Having served in Houston’s 18th Congressional District for over three decades, the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was a political powerhouse. Jackson Lee, who announced her pancreatic cancer diagnosis in June 2024, passed away in July 2024 at the age of 74. Her influence and legacy, however, endure, and have been etched into history with the recent decision by the Houston City Council to rename Terminal E at the Bush Intercontinental Airport in her honor.
Jackson Lee was born in Queens, New York and moved to Houston, Texas, with her husband in the 1980s. She began her public service career in 1987 as a municipal judge and was elected to the Houston City Council two years later. In 1994, she successfully challenged four-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Craig Washington in the Democratic primary, winning by a significant margin. Her win in the general election kickstarted her 30-year tenure in Congress.
During her time in the U.S. House of Representatives, Jackson Lee proved that she was more than just a representative but a force to be reckoned with. A staunch champion of social justice issues, she advocated for women and minorities and reintroduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to Congress in 2024, pushing to advance federal police reform. She secured more than $125 million in federal funding for the Bush Intercontinental Airport, which helped transform its infrastructure. She also advocated to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, expressing that “it was extremely important to pass a federal holiday that would give America a moment to be able to reflect not just on the jubilation of freedom, but also the brutality of slavery and what it meant to human beings.”
The process to rename Terminal E after Jackson Lee was initiated in December 2024, under Proposition A, which allows Council members to bring forward proposals for consideration. A group of eight Houston City Council members presented the proposal in a resolution that emphasized Congresswoman Jackson Lee’s contributions to the city. The initiative received overwhelming support, and in April 2025, the Houston City Council voted unanimously in favor of renaming the terminal the “Sheila Jackson Lee Terminal E.” This fitting tribute cements Jackson Lee’s legacy, serving as a reminder of her service, impact and contributions.
