Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee, a longtime Democratic congresswoman from Texas, passed away. She was seventy-four.
The following was announced in a statement released by Lee’s family on X:
“Today, with incredible grief for our loss yet deep gratitude for the life she shared with us, we announce the passing of U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas. A fierce champion of the people, she was affectionately and simply known as “Congresswoman” by her constituents in recognition for her near-ubiquitous presence and service to their daily lives for more than 30 years.”
In June, Lee revealed that she had received a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
Lee stated she was receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer, which her physicians had confirmed, in a message she uploaded to X in June.
In the statement, Lee stated, “I am confident that my doctors have developed the best possible plan to target my specific disease.” “The road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me.”
Jackson Lee has served as the 18th District representative for Texas in the House of Representatives since 1995. Jackson Lee served in the House judiciary, homeland security, and budget committees during her fifteenth term in Congress. She was also a member of the judiciary subcommittee on national security, crime, and terrorism.
Jackson Lee did not mention stepping down in her June announcement of her diagnosis; instead, she stated that she was “committed to working with our Congressional leadership, including Leader Hakeem Jefferies and the Speaker of the House, to serve this nation and be present for votes on legislation that is critical for the prosperity and security of the American people.”