HOUSTON (Talk1370.com) -- One of the longest serving members of Texas' congressional delegation, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee has died.
Family members posted a statement to Jackson Lee's social media accounts late Friday evening. The 74-year old congresswoman had been battling pancreatic cancer.
Jackson Lee was first elected to Texas' 18th Congressional District in 1994, becoming a progressive fixture on Capitol Hill for the nearly three decades that followed.
"Her legislative victories impacted millions, from establishing the Juneteenth Federal Holiday to reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act," the family statement reads. "However, she impacted us most as our beloved wife, sister, mother, and Bebe (grandmother). She will be dearly missed, but her legacy will continue to inspire all who believe in freedom, justice, and democracy."
At the time of her death, Jackson Lee served as a senior member of the House Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget committees. She mounted a campaign to become Houston's mayor, including an endorsement from outgoing mayor Sylvester Turner, but ultimately lost the race to former state senator John Whitmire.
The family says funeral arrangements are pending.
