UNITED STATES-Caribbean American congresswoman ‘heartbroken’ over death of congressional colleague Sheila Jackson Lee

NEW YORK, CMC – Caribbean-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke says she’s “heartbroken” over the death of her congressional colleague and granddaughter of Jamaican immigrants Sheila Jackson Lee.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee died on Friday after battling pancreatic cancer. She was 74.

“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,” said her family 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 added.

Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants and representative of the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on Saturday that Jackson Lee was not only her “dear colleague” but also her “mentor” and “cherished friend.”

“On behalf of myself, the Clarke Family, and the people of the 9th District of New York, I extend my deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to her loved ones,” said Clarke, the first vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). “Sheila devoted her life to the people of Houston, Texas, and was a fierce advocate and legislator who always rose for the causes and communities close to her heart.

“She was a mentor to me, as she was to many others, and a visionary who was relentless in her pursuit of justice,” Clarke added. “Congresswoman Jackson Lee would call out and correct any injustices she perceived.

“No matter the subject of debate, there she stood, in the gap, making certain that her district, and by extension, all of us would benefit,” she continued. “Truly, she worked with a transformative and singular focus on legislating policy that achieved essential progress for the oppressed.

“The granddaughter of Jamaican immigrants, Sheila Jackson Lee, was raised in Queens, New York,” Clarke said. “Through our common background and shared ideals, she and I connected on many levels. I will miss my sister’s colleague dearly. And I pray that the gentlelady from Houston will rest in power and peace.”

CBC Chairman Steven Horsford, the son of a Trinidadian immigrant mother who represents Nevada’s 4th District, and CBC members expressed their “deepest sadness” over the death of their colleague.

“We are holding her husband, Dr. Elwyn Lee, her two children, Jason and Erica, and the entire Lee family in our hearts and prayers during this tough time,” they said in a joint statement. “Representative Jackson Lee was a titan and stalwart member of Congress, who served the Houston area and our country honorably for nearly 30 years in the US Congress.”

From the Houston City Council to the US Congress, Congresswoman Jackson Lee was “a fierce advocate for social and economic justice, national and homeland security, energy independence, and children and working families,” the CBC said.

A former CBC Whip and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, CBC said Jackson Lee was “a devoted and active member of our Caucus who championed many causes, including racial equity, and improving policing and community safety in America – most recently reintroducing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in May 2024.”

CBC said Jackson Lee left her mark on the US Congress as a former chair and first female ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee for Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security and as a senior member of the House of Representatives Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget.

During her tenure, CBC said Jackson Lee led many critical legislative initiatives – authoring the Violence Against Women’s Act and the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act and introducing the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Reauthorization, the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Act, and the Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act.

“Congresswoman Jackson Lee was a patriot and a fighter to the end,” CBC said. “Words cannot express the loss our Caucus feels for our beloved friend. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.”