, where people who work hard are
rewarded and everyone has a shot at the American
dream?"
Progressive State of the Union 2006 with Lynn
Woolsey
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Congressional
ProgressiveCaucus.org/
2006 Progressive State of the Union |
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Currently, there are 43
members of the CBC. CBC Members are advocates for the human
family nationally and internationally and have played a
significant role as local and regional activists as well.
African American members have worked diligently to be the
conscience of the Congress, but because all politics are
ultimately local, they also provide dedicated and focused
service to the citizens and Congressional districts that have
elected them.
The vision of the founding members of the CBC to "promote the
public welfare through legislation designed to meet the needs of
millions of neglected citizens," continues to be a beacon and
focal point for the legislative work and political activities of
the Congressional Black Caucus today.
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