Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces FEMA Funeral Assistance Funding

Starting, Monday, April 12, those who lost loved ones to COVID-19 will be able to apply for retroactive reimbursements for burial costs of up to $9,000 per burial.

Published

3 years ago

April 8, 2021

Mia Lane

Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee announced on Wednesday a new development for families seeking assistance with funeral costs for loved ones that have passed away as a result of COVID-19.

Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will begin providing financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses after Jan. 20, 2020.

Starting, Monday, April 12, those who lost loved ones to COVID-19 will be able to apply for retroactive reimbursements for burial costs of up to $9,000 per burial. There is no citizenship requirement for eligibility for this relief. If multiple individuals contributed toward funeral expenses, they should apply under a single application as applicant and co-applicant.

“Families across this country are living on the edge because of this public health and economic crisis,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. “On top of facing unimaginable hardship and loss, the last thing they should have to worry about is how to pay for funeral expenses. That’s why Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez and I introduced the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Act (during the) last Congress to help ease the burden caused by the virus. I applaud the leadership of Majority Leader Schumer for making this a priority, and I’m pleased to see the Biden Administration is taking action to deliver this critical relief to families.”

“I am very pleased they are doing such a thing,” said Phyllis Scott, pastor of Tree of Life Ministries and president of Pastors of Oakland. After reading that approximately 400,000 children lost a parent to COVID-19 and the Black and Brown children experienced disproportionate loss.

“This tragedy has been on my heart,” she said.

“Along with the poverty thar was already here, all who didn’t have health insurance because they couldn’t afford it,” suffered the most, she said. The support for funeral expenses will “give those families one less thing to struggle for. (The assistance) allows them to begin to address their healing and begin to recover.”

Applicants must provide the following documents:

Official death certificate attributing the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.

Funeral expenses documents, such as receipts or a funeral home contract, that includes the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses were incurred.

Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. We are not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources.

COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Hot Line: 844-684-6333 or TTY: 800-462-7585

In May 2020, Representatives Barbara Lee and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Act, which would instruct FEMA to disperse $10,000 to cover the funeral expenses of those lost to the pandemic.

Additional information on the program can be found here: COVID-19 Funeral Assistance | FEMA.gov.

Post staff contributed to this report.

Mia Lane

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Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on Deaths of Humanitarian Aid Volunteers in Gaza 

On April 2, a day after an Israeli airstrike erroneously killed seven employees of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a humanitarian organization delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, a statement was release by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12). “This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

By California Black Media

“This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

The same day, it was confirmed by the organization that the humanitarian aid volunteers were killed in a strike carried out by Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Prior to the incident, members of the team had been travelling in two armored vehicles marked with the WCF logo and they had been coordinating their movements with the IDF. The group had successfully delivered 10 tons of humanitarian food in a deconflicted zone when its convoy was struck.

“This is not only an attack against WCK. This is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the direst situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said Erin Gore, chief executive officer of World Central Kitchen.

The seven victims included a U.S. citizen as well as others from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Palestine.

Lee has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza and has supported actions by President Joe Biden to airdrop humanitarian aid in the area.

“Far too many civilians have lost their lives as a result of Benjamin Netanyahu’s reprehensible military offensive. The U.S. must join with our allies and demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire – it’s long overdue,” Lee said.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Rep. Barbara Lee, CBC Members, Raise Concerns Over Layoffs of Black Tech Workersi2s

In 2015, the CBC launched Tech 2020 to ensure that Black Americans would be better represented in the industry by 2020. However, Lee says those tech companies that pledged to be more inclusive are falling short of their promise.

Published

4 months ago

December 26, 2023

Oakland Post

Rep. Barbara Lee

By Post Staff

Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Lee and several other Congressional Black Caucus members have written a letter to Julie Su, the acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, addressing the disproportionate layoffs of Black tech employees.

“We write to express our concerns with recent reports highlighting the impacts of widespread layoffs within the tech industry and its disproportionate impacts on the African American community and women,” the letter stated.

“Tech companies who previously agreed to address bias and discrimination and create greater opportunities in the workforce are now quietly defunding diversity pledges,” the letter continued.

Lee told the Grio, “We’ve been fighting for justice and for economic parity and security as part of the mission of the CBC,” she said, “and so when we established Tech 2020, it was about equity and inclusion.”

“Now with all the Supreme Court decisions and with all of the backsliding, especially by Republicans, it’s very important that we be very assertive in our fight for equity and justice within the private sector and public sector,” she said.

According to the letter, since the beginning of 2023, more than 240,000 tech workers have been laid off, more than 50% increase from 2022.

Lee found that minorities and women make up most of the tech layoffs that have occurred this year.

“If you don’t have African Americans developing content,” Lee said, “then we’re going to have Black people, Brown people [and] women disproportionately impacted.”

“This country is supposed to be a representative democracy where you include people, and you don’t discriminate against them,” she added. “When you see the disproportionate numbers of people being laid off, then that is a red flag that it could be discrimination occurring against these workers and employees.”

Oakland Post

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Activism

Congresswoman Lee Releases Statement on Vandalism of Lake Merritt Menorah

Published

4 months ago

December 15, 2023

Oakland Post

Chabad of Oakland’s menorah at Lake Merritt on Dec. 10, before it was vandalized (right) and graffiti left where the menorah stood before it was pulled down. (Photos/Courtesy Chabad of Oakland)

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) released the following statement on the destruction of the large Menorah on display at Lake Merritt in Oakland:

“I’m deeply saddened and disheartened that the Lake Merritt Menorah was destroyed earlier this week. My heart and prayers go out to the Jewish community in Oakland, and I strongly condemn this vile act of antisemitism.”

“Oaklanders salvaged the menorah and gathered together (Wednesday evening) to celebrate its re-lighting, spreading love and support in the way only Oakland does. I’m proud of my constituents. We will not let hate win.”