HOUSTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris to Eulogize Longtime US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee at Funeral Service
Vice President Kamala Harris is set to deliver a heartfelt eulogy for the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee at a solemn funeral service in North Houston on Thursday. This event marks the culmination of several days of memorials honoring the distinguished Democratic lawmaker who served her Texas district for nearly three decades.
Harris, who is poised to make history as the first Black woman to be a major party's presidential candidate, will pay tribute to Jackson Lee, one of Congress's most prominent Black women. Throughout her career, Jackson Lee was instrumental in leading federal efforts to protect women from domestic violence and in advocating for the recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday.
Sheila Jackson Lee passed away at the age of 74 on July 19, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. In a poignant statement released after her death, Harris described Jackson Lee as "one of our nation’s fiercest, smartest, and most strategic leaders in the way she thought about how to make progress happen."
The memorial services for Jackson Lee commenced on Monday, with hundreds of mourners paying their respects as her body lay in state at Houston’s City Hall, draped in the American flag. Among the attendees was President Joe Biden, who placed a bouquet of flowers near her casket and offered condolences to her family.
Over the subsequent days, viewings were held at two different churches in Houston, further honoring the legacy of the Democrat who represented her Houston-based district since 1995. Jackson Lee, who had previously battled breast cancer, announced her pancreatic cancer diagnosis in June.
Before her tenure in Congress, Jackson Lee served on Houston’s city council from 1990 to 1994. Upon her election to Congress, she quickly became known as a fierce advocate for women and minorities, and a key leader for House Democrats on various social justice issues, including policing reform and reparations for descendants of enslaved people. She spearheaded the first major rewrite of the Violence Against Women Act in nearly a decade, enhancing protections for Native American, transgender, and immigrant women.
Despite a failed bid for Houston’s mayoral position last year, Jackson Lee consistently secured reelection to Congress with overwhelming support. Her contributions and leadership will be deeply missed, as reflected in the outpouring of respect and admiration during these final memorials.
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