Nancy Pelosi nominates Rep. Barbara Lee for leadership position

Dec 1, 2018

(L-R) Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Minority Leadery Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) hold a news conference in the Rayburn Room at the U.S. Capitol April 28, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

After a group of House Democrats expressed their disappointment over the lack of representation of women of color in leadership positions in the party, some much-needed progress is now underway.

Following Rep. Barbara Lee’s narrow loss (10 votes to be exact) in the race for caucus chair this week, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has created a position that will require the overseeing of Steering and Policy Committee, according to a Politico report.

Lee, a 72-year-old Black woman, lost to Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who is also African American but significantly younger, which prompted her supporters to claim that ageism played a role.

The Democrats had planned to ask Pelosi to find a place for Lee but Pelosi ever adept offered Lee a position on the Steering and Policy Committee in a meeting in her office Friday.

However, thanks to Pelosi, Rep. Lee will now have the opportunity to serve on the panel alongside Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.). The panel “determines committee assignments for Democrats,” reports Politico.

—63, years ago, Rosa Parks took a seat at the forefront of history—

“The leaders and members of the Steering and Policy Committee reflect the diversity, dynamism and integrity of our historic new House Democratic Majority,” Pelosi said Friday evening in a statement to Politico.

—The importance of World AIDS Day as a person living with HIV—

Pelosi continued, “As a leading African American woman with a place at the decision table, the appointment of Congresswoman Lee is even more meaningful as we mark the birthday of her friend: the trailblazing Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm.

Rep. Lee took to social media to express her gratitude, tweeting “I wouldn’t be here without my mentor, my shero, my shining light – the late, great Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm..”

“I’m so grateful for her legacy and her leadership,” she continued. “She was truly #Unbought and #Unbossed. Happy birthday Mrs. C!”

Honored to be nominated to serve as a co-chair of the Steering and Policy Committee with @RepSwalwell and Rep. @RosaDeLauro. Together, we will make sure that every voice is heard at the leadership table. It’s time to get to work #ForThePeople.https://t.co/FV8Ags3Sq6

— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) December 1, 2018