In Memoriam: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee dies at 74

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Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee has died after a battle with cancer, her family announced on Friday.

Jackson Lee was 74.

Statement from family

“Today, with incredible grief for our loss yet deep gratitude for the life she shared with us, we announce the passing of United States Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas,” her family said in a statement.

“A local, national, and international humanitarian, she was acknowledged worldwide for her courageous fights for racial justice, criminal justice, and human rights, with a special emphasis on women and children,” the statement said.

In June, Jackson Lee announced that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was undergoing treatment.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s contributions

The Democrat congresswoman of Texas served in the House since 1995 and leaves behind a legacy of pushing for legislation related to civil and women’s rights.

Jackson Lee was the lead sponsor of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, Violence Against Woman Act, and she pushed for the Sentencing Reform Act of 2015, as well as the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act.

A native of Queens, New York, who was born on Jan. 12, 1950, Jackson Lee graduated from Yale and earned her law degree at the University of Virginia.

She was a judge in Houston before she was elected to Houston City Council in 1989, then ran for Congress in 1994.

After being diagnosed with cancer, the 74-year-old said in a statement that as a member of Congress, she has been honored to be a leader in the fight for justice and equality and will approach this more personal fight with “faith and courage.”

“I am confident that my doctors have developed the best possible plan to target my specific disease,” Jackson Lee said. “The road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me.”