Statement from Vice President Kamala Harris on the Passing of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee was a tenacious advocate for justice and a tireless fighter for the people of Houston and the people of America.

Her career in public service spanned well over three decades. As a judge in Houston, a member of the Houston City Council, and a member of the United States Congress, Sheila Jackson Lee’s work improved the lives of millions of Americans.

In the United States House of Representatives, Sheila Jackson Lee distinguished herself as a dedicated advocate for her community, an effective legislator, and a fiercely loyal colleague and friend. To work alongside the Congresswoman was to marvel at her mastery of the legislative process.

Sheila Jackson Lee was, first and foremost, a leader dedicated to serving the people of her beloved city. She secured critical funding for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, coordinated disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, and helped to stand up testing and vaccination sites during the COVID-19 pandemic. No task was too small so long as it was the right thing to do.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee was also a national leader. As a champion for women’s rights, she played a vital role in reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, landmark legislation that improved the lives of millions of women and girls across the country. She also authored the law that made Juneteenth a national holiday, a law I was proud to co-sponsor as a United States Senator. She saw what could be—a nation that is more equal, more fair, and more free—and she dedicated her life to realizing that vision.

Sheila Jackson Lee was a dear friend for many years, and a fellow member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I had the opportunity to work closely with her on many issues and to observe her leadership firsthand. She was relentless—one of our nation’s fiercest, smartest, and most strategic leaders in the way she thought about how to make progress happen. There was never a trite or trivial conversation with the Congresswoman. She was always fighting for the people of Houston and the people of America.

When I called Congresswoman Jackson Lee earlier this week, I conveyed my deep gratitude on behalf of our nation for her lifetime of leadership.

Doug and I send our prayers to her husband, Dr. Elwyn Lee, her children, Jason Lee and Erica Lee Carter, and her beloved grandchildren, Ellison Bennett Carter and Roy Lee Carter, III.

Congressional Black Caucus Statement on the Passing of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Steven Horsford (NV-04) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement on the passing of Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18):

“It is with the deepest sadness that the Congressional Black Caucus has learned of the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee. We are holding her husband, Dr. Elwyn Lee, her two children Jason and Erica, and the entire Lee family in our hearts and prayers during this extremely difficult time.

“Representative Jackson Lee was a titan and stalwart member of Congress who served the Houston area and our country honorably for nearly 30 years in the U.S. Congress. From the Houston City Council to the U.S. Congress, Congresswoman Jackson Lee was a fierce advocate for social and economic justice, national and homeland security, energy independence, and children and working families.

“A former CBC Whip and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Congresswoman Jackson Lee was a devoted and active member of our Caucus who championed many causes including racial equity and improving policing and community safety in America – most recently reintroducing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in May 2024.

“Representative Jackson Lee leaves her mark on the Congress as a former chair and first female ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee for Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, and as a senior member of the House Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget. During her tenure, she led many important legislative initiatives – authoring the Violence Against Women's Act and the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act and introducing the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Reauthorization, the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Act, and the Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act.

“Congresswoman Jackson Lee was a patriot and a fighter to the very end. Words cannot express the sense of loss our Caucus feels for our beloved friend. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.”

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee announces she has pancreatic cancer

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee issued the Following Statement on her having pancreatic cancer:

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee demands Russia release WNBA star Brittney Griner

During a press conference Saturday, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX 18th) delivered remarks on Houston native and WNBA star, Brittney Griner, who was arrested in Russia on drug charges. In her statement, the congresswoman says she will be demanding her release.

Watch her entire statement below:

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's response when asked about Ted Cruz's trip to Mexico

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX 18th District) had a thoughtful and reassuring reponse for Texas reisdents when asked by a local television reporter about Senator Ted Cruz's ill timed trip to Cancun during an extreme weather emergency in Texas that has killed dozens. Watch her response below:

"I'm present and accounted for," said Congresswoman @JacksonLeeTX18 when asked about #TedCruz & his trip to Mexico. "I do think in time of crisis the place & the only place I want to be is with the people I represent." She is in Houston at a water distribution site. #abc13 pic.twitter.com/AGQuZCB8fu

— Steve Campion (@SteveABC13) February 18, 2021

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee wants Juneteenth to be a federal holiday

Every year, Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee introduces a resolution to recognize the historical significance of Juneteenth. Introduced June 15, this year it has more than 200 co-sponsors — and that’s not all: she also plans this week to introduce a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.

The road to such a holiday becoming a reality may be long, the Democrat acknowledges, noting it took nearly 20 years for Martin Luther King Jr. Day to become a national holiday, but she’s optimistic that the time is right for increasing awareness about slavery and how its legacy has carried over into modern racism.

“There needs to be a reckoning, an effort to unify. One thing about national holidays, they help educate people about what the story is,” Jackson Lee says. “Juneteenth legislation is a call for freedom, but it also reinforces the history of African Americans. We’ve fought for this country. We’ve made great strides, but we’re still the victims of sharp disparities. Our neighborhoods reflect that. We’ve been denied the same opportunities for housing, access to healthcare and, in 2020, [during] COVID-19, all of the glaring disparities are shown. Because of that, I think this is a time that we may find people who are desirous to understand the history not necessarily only of African Americans, but the history of America.”

[SOURCE: YAHOO]