Harris to attend funeral of Rep. Jackson Lee in Houston

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) is seen during a House Homeland Security Committee markup session of articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the Capitol on January 30, 2024.

Vice President Harris will be in Houston on Thursday for the funeral of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, the White House confirmed Monday, after the Texas Democrat died earlier this month.

Jackson Lee, a three-decade veteran of the House of Representatives and a bastion of Houston politics, died shortly after revealing he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Harris called Jackson Lee a “dear friend” in a statement after her death, remembering her as a “fierce advocate for justice and a tireless fighter for the people of Houston and the American people.”

“Sheila Jackson Lee was a dear friend for many years and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated sorority,” Harris said. “As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I had the opportunity to work closely with her on many issues and observe her leadership closely.”

“She was unwavering, one of the fiercest, smartest, most strategic leaders in our country in her thinking about how to get things done,” she continued. “There was never a small or trivial conversation with the congresswoman. She was always fighting for the people of Houston and the American people.”

President Biden traveled to Houston on Monday, where he is expected to visit City Hall, where Jackson Lee is buried.

Harris will travel to Houston on Wednesday for a political event and then deliver a eulogy at Jackson Lee’s funeral on Thursday, according to the White House.