[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 24, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E519]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING THE HONORABLE BARBARA LEE FOR 20 YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE 
                     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 24, 2018

  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleagues, Congressman Pete 
Aguilar, Congresswoman Karen Bass, Congresswoman Nanette Barragan, 
Congressman Ami Bera, Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Congressman Salud 
Carbajal, Congressman Tony Cardenas, Congresswoman Judy Chu, 
Congressman Lou Correa, Congressman Jim Costa, Congresswoman Susan 
Davis, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, 
Congressman John Garamendi, Congressman Jimmy Gomez, Congressman Jared 
Huffman, Congressman Ro Khanna, Congressman Ted Lieu, Congressman Alan 
Lowenthal, Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Congressman Jerry McNerney, 
Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, Congressman Jimmy Panetta, 
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Scott Peters, Congresswoman 
Lucille Roybal-Allard, Congressman Raul Ruiz, Congresswoman Linda 
Sanchez, Congressman Adam Schiff, Congressman Brad Sherman, 
Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Congressman Eric Swalwell, Congressman 
Mark Takano, Congressman Mike Thompson, Congresswoman Norma Torres, 
Congressman Juan Vargas, and Congresswoman Maxine Waters, to 
commemorate my distinguished colleague, the Honorable Barbara Lee, as 
she celebrates her 20th anniversary in the United States House of 
Representatives.
  Throughout her career representing the East Bay of California, 
Congresswoman Barbara Lee has fought to turn our nation's promise of 
peace, equality and justice for all into a reality. Her legislative 
accomplishments are many and varied, but they are all rooted in the 
universal goal of uplifting the marginalized and underrepresented. She 
has been relentless in her commitment to addressing and alleviating 
poverty, ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and advancing a vision of U.S. 
foreign policy that actively promotes global peace and security.
  As a young working mother who relied on public assistance while 
raising her sons, Congresswoman Lee knows firsthand the challenges 
faced by those living in poverty. She has rightly called out the moral 
atrocity that is America's epidemic of poverty. Since 2013, she has 
served as Chair of the Democratic Whip's Task Force on Poverty, Income 
Inequality, and Opportunity, which is finding solutions to end the 
scourge of poverty. Congresswoman Lee has also made addressing 
institutionalized racism and racial wealth disparities a cornerstone of 
her approach. On the Appropriations Committee, she works tirelessly to 
protect and expand programs like unemployment insurance, housing 
assistance, child care, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
  Congresswoman Lee has also been a consistent force for ending HIV/
AIDS domestically and globally. She has authored or co-sponsored every 
major piece of legislation dealing with the AIDS crisis since entering 
Congress, including bills to establish the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, 
Tuberculosis, and Malaria and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS 
Relief (PEPFAR). Due to this groundbreaking legislation, the United 
States is a world leader in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and 
ending this public health emergency for good.
  Congresswoman Barbara Lee is also a leading voice for global peace 
and security. She is best known for her brave lone opposition to the 
open-ended 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force that passed 
by Congress just three days after the September 11th attacks. Her 
foresight in predicting that this war authorization would be used as a 
blank check for perpetual war has proved prescient; today, this AUMF 
remains the legal basis for more than 40 military operations around the 
world. 16 years later, Congresswoman Lee remains persistent in her 
efforts to repeal the AUMF, and last year achieved a historic victory 
when her repeal bill was adopted by a bipartisan and nearly unanimous 
vote of the Appropriations Committee.
  Congresswoman Lee has fought to strengthen ties with countries around 
the world--serving three times as the U.S. Congressional Representative 
to the United Nations. Her decades of persistent advocacy for 
normalizing relations with Cuba was integral to the re-opening of the 
U.S. embassy on the island. Through her position on the State and 
Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, Congresswoman Lee has 
been a vocal champion of soft power initiatives, securing lifesaving 
funding for foreign development, nutrition and health care programs. 
Her leadership positions in Congress include: Vice Chair of the 
Democratic Steering and Policy Committee (2017-present), Vice Chair and 
founding member of the LGBT Equality Caucus, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of 
the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, and Co-Chair of the Sudan and South 
Sudan Caucus.
  She is the former chair (2008-2010) of the Congressional Black 
Caucus, a former co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and 
a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, where she 
serves as co-Chair of the Health Care Task Force. Congresswoman Lee is 
a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee, and 
previously served on the Banking, International Relations, Financial 
Services, and Foreign Affairs committees.
  Congresswoman Barbara Lee's extraordinary work makes her an 
invaluable member of Congress. Today we celebrate her passion, 
commitment, and dedication to public service these past 20 years, and 
express our admiration that she remains a renegade for peace and 
justice. We send her our highest regards and best wishes as she crosses 
this incredible milestone.

                          ____________________