Barbara Lee

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Barbara Lee

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 9th district
Incumbent
Assumed office April 7, 1998–
Preceded by	Ron Dellums
Succeeded by	Incumbent (2007)

Born	July 16, 1946 (age 60) El Paso, Texas
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	None
Religion	Baptist

Barbara Jean Lee (born July 16, 1946), American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1998, representing California's 9th congressional district and is the first woman to represent that district.

Congresswoman Lee was born in El Paso, Texas. She moved from Texas to California in 1960 with her military family parents, and attended high school at San Fernando High School, San Fernando, California. She was a young single mother of two receiving public assistance when she began college. ^[1]^[2] Congresswoman Lee was educated at Mills College and received an M.S.W. from the University of California, Berkeley in 1975. ^[3] While a student at Mills College she was a volunteer at the Oakland chapter of the Black Panther Party's Community Learning Center and worked on Panther co-founder Bobby Seal's 1973 Oakland mayoral campaign^[4].

Lee was a staff member for United States Representative Ron Dellums and a member of the California State Assembly and the California State Senate before entering the House. Dellums endorsed her when she ran for Congress in a special election that created a year-long series of five special elections as various East Bay politicians vied for political office. For a detailed account of these elections, see Special election musical chairs.

Lee is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. In 2001, Lee cast the only "no" vote to the 2001 war in Afghanistan which made her a hero among the anti-war movement, but also caused her to receive death threats.^[5] No other member of either house cast a "no" vote. Lee has been a vocal critic of the Iraq War and supports legislation creating a Department of Peace.

Immediately subsequent to Congresswoman Lee's "no" war vote, she came under attack by former 60's radical and now conservative author David Horowitz for what he has deemed treason. The Congresswoman's "treason" stems not from recent events, but for conveying messages and documents to Maurice Bishop while working for Congressman Dellums prior to the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada. Horowitz, who claims to have known the Congresswoman since her support of the Black Panther Party in the 60's, offers no explanation for the nearly 20 year delay in denouncing this "treason." ^[6]

Lee was ranked as the sixth-most liberal member of the House by the National Journal, based on roll-call votes on economic, social and foreign policy issues in 2006.^[7]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee official House site
Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Federal Election Commission - Barbara Lee campaign finance reports and data
On the Issues - Barbara Lee issue positions and quotes
OpenSecrets.org - Barbara Lee campaign contributions
Project Vote Smart - Representative Barbara J. Lee (CA) profile
SourceWatch Congresspedia - Barbara Lee profile
Washington Post - Congress Votes Database: Barbara Lee voting record
Re-Elect Barbara Lee official campaign site

Articles

Alone on the Hill Mother Jones, September 20, 2001, interview with Barbara Lee
Permanent Occupation Rep. Barbara Lee, In These Times, September 29, 2005
A Progressive State of the Union Barbara Lee and Lynn Woolsey, In These Times, January 31, 2006
Text of Barbara Lee's dissent against the war in Afghanistan on the House Floor September 15, 2001

Political offices
Preceded by Ron Dellums	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 9th congressional district 1998-Present	Succeeded by Incumbent