Caribbean-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke says she is “heartbroken” over the demise of her congressional colleague and granddaughter of Jamaican immigrants Sheila Jackson Lee.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee died on Friday after battling pancreatic most cancers. She was 74.
“At this time, with unimaginable grief for our loss but deep gratitude for the life she shared with us, we announce the passing of United States Consultant Sheila Jackson Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas,” mentioned her household in a press release.
“An area, nationwide and worldwide humanitarian, she was acknowledged worldwide for her brave fights for racial justice, legal justice and human rights, with a particular emphasis on ladies and kids,” the assertion added.
Clarke, the daughter of Jamaica immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York, informed Caribbean Life on Saturday that Jackson Lee was not solely her “expensive colleague” however was additionally her “mentor” and “cherished good friend.”
“On behalf of myself, the Clarke Household and the folks of the ninth District of New York, I prolong my deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to her family members,” mentioned Clarke, the primary vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). “Sheila devoted her life to the folks of Houston, Texas, and was a fierce advocate and legislator who all the time rose for the causes and communities near her coronary 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 name out and proper any and all injustices that she perceived.
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Regardless of the topic of debate, there she stood, within the hole, making sure that her district, and by extension, all of us would profit,” she continued. “Really, she labored with a transformative and singular give attention to legislating coverage that achieved important progress for the oppressed.
“The granddaughter of Jamaican immigrants, Sheila Jackson Lee was raised in Queens, New York,” Clarke mentioned. “By our frequent background, and the beliefs we shared, she and I had been linked on so many ranges. I’ll miss my sister colleague dearly. And I pray that the gentlelady from Houston will relaxation in energy and relaxation in peace.”
CBC Chairman Steven Horsford, the son of a Trinidadian immigrant mom, who represents Nevada’s 4th District, and CBC members expressed their “deepest unhappiness” over the demise of their colleague.
“We’re holding her husband, Dr. Elwyn Lee, her two kids Jason and Erica, and your complete Lee household in our hearts and prayers throughout this extraordinarily tough time,” they mentioned in a joint assertion. “Consultant Jackson Lee was a titan and stalwart member of Congress, who served the Houston space and our nation honorably for practically 30 years within the US Congress.”
From the Houston Metropolis Council to the US Congress, Congresswoman Jackson Lee was “a fierce advocate for social and financial justice, nationwide and homeland safety, vitality independence, and kids and dealing households,” the CBC mentioned.
A former CBC Whip and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Basis, CBC mentioned Jackson Lee was “a loyal and lively member of our Caucus who championed many causes, together with racial fairness, and enhancing policing and group security in America – most not too long ago reintroducing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in Could 2024.”
CBC mentioned Jackson Lee left her mark on the US Congress as a former chair and first feminine rating member of the Judiciary Subcommittee for Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Safety, and as a senior member of the Home of Representatives’ Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Safety, and Funds.
Throughout her tenure, CBC mentioned Jackson Lee led many vital legislative initiatives – authoring the Violence Towards Ladies’s Act and the Juneteenth Nationwide Independence Day Act, and introducing the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Reauthorization, the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Act, and the Federal Jail Bureau Nonviolent Offender Reduction Act.
“Congresswoman Jackson Lee was a patriot and a fighter to the very finish,” CBC mentioned. “Phrases can’t specific the sense of loss our Caucus feels for our beloved good friend. She might be deeply missed by all who knew her.”
Jackson Lee’s full biography on her web site states that she was the democratic Chief Deputy Whip for the US Home of Representatives, and was the creator and lead sponsor of the Juneteenth Nationwide Independence Day Act, which established the primary new US federal vacation in 38 years.
She was additionally “the creator and fighter for the passage of the Violence Towards Ladies’s Act — signed by the President for the primary time in virtually a decade.”
The biography says Jackson Lee was “an influential and forceful voice in Washington”, and served for 14 phrases as a United States Home of Representatives member. She represented the 18th Congressional District of Texas, centered in Houston, “the world’s vitality capital.”
Thought-about by many because the “Voice of Motive”, the biography says Jackson Lee was “devoted to upholding the Constitutional rights of all folks.”
She sat on three Congressional Committees — as a senior member of the Home Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Safety and the essential Funds Committee.
The biography says she was appointed the primary feminine Rating Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee for Crime and Federal Authorities Surveillance, of which she served as chair in the course of the 117th Congress.
Jackson Lee’s main legislative initiatives included the Sentencing Reform Act, the George Floyd Regulation Enforcement Belief and Integrity Act, The RAISE Act, The Honest Probability for Youth Act, the Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Protected Storage Act, Kaleif’s Regulation and the American RISING Act.
The biography states that she additionally launched the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Reauthorization and Bullying Prevention and Intervention Act, and the Federal Jail Bureau Nonviolent Offender Reduction Act; and was “a champion” for girls and kids, supporting the Paycheck Equity Act and the Pregnant Staff Equity Act.
Moreover, the biography says Jackson Lee had launched an modification to funding payments that gives for outreach to minority- and women-owned companies regarding enterprise alternatives within the business house business, and authored the Triple-Unfavorable Breast Most cancers Analysis and Training Act.
In keeping with her biography, the late congresswoman was named by Congressional Quarterly as one of many 50 simplest Members of Congress, and The US Information and World Report had named her as one of many 10 most influential legislators within the US Home of Representatives.
Jackson Lee was a founder, member and chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus and the Congressional Kids’s Caucus.
She was additionally chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Vitality Braintrust and co-chair of the Justice Reform Process Power.
Jackson Lee earned a Bachelor of Arts diploma in political science from Yale College and juris doctorate (legislation diploma) from the College of Virginia Regulation College.
Born on Jan. 12, 1950, in Queens, Jackson Lee was among the many first ladies to graduate from Yale College.
In asserting her prognosis with pancreatic most cancers on Jun. 2, 2024, Jackson Lee mentioned: “My grownup life has been outlined by my religion in God, my love for humanity and my dedication to public service.
“As a member of Congress, I’ve been honored to be one of many leaders within the struggle for justice and equality for all; particularly the deprived and the dispossessed,” she mentioned. “At this time, my struggle is extra private, however I’ll strategy it with the identical religion and the identical braveness.
“My medical doctors have confirmed my prognosis of pancreatic most cancers,” Jackson Lee added. “I’m at the moment present process remedy to battle this illness that impacts tens of hundreds of Individuals yearly. “I’m assured that my medical doctors have developed the absolute best plan to focus on my particular illness. The highway forward is not going to be straightforward, however I stand in religion that God will strengthen me.
“To the constituents of the 18th Congressional District: Serving as your consultant in Congress for 30 years is one in all my biggest honors,” she continued. “Your hopes and aspirations encourage my efforts on behalf of our group on daily basis.”
