During a eulogy for the late Democrat Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, Vice President Harris experienced a verbal slip. She mistakenly referred to herself as president before quickly correcting to vice president while speaking at the memorial service.
Harris praised Jackson Lee for her efforts to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. “It was Sheila Jackson Lee whose bill made Juneteenth a federal holiday. Which, as a United States senator, I was proud to co-sponsor. And then as president – as vice president …” she said, correcting herself promptly.
Continuing her tribute, Harris said, “It was my honour – it was my honour, with our president, Joe Biden, to stand beside Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee as our president signed her bill into law.”
Jackson Lee passed away on 19 July at 74 after battling pancreatic cancer. She leaves behind her husband, Elwyn Lee, and two children, Jason and Erica. She had also previously fought breast cancer, diagnosed in 2011, and announced cancer-free the following year.
Harris described Jackson Lee as a “tenacious advocate for justice and a tireless fighter for the people of Houston and the people of America” and remembered her as a “dear friend for many years, and a fellow member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.”
“As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I had the opportunity to work closely with her on many issues and 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,” Harris stated on 20 July. “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.”
Harris mentioned a conversation with Jackson Lee days before her passing, expressing gratitude for her influence on her career. “You know, a few days before she passed, I called her, and I expressed my sincere and deep gratitude for all she had done. And I told her she had such an impact on me and my life. You know, to know Sheila is to know how she could be tough … oh my goodness, she was so loving and so encouraging, and she always encouraged me,” she shared during the service.
Harris recounted more stories of Jackson Lee’s tough love, recalling moments when she almost wanted to hide from her in the hallways. “Now, there were times, I will admit if I saw her walking down the hall. I would almost want to hide. Because I knew whatever else may be on my mind, Sheila Jackson Lee would require a very serious and specific conversation with you about what she had on her mind, and then she would tell you exactly what she needed you to do to help her get it done,” Harris said.
Harris continued to laud Jackson Lee’s “unwavering belief in the power that we each have to change our country for the better.” She concluded by stating, “Sheila Jackson Lee was a change maker. She worked with all her heart to lift up the people of her city, of her state, and of our nation. And to honour her memory, let us continue to fight to realise the promise of America, a promise of freedom, opportunity and justice, not just for some, but for all.”
