Lynn C. Woolsey is a former U.S. Representative for California’s 6th congressional district from 1993 to 2013.  She is a member of the Democratic Party.  The district she represented included all of Marin County and most of Sonoma County.  She served on the Education and Labor Committee for 20 years and on the Workforce Protection Subcommittee as the Chair or Ranking Member for 8 years; she also served on the Science Committee (Energy and Environment Subcommittee) and the Foreign Affairs Committee (Africa and International Health Subcommittee).  She was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and was its co-chair from 2006 -2010. 

Lynn Woolsey was an outspoken opponent of the War in Iraq and joined 133 members of the House who voted against authorizing the invasion of Iraq.  She was the first Member of Congress to call for troop withdrawal from Iraq when she introduced legislation in 2005 that received 128 bi-partisan votes when it was brought to the House.  She spoke on the House floor over 425 times against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for peace and justice. 

Woolsey was ranked as the most liberal member of Congress in 2012 by That’s My Congress.  She was arrested April 27, 2009, outside the embassy of Sudan in Washington, D.C., during a protest against genocide in Darfur.  Lynn had a bright and gutsy 20 year career in Congress and accomplished many important projects for her district before her retirement, including a 2,220 square-mile National Marine Sanctuary expansion to include the Sonoma Coast.

Lynn Woolsey was a friend of Donald Payne and believes the work of the Foundation will be one way to continue his work and his career.