Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was a 30-year congresswoman from Texas best known for her advocacy of progressive causes.
- Died: July 19, 2024 (Who else died on July 19?)
- Details of death: Died in Houston, Texas of pancreatic cancer at the age of 74.
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Sheila Jackson Lee’s legacy
Sheila Jackson Lee was born in Queens, New York, and earned degrees from Yale University and the University of Virginia School of Law. She and her husband, Elwyn Lee, moved to Houston, Texas in the 1980s, and Jackson Lee quickly began to make a name for herself in the community. She became a municipal judge in 1987, then two years later won an at-large position on the Houston City Council.
In 1994, Jackson Lee challenged four-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Craig Washington in the Democratic primary and won easily, defeating him by a nearly 30-point margin and cruising to a win in the general election, too. Her victory kicked off a three-decade career in Congress, during which time Jackson Lee became a mainstay, passionately representing the constituents of Texas’ 18th District.
Jackson Lee’s service in the U.S. House of Representatives was marked by support for progressive causes, including backing protections for LGBTQ+ people, voting to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, and advocating to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. She served on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget committees, supported increasing border security while also making it easier for immigrants to become citizens, and in 2023 ran an unsuccessful campaign to become mayor of Houston.
She announced her pancreatic cancer diagnosis in June 2024.
Notable quote
“At heart, I am someone who tells it straight.” — statement to Houston Chronicle, Oct. 2023
Tributes to Sheila Jackson Lee
Full obituary: The Texas Tribune
