Barbara Lee

Barbara Lee
Born	Barbara Jean Tutt 16 7, 1946
Birthplace	El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	Sole vote against the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force; work on HIV/AIDS policy; 52nd Mayor of Oakland
Education	University of California, Berkeley (MSW)
Children	2
Awards	Congressional Black Caucus Chair (2009–2011), Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair (2005–2009)

Barbara Jean Lee (née Tutt; born July 16, 1946) is an American politician serving as the 52nd Mayor of Oakland since May 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, Lee represented California in the United States House of Representatives from 1998 to 2025, serving a district centered on Oakland and the northern portion of Alameda County. Before entering Congress, she served in both chambers of the California State Legislature from 1990 to 1998. Lee's political career spans more than three decades and is rooted in the progressive activism of the San Francisco Bay Area, where she first became involved in politics through the presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm and later worked with the Black Panther Party. She is perhaps best known nationally for casting the lone dissenting vote in Congress against the Authorization for Use of Military Force following the September 11 attacks in 2001—a decision that drew intense criticism at the time but later earned recognition as an act of political conscience. Lee also played a significant role in the creation of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), working with President George W. Bush to address the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Upon her inauguration as mayor on May 20, 2025, Lee became the first Black woman to serve as mayor of Oakland.

Early Life

Barbara Jean Tutt was born on July 16, 1946, in El Paso, Texas. She was born and raised in Texas during the era of Jim Crow segregation. Details about her parents and early family life in El Paso shaped her understanding of racial inequality and social justice from a young age.

Lee's early political awakening came through her involvement in the presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress and the first Black candidate to seek a major party's presidential nomination. Working on Chisholm's 1972 presidential campaign was a formative experience that drew Lee into the world of progressive politics and community organizing.

During this period, Lee also became involved with the Black Panther Party, the revolutionary socialist organization founded in Oakland in 1966. The Black Panthers' emphasis on community self-defense, social programs, and political empowerment influenced Lee's approach to public service and community advocacy. Her connections to both the Chisholm campaign and the Black Panther movement placed her squarely within the tradition of African American progressive activism that defined much of Bay Area politics in the 1960s and 1970s.

Lee eventually settled in the Bay Area, where she would build her political career. Before entering elected office, she served as chief of staff for U.S. Representative Ron Dellums, a prominent progressive Democrat who represented the Oakland-based congressional district. Her years working for Dellums provided extensive experience in legislative affairs, constituent services, and the workings of the federal government, preparing her for her own future career in public office.

Education

Lee pursued her higher education in the San Francisco Bay Area. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mills College, a private liberal arts college in Oakland, California. She subsequently earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of California, Berkeley. Her graduate training in social work informed her approach to policy throughout her career, particularly on issues related to poverty, public health, and social welfare. Lee later helped re-launch the Congressional Social Work Caucus during her time in the House of Representatives, reflecting the continued influence of her educational background on her legislative priorities.

Career

California State Legislature (1990–1998)

Lee began her career in elected office in 1990 when she won a seat in the California State Assembly, succeeding Elihu Harris in what was then the 13th district. She served in the Assembly from December 3, 1990, through November 30, 1996, representing the 13th district from 1990 to 1992 and the 16th district from 1992 to 1996 following redistricting.

In 1996, Lee moved to the upper chamber of the state legislature, winning election to the California State Senate to represent the 9th district. She succeeded Nicholas Petris in the Senate and served from December 2, 1996, until April 17, 1998, when she resigned to take her seat in the United States Congress. Lee was succeeded in the state Senate by Don Perata, who had also succeeded her in the Assembly.

During her eight years in the California State Legislature, Lee established herself as a progressive voice on issues including social welfare, education, and civil rights. Her legislative record in Sacramento laid the groundwork for her subsequent career at the federal level.

United States House of Representatives (1998–2025)

Election to Congress

Lee was elected to the United States House of Representatives in a 1998 special election to succeed her former employer, Ron Dellums, who had retired from Congress. The district she represented was based in Oakland and encompassed much of the northern portion of Alameda County. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+40, it was one of the most heavily Democratic congressional districts in the entire United States, and Lee won re-election consistently by wide margins throughout her tenure.

Over the course of her time in Congress, the district was renumbered several times due to redistricting: it was designated as California's 9th congressional district from 1998 to 2013, California's 13th congressional district from 2013 to 2023, and California's 12th congressional district from 2023 to 2025.

Vote Against the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force

Lee's most prominent and consequential act in Congress came on September 14, 2001, three days after the September 11 attacks, when she cast the sole dissenting vote against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF). The resolution, which passed 420–1 in the House and 98–0 in the Senate, granted the President broad authority to use military force against those responsible for the attacks.

In her floor speech opposing the resolution, Lee urged her colleagues not to act hastily in the atmosphere of grief and anger that pervaded the nation. She cautioned against granting open-ended military authority and invoked the words of a clergy member at a memorial service who had said, "Let us not become the evil that we deplore."

The vote drew immediate and intense backlash. Lee received death threats and was subjected to widespread criticism from political commentators and members of the public who viewed her vote as unpatriotic. Representative John Conyers and other colleagues, however, expressed support for her right to dissent.

Over the following years, as the AUMF was used to justify military operations in multiple countries far beyond the original scope of the response to the September 11 attacks, Lee's vote increasingly came to be seen by many observers and commentators as prescient. She continued to advocate for the repeal of the AUMF throughout her time in Congress, arguing that it provided an unchecked blank check for war.

Opposition to the Iraq War

Lee was a vocal critic of the Iraq War and the broader expansion of U.S. military operations in the Middle East. She opposed the 2002 authorization for the use of military force against Iraq and was a consistent voice in Congress calling for the withdrawal of American troops and an end to what she characterized as a misguided and costly military engagement. Her antiwar stance positioned her as one of the leading progressive voices in the House on matters of foreign policy and national security.

HIV/AIDS and PEPFAR

Beyond her antiwar activism, Lee made significant legislative contributions in the area of global public health, particularly in the fight against HIV/AIDS. She worked across party lines with President George W. Bush on the creation of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which was signed into law in 2003. PEPFAR became the largest global health initiative focused on a single disease in history, channeling billions of dollars toward HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Lee's involvement in PEPFAR represented one of the more notable examples of bipartisan cooperation during her congressional career and demonstrated her ability to work with a Republican administration on an issue of mutual concern despite deep disagreements on other matters of policy.

Leadership Positions

Lee held several leadership positions within the House Democratic caucus and various congressional caucuses during her tenure:

• Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (2005–2009): Lee co-chaired the caucus alongside Representative Lynn Woolsey, helping to organize and amplify progressive priorities within the Democratic conference.
• Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (2009–2011): Lee succeeded Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick as chair and was herself succeeded by Emanuel Cleaver.
• Co-chair of the House Democratic Steering Committee: In this role, Lee helped guide committee assignments and policy direction for House Democrats.
• Founding member of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus: Lee was among the original members of the caucus dedicated to advancing the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.
• Co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus: Lee co-chaired the bipartisan caucus focused on cannabis policy reform.

These leadership roles reflected Lee's standing as one of the most prominent progressive members of the House and her involvement in a wide range of policy areas spanning civil rights, social justice, foreign policy, and public health.

2024 Senate Campaign

In 2024, Lee chose not to seek re-election to her House seat and instead entered the race for the United States Senate seat being vacated by the late Dianne Feinstein. The race used California's jungle primary system, in which all candidates regardless of party appear on a single primary ballot and the top two finishers advance to the general election.

Lee competed against a large field that included fellow Democratic Representative Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey, a former Major League Baseball player. Lee finished behind both Schiff and Garvey in the primary and did not advance to the general election, which Schiff went on to win. Her departure from the House marked the end of more than 26 years of service in Congress. She was succeeded in her congressional seat by Lateefah Simon.

Mayor of Oakland (2025–present)

2025 Special Election

Following the recall of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, a special election was called to fill the vacancy. Lee announced her candidacy for mayor and faced former Oakland City Council member Loren Taylor in the race. Lee won the special election and was sworn in as the 52nd Mayor of Oakland on May 20, 2025, succeeding acting mayor Kevin Jenkins. Upon taking office, Lee became the first Black woman to serve as mayor of Oakland.

Tenure as Mayor

As mayor, Lee has focused on a range of issues facing Oakland, including public safety, immigration enforcement, and social services. In early 2026, she signed executive orders directing city departments to protect Oakland residents from federal immigration enforcement operations, reaffirming Oakland's status as a sanctuary city.

In February 2026, Lee announced a campaign to distribute free diapers and wipes to families in Alameda County as part of a broader effort to support early childhood learning and address the needs of low-income families.

Lee's mayoral tenure has also been marked by ongoing challenges related to public safety in Oakland. In February 2026, a city-owned SUV used to transport the mayor was stolen after an individual broke into her office at Oakland City Hall. The vehicle was later recovered in Vallejo, and Oakland police arrested a 29-year-old man in connection with the incident. Authorities said the suspect had been camping inside City Hall for several days prior to the theft.

Personal Life

Barbara Lee has two children. She has been based in the Oakland area for most of her adult life, having first moved to the Bay Area to attend Mills College. Lee's personal history has been shaped by her experiences growing up in the segregated South and her subsequent immersion in the political and social movements of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Lee has spoken publicly about her personal connection to social welfare issues, drawing on her background in social work and her own experiences to advocate for policies addressing poverty, healthcare access, and racial equity. Her graduate training in social work at the University of California, Berkeley, has been a recurring influence on her approach to public service.

In February 2026, Lee reflected publicly on the life and legacy of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, with whom she had a long association through decades of progressive and civil rights activism.

Recognition

Lee's lone vote against the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force remains her most widely recognized act in public life. While the vote initially provoked intense criticism, it has been increasingly cited by commentators, historians, and fellow politicians as an example of principled dissent. As the AUMF was subsequently used to authorize military operations in numerous countries over two decades, observers noted that Lee's concerns about granting open-ended military authority had been borne out.

Her leadership of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus placed her among the most prominent progressive voices in the U.S. House of Representatives during the 2000s and 2010s. Her work on PEPFAR has been recognized as a significant bipartisan legislative achievement in the area of global health.

Upon becoming mayor of Oakland in 2025, Lee was recognized as the first Black woman to hold the office, adding to her record as a barrier-breaking figure in California politics.

Legacy

Barbara Lee's political legacy is anchored in several distinct contributions to American public life. Her September 14, 2001, vote against the AUMF stands as one of the most notable acts of legislative dissent in modern congressional history. As the sole member of either chamber of Congress to oppose the resolution, Lee articulated concerns about the dangers of open-ended military authorization that would be debated for decades afterward. The AUMF remained in effect more than two decades later, having been invoked to justify military operations in multiple countries, and Lee's repeated calls for its repeal became a central element of broader debates about congressional war powers and executive authority in matters of national security.

Lee's career also reflects the deep connections between Bay Area progressive politics and national policy debates. From her early involvement with the Shirley Chisholm presidential campaign and the Black Panther Party, through her years as chief of staff to Ron Dellums, to her own three decades in elected office, Lee has been a consistent presence in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Her leadership of both the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus positioned her at the intersection of the party's progressive and civil rights traditions.

Her bipartisan work on PEPFAR demonstrated that even members of Congress with firmly progressive records could find common ground with ideologically opposed administrations on matters of global consequence. The program has been credited with saving millions of lives in countries affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Lee's transition from Congress to the Oakland mayor's office in 2025, after more than a quarter century in the House of Representatives, represented a return to the local community that had been the foundation of her political career. As mayor, she has continued to address issues of poverty, public safety, and civil rights at the municipal level, bringing her experience in federal policy to the challenges facing one of California's most complex urban environments.