In 2019, Jackson Lee stepped down as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and a subcommittee in the House Judiciary after a lawsuit filed by a former staffer claimed she was fired due to planned legal action against an alleged rape by a supervisor.

[5] Her father, Ezra Clyde Jackson, who was born in Brooklyn, was a comic book artist and the son of Jamaican immigrants.

[12] She also worked for expanded summer hours at city parks and recreation centers as a way to combat gang violence.

[16] Before the 110th Congress, Jackson Lee served on the House Science Committee and on the Subcommittee that oversees space policy and NASA.

3202; 113th Congress), a bill that would direct the United States Department of Homeland Security to assess the effectiveness of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program.

[20] The bill would require an independent assessment of how well the TWIC program improves security and reduces risks at the facilities and vessels it is responsible for.

[21] In January 2019, The New York Times reported that Jackson Lee planned to resign as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.

[25] Jackson Lee and Representative Lloyd Doggett became co-deans of Texas's congressional delegation in January 2023 after the retirement of Eddie Bernice Johnson.

The paper quoted her former Capitol office executive assistant and events scheduler, Rhiannon Burruss, as saying that "the congresswoman's abrasive ways not only drove off staff members but irritated Continental Airlines staffers to the point where one suggested she fly on a competitor instead.

The recording was about a minute and half in length, where Jackson Lee allegedly tells a staffer she wants him to have a "fuckin' brain" and that "nobody knows a Goddamn thing in my office — nothing."

"[36][37] Her mayoral campaign refused to verify the authenticity of the recording and alleged that "these attacks have originated from extremely conservative blogs and political operatives backing John Whitmire.

[36] Jackson Lee responded to the release of the recording by saying, "I am regretful and hope you will judge me not by something trotted out by a political opponent ... but from what I've delivered to Houstonians over my years of public service" and said that "everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and that includes my own staff.

[52] Jackson Lee garnered endorsements from notable political figures such as outgoing Houston mayor Sylvester Turner, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

[56][57] In 2000, Jackson Lee favored permanently normalizing trade status for the People's Republic of China and argued that it would aid both human rights and Houston's economy.

[58] Jackson Lee traveled to the 2001 World Conference against Racism in South Africa, and backed sanctions against Sudan.

[60][61] On April 28, 2006, along with four other members of Congress and six other activists, she was arrested for disorderly conduct in front of Sudan's embassy in Washington DC.

[74] Jackson Lee was one of three Democrats that abstained from voting in the successful formal censure of congresswoman Rashida Tlaib proposed by Rich McCormick.

"[83][84] Speaking at the July 2010 NAACP national convention, Jackson Lee compared the Tea Party movement to the Ku Klux Klan, saying that "all those who wore sheets a long time ago have now lifted them off".

Jackson Lee's remarks were criticized by conservatives, including Tea Party Caucus founder Michele Bachmann (R-MN).

[85][86] In December 2017, Jackson Lee was accused of having been given preferential treatment by United Airlines by a passenger who claimed a first class seat ticket she had purchased had been given to the congresswoman.

In 2001, Jackson Lee and other House members objected to counting Florida's electoral votes, which George W. Bush narrowly won after a contentious recount in the 2000 presidential election.

[97] During the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas, Jackson Lee appealed to city officials in Houston for free and reduced-price parking at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

[106][107] In response, Jackson Lee's deputy chief of staff accused the newspaper of racial bias without disputing the story's accuracy.

[109][110] A campaign advertisement for Jackson Lee in the 2023 Houston mayoral election instructed viewers to vote on the wrong date.

[120][121] During Jackson Lee's funeral service at Houston's Fallbrook Church on August 1, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris gave the eulogy.

Speakers included Bill Clinton, his wife and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and U.S. House members Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Steven Horsford and Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal.

Also delivering remarks were Ambassador Audrey Marks, former Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority president Glenda Glover, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Reverend Al Sharpton and Civil Rights attorney Benjamin Crump, with activist Jesse Jackson joining them on stage.

Performances were delivered by Grammy Award-winners Stevie Wonder, Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin and Pastor Shirley Caesar.