Lynn Woolsey

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Lynn Woolsey

Lynn Woolsey until the 2012 election, a far left Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 6th district of California. She has been a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Woolsey is the "first former welfare mother to serve in Congress." Since entering the House in 1993, she has been an advocate for children and families. As chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, she oversees policies affecting millions of American workers. The San Jose Mercury News called her “the unofficial matriarch of the [anti-war] movement.” A member of the House International Relations Committee, she introduced the first resolution calling for troops to come home from Iraq and convened the first congressional hearing on military exit strategies. She calls for a complete re-evaluation of U.S. national security policy, emphasizing stronger global alliances and intelligence capabilities. She is an advocate of conservation and clean, renewable energy sources.

Woolsey was born on November 3, 1937 in Seattle, Washington. Now living in Petaluma, California.[1]

Endorsed Communist Party event

Peoples Weekly World, September 11, 1999

In September 1999, Lynn Woolsey co - sponsored a fund raising event for the Communist Party USA newspaper Peoples Weekly World. Rep. Barbara Lee co-sponsored the same event.[2]

Progressive Caucus SOTU Address

On Thursday, January 27 2000, from 3:30pm to 5:00pm in 2253 of RHOB, the Congressional Progressive Caucus held its 3rd Annual Congressional Progressive Caucus' State of the Union Address. This event was also sponsored by the Institute for Policy Studies' Progressive Challenge coalition whose Fairness Agenda for America is endorsed by 200 public interest groups nationally.

Caucus Chair Rep. Peter DeFazio(D-OR) stated "The Progressive Caucus Alternative State of the Union will provide a much needed reality check to politicians who would rather ignore the priorities of Americans left out of the economic boom -- priorities like access to quality health care and education, repairing crumbling schools, addressing the growing gap between the rich and poor, and creating a sustainable global economy that works for everyone, not just the corporate architects."

Anticipated speakers included: Peter DeFazio (D-OR), House Minority Whip David Bonior (D-MI), Earl Hilliard (D-AL);Dennis Kucinich (D-OH); Cynthia McKinney (D-GA);. Major Owens (D-NY)Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Tammy Baldwin (D-WI);. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY);Barbara Lee (D-CA); Jerrold Nadler (D-NY); and Lynn Woolsey(D-CA). John Cavanagh, director of the Institute for Policy Studies also made some remarks regarding public interest groups support of a progressive agenda.[3]

The Congressional Progressive Caucus, Chaired by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), consists of over a quarter of the House Democrats, one Independent and Senator Paul Wellstone. The Caucus will be releasing position papers on Health Care and Income Inequality, with reports on the Alternative Federal Budget, Social Security, Minimum Wage, Education and the Global Economy.

Clinton/Chile letter

February 24, 2000, 31 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have sent a letter to President Clinton requesting full U.S. cooperation with the Spanish case against former Chilean General Augusto Pinochet, a thorough investigation into the car-bomb assassination of Orlando Letelier and American citizen Ronni Moffitt, and the release of all U.S. documents pertaining to human rights abuses in Chile.

Dear President Clinton,
We would like to take this opportunity to commend your Administration's recent activity concerning the ongoing investigation into former Chilean General Augusto Pinochet's role in the 1976 car bombing of Orlando Letelier and Ronni Moffitt in Washington D.C. We also appreciate your efforts to release documents pertaining to human rights abuses in Chile.

Signatories were George Miller (D-CA), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sam Gejdenson (D-CT), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), John Conyers (D-MI), Barney Frank (D-MA), Pete Stark (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Lane Evans (D-IL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Tim Roemer (D- IN), Howard Berman (D-CA), John Olver (D-MA), Mel Watt (D- NC), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Patsy Mink (D-HI), Marcy Kaptur (D- OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Tierney (D-MA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Martin Sabo (D-MN), and Bob Filner (D-CA).[4]

DSA supported Vaccines Compensation Bill

Democratic Socialists of America backed Dennis Kucinich nationally with his 2002 HR2459 Vaccines Compensation bill.

Lynn Woolsey and Barbara Lee both co-sponsored Kucinich's bill.

According to the minutes of a January 5, 2002 SF DSA Steering Committee meeting;[5]

According to a (fundraising) call from DSA, supporting HR2459 is a national DSA project. The idea is to contact representatives about co-sponsoring the bill, which comes from Dennis Kucinich and is supported by the progressive caucus. Everyone said they would contact their rep (neither Pelosi nor Lantos has signed on; Woolsey and Lee are co-sponsors).
This led to the question of the best way to contact Congress post anthrax scare. The feeling was regular mail might not get through, and probably a phone call would have the greatest impact. e-mail is another option.

DSA endorsement

In July 1996, the Democratic Socialists of America Political Action Committee endorsed Lynn C. Woolsey, California 6, in that year's Congressional elections.[6]

HR 3000

On September 3, 2003 Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced H.R. 3000, the United States Universal Health Service Act, which would provide health coverage for all Americans. H.R. 3000 would establish a United States Health Service (USHS), which would eliminate profit issues from health care because it would be owned and controlled by the public and administered primarily at the local level.[7]

According to the Communist Party USA's People's World, initial supporters of HR 3000 were Julia Carson, (D-Ind.), Donna Christensen (D-Va.), John Conyers (D-Mich.), Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.), Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), Major Owens (D-N.Y.), Donald Payne (D-N.J.), and Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.).

The World went on to say;[8]

We will not win the United States Health Service without a massive, prolonged struggle by working people against the corporate defenders of the current for-profit health care industry.

The Institute for Food and Development Policy/Food First

Lynn Woolsey is on the list of Congressional Representatives who have participated in hearings/briefings since 1998, with the very radical Institute for Food and Development Policy/Food First, founded by Frances Moore Lappe (Democratic Socialists of America, Institute for Policy Studies) and Joseph Collins (Institute for Policy Studies), authors of the book "Food First".[9]

"Is the Pentagon Budget Increase Needed?"

February 3, 1999 Council for a Livable World convened a seminar in Rayburn House on "Is the Pentagon Budget Increase Needed?"

Participants were;

Progressive Majority Advisory Committee

In 2003 Rep. Lynn Woolsey served on the Progressive Majority Advisory Committee.[11]

Clinton/Pinochet letter

On October 21, 1998, many Members of Congress wrote a letter to President Bill Clinton, urging him to release information to a Spanish judge investigating former Chilean President Pinochet for alleged crimes committed during and after the overthrow of the Marxist Allende government.

Dear Mr. President:
The October 17 arrest of General Augusto Pinochet in London is a good example of how the goals you outlined in your anti-terrorism speech at the United Nations can be put into practice. Indeed, when the rule oflaw is applied to combat international lawlessness,humanity's agenda gains...we call upon you to ensure that the U.S. government provides Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon material related to Pinochet's role in international terrorism -- material and testimony that the U.S. government has thus far withheld.

Signatories included Rep. Lynn Woolsey.[12]

Colombia Support Network letter

CCSN.JPG

In 2002, the Colombia Support Network organized a :dear colleague" letter to President Andres Pastrana Arango, of Colombia, through Ned Steiner, a staffer in Rep. Sam Farr's office.

The letter called on President Pastrana to end a military blockade on the Colombian town of San Jose de Apartado, a sister community of Madison Wisconsin, where the Colombia Support Network is based.

We write to you to bring your attention to the humanitarian crisis facing the civilian population of the Peace Community San Jose de Apartadó and its outlying settlements.
We urge the appropriate authorities of your government to dismantle the paramilitary checkpoint on the road between San Jose and Apartadó, ensure the continued safety of the road, and fully investigate recent threats and attacks on the Peace Community.
The Peace Community San Jose de Apartadó and its settlements, including the village of La Union, receive the permanent accompaniment of international organizations.

These include Peace Brigades International (PBI), as well as the U.S. Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), which currently has two US citizens in La Union. We support the work of these two respected organizations as well as the Peace Community in its effort to build a non-violent alternative to the conflict.

Representatives who signed the Colombia Support Network inspired letter in 2001 included Lynn Woolsey. [13]

2006 letter to Condoleezza Rice on Colombia

Alleged Colombian Army killings prompted Fellowship of Reconciliation to work with Representative Sam Farr to forge a response that would impact the 17th Brigade, the unit allegedly responsible for the violence against San José de Apartadó and communities throughout northwestern Colombia.

As a result, Reps. Sam Farr and Jim McGovern, wrote a letter to their colleagues in Congress urging them to join in calling on Secretary Condoleezza Rice to cut funding for the Colombian military.

Letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
(Deadline for Congressional representatives to sign: February 22)
We applaud the decision, noted in your certification letter of August 2005, that the US "will not consider providing assistance to the 17th Brigade until all significant human rights allegations involving the unit have been credibly addressed." Because the Brigade is a component of the Colombian Armed Forces' command structure and has been implicated in the above referenced human rights violations, we implore you to abide by both the letter of the law and the spirit of the law by withholding human rights certification for Colombia until the following conditions are met:

Signatories included Lynn Woolsey.[14]

2009 letter on Colombia

From November 6th through December 7th 2009, a letter calling for change in U.S. policy towards Colombia was circulated through the House of Representatives. This letter called for a decrease in U.S. aid for Colombia's military and an increase in support for human rights and humanitarian efforts. The initiators of this letter were —Representatives James McGovern, Jan Schakowsky, Donald Payne, and Mike Honda.

Dear Secretary of State Clinton,
The FY 2011 budget will contain the twelfth year of a major aid package to Colombia—an aid package originally slated to phase out after six years.
After eleven years, it is time to scale down assistance for Colombia's military and more systematically "Colombianize" such programs, within both the State Department and Defense Department budgets.

Signatories included Lynn Woolsey.[15]

Posada letter

In 2005 several far left Congressmembers wrote to President Bush urging him to extradite alleged terrorist Luis Posada Carriles to Venezuela to face justice.

We are writing to urge you to oppose the application for asylum by Luis Posada Carriles, and to support the request for extradition to Venezuela, where he is a fugitive from justice.

Signatories were; Dennis Kucinich, Barbara Lee, Cynthia McKinney, John Olver, James McGovern, Donald Payne, Lane Evans, Carolyn Maloney, Tammy Baldwin, Lynn Woolsey, Jose Serrano, Raul Grijalva, Maurice Hinchey, Bobby Rush, Edolphus Towns, Sam Farr, Bennie Thompson, Ed Pastor, Sheila Jackson Lee, Maxine Waters.[16]

PES connection

Party of European Socialists President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen had meetings in California, 26-30 October 2008 to meet with Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and Economists from the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University. [17]

Peace activism

In July 2006 Woolsey addressed[18] the Peace Action National Congress at Wayne State University, with Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) and activist Tom Hayden.

Sheinbaum fund raiser

Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, the first Member of Congress to call on the President to bring our troops home, was be in Los Angeles on Saturday February 4th 2006, for a 'very exciting but critical fundraiser against the most well-known, well-financed challenger she's ever faced". woolsey was facing a primary challenge from a termed-out Assemblyman Joe Nation, a moderate Democrat who has been critical of her stand on the war and on bringing home our troops. He is raising money from people who have given money to Tom DeLay and Bush-Cheney and his legislative district covers 60+% of Congresswoman Woolsey's district. Congresswoman Woolsey is a "champion of equal rights, civil liberties, protecting the environment and fighting for single payer healthcare. Congresswoman Woolsey must be re-elected by the same victory margin she has had in the past to send a message to progressives everywhere that's it IS OK to be courageous, and to not back down on issues that matter."

The Host Committee for this fundraiser includes:

Ben Affleck; Ed Asner; Warren Beatty; Jodie Evans; James Cromwell; Matt Damon; Tom Hayden; Wendy Herzog; Mimi Kennedy; Norman Lear; Stephen Rohde; Susie Shannon; Stanley Sheinbaum & Betty Sheinbaum; Lorraine Sheinberg; Kathy Spillar; Gloria A. Totten; Peg Yorkin; Senator Barbara Boxer; Congressman Joe Baca; Congressman Xavier Becerra; Congresswoman Lois Capps; Congresswoman Jane Harman; Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald; Congresswoman Grace Napolitano; Congresswoman; Lucille Roybal-Allard; Congresswoman Linda Sanchez; Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez; Congressman Adam Schiff; Congresswoman Hilda Solis; Congresswoman Maxine Waters; Congresswoman Diane Watson; Senator Sheila Kuehl and Assemblywoman Karen Bass.

The fundraiser was at the Stanley & Betty Sheinbaum residence in Brentwood. Both Sheinbaums have been members of Democratic Socialists of America.[19]

Progressive Democrats of America

May 24, 2011

Lynn Woolsey served on the Advisory Board[20] of Progressive Democrats of America.

Take Back America Conferences

Lynn Woolsey was on the list of 237 speakers at the 2007 Take Back America conference, which was organized by the Institute for Policy Studies, and Democratic Socialists of America dominated Campaign for America's Future.[21]

Fayetteville peace rally

The Fayetteville rally for peace was held on March 19th 2005.

Speakers included;

MCs were Bridgette Burge, Peace LEAP (NC; and Bryan Proffitt, North Carolina Peace and Justice Coalition.[22]

Voted against cutting funding for ACORN

In September 2009, following the lead of their Senate colleagues, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to cut off funds to ACORN. the vote was 345-75. All of the 75 were Democrats, and included Lynn Woolsey. [23]

Congressional Progressive Caucus

In 1998 Lynn Woolsey Democrat was listed as a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.[24]

On November 19 2008 the Congressional Progressive Caucus announced[25]its elected leadership for the 111th Congress.

As of February 20 2009 Lynn Woolsey was listed as Co-Chair[26]of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

In 2012, Lynn Woolsey was listed as an associate member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.[27]

Vietnam delegation

U.S. Sen. Al Franken is part of a Senate delegation that will travel to Vietnam July 2010.

The group will "look into environmental remediation of dioxin and the joint funding of medical services for people with disabilities, and meet with Vietnamese government officials to discuss education initiatives, labor issues and trade relations."

He'll also continue on to Laos. Minnesota has a large community of Hmong who originally came from Laos.

Other Senators on the Vietnam leg of the trip are: Democratic Sens. Tom Harkin of Iowa, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Jeff Merkley of Oregon).[28]

Representative Lynn Woolsey of California, also accompanied the delegation.[29]

War Is Making You Poor Act

In combination with fellow House of Representatives members including Ron Paul, Walter B. Jones, Dennis Kucinich, Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee, and John Conyers, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) on May 21st 2010, introduced a bill entitled “The War Is Making You Poor Act.” If passed, this legislation would stop funding for the wars against Iraq and Afghanistan and use those revenues to eliminate federal taxes on the the first $35,000 of income, or $70,000 for couples.[30]

Supported by Council for a Livable World

The Council for a Livable World, founded in 1962 by long-time socialist activist and alleged Soviet agent, Leo Szilard, is a non-profit advocacy organization that seeks to "reduce the danger of nuclear weapons and increase national security", primarily through supporting progressive, congressional candidates who support their policies. The Council supported Lynn Woolsey in her successful House of Representatives run as candidate for California.[31]

Anti-war activism

Lynn-Woolsey.gif

As president of Americans for Democratic Action, Congresswoman Woolsey is a vocal and visible leader on progressive issues, particularly those dealing with education, children and families. A passionate and outspoken opponent of the Iraq war, she helped move public opinion against President Bush’s Iraq policy. She introduced the first resolution calling for US troops to be brought home and has been called “the unofficial matriarch of the [anti-war] movement in Congress,” by the San Jose Mercury News.[32]

EMILY's List

Woolsey has been supported by EMILY's List during her campaigning.

Supported Lifting the Gaza Blockade

On Jan. 27, 2010, U.S. Representatives Keith Ellison and Jim McDermott led 52 other members of Congress in signing a letter addressed to President Barack Obama, calling for him to use diplomatic pressure to resolve the blockade affecting Gaza. Lynn Woolsey was one of the signatories of the letter. [33] The entire letter together with a complete list of signatories can be read by clicking here.

Campaign to Make Immigration Reform a Top Issue in 2010

On October 13 2010 , immigration activists from around the country gathered to join in a vigil and rally in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC., where Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez and other elected officials launched a new push for comprehensive immigration reform, building to the opening months of 2010. their banners read “Reform Immigration FOR Families” and “Family Unity Cannot Wait.”

More than 750 people traveled to Washington on buses from up and down the Eastern seaboard and as far away as Texas, Florida, Ohio, Minnesota, and Michigan. They spent Tuesday morning meeting with Congressional offices before being joined by thousands of people from the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area, who gathered on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol to listen to testimonies from families, veterans, and children who face family disintegration because of immigration laws and deportation.

Religious leaders from a diverse array of faith traditions around the country, some organized through Familias Unidas, added their voices.

At the event Congressman Gutierrez outlined a set of principles for progressive immigration reform that needs to include a rational and humane approach to legalize the undocumented population, to protect workers’ rights, to allocate sufficient visas, to establish a smarter and more humane border enforcement policy, to promote integration of immigrant communities, to include the DREAM Act and AgJOBS bills, to protect rights guaranteed by the Constitution, and to keep families together.

The lawmakers who joined Rep. Gutierrez on stage, and addressed the gathering included Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chairman Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA), Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairs Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Congressional Black Caucus Member, Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Jared Polis (D-CO), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Michael Quigley (D-IL), and Delegate Gregorio Sablan (Northern Mariana Islands).[34]

Americans for Democratic Action

When asked what she plans to do when she leaves office, at the end of 2012, Woolsey said she will remain active with Americans for Democratic Action, a liberal organization founded by Eleanor Roosevelt, John Kenneth Galbraith, and other liberal thinkers after President Franklin Roosevelt died. Woolsey is currently the group's president.[35]

Praising CAIR

“The Council on American Islamic Relations has been a strong voice. Your leadership has provided for the protection and promotion of the interests of the Islamic American community while advocating the cause of peace, human rights and social justice.” - Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) (October 2011). [36]

Staff

The following have worked as staff members for Lynn Woolsey:[37]

External links

References

Template:Reflist

  1. ↑ official congressional bio, accessed July 29, 2011
  2. ↑ Peoples Weekly World, September 11, 1999
  3. ↑ Common Dreams, Progressive Groups And Congressional Caucus To Present Their Third Annual Alternative State Of The Union Address, JANUARY 26, 2000
  4. ↑ US REPRESENTATIVES SEND LETTER TO CLINTON
  5. ↑ Minutes of Jan 5, 2002 SF DSA Steering Committee
  6. ↑ Democratic Left, July/August 1996, page 21
  7. ↑ http://lee.house.gov/common/popup/popup.cfm?action=item.print&itemID=641, Lee press release, September 3, 2003]
  8. ↑ Rep. Lee introduces universal health care bill, by: David Lawrence October 9 2003
  9. ↑ [ http://www.foodfirst.org/es/about/staff, Food First staff page]
  10. ↑ CSPAN February 3, 1999 "Is the Pentagon Budget Increase Needed?"
  11. ↑ MAJORITY BACKGROUNDER September 2003
  12. ↑ October 21, 1998, Members Of Congress Call On Clinton To Release Key Information On Gen. Pinochet To Spanish Judge
  13. ↑ DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER CSN-MADISON, MAY 15, 2002
  14. ↑ FOR February 2006 Peace Presence Update
  15. ↑ Latin America Working Group, Get Your Representative to Sign a Letter Supporting Human Rights in Colombia
  16. ↑ Green Left discussion Restricted Group, 990 members Letter from US Congress Members for extraditing Posada to Venezuela May 20, 2005
  17. ↑ [http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/partyofeuropeansocialists/pages/214/attachments/original/1395960135/Activity_Report_2007-2009_61209.pdf?1395960135 The PES in action 2007-2009, Activity Report of the Party of European Socialists Adopted by the 8th PES Congress 8th PES Congress, Prague, December 2009]
  18. ↑ http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:Irf-gxSWV1sJ:kincaidsite.com/dsa/nl-archive.html+Doug+fraser+dsa+Democratic+left&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nz
  19. ↑ Progressive Talk, Posted on Friday, 3 February 2006 1:51:50 p.m. by angelsonmyside
  20. ↑ http://pdamerica.org/tools/pda/Adboard.pdf
  21. ↑ Our Future website: Take Back America 2003 Speakers (accessed on June 17, 2010)
  22. ↑ ]http://www.grassrootspeace.org/fayetteville_rally_1.html Rally Against War - Fayetteville, NC - March 19, 2005]
  23. ↑ [http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/09/the_75_democrats_who_are_prose.html American Thinker, September 18, 2009 The 75 Democrats who are pro-sex slave ACORN defenders By Ethel C. Fenig]
  24. ↑ DSA website: Members of the Progressive Caucus (archived on the Web Archive website)
  25. ↑ http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2008/11/19-16
  26. ↑ http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?ContentID=166&ParentID=0&SectionID=4&SectionTree=4&lnk=b&ItemID=164
  27. ↑ [Jump up ↑ http://capac-chu.house.gov/membership, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus website, accessed Feb. 10, 2012] ]
  28. ↑ Minn Post.Al Franken to visit Vietnam with Senate group, then head to Laos, By Joe Kimball | 07/01/10
  29. ↑ Thanh Nien News, Luncheon with US senators in Hanoi Last Updated: Friday, July 02, 2010
  30. ↑ NLN, Is The War Making You Poor? by Jay Jurie Posted on June 17, 2010
  31. ↑ CLW website: Meet Our Candidates
  32. ↑ official congressional bio, accessed July 29, 2011
  33. ↑ The Minnesota Independent: Ellison, McCollum and Oberstar urge Obama to lift Gaza blockade, Jan. 26, 2010 (accessed on March 14, 2011)
  34. ↑ Immigration Matters New America Media, Richard Stoltz, 0ctober 18, 2009
  35. ↑ Marin.com, Woolsey speaks her mind on Obama, the Tea Party, Republicans and the Occupy movement in Point Reyes, By Richard Halstead, Marin Independent Journal , Posted: 12/30/2011]
  36. ↑ [https://www.cair.com/images/pdf/What-They-Say-About-CAIR.pdf What They Say About CAIR (October 2014)
  37. ↑ Legistorm: Lynn Woolsey (accessed on Aug. 24, 2010)
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