LOS ANGELES — Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, came to Southern California this past week to make an impassioned plea to the state Democratic Convention, urging them to vote for her to replace Dianne Feinstein in the U.S. Senate.
Lee is facing off against Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, and Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine.
Lee joined “Inside the Issues” host Alex Cohen to speak about her run for office.
“The Senate does not have a voice such as mine representing, not only the state of California, but the entire country,” she said. “My life has been really about breaking barriers.”
Growing up in an era of segregation, Lee became the first Black cheerleader at her San Fernando Valley high school. In 1998, she became the first woman elected to Congress from her district in Northern California.
“With regard to what I [wound bring] to the Senate, I bring life experiences. Also, being able to see people and to listen to people and to craft legislation and funding priorities that really speak to those who have been shut out,” Lee said.
At 76-years-old, Lee is the oldest of the three prominent declared democrats candidates in the 2024 Senate race. As the current senator continues to face questions about her ability to serve because of her age and health, Lee responded to those who see an older person as a liability.
“In this day and time in our fragile democracy, we need somebody with experience who has been fighting these battles. We need someone with courage and conviction who can take on the forces that are trying to erode our democracy,” she said. “My background and my experience … means something when taking on the big issues.”
Just days ago, Lee was one of the democrats in the House of Representatives who voted against the bill to suspend the debt ceiling to 2025. She says, while there were many provisions that the Biden administration agreed to that were good, there were also many that she felt were harmful to vulnerable communities.
The bill passed in the House and later passed in the Senate. President Biden said he would sign the bill on Saturday.
One of those topics that concerns Lee is work requirements for food assistance. Under the compromise, people up to 54-years-old who are able-bodied with no dependents will have to work to receive SNAP benefits. That raises the age from 49.
Lee says the Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, of which she is chair, sent a letter to President Joe Biden saying that these requirements were punitive.
“Do you know the people that are going to be disproportionately impacted? Black and brown women, low-income women,” Lee said.
“There’s some of us who have to take on these issues for people who need a champion and who need someone to fight for them.”
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