Barbara Lee
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on Biden High-Speed Internet Deal
“Here in the East Bay, access to high-speed internet is a matter of racial justice and equity,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13). “This became especially clear during the pandemic, when many Oakland kids were not able to participate in remote learning simply because they did not have internet access at home.

By Alex Katz
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) issued the following statement on May 10 celebrating the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), the Biden Administration’s effort to make high-speed internet cheaper, faster, and more widely available.
“Here in the East Bay, access to high-speed internet is a matter of racial justice and equity,” Lee said. “This became especially clear during the pandemic, when many Oakland kids were not able to participate in remote learning simply because they did not have internet access at home.
“The Oakland Unified School District connected 98% of its students to high-speed internet during the pandemic, giving out 36,000 laptops and 11,500 hotspots. That effort is commendable, and it needs to be repeated across our country. It is critical that we help close the economic and educational gap created by lack of affordable internet service. The ACP is a step in the right direction towards equitable internet access for all.”
On Monday, President Biden and Vice President Harris announced that they have secured private sector commitments that will lower high-speed internet costs for millions of families.
As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress and the White House worked to create the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which allows tens of millions of American households to reduce their internet service costs by up to $30/month (or $75/month on Tribal lands).
To ensure the most efficient use of those public dollars and to deliver maximum cost savings to families, the Biden-Harris Administration has secured commitments from 20 leading internet providers — covering more than 80% of the U.S. population across urban, suburban, and rural areas — to either increase speeds or cut prices, making sure they all offer ACP-eligible households high-speed, high-quality internet plans for no more than $30/month.
From large providers like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon serving dozens of states, to smaller providers serving rural areas like Jackson Energy Authority in Tennessee and Comporium in North Carolina, the commitments will allow tens of millions of ACP-eligible households to receive high-speed internet at no cost.
For details on how you can sign up for ACP and find participating internet providers in their area, go to: GetInternet.gov
Alex Katz works in Rep. Barbara Lee’s communications office.
Activism
Rep. Barbara Lee Joins Competitive Race to Replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA12), the highest-ranking African American woman serving in the U.S. Congress, announced on February 21, that she will enter the race to replace 89-year-old Dianne Feinstein — California’s senior U.S. Senator who has announced that she will not seek another term.

By Tanu Henry
California Black Media
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA12), the highest-ranking African American woman serving in the U.S. Congress, announced on February 21, that she will enter the race to replace 89-year-old Dianne Feinstein — California’s senior U.S. Senator who has announced that she will not seek another term.
“No one is rolling out the welcome mat – especially for someone like me. I am the girl they didn’t allow in, who couldn’t drink from the water fountain, who had an abortion in a back alley when they all were illegal,” Lee said in a video she released announcing her senatorial bid. “I escaped a violent marriage, became a single mom, a homeless mom, a mom who couldn’t afford childcare and brought her kids to class with her.”
“By the grace of God, I didn’t let that stop me,” Lee said over a soundtrack of loudening applause. “And even though there are no African American women in the U.S. Senate, we won’t let that stop us either. Because when you stand on the side of justice, you don’t quit when they give you a seat at the table. You bring a folding chair for everyone, and they’re here to stay.”
A week earlier, Lee, a 12-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives who is known for her progressive politics, filed the required paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to be a candidate in the 2024 race.
“It has been an immense honor to serve alongside Senator Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving woman senator in our nation’s history,” Lee said in a statement after Feinstein’s announcement. “For over two decades, we’ve worked closely together to represent the best interests of our great state of California; create an economy that works for all; and advance justice and equity.”
“The progress we’ve made in the fight for equity can be seen in the Senator’s tenure itself: when she was elected in ’92, there were just two women senators. Today, there are 25,” Lee said, continuing her homage to Feinstein.
If Lee wins, she will be the only Black woman serving in the U.S. Senate. Just two Black women, Vice President Kamala Harris and former Illinois Senator Carol Moseley Braun, have served in the upper house of the United States Congress in the body’s 230-year history.
“As one of the most liberal states in the nation, we must continue to send an independent voice who will be diverse in their perspective and positions,” said Kellie Todd-Griffin, founding convener of the California Black Women’s Collective, a statewide organization whose membership includes women representing various professional backgrounds.
“That is Congressmember Barbara Lee. She speaks for all of us,” added Griffin.
In 2020, after Kamala Harris became vice president, Black women advocates across California called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint a Black woman to replace her. They made the case that there would be no other Black woman in the Senate after Harris left, and that Black women are the most loyal, most powerful, and most consistent voting bloc in the Democratic Party.
Instead, Newsom appointed Sen. Alex Padilla, the first Latino from California to serve in the U.S. Senate. Although Black political advocates and Black leaders in the California Democratic Party eventually embraced Padilla’s nomination, many felt Newsom’s decision to not appoint a Black woman to replace Harris was a slap in the face.
“That is a terrible loss for America. That is our seat,” said Amelia Ashley Ward, publisher of the San Francisco Sun-Reporter, after Padilla was nominated. “It was won by an African American woman, and she had hundreds of thousands of African American women working hard with her, holding her up, standing behind her to win that seat.”
Lee, 76, will be competing for Feinstein’s Senate seat against two other Democratic members of California’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives: Katie Porter (D-CA-47), 49, and Adam Schiff (D-CA-30), 62.
Both Porter and Schiff, like Lee, have progressive voting records. Both Democratic competitors have already amassed tens of millions of dollars, respectively, in campaign donations. Their early fundraising places them in a stronger position than Lee to win the 2024 Democratic primary which will be held about a year from now.
In the U.S. House, Lee serves as co-chair of the Policy and Steering Committee. She is also a member of the Appropriations and Budget committees. She is former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and chair emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Lee has also been hailed by her Democratic colleagues as the only member of Congress who had the courage to vote against the use of force in Iraq after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
As a young activist, Lee was a volunteer for the 1973 Oakland mayoral campaign of Black founder co-founder Bobby Seale.
Griffin says for Black women particularly, and for African Americans in general, it is important to have representation in the United States Senate.
“Congressmember Lee has been a progressive leader whose record demonstrates she will fight to solve the issues that impact our community.
She has effectively served California by advancing meaningful policy while standing up for the things that matter to everyday citizens,” said Griffin.
Barbara Lee
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Reacts to President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union
In just a single Congress, we’ve made more progress on climate and gun violence legislation than in the past 30 years with the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. And we’ve continued to make progress towards an AIDS-free generation as we mark the 20th anniversary of PEPFAR.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the below statement on Wednesday following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address to Congress:
Last night, our nation and the world saw President Biden outline the historic, unprecedented progress we have made over the past two years with a Democratic government.
We should all take time to celebrate this progress, especially considering the state of our nation when Biden took office. In just two years, we’ve created 12 million jobs—more than any other president has created in four years. Unemployment is down to its lowest level in half a century, and real wages—especially in underpaid sectors—are increasing.
Seniors on Medicare can finally stop worrying about outrageous health care costs now that insulin has been capped at $35/month out-of-pocket, and the Affordable Care Act Enrollment is at a record high.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, Congressman Gregory Meeks (center) and President Joe Biden. (Photo: NBC News / Youtube)
In just a single Congress, we’ve made more progress on climate and gun violence legislation than in the past 30 years with the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. And we’ve continued to make progress towards an AIDS-free generation as we mark the 20th anniversary of PEPFAR.
But as POTUS emphasized in an impassioned call to Congress, we have more work ahead to finish his agenda. The economy still isn’t working for everyone. I applaud the President’s bold call for new taxes on billionaires and stock buybacks; universal childcare, home care, and pre-K; paid sick leave; and bold housing investments—some of the biggest inflationary costs hitting working people.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Congresswoman Lee.
The President also spoke powerfully to the need for reform to our policing system and the racial injustice that plagues our country. From combatting systemic racism to the war on reproductive rights, it is vital that Congress hold the line against Republican extremism and take back our rights.
While these extreme MAGA Republicans attempt to raise taxes and destroy Social Security and Medicare, I look forward to working with the president and my Democratic colleagues to continue delivering for the people of this country in the coming year.

At Leader Jeffries’ #StateoftheUnion reception “with my amazing
Democratic colleagues & guest, Pastor Mike McBride,” said Rep. Lee.
Activism
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Sworn in to U.S. House of Representatives
Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee was officially sworn in as United States Representative for California’s 12th Congressional District, representing the people of the East Bay in the 118th Congress.
“I am honored that the people of the East Bay have entrusted me with the great responsibility of representing them in Congress, and deeply grateful to have such engaged and enlightened constituents. As a result of the 2020 Census and redistricting, our beautiful 13th district’s number is now 12.
“After four days, thousands of votes, 15 ballots, and the longest Speaker election since 1858, during the Buchannan presidency, we can finally begin legislating in the 118th Congress. I was honored to serve as one of two official Democratic tellers for the Speaker’s race and I’m looking forward to continuing the work of putting people over politics. I will continue fighting for safer communities; ending poverty; affordable housing; combatting homelessness; climate action; reproductive freedom; racial justice; global peace and security, an equitable health care system; an economy that works for all, and so much more. We have work ahead of us, but with our most diverse and committed House Democratic Caucus yet, we’ll resist the right-wing’s extremist agenda and improve the lives and livelihoods of our communities.”
Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the Steering and Policy Committee, she is the highest-ranking Black woman appointed to House Leadership.
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