Barbara Lee

Barbara Lee
Name	Barbara Lee
Caption	Official portrait, 2023
State	California
District	12th
Term start	January 3, 2023
Preceded	Nancy Pelosi
Party	Democratic
Birth date	16 July 1946
Birth place	El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Alma mater	Mills College (BA), University of California, Berkeley (MSW)

Barbara Lee is an American politician and social worker serving as the U.S. Representative for California's 12th congressional district. A member of the Democratic Party, she has represented parts of the San Francisco Bay Area since 1998 and is a prominent figure in the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Lee is nationally known for her consistent advocacy for peace, social justice, and human rights, most famously for her lone vote against the 2001 AUMF following the September 11 attacks.

Early life and education

Born in El Paso, Texas, she was raised in Southern California and faced significant challenges, including a teenage marriage and experiencing domestic violence. After moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, she became involved in community activism while raising her two sons. Lee earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Mills College in Oakland and later a Master of Social Work from the University of California, Berkeley. Her political consciousness was shaped by involvement with the Black Panther Party's community programs and volunteering for the presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm.

Early political career

Her professional political career began as an intern and later a senior staffer for Congressman Ronald V. Dellums of Oakland. She was elected to the California State Assembly in 1990, succeeding Elihu Harris. In the California State Legislature, she championed legislation on HIV/AIDS funding, healthcare, and affordable housing. Lee was then elected to the California State Senate in 1996, where she continued her advocacy before successfully running for the United States House of Representatives in a 1998 special election to fill the seat vacated by Ron Dellums.

U.S. House of Representatives

First sworn into the 106th United States Congress, she has been re-elected consistently from what is now California's 12th congressional district, encompassing much of Alameda County including the cities of Oakland and Berkeley. She has held significant leadership roles, including Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Lee served as the House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair and later Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State Department and Foreign Operations. In 2023, she launched a campaign for the United States Senate seat held by the late Dianne Feinstein.

Political positions and legislation

A staunch progressive, her legislative focus has been on opposing expansive military authorizations, promoting diplomacy, and advocating for global health. Her sole vote against the 2001 AUMF is a defining moment. She has authored legislation to repeal that AUMF and has introduced bills to establish a United States Department of Peacebuilding. Lee is a lead sponsor of the HIV/AIDS PEPFAR program and the Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act. She consistently advocates for Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, criminal justice reform, and lifting the embargo against Cuba.

Electoral history

She won her initial 1998 special election for California's 9th congressional district with over 66% of the vote. In subsequent elections for what was renumbered as the 13th and later the 12th district, she has typically won with over 80% of the vote, facing only minor third-party or write-in opposition in the heavily Democratic San Francisco Bay Area. Her 2024 U.S. Senate primary campaign featured prominent opponents including Adam Schiff and Katie Porter.

Personal life

She has two adult sons and is a grandmother. Lee is a breast cancer survivor and has been open about her experiences with domestic violence and temporarily receiving welfare and food stamps as a young mother. She is a lifelong advocate for mental health services and social work. Her papers are archived at the University of California, Berkeley Bancroft Library. In 2023, Mills College at Northeastern University named its flagship institute for social justice in her honor.

Category:1946 births Category:American social workers Category:California Democrats Category:Living people Category:Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from California