For the 29 years that she represented Texas’ 18th Congressional District, Sheila Jackson Lee was an outspoken political leader in Washington and beyond. She tackled some of the nation’s toughest issues and sponsored and supported legislation of importance to her constituents. Here are some of her views in her own words.
POLICE REFORM
“As a member of Congress, I have long advocated for equal justice for all that encounter law enforcement in the United States. This is why I have introduced H.R. 8525 — the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill will finally hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct and separate them from the majority of those endowed with the ethic of just and equitable public safety. It will also improve training, practices, and transparency to rebuild the broken trust of the communities they serve. While no single policy prescription will erase decades of systemic racism and excessive policing, the time has come for the federal government to create structural change with meaningful reforms.“
VOTING RIGHTS
“The need to protect the right to vote is critical, especially in the face of recurring threats to the principle of ‘one man, one vote.’ Whether it concerns plans to disenfranchise up to 53,000 voters in Georgia; concerted efforts to reject Florida’s Amendment 4 which, if passed, would reinstate the vote to over a million formerly incarcerated persons who have repaid their debt to society; or in my home state of Texas, where the specific provisions of Subchapter D of Chapter 16 of the Texas Election Code have been used to cancel voter registrations in Harris County, the threat to voting rights is real and substantial.”
EDUCATION
“As the State of Texas continues its onslaught of attacks on public school institutions throughout the entire state, I am particularly outraged by the actions taken by the Texas Education Agency to take over the Houston Independent School District. With the recent Texas Supreme Court ruling to lift the temporary injunction, that kept the TEA Commissioner, Governor Abbott, and other state officials from taking over the HISD, the plight of schools and the educational future in Houston, as well as throughout the entire state of Texas, is particularly dire and in need of federal oversight and intervention. That is why I have called upon President Biden along with the Department of Education to take immediate action to investigate the alarming and apparent systemic and discriminatory state takeovers of public and private programs receiving federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education throughout the State of Texas.”
HEALTH CARE
“As founder and co-chair of the Congressional Children’s Caucus, and a member of the Democratic Women’s Caucus and the Black Maternal Health Caucus, I am pleased to announce a grant in the amount of $991,581 awarded to Harris County for eliminating disparities in perinatal health in the 18th Congressional District and State of Texas joined by the Health Resources and Services Administration…This funding will support the health care, social and community needs of mothers and babies in communities with high maternal mortality rates. Through this support, the goal is to improve community health and tackle unacceptable disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes.”
IMMIGRATION
“In actuality, the events transpiring at the border are a symptom of a larger ailment — a broken immigration system. This series of events has created a situation that demands a comprehensive immigration system which includes border security, and guidelines for the conduct of these border agents who, it should be reminded, work for the American people. The situation also calls for a comprehensive process for dealing with an international human right — the right to seek asylum to escape persecution.“
VETERANS
“Veterans Day is a time to honor and remember the millions of veterans in this generation and generations past who have made countless sacrifices in service of our country…A grateful nation cares for its soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, not only when they are abroad, but also upon their return home. In order to improve the [lives] of veterans in our country I have introduced H.R. 232, the “Real Justice for Our Veterans Act” of 2023 and H.R. 236, the “Battle Buddy Week” Act… Increasing access to these programs and improving the way these programs work would assist veterans who are experiencing drug and mental health conditions and would have a positive impact on those returning to society.”