Sheila Jackson Lee
Office
Running for U.S. Representative, Texas, District 18 (2018)
Biography
In 1994, Congresswoman Jackson Lee was chosen as president of the freshmen class of Democrats. In 1997, she was named whip of the Congressional Black Caucus. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which advances thought on critical issues of public policy and supports leadership development and scholarships for minority youth.
Since entering the House, Jackson Lee has been a vigorous supporter of civil and human rights. She has authored several immigration bills, such as H.R. 750, the Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2007, which set forth a humane and compassionate solution to the immigration dilemma. That same year, Jackson Lee worked tirelessly to prevent the expiration key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to ensure that this fundamental right was protected for all Americans. In H.R. 254, the David Ray Hate Crime Prevention of 2007, she introduced legislation to enhance federal enforcement of hate crimes. She stood strong against the Defense of Marriage Act, an act that restricts state recognition of homosexual marriages.
Her commitment to children’s issues has also been unwavering. She is a member and co-chair of the Congressional Children’s Caucus. In Houston, she has secured federal resources in support of the Children’s Healthcare Program (CHIP) and public school funding. In addition, the Congresswoman annually hosts a holiday party featuring live entertainment, toys, food and giveaways for over 3,000 children and their families from the 18th Congressional District.
Jackson Lee has also worked tirelessly to improving the lot and addressing the concerns of woman and minorities. She launched the Dr. Mae C. Jemison Grant Program, which works with institutions serving minorities to bring more women into the field of space aeronautics. She has stood tall for women’s healthcare issues and the protection of women under Title XI, as well as equal pay for equal work legislation.
As a global citizen, she strongly supports the Mickey Leland Kibbutz program which gives high school students from the 18th Congressional district the opportunity to spend 6 weeks in Israel to learn about peace and culture in that region. She is founder of Congress’ Pakistan Caucus, Afghan Caucus and Algerian Caucus.
A matter of great importance to Jackson Lee is addressing and resolving the genocide in Darfur. She has met with Sudanese refugees in Chad, for whom she secured funding, as well as African Union soldiers in Sudan.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee is married to Dr. Elwyn C. Lee, who holds a dual position of Vice Chancellor and Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Houston System and the University of Houston, respectively. They have two children: Erica, who is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and Duke University, and Jason, a graduate of Harvard University.
In her spare time she enjoys reading, spending time with her family and cheering for the Houston Texans. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee can often be found throughout her district on weekends.
Source: Sheila Jackson Lee 18.com
Priorities
Children's Issues
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee co-founded and chairs the Congressional Children’s Caucus. It is her fundamental belief that every vote she makes will create a better or worse future for America’s children. It is her goal to work her colleagues and constituents to create the future that America’s children deserve.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee advocates on behalf of children to ensure their voice is heard. Whether it is ensuring the safety of their school environment like at Houston’s Key Middle School or monitoring schools in Iraq, Jackson Lee believes children should feel secure at school. In every policy debate and legislation she writes, Congresswoman Jackson Lee asks “what about the children?”
Congresswoman Jackson Lee authored critical amendments to the School Safety Enhancement Act. The amendments require that schools create a hotline so that students can report hazardous chemicals or conditions and terrorist attacks, set up a Safety Task force and provides that the school should have an action plan in place to respond to hazardous condition and chemicals.
The Congresswoman has collaborated with the Children’s Defense Fund and other key organization to support the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, expansions of Head Start, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
Civil Rights
A crusader for strong anti-hate crime legislation, Congresswoman Jackson Lee worked tirelessly and successfully to secure passage of H.Res. 535 by an overwhelming vote of 402-3 to help combat the scourge of hate crimes and hate-motivated conduct. This resolution paid tribute to the late David Ray Ritcheson, whose testimony before the Judiciary Committee was indispensable to the passage of H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007.
Guardian of the Constitution
As a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, Congresswoman Jackson Lee has been a guardian of the Constitution, the bastion of American’s civil rights and liberties, and the protector of the intellectual property rights that have made America the technological leader of the world.
Health Care
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is fighting to ensure that physician-owned hospitals, such as St. Joseph Medical Center in her district, are protected in the proposed health care bill. Jackson Lee has worked with leadership on an amendment that would save these hospitals that are currently treating patients or are under development to ensure that Americans can continue to receive healthcare at the local facilities they have come to depend on.
Patent Reform
Congresswoman Jackson Lee played a major role in the passage of H.R. 1908, the Patent Reform Act of 2007, the first major reform of the nation’s patent law in more than 50 years.
Security
As a senior Member of the Committee on Homeland Security and the first Chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee has worked tirelessly to ensure the security of this great nation. She has held vital hearings and markups of legislation on an array of topics which have addressed the need for mandatory training of rail and mass transit workers; improving airport security at our large and small airports; greater government oversight over foreign ownership and investment in our nation’s critical infrastructure; securing our nation from cross border trucking; bolstering chemical security; and enhancing cyber security.
Women's Issues
Congresswoman Jackson Lee believes that women deserve the same opportunity as men to obtain an education, pursue a career and earn a fair wage for a day’s work. As a working mother, the Congresswoman is very familiar with the challenges women face in balancing family with other obligations. Jackson Lee was an original co-sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment legislation because she is a strong advocate for equal opportunity and rights for women.
As a global citizen and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Congresswoman Jackson Lee is concerned about the treatment of women in countries around the world. In her travels to places such as Afghanistan, Ethiopia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan, Jackson Lee always seeks to learn about the status of women. Congresswoman Jackson Lee believes that America should lend its voice to the call of freedom and opportunity for women around the world.
Source: E. B. Johnson, House.gov
Sheila Jackson Lee
...
Office
Running for U.S. Representative, Texas, District 18 (2018)
Biography
In 1994, Congresswoman Jackson Lee was chosen as president of the freshmen class of Democrats. In 1997, she was named whip of the Congressional Black Caucus. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which advances thought on critical issues of public policy and supports leadership development and scholarships for minority youth.
Since entering the House, Jackson Lee has been a vigorous supporter of civil and human rights. She has authored several immigration bills, such as H.R. 750, the Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2007, which set forth a humane and compassionate solution to the immigration dilemma. That same year, Jackson Lee worked tirelessly to prevent the expiration key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to ensure that this fundamental right was protected for all Americans. In H.R. 254, the David Ray Hate Crime Prevention of 2007, she introduced legislation to enhance federal enforcement of hate crimes. She stood strong against the Defense of Marriage Act, an act that restricts state recognition of homosexual marriages.
Her commitment to children’s issues has also been unwavering. She is a member and co-chair of the Congressional Children’s Caucus. In Houston, she has secured federal resources in support of the Children’s Healthcare Program (CHIP) and public school funding. In addition, the Congresswoman annually hosts a holiday party featuring live entertainment, toys, food and giveaways for over 3,000 children and their families from the 18th Congressional District.
Jackson Lee has also worked tirelessly to improving the lot and addressing the concerns of woman and minorities. She launched the Dr. Mae C. Jemison Grant Program, which works with institutions serving minorities to bring more women into the field of space aeronautics. She has stood tall for women’s healthcare issues and the protection of women under Title XI, as well as equal pay for equal work legislation.
As a global citizen, she strongly supports the Mickey Leland Kibbutz program which gives high school students from the 18th Congressional district the opportunity to spend 6 weeks in Israel to learn about peace and culture in that region. She is founder of Congress’ Pakistan Caucus, Afghan Caucus and Algerian Caucus.
A matter of great importance to Jackson Lee is addressing and resolving the genocide in Darfur. She has met with Sudanese refugees in Chad, for whom she secured funding, as well as African Union soldiers in Sudan.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee is married to Dr. Elwyn C. Lee, who holds a dual position of Vice Chancellor and Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Houston System and the University of Houston, respectively. They have two children: Erica, who is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and Duke University, and Jason, a graduate of Harvard University.
In her spare time she enjoys reading, spending time with her family and cheering for the Houston Texans. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee can often be found throughout her district on weekends.
Source: Sheila Jackson Lee 18.com
...
Priorities
...
Social