Sheila Jackson Lee

Sheila Jackson Lee (born January 12, 1950) is an American lawyer and politician who is the U.S. representative for TX's 18th congressional district, having served since 1995.

The district includes most of central Houston.

She is a member of the Democratic Party and served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council before being elected to the House.

She is also co-dean of Texas's congressional delegation.

Born in Queens, New York, Jackson Lee graduated from Yale University in 1972 and the University of Virginia School of Law in 1975.

She earned a BA in political science from Yale University in 1972 and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1975.

Jackson Lee moved to Houston when her husband, Elwyn Lee, accepted a position at the University of Houston.

He currently serves as the vice chancellor and vice president for Student Affairs of the University of Houston System and the University of Houston, respectively.

Together, they have two children.

Jackson Lee is also a Seventh-day Adventist.

Jackson Lee is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, as well as The Links organization.

In 1987, after she had moved to Houston, she was appointed as a municipal judge for the city by Kathy Whitmire.

Jackson Lee made three unsuccessful attempts at local judgeships before becoming a Houston, Texas municipal judge from 1987 to 1990.

Along with Sylvia Garcia, Jackson Lee was appointed by then Mayor of Houston Kathy Whitmire.

In 1989, Jackson Lee was elected to the Houston City Council.

In 1989, Jackson Lee won the at-large position for a seat on the Houston City Council, serving until 1994.

On the city council, she helped pass a safety ordinance that required parents to keep their guns away from children.

She also worked for expanded summer hours at city parks and recreation centers as a way to combat gang violence.

She served in the office until 1994 when she began a campaign for Congress.

In the Democratic primary, she defeated incumbent Craig Washington and went on to easily win the general election.

In 1994, Jackson Lee challenged four-term incumbent U.S. Representative Craig Washington in the Democratic primary.

Washington had come under fire for opposing several projects that would have benefited the Houston area.

Jackson Lee defeated Washington, 63% to 37%.

The victory was tantamount to election in this heavily Democratic, black-majority district.

In the general election, she defeated Republican nominee Jerry Burley, 73%–24%.

Since 1995, she has retained her position as the U.S. Representative from Texas's 18th congressional district.

During her congressional tenure, Jackson Lee has been a supporter of many progressive policies.

Before the 110th Congress, Jackson Lee served on the House Science Committee and on the Subcommittee that oversees space policy and NASA.

She is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and a CBC whip.

She introduced the Essential Transportation Worker Identification Credential Assessment Act in 2013 and the Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act in 2021.

In 2019, Jackson Lee stepped down as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and a subcommittee in the House Judiciary after a lawsuit filed by a former staffer claimed she was fired due to planned legal action against an alleged rape by a supervisor.

Jackson Lee announced her candidacy for the 2023 Houston mayoral election in March of that year.

In the first round, she placed second behind state senator John Whitmire.

However, as no candidate crossed the 50% threshold to win outright, a runoff election occurred on December 9, 2023.

Despite several key endorsements, Jackson Lee lost the election in a landslide to Whitmire.

On December 11, she filed to run for re-election to her congressional seat, and would successfully win the Democratic primary on March 5, 2024.

Jackson Lee was born Sheila Jackson in Queens, New York.

Her father, Ezra Clyde Jackson, who was born in Brooklyn, was a comic book artist and the son of Jamaican immigrants.

Her mother, Ivalita Bennett Jackson, was a nurse, and came to New York at an early age from her birthplace of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Jackson Lee graduated from Jamaica High School in Queens.