The Joint Center Mourns the Passing of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2024

WASHINGTON — In response to the passing of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies issued the following statement:

“We mourn the loss of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a groundbreaker in the fight for justice. She introduced revolutionary bills, including H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act; the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, that required a background check for every gun sale or transfer, and the legislation that turned Juneteenth into a federal holiday. Rep. Jackson Lee was also passionate about criminal justice reform. She pressed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to devote more scrutiny to unregulated predictive policing algorithms, calling for new, more stringent requirements on DOJ-funded research into crime forecasting tools used by law enforcement,” said Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, Joint Center president. “Rep. Jackson Lee was a friend of the Joint Center, attending roundtable discussions and sitting on panels with Joint Center leadership. We applaud Rep. Jackson Lee’s commitment to public service and dedication to racial and economic justice. Rep. Jackson Lee will be greatly remembered by countless individuals. We extend our prayers to her family and loved ones during this challenging period.”

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, America’s Black think tank, provides compelling and actionable policy solutions to eradicate persistent and evolving barriers to the full freedom of Black people in America. We are the trusted forum for leading experts and scholars to participate in major public policy debates and promote ideas that advance Black communities. We use evidence-based research, analysis, convenings, and strategic communications to support Black communities and a network of allies.