Washington, DC – The Friend Committee on National Legislation presented The Compass Award to Representative Barbara Lee (CA-12). The new award is given to an individual who has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to moral leadership.
Contact Tim McHugh: media@fcnl.org, 202-903-2515
“Representative Barbara Lee has shown us what it means to not just talk the talk, but walk the walk when it comes to public service and working with the best interest of others first. For more than 20 years in the House of Representatives, she has been leading the way on issues of peace,” said Bridget Moix, FCNL’s general secretary.
Famously, Rep. Lee was the lone member of Congress to vote against the 2001 AUMF, a law that is still green-lighting wars and conflict more than 20 years after it was passed. The Compass Award honors Rep. Lee’s courage in that moment. Standing alone, imploring her colleagues to see that war is not the answer, she demonstrated the immense moral courage, leadership, and wisdom that has defined her decades-long career in Congress.
Reflecting on the tragedy of 9/11, Lee said: “This unspeakable act has forced me, however, to rely on my moral compass, my conscience, and my God for direction.”
“Rep. Lee is a guiding light in a moment of darkness, fear, and pain. She has continued to be a true compass, always pointing toward the path to peace and justice, over the many years since,” said Moix.
This inaugural award was given at FCNL’s 2024 Annual Meeting and Quaker Public Policy Institute. Hundreds of advocates have gathered from all across the country to lobby their legislators to stop supplying offensive weapons to Israel that have been used for more than a year to bomb Gaza and now Lebanon.
To learn more, please visit www.fcnl.org.
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