Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Passed Away at 74

On July 19, Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee passed away at 74. She had served the 18th district of Texas since 1995.

"A fierce champion of the people, she was affectionately and simply known as 'Congresswoman' by her constituents in recognition of her near-ubiquitous presence and service to their daily lives for more than 30 years," her office said in a statement following the announcement of her passing, per CBS.

But what happened to the Congresswoman? Here's what we know about her death.

The Congresswoman reportedly passed away at the hospital, surrounded by her family. Following Congresswoman Jackson Lee's passing, her cause of death was not immediately made clear, though she had been transparent about the state of her health in the months prior. In June, she revealed to her constituents that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, though she did not disclose how advanced it was.

Though her team has yet to confirm this, it's likely the Congresswoman passed from her pancreatic cancer. Her family has not spoken about her death at this time.

"My doctors have confirmed my diagnosis of pancreatic cancer," she said in a statement following her June diagnosis, per CBS. "I am currently undergoing treatment to battle this disease that impacts tens of thousands of Americans every year."

She promised to continue to be as present as she could for her duties as a congresswoman, though she admitted she'd be "occasionally absent from Congress."

Unfortunately, this was not the first time the Texas rep had battled cancer. More than a decade ago in 2012, she revealed that was diagnosed with breast cancer. While still in office, she underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation to treat the cancer, entering remission that year before unveiling her diagnosis to her supporters.