Harris to attend Rep. Jackson Lee's funeral in Houston

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 House veteran and bastion of Houston politics, died shortly after revealing she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

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

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

“She was relentless — one of our nation’s fiercest, smartest, and most strategic leaders in the way she thought about how to make progress happen,” she continued. “There was never a trite or trivial conversation with the Congresswoman. She was always fighting for the people of Houston and the people of America.”

President Biden traveled Monday to Houston, where he is expected to visit city hall, where Jackson Lee is lying in state.

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