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Barbara LeeDEMDemocrat United States Representative, CA-12
77
Years of Age
33
Years of Experience
CAResidence (state)

Barbara Jean Lee (née Tutt; born July 16, 1946) is an American politician and social worker who has served as a U.S. representative from California since 1998. A member of the Democratic Party, Lee represents California's 12th congressional district (numbered as the 9th district from 1998 to 2013 and as the 13th district from 2013 to 2023), which is based in Oakland and covers most of the northern part of Alameda County. According to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, it is one of the nation's most Democratic districts, with a rating of D+40.Born and raised in Texas, Lee holds degrees from Mills College and the University of California, Berkeley. She started her career by working on the presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm, and she later was involved with the Black Panther Party. After working as chief of staff for U.S. Representative Ron Dellums, Lee served in the California State Assembly from 1990 to 1996 and in the California State Senate from 1996 to 1998. Lee was elected to the House of Representatives in a 1998 special election to succeed Dellums. A noted progressive, she chaired the Congressional Progressive Caucus from 2005 to 2009 and the Congressional Black Caucus from 2009 to 2011. In addition, she is the vice chair and a founding member of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, and a co-chair of the House Democratic Steering Committee. She has played a major role in the antiwar movement, notably in her vocal criticism of the Iraq War and for being the only member of Congress to vote against the authorization of use of force following the September 11 attacks.Lee was a candidate for the United States Senate in the 2024 election to succeed late senator Dianne Feinstein, a race that she would lose to Rep. Adam Schiff and former baseball player Steve Garvey.

Voterly's Issue Scores  (1 - 30 of 30)

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Special Interest Group Ratings

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Rating
Average Score

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Campaign Funding

20
18
$1,839,973
Total Raised
$1,745,801
Total Spent
$132,303
Cash on Hand
Top Industries  (1 - 4 of 10) View All Industries
99%
Retired$133,855
79%
Lawyers/Law Firms$107,438
73%
Health Professionals$99,053
51%
Real Estate$68,386
45%
Education$60,528
42%
Business Services$57,427
36%
Transportation Unions$49,050
36%
Public Sector Unions$48,525
31%
Democratic/Liberal$42,139
29%
Human Rights$39,482
Direct campaign contributions grouped by the industry industry of each donor/PAC.

Largest Contributors

Funding generally from an organization's PAC or its members/employees. Organizations did not donate directly.
Financial Data Source: Center for Responsive Politics
Education5 - 5 of 3
University of California, Berkeley
Master of Social Work
1975
Mills College at Northeastern
Bachelor of Arts
1973
San Fernando High School
1964
Past Positions1 - 10 of 10
Representative
United States House of Representatives, California
2023 - Current
Representative
United States House of Representatives, California
2013 - 2023
Representative
United States House of Representatives, California
1998 - 2013
Senator
California State Senate
1997 - 1998
Assembly Member
California State Assembly
1991 - 1997
Co-Chair
Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, United States House of Representatives
Regional Whip
United States House of Representatives
Chief-of-Staff
Representative Ronald Dellums, United States House of Representatives
1976 - 1986
Campaign Coordinator
Northern California, Shirley Chisholm for President
1972
Founder
Community Health Alliance for Neighborhood Growth and Education (CHANGE)
Other Experience1 - 80 of 80
Delegate
Democratic National Convention
1972
Board Member
California Coastal Conservancy
Member
District Export Council
Member
California Defense Conversion Council
Board Member
Finance Committee, California Democratic Party
Chair
California Rainbow Coalition
Former Member
Industrial Relations Committee, California State Assembly
Founder
Ronald V. Dellums Democratic Club
Founder
California Commission on the Status of African-American Males
Member
Bicameral Global AIDS
Member
California Commission on Status of Women
Member
Democratic Immigration Task Force
Member
Emergency Task Force
Member
Health and Medicine Task Force
Member
Hispanic Working Group
Member
Safe Neighborhoods Task Force
Member
Niagara Democratic Club
Member
Black Women Organized for Political Action
Member
League of Women Voters
Member
Commission on the Status of Women
Member
Livable Communities Task Force
Member
Task Force on Tobacco and Health
Member
The Young Voter's Project
Member
Education and Job Training Task Force
Member
Brain Injury Task Force
Member
John George Democratic Club
Member
Board of Directors, Bay Area Black United Fund
Member
Advisory Board, Alameda Boys Club
President
Women's Network, National Conference of State Legislature
Member
Fourth Amendment Caucus
Current
Co-Chair
Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, United States House of Representatives
2023 - Current
Member
Committee on Homeland Security, United States House of Representatives
2023 - Current
Member
Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, United States House of Representatives
2023 - Current
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on State Department on Foreign Operations, United States House of Representatives
2023 - Current
Member
Budget Committee, United States House of Representatives
2023 - Current
Member
Appropriations Committee , United States House of Representatives
2023 - Current
Member
Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, United States House of Representatives
2011 - 2012
Chair
Congressional Black Caucus
2009 - 2011
Member
Global Climate Change Caucus
Member
Goods Movement Caucus
Member
Malaysia Trade, Security, and Economic Cooperation Caucus
Member
Mental Health Caucus
Member
International Conservation Caucus
Chair
Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus (COPC)
Co-Chair
Congressional Black Caucus Outreach Task Force
Co-Chair
Congressional Black Caucus Haiti Task Force
Former Member
Business and Professions Committee, California State Assembly
Former Member
Housing and Land Use Committee, California State Assembly
Former Member
Judiciary Committee, California State Assembly
Former Member
Appropriations Committee, California State Assembly
Former Member
Revenue and Taxation Committee, California State Assembly
Member
Adoption Caucus
Member
Arts Caucus
Member
Native American Caucus
Member
Vision Caucus
Member
Women's Caucus
Member
Congressional Black Caucus Global AIDS Task Force
Member
Caucus on India and Indian Americans
Member
Historic Preservation Caucus
Member
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
Member
Caribbean Caucus
Member
Sustainable Development Caucus
Member
Ethiopia Caucus
Member
Disability Caucus
Member
Organic Caucus
Member
Port Security Caucus
Member
House Oceans Caucus
Member
Universal Health Care Caucus
Member
Food Safety Caucus
Member
Poor People’s Caucus
Member
Democratic Caucus
Member
Congressional Caucus on Korea
Member
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues
Member
Congressional Black Caucus Outreach Task Force
Member
Congressional Black Caucus Minority Business Task Force
Member
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
Member
Bike Caucus
Member
Human Rights Caucus
Member
Hunger Caucus
Whip
Congressional Progressive Caucus