Sheila Jackson-Lee, a member of the United States House of Representatives, has passed away at the age of 74 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
First elected to Congress in 1995, Jackson Lee served the 18th district of Texas. The lawmaker had served on the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on the Budget.
The family of Sheila Jackson Lee announced her passing in a post on X. The message read:
"Today, with incredible grief for our loss yet deep gratitude for the life she shared with us, we announce the passing of U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas. A fierce champion of the people, she was affectionately and simply known as 'Congresswoman' by her constituents in recognition for her near-ubiquitous presence and service to their daily lives for more than 30 years."
Jackson Lee had first announced that she was suffering from cancer in a social media post last year, noting the severity of her fight. She wrote, "I am confident that my doctors have developed the best possible plan to target my specific disease. The road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me."