Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who represented the 18th Congressional District of Texas, has died, according to a statement from her family.
The 74-year-old Democrat has served her district, which encompasses a large part of Houston, since 1995. She announced in a statement last month that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was undergoing treatment.
Lee’s family said in their statement, which was shared to the congresswoman’s account on X, formerly Twitter, that Lee was “a fierce champion of the people” and “was affectionately and simply known as ‘Congresswoman’ by her constituents in recognition of her near-ubiquitous presence and service to their daily lives for [decades].”
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“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,” read the statement from Lee’s family.
Lee sat as a senior member on three House committees—Judiciary, Homeland Security and Budget—in the 118th U.S. Congress. She was also appointed as the first female ranking member of the Judiciary subcommittee for Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Lee’s Democratic colleague, Texas Representative Adriano Espaillat, was live for an interview with CNN‘s Abby Phillip when news of Lee’s death broke. When asked by Phillip for his “thoughts” on the news, Espaillat described Lee as “a national hero.”
“You know, she ran for mayor [of Houston],” Espaillat recalled. “I think she was trying to come home. She may have been trying to come home. But she will be forever in our hearts no matter where we are, or at home.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as further information becomes available.
Uncommon Knowledge
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