U. S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., center, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, was honored for her political leadership by National Newspaper Publishers Association Chairman Danny Bakewell, lefte, NNPA foundation Chairwoman Dorothy Leavell, right, and
WASHINGTON – In the days leading up to Congress’ final vote for the historic health reform bill U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said that the National Newspaper Publisher Association Foundation’s celebrating her political leadership affirms the work of the CBC as “the conscience of the Congress.” “As we cast this vote, we’re casting this vote for all of our family members and friends who died prematurely because they did not have access to health care,” she said about voting on the landmark health care reform bill. Nothing dominated headlines the majority of the year quite like the health care reform fight on Capitol Hill. The long-awaited final vote for health care was made on March 21. Lee was described by NNPA Chairman Danny Bakewell as someone “who has done so much for the Black Press, Black politics and pushing our agenda forward” and as someone who is not afraid to stand alone on her own convictions. “She was the single and sole voice in the United States Congress — Black or white, male or female — who had the audacity to look everyone of her colleagues in the eyes and to look the national media in the eyes and to vote ‘no’ for George Bush when he wanted to go to war against Iraq,” said Bakewell. Lee was honored at the annual gala celebrating the year’s biggest news makers and public servants at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. The event was a part of Black Press Week. NNPA
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