George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s Terminal E will now be renamed “Sheila Jackson Lee Terminal E” in honor of the late congresswoman. Lee represented the 18th Congressional District until her death in November 2024.
The Houston City Council voted unanimously to rename the terminal after the legendary congresswoman.
Lee’s daughter Erica Lee Carter, who also represented the 18th Congressional District briefly after Lee’s death, thanked Mayor John Whitmire for his support in the process and Councilmembers Edward Pollard and Tiffany Thomas for taking the renaming initiative. Lee Carter also recounted her mother’s achievements in bringing in funding and advocacy for the airport.
We are not just affixing a name to a building, we are telling the world that Sheila Jackson Lee mattered to Houston, and that her legacy lives on boldly, visibly and permanently.
Erica Lee Carter
“She knew that our airport was not just a transit hub of commerce, but it connected us to our global friends, like our sister cities,” Lee Carter said. “We are not just affixing a name to a building, we are telling the world that Sheila Jackson Lee mattered to Houston, and that her legacy lives on boldly, visibly and permanently.”
In December 2024, the Houston City Council voted to initiate the terminal’s renaming. Councilmembers reiterated Sheila Jackson Lee’s achievements in securing $125 million for the Houston Airport System. They extended their support behind this decision.
Due to administrative processes, which include public comments, the council waited to rename the terminal when the proposal was first introduced. Following this, it received more than 2,000 comments, with 80% voicing support for renaming the terminal, according to the agenda item.
Houston has a history of honoring political leaders who served the city. Terminal C is named after Houston’s former Mayor Lewis Wesley Cutrer and Terminal D after former U.S. Rep. Mickey Leland.
Lee’s family members remember her legacy
Lee’s husband, Elwyn Lee, reminisced about her passion for the airport.
“She became a fierce advocate for the airport and other transformation needs of this city, which she did love,” he said. “She fiercely and effectively (brought) millions for the airport and other construction needs.”
Jason Lee, Lee’s son, recalled his personal relationship with his mother.
“I’m really gonna have a tall task trying to explain who my mother was,” he said. “It would be easier for me to explain who she was to me, but I have to really work to explain all she meant to everyone else. With the honor of this terminal being named after her, it makes that a lot easier. That honor will itself explain to some extent who she was and what she meant.”
Councilmembers weigh in
Mayor Pro Tem and City Councilmember Martha Castex-Tatum called Lee a “hero” and a formal ceremony—the next step in the renaming process.
“Houston will never be the same without Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, but we’ll continue to work every day to make it a place that she could be proud of and we can all be proud of,” Castex-Tatum said.
Explaining the resolution process under Proposition A, which allowed him to bring the Terminal E renaming initiative forward, Councilmember Edward Pollard said it received eight signatures—the maximum number of signatures allowed.
“For this particular resolution, everyone said yes immediately,” Pollard said. “That is a testament to who Congresswoman Sheila Jackson was. Regardless if you agree with everything she ever did or said, you know that she was an impactful person who was extremely passionate about her community and her city, and was an iconic figure.”
Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, who represents District D, which is located within the 18th Congressional District, recalled her close partnership with Lee and called the decision to rename the terminals a “no-brainer.”
