According to an official who first shared the information with NBC News, Vice President Kamala Harris will go to Houston on Thursday to attend the funeral ceremonies of longtime Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, who passed away this month following a battle with cancer.
According to a representative from Harris’s office, Jackson Lee and Harris became close friends through their shared experiences as elected officials and as members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first historically Black sorority in the country. Because she is currently the front-runner to be the Democratic nominee, Harris wanted to attend the services despite having a busy schedule.
The official remarked of Harris, “She was determined to be present in order to show her respects.”
The official added that during her time in the Senate and after she was elected vice president, Harris and Jackson Lee had common legislative objectives. These included reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, guaranteeing clean water and eliminating lead pipes from communities, providing funding for historically Black colleges and universities, and concentrating on disparities in maternal health, particularly as they pertain to Black women.
The person added that the two collaborated on efforts to pass the blocked George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a police reform measure, and on making Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Harris referred to Jackson Lee as a “tenacious advocate for justice and a tireless fighter for the people of Houston and the people of America” in a statement made public at the time of her passing. Jackson Lee also “She stood out as a committed community activist, a capable lawmaker, and an intensely devoted friend and colleague.” Additionally, she described Jackson Lee as “a champion for women’s rights” and “above all, a leader committed to helping the citizens of her cherished city”—Housong.
“As a member of the US Congress, a Houston judge, and the Houston City Council, Sheila Jackson Lee’s efforts enhanced the lives of millions of people,” Harris said in the statement. “She committed her life to bringing her vision of a more equal, just, and free nation to reality. She saw what could be.”
Harris also recalled collaborating on bills with Congressional Black Caucus members and Jackson Lee during their time in Congress.
In the statement, Harris stated, “Working with the Congresswoman was an experience of being in awe of her proficiency with the legislative process.” “She was unrelenting – among the most determined, astute, and astute leaders in our country in the manner in which she approached the task of bringing about advancement. The Congresswoman and I never had a boring or unimportant conversation. She never stopped defending the rights of Americans and Houstonians.
Harris will be making her second trip to Texas as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination on Thursday, making it her third visit in as many months.
Earlier this month, Harris traveled to Dallas to deliver a speech at an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. convention. She also gave a speech at the American Federation of Teachers’ convention last week in Houston, which is attended by a sizable teachers union.