Q&A with Sheila Jackson Lee
What character traits and experience do you feel will make you an effective mayor?
I am running because I love Houston and want to bring my broad experience to help build its future. I will use the experience I gained at City Hall as an at-large Council Member, Deputy Agriculture Commissioner for the State of Texas, and my 14 terms in Congress delivering results for Houston. I am known for working hard and delivering results – I will do the same for the entire city of Houston. I don’t just talk, I deliver.
My vision is for a city that is more inclusive, promotes economic opportunity, and affirms all communities. The Mayor is the CEO for the city and I want to see all services performing at the highest level. Houston is an international city and it is time we leverage our biggest asset – our people. My vision is a city that “Pops”! We have not reached our greatest potential and the best is yet to come. I want to lead that charge into the future as one of America’s greatest destinations for families and businesses. We are the city of WHY NOT! Why not Houston as a tech hub, why not Houston as the renewable energy capital of the world, why not Houston for America’s working families looking for new opportunities.
What are the two or three most important issues facing the city today?
Public safety: My administration will prioritize public safety by addressing crime and gun violence by implementing strong community policing strategies to decrease it. We will allocate resources for violence intervention programs and ensure increased access to mental health services. Additionally, we will work towards improved coordination among all law enforcement agencies in Houston and Harris County. We will advocate the hiring and recruiting of more officers and mandate that our city police department meets all national standards. Furthermore, we will focus on youth-directed violence and allocate additional resources for youth recreation and mentorship programs to provide opportunities for positive development.
Infrastructure: Repairing and upgrading critical infrastructure will be a key priority. We will prioritize the repair of water and wastewater systems, enhanced street lighting, and invest in high tech flood mitigation efforts. Building more strategically placed and coordinated detention ponds will help prevent flooding and protect communities. It is crucial to ensure that federal and state funds are distributed fairly among neighborhoods to address disparities and prioritize the most pressing infrastructure needs.
Economic diversification: We will work towards diversifying Houston’s economy by providing support for small businesses and creating opportunities for new businesses to thrive in the city. This includes implementing initiatives that foster entrepreneurship and offering resources and guidance for small and new business owners. We will also promote education and collaborate
with four-year universities and community colleges to enhance educational opportunities, aligning curriculum with the needs of the evolving job market and attracting industries that can contribute to the city’s economic growth. We will also analyze and implement processes for fair and equitable city contracting.
What changes, if any, do you recommend for the city’s budget?
I would work with the City Council to look for new and creative revenue streams that would not burden taxpayers but provide the quality services they deserve.
What can and will you do to try and control the soaring rents and prices for homes in Houston?
I would support more single and multi-family housing that is affordable using new technologies that can help decrease the cost of building and would work with housing developers to offer a percentage of housing at less than the market rate in perpetuity (as opposed to only for a few years). And if the budget allowed, I would assign funding for more housing inspectors at the local level to hold bad actors accountable.
First, we must prioritize the preservation of affordable housing. I will work to strengthen existing affordable housing programs and explore innovative strategies to expand affordable housing options throughout the city. I would work with the City Council to look at incentivizing the construction of affordable units, look at rent subsidies for the economically disadvantaged, and protect tenants’ rights to prevent unjust displacement.
What do you propose to do about controlling the damage from flooding and other climate issues?
We will invest in the most modern early detection warning systems, increase community and school education on evacuation procedures, provide major infrastructure improvements in our sewer and drainage systems, and consolidate our city’s flood projects through flood district collaboration. I will use my years of experience working with FEMA to effectively coordinate between government agencies, first responders, and community organizations. I would leverage my relationships with the Department of Transportation, HUD, FEMA and the Congressional Appropriations Committee to ensure that Houston gets its fair share of funding.
How do you propose to keep our schools, events, and people in general safe from attacks?
Texas and the nation have seen so many lives needlessly lost to gun violence. Our streets are turning into war zones and warrantless killing. I support the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution, but I believe as a nation that local, state and federal elected officials have a role to play in
addressing the extreme gun violence in the United States. We are the most violent nation on earth as it relates to guns. We must expand the background checks requirement, to prevent prohibited people from buying guns from unlicensed sellers with no questions asked. I also support “Extreme risk laws” or “Red Flag” laws, allowing judges to temporarily remove guns from dangerous situations. If a court finds that a person poses a significant threat to themselves or others, that person is temporarily prohibited from purchasing and possessing guns. I also oppose allowing guns in K-12 schools and colleges, outside of trained law enforcement and security staff.
About Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is the Democratic Chief Deputy Whip for the U.S. House of Representatives.
She is the author and lead sponsor of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which established the first new federal holiday in 38 years.
And Congresswoman Jackson Lee is the author and fighter for the passage of the Violence Against Women’s Act—signed by the President for the first time in almost a decade.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is an influential and forceful voice in Washington. She is serving her fourteenth term as a United States House of Representatives member. She represents the 18th Congressional District of Texas, centered in Houston, the world’s energy capital. Considered by many as the “Voice of Reason”, she is dedicated to upholding the Constitutional rights of all people. She sits on three Congressional Committees — as a senior member of the House Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and the crucial Budget Committee. She was appointed the first female Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee for Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, which she now chairs.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee’s major legislative initiatives include the Sentencing Reform Act, the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, The RAISE Act, The Fair Chance for Youth Act, the Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act, Kaleif’s Law, the American RISING Act.
She has also introduced the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Reauthorization and Bullying Prevention and Intervention Act, the Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act. She is a champion for women and children, supporting the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, introducing an amendment to funding bills that provides for outreach to minority- and women-owned businesses concerning business opportunities in the commercial space industry, and authoring the Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Education Act.
She was named by ‘Congressional Quarterly’ as one of the 50 most effective Members of Congress. The ‘U.S. News and World Report named her as one of the ten most influential legislators in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is a founder, member, and Chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus and the Congressional Children’s Caucus. She is also chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Energy Braintrust and co-chair of the Justice Reform Task Force. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee earned a B.A. in Political Science from Yale University with honors in the first graduating class, including females, followed by a J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School. She is married to Dr. Elwyn Lee, a Yale Graduate and an Administrator at the University of Houston. She has two children.