Sheila Jackson Lee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 18th district | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – July 19, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Craig Washington |
| Succeeded by | TBD |
| Member of the Houston City Council from the at-large district | |
| In office January 2, 1990 – January 3, 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Anthony Hall |
| Succeeded by | John Peavy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sheila Jackson January 12, 1950 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 19, 2024 (aged 74) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Elwyn Lee (m. 1973) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | New York University Yale University (BA) University of Virginia (JD) |
| Website | House website |
Sheila Jackson Lee (née Jackson; January 12, 1950 – July 19, 2024) was an American lawyer and politician who was the U.S. representative for Texas's 18th congressional district, from 1995 until her death in 2024. The district includes most of central Houston. She was a member of the Democratic Party and served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council before being elected to the House. She was also co-dean of Texas's congressional delegation.
Born in Queens, New York, Jackson Lee earned a scholarship for Black students at New York University before transferring to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Yale University in 1972 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1975.[1][2] In 1987, after she had moved to Houston, she was appointed as a municipal judge for the city by Kathy Whitmire. In 1989, Jackson Lee was elected to the Houston City Council. She served in the office until 1994 when she began a campaign for a seat in the U.S. Congress. In the Democratic primary, she defeated incumbent Craig Washington and went on to easily win the general election.
During her congressional tenure, Jackson Lee supported progressive policies such as gun control and Medicare for All.[3] She introduced the Essential Transportation Worker Identification Credential Assessment Act in 2013 and the Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act in 2021. In 2019, Jackson Lee stepped down as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and a subcommittee in the House Judiciary after a lawsuit filed by a former staffer claimed she was fired due to planned legal action against an alleged rape by a supervisor.
Jackson Lee announced her candidacy for the 2023 Houston mayoral election in March of that year. In the first round, she placed second behind state senator John Whitmire. However, as no candidate crossed the 50% threshold to win outright, a runoff election occurred on December 9, 2023. Despite several key endorsements, Jackson Lee lost the election to Whitmire. On December 11, she filed to run for re-election to her congressional seat and won the Democratic primary on March 5, 2024. In July 2024, she died in office after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.[4]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
WaPo Obitwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Democratic congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee dies aged 74, family says," July 19, 2024, The Guardian. Accessed July 20, 2024.
- ^ Reimann, Nicholas (March 27, 2023). "Progressive Firebrand Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Running For Houston Mayor". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- ^ Irwin, Lauren (August 2, 2024). "Abbott announces Nov. 5 special election to replace late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee". The Hill. Retrieved August 2, 2024.