Political Quotes

“I thank Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus- McCormick and Congressman Jackson for convening this Special Order hour for, indeed, a special woman. Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life and legacy of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas' 18th District. Sheila was a legislator, scholar, orator, truth teller, and justice seeker. From Houston to Boston, from the Nation's Capitol to throughout the African diaspora, Sheila Jackson Lee is a name you should know. If you don't, trust me, you have benefited from her work--recognizing Juneteenth as a national holiday, reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, advocating for police accountability, reparations, and so much more. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee will always be remembered as a force to be reckoned with, who loved her constituents dearly, and represented them with sincerity. I can see her now in my mind's eye: folders full of notes spilling over, research, question lines, floor statements, multiple bags, and layered clothing. She wore a colorful scarf to beat the chill and show her own unique style with her hair always in a regally braided crown. With nearly 30 years of service in Congress, she spent every moment working toward progress. In our final text exchange before her transition to ancestor, she said to me, keep working on our priorities. We cannot give up.…”