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Sheila Jackson Lee, a congresswoman, passed away in Houston late on July 19, 2024 at the age of 74.
In June, Jackson Lee, who was seeking reelection for a sixteenth term, declared that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
A powerful figure in American politics was Sheila Jackson Lee. She was named a municipal court judge in Houston in 1987 after being born in Queens, New York. Two years later, she was elected to the City Council of Houston. Then, in the 1994 primary for Texas’s 18th Congressional District, a strongly Democratic district, she upset then-Representative Craig Washington.
In November, she prevailed in the general election. She ultimately held it for about thirty years, which is more than the combined tenure of all three of her direct predecessors.
Sheila Jackson Lee was employed by Houston Congressman Al Green for over twenty years. “I am proud to say that I knew her as a person whose life should be celebrated,” stated Green.
Sheila Jackson Lee stood up for the people who lived in Houston’s Third Ward, which is primarily made up of Black people, as well as the instructors and students at Texas Southern University. For years, Michael Adams tracked her career as a TSU political science professor.
“Texas, I think, has lost a great defender of the Constitution, and of civil rights and civil liberties,” Adams stated. “Sheila Jackson Lee, will leave an indelible stamp on the legacy of American politics in general.”
The Legacy of Congress
Being a member of the minority party throughout the majority of Sheila Jackson Lee’s time in Congress, according to Adams, had an impact on her capacity to enact laws. Congressman Al Green said, however, that it never deterred her from standing out for what she thought was right.
“She sponsored or co-sponsored significant legislation in Congress. A few instances include the George Floyd Justice and Policing laws that were pushed following George Floyd’s passing. She worked for and supported the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, according to Green. During her life, neither bill was passed into law.
Sheila Jackson Lee, however, had a long list of victories. Her contribution to Juneteenth’s designation as a federal holiday was significant. Additionally, she played an essential role in the Violence Against Women Act’s reauthorization.
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher of the Houston region stated, “It was her passion.” “It was something that she was so committed to, and really drove home. How important it was for us to get that done in Congress, and she was really a driving force behind that.”
When Fletcher was initially running for Congress in 2017, she said Sheila Jackson Lee had spoken with her about becoming engaged in the Violence Against Women Act.
Years spent serving on the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees were part of this dedication to public safety. It also meant putting in endless hours of labor whenever a natural disaster struck Houston, such as Hurricane Beryl two weeks ago or Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.
The last several campaigns
Late in the competition, she also attracted unfavorable attention when a video of her criticizing staff members was leaked to the public. After finishing second in a packed first-round vote, she was defeated in a runoff by Whitmire.
In order to maintain her congressional seat, Sheila Jackson Lee promptly registered to compete in the Democratic primary. Edwards was a former intern in Sheila Jackson Lee’s congressional office who had been chasing the nomination for some months and had accumulated a sizeable campaign fund at this time.
The major match that ensued proved to be the most challenging for Sheila Jackson Lee in some years. However, she easily won the denomination in March.
She announced the news of her cancer diagnosis in public three months later. She and Austin Congressman Lloyd Doggett were tied for the longest-serving members of the Texas congressional delegation at the time of her passing. Her children, Erica and Jason, as well as her husband of over 50 years, Dr. Elwyn Lee, an administrator at the University of Houston, survive her.
