Republican Sheila Jackson LeeA Houston Democrat who has served in Congress since 1995 has died.

Jackson Lee, who announced less than two months ago that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, was 74.

Her family announced her passing Friday evening: “It is with incredible sadness for our loss, but also with deep gratitude for the life she shared with us, that we announce the passing of U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas’s 18th Congressional District.” Jackson Lee’s passing was confirmed by Lillie Conley, her chief of staff.

Along with fellow party member Lloyd Doggett, she was the most senior member of the current Texas delegation.

Jackson Lee was known as a strong advocate for women and minorities, serving in the same Texas district once represented by Barbara Jordan, the first African-American woman elected to Congress from the South since the Reconstruction period of the 19th century.

“Her unyielding drive for justice and fair play could never be suppressed,” Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) said in a statement. “She worked so hard for what she believed in and made sure all of us around her worked just as hard. I will miss my buddy who refused to let the world silence her voice.”

Jackson Lee was an outspoken speaker in the Congressional Black Caucus and worked to combat domestic violence by expanding the Violence Against Woman Act and having Juneteenth recognized as a federal holiday, which occurred in 2021.

The holiday commemorates the day (June 19) in 1865 that the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom. Texas had long celebrated this event.

In 2019, following the lead of the late Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), she proposed studying the idea of ​​reparations for descendants of former slaves.

“We want to be responsive to all Americans, and we know how diverse this country has become,” Jackson Lee said in an interview at the time. “As Democrats, we’ve always wanted to say to the American people that we’re here for the people.”

However, that proposal failed.

In her obituary, the Texas Tribune noted how hard she fought for Houston: “She often used her trademark chutzpah to fight for federal funds to be sent to Houston. In 2009, she secured $1 billion for the city’s lighting system after cornering then-Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood prior to then-President Barack Obama’s first joint address to Congress. She was always found in the aisle prior to the State of the Union address, one of the few members to meet the president directly on his way to the podium.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrote on X: “She was an extraordinary advocate for her district and her values, and her impact and accomplishments will be long remembered.”

Fellow lawmakers in Texas paid tribute to her legacy Friday night.

Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) wrote on X: “Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee was a fierce advocate for Houston and her constituents. No one worked harder for her community, and when Houston needed something, she provided it.”

Discussing her work on behalf of Houston, Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) echoed Allred’s words.

“It is with deep sadness that I acknowledge the passing of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a dedicated leader, a proud fellow Houstonian, and someone I was proud to call a friend,” Hunt said.

He added: “While we had our political differences, there were many moments with her, both publicly and privately, that showed me that bipartisanship and service to the country first can still bring members of Congress together.”

Sen. Ted Cruz also noted her commitment to her hometown. The Texas Republican added on X: “I will always cherish our friendship and the laughs we shared over the years.”

Jackson Lee was born on January 12, 1950, and is originally from Queens, New York. She graduated from Yale and received her law degree from the University of Virginia.

She served as a judge in Houston before being elected to the Houston City Council in 1989. She ran for Congress in 1994. She was an advocate for gay rights and an early opponent of the Iraq War in 2003.

You can bet she would be irritated by Republican positions on a myriad of issues for years to come. “First and foremost, I want our Republican friends to end the war on the working people of America,” she said in 2012 during the ongoing budget battle.

Jackson Lee routinely won re-election to Congress with ease. In the few times she faced a challenger, she never received less than two-thirds of the vote. But last year she ran for mayor of Houston, only to be defeated in a runoff in December by Democratic Senator John Whitmire.

At her election night party in December, Jackson Lee thanked her supporters, congratulated Whitmire and said she was committed to working with him. “It’s sweeter to say what a sweet victory it is. It’s just as sweet to acknowledge that we fought a good fight,” Jackson Lee said.

Also in 2019, Jackson Lee resigned from two leadership positions on the House Judiciary Committee and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the fundraiser of the Congressional Black Caucus, following a lawsuit from a former employee who said her sexual assault complaint was mishandled. “Other members of the Judiciary panel were uncomfortable with the prospect of a lawmaker embroiled in a messy legal battle leading a panel with jurisdiction over criminal matters,” POLITICO reported at the time.

On June 2, Jackson Lee, who was seeking another term in Congress, announced that she was being treated for pancreatic cancer.

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

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