Barbara Lee in 2024 CA Senate race

On Abortion: Pro-choice; shared story of her own pre-Roe abortion

It was very difficult for me to talk about having an abortion, because my mother and I decided it was our own personal business. What happened was I went to Juárez, Mexico, and it was a back alley. I was terrified because it was illegal. I felt compelled to share my story so that people understood they had a member of Congress who saw them, who got it, who knows that experience, and trying to fight to try to make sure that reproductive justice is available for everyone. Source: Democracy Now on 2024 California Senate race Mar 10, 2023

On Drugs: Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus

Lee has long been a champion of cannabis justice. As a Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, she helps lead the coalition of members of Congress fighting to end the war on drugs. Lee has always opposed America's War on Drugs as unjust, classist, and racist. She introduced the first cannabis reform bill focused on racial justice, the Marijuana Justice Act, in 2019. The legislation would deschedule marijuana at the federal level and repair some of the harm from the failed War on Drugs. Source: 2024 California Senate campaign website Lee.House.gov Jul 19, 2022

On Gun Control: Banning assault weapons a crucial and long-overdue action

[On "From Sandy Hook to Parkland to Uvalde, AR-15 style firearms have been the weapon of choice for shooters looking to kill as many people as quickly as possible. They have no place in our schools, our streets, or anywhere in our communities. Banning assault weapons is a crucial and long-overdue action that will save lives. We cannot rest until our laws ensure our schools, grocery stores, places of worship, hospitals, and all of our communities are safe." Source: 2024 California Senate campaign website Lee.House.gov Jul 19, 2022

On Homeland Security: We need to cut defense budget by at least $100 billion

Let me tell you, there's waste, fraud and abuse, at least $150 billion, that taxpayers have provided to the Pentagon that just is scammed. To introduce an increase of $28 billion is unacceptable to me, because we have the resources to enhance and make sure our national security is strong with the $858 billion now that's there. And, in fact, we need to cut it by at least $100 billion. That's a minimum cut that we need. Source: Democracy Now on 2024 California Senate race Mar 10, 2023

On Welfare & Poverty: Ending poverty is a moral and economic imperative

As a member of the powerful federal spending committee, Congresswoman Lee has led the fight to preserve and expand critical safety net programs like unemployment insurance, housing assistance, child care, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). She firmly believes that ending poverty in the world's rich and most powerful nation is a moral and economic imperative. Additionally, Lee has long championed global poverty eradication efforts. Source: 2024 California Senate campaign website Lee.House.gov Jul 19, 2022

On Drugs: Rated A+ by NORML: Legalize marijuana and tax it

NORML Politician Info:

Barbara Lee (D)

Summary: LEGALIZE, TAX, AND REGULATE/DECRIMINALIZE
Congresswoman Barbara Lee is a longtime friend and champion of the marijuana reform movement. [Since the 1970s, she has supported] marijuana reform as a state legislator and Congress member during the darkest days of the drug war. A strong racial justice advocate, Rep. Lee denounces cannabis laws for their disproportionate impact on minorities.
Lee is a Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. She was a leading co-sponsor of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, the first-ever federal legalization bill to be approved (twice, in 2019 and 2021) by the House of Representatives. At age 77, Rep. Lee is the most senior major candidate in the race, but also the most likely to push cannabis as a high-priority issue in the Senate.

Source: NORML "Smoke the Vote" on 2024 California Senate race Aug 8, 2024

The above quotations are from 2024 California Senatorial race: debates and news coverage. Click here for other excerpts from 2024 California Senatorial race: debates and news coverage. Click here for other excerpts by Barbara Lee. Click here for a profile of Barbara Lee, or a Ballotpedia political profile
*Barbara Lee on other issues:*
Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families Foreign Policy Free Trade	Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Jobs Principles Social Security Tax Reform Technology Infrastructure War/Peace Welfare
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Page last updated: Oct 30, 2024