Behold, the 21 Inspiring Black Women of Congress

Sheila Jackson Lee has served as the representative for Texas's 18th congressional district since 1995. The 67-year-old Democrat previously worked as a member of Houston's City Council for five years.

Lee is passionate on immigration issues and has advocated for reform that will better help undocumented immigrants seek legal status or citizenship. Despite her lengthy career and notable accomplishments, Lee has received criticism for being an excessively difficult boss, as she once had one of the highest staff turnover rates in Congress.