Democratic leader Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-T.X., revealed a potentially deadly pancreatic cancer diagnosis to voters late Sunday.
Jackson Lee said she will be undergoing treatment while continuing her work in Congress controlled by a razor-thin Republican majority.
The 74-year-old longtime Texas Democrat and senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus disclosed her condition in a statement posted on Twitter, now known as X.
“I have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, a disease that impacts tens of thousands of Americans every year,” Jackson Lee said. “I will be occasionally absent from Congress as I receive my treatment.”
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee issued the Following Statement: pic.twitter.com/1WnKAN2CQs
— Sheila Jackson Lee (@JacksonLeeTX18) June 3, 2024
As a senior member of the powerful House Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget committees, Jackson Lee’s absence could be felt in key Democratic Party efforts in the new Congress.
Just two months ago, she won a primary to regain her House seat after a failed Houston mayoral bid. In May, she reintroduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act meant to completely rewrite police enforcement practices.
Jackson Lee’s cancer battle comes as health issues have impacted several elderly lawmakers already this year, including the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s death while in office last September.
As Jackson Lee begins what she admits will be a challenging road ahead, her announcement prompted an outpouring of well-wishes and prayers from colleagues on both sides of the aisle.