Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), who served in Congress for nearly three decades, has died at the age of 74, her family announced Friday evening.
“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 wrote in a statement shared to her account on X.
Her family did not specify a cause of death, but the news comes just over one month after the Congresswoman revealed that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was undergoing treatment.
Jackson Lee was first elected to the House in 1994, besting then-incumbent Rep. Craig Washington (D-Texas) in the Democratic primary. She went on to defeat her Republican opponent in the general election, beginning her almost 30-year tenure in the House.
The Congresswoman served on the House Judiciary, Homeland Security and Budget Committees.
“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,” Jackson Lee’s family wrote in their statement Friday evening.
“Her legislative victories impacted millions, from establishing the Juneteenth Federal Holiday to reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act,” they added.
Jackson Lee won her Democratic Primary for Texas’s 18th Congressional District in March, reigning victorious after a competitive race for her seat. The win came after she mounted a failed campaign for Houston mayor.
The Congresswoman’s family nodded to her legacy in announcing her death Friday evening.
“[S]he impacted us most as our beloved wife, sister, mother, and Bebe (grandmother),” the family’s statement reads. “She will be dearly missed, but her legacy will continue to inspire all who believe in freedom, justice, and democracy.”
Updated at 11:19 pm. EST.
