Barbara Lee
Barbara Jean Lee (* July 16, 1946 in El Paso, Texas) is an American politician of the Democratic Party. Since 1998, it represents the state of California in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington.
Early years and political rise
Barbara Lee moved in 1960 with her parents from Texas to California. There, she first attended the Fernado Hill High School, then after that the Mills College and until 1975 the University of California at Berkeley. During her studies, she volunteered for the Black Panther movement. Later she became a member of the Democratic Party. It belonged to the senior staff of Congressman Ron Dellums and sat 1991-1997 in the House of Representatives from California. From 1997 to 1998 she was a member of the Senate of California.
Congressman
Following the resignation of Mr Dellums some ballots were needed to occupy his seat again. Finally, Barbara Lee made the election victory. She performed her new office in Washington on April 7, 1998. After several re- elections she is still in office. Lee voted as the only person of both chambers of Congress against the authorization of military force in response to the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001. For this she was awarded the Aachen Peace Prize for 2002. She looked at a consent to the template as a blank check for the president, she was not willing to issue. The reactions to their behavior ranged from approval to the resolute rejection, although at that time the negative votes were clearly in the majority. She was "communism" and accused it was called a traitor. This went even up to death threats. Lee is a critic of the Iraq war and is committed to the formation of a peace ministry. Support for their policies she received from the peace movement.
In 2004, she accused in a letter to the then Secretary of State Colin Powell this to have operated the overthrow of Haitian leaders Jean -Bertrand Aristide. As a result, they brought in the House of Representatives a template for an arms embargo against Haiti.
In the presidential elections of 2008, she supported Barack Obama. Barbara Lee has two sons who are active in the insurance sector.