Rep. Barbara Lee

Despite California's 11 percent unemployment rate, high-tech industries face the challenge of filling a wide range of highly skilled positions that are central to the most advanced industries in the world. Our nation's future depends on remedying this mismatch in supply-and-demand by preparing our children to take jobs...

The Huffington Post's Global Motherhood section joins Mothers Day Every Day, an initiative of the White Ribbon Alliance and CARE, in a countdown to Mother's Day. Pulling together diverse voices, Mothers Day Every Day is raising awareness and calling for greater U.S. leadership to...

This week on Capitol Hill, a conference committee convened its second meeting to resolve the differences between the House and Senate in extending unemployment benefits beyond the end of the month. The conference committee for H.R. 3630 is tasked with coming to an agreement on the addressing the extension of...

This holiday season, our nation can relish the return of our brave men and women in uniform from Iraq. One-hundred five months after the infamously non-existent weapons of mass destruction issue was used by President George W. Bush to justify an invasion of Iraq, we are marking the end of...

December 1 is World AIDS Day -- a time to honor friends and loved ones lost, reflect on the tremendous progress in our collective response, and to recommit ourselves to fighting this crisis.

This year marks 30 years after the first discovery of AIDS cases in the United States....

I shared my outrage and grave concern about the police brutality in Oakland directly with the mayor. My thoughts go out to the injured and especially Scott Olsen . I strongly support the Occupy movement and continue to stand with the peaceful protesters in this struggle for economic justice and...

This is a huge victory for those of us who have been pushing for an end to the war in Iraq. I look forward to welcoming our brave men and women back home for the holidays. We will never forget the enormous sacrifices made by so many of our brave...

Earlier this month, we passed the decade marker for the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, but most Americans would have never known. It is long past time that we focus on Afghanistan, and avoid walking backwards into an open-ended military commitment that could last another ten years or more.

When I...

With President Barack Obama preparing to address a joint session of Congress about our unemployment crisis tonight, our message to him -- as his reliable supporters and political allies -- is simple: Think big and act boldly.

Americans expect and deserve nothing less.

Millions of people are waking up every...

Recently the question has again surfaced: "Do we live in a post-racial America?" While I recognize and celebrate the many victories won by the civil rights movement and the progress our society has made in facing issues of ongoing racial inequality, highlighted by the historic election of President Barack Obama,...

Today, the following statement was issued by Congressional Progressive Caucus Peace and Security Taskforce Co-Chairs US Representatives Mike Honda, Barbara Lee and Lynn Woolsey & Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair US Representative Raúl Grijalva:

The Co-Chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Peace and Security Taskforce call on Congress and the President...

On September 14, 2001, I placed the lone vote against the "Authorization of Use of Force" -- an authorization that I knew would provide a blank check to wage war anywhere, at any time, and for any length. Nearly a decade later, the United States remains embroiled in the longest...

It is with a heavy heart that I continue to reflect upon the horrendous act of violence that occurred in Arizona on January 8, 2011. During this time of reflection, I pray for my colleague, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, her family, staff, supporters and all of the victims and survivors of...

One year has passed since a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastated the island nation of Haiti. Our hearts and thoughts remain with the Haitian people as we remember the tragedy that unfolded on that fateful day.

On this anniversary, we are provided with an opportunity to not only remember those who...

In response to reports that an additional 1,400 U.S. troops will be deployed to Afghanistan in the coming weeks, I must state that I categorically oppose a further escalation of the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan.

In 2001, I placed the lone vote against the 2001 Authorization for...

Nine years ago on September 14, 2001, I placed the lone vote against the "Authorization for Use of Military Force" -- an authorization that I knew would provide a blank check to wage war anywhere, at any time, and for any length.

It is deeply disappointing that...

Today, President Obama announced a 2014 timeline for U.S. and NATO forces to transition leadership of security responsibilities in Afghanistan to Afghan forces.

The President's 2014 announcement comes in advance of his scheduled December review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, pre-empting any meaningful evaluation of the progress, feasibility, or...

Glenn Beck chose Aug. 28, the 47th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, to rally his supporters on the Mall in Washington. Beck's choice may seem like a provocation, but it isn't all that surprising, coming from someone who has shown how little he understands about...

While there will be many essays written upon the 5th anniversary of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, I am compelled to offer my own contribution because there are important lessons to be learned from those tragedies that must not be lost.

In the wake of the Shirley Sherrod...

With reports this week that the Obama administration will announce plans to expand opportunities for Americans to travel to Cuba, the embargo between the U.S. and Cuba has once again become a major topic of discussion.

As reported, the administration's plan would loosen restrictions on travel by academic, religious,...