Passing of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

Floor Speech

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Ms. SEWELL. Mr. Speaker, with the passing of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the people of Texas have lost a great leader and a devoted public servant, and we in the Congressional Black Caucus have lost a dear friend.

I join in sending my heartfelt condolences to her husband, Dr. Elwyn Lee, their two children: Jason and Erica, and their two grandkids: Ellison and Roy during this difficult time.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee was more than just a colleague. She was my sorority sister, a mentor, and a dear friend. She was never afraid to stand up for what she believed, and she never stopped fighting for the people she served.

There is no question that our Nation is better off for her decades of public service and her tireless advocacy on behalf of her constituents.

A champion for racial justice, police reform, and combating violence against women, Sheila will be remembered as a fierce advocate, not only for the people of Texas, but Americans all across this Nation.

To know that her life was cut short by a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is heartbreaking. It is the very same disease that claimed the life of our dear colleague, John Lewis, and my beloved mother, Nancy Gardner Sewell. By the end of this year, an estimated 51,000 Americans will lose their battles to pancreatic cancer as well. This is why I have made it my mission to reduce racial disparities in this disease to double down on our Nation's effort to prevent, screen, treat, and eventually find a cure.

Sheila will be dearly missed in the House of Representatives. I will always cherish her mentorship and her words of wisdom. She always inspired us to work harder and fight harder for the people we represent.

I join my colleagues in celebrating her extraordinary life and career. May her legacy live on through the many lives she touched.

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