Congresswoman Johnson Commemorates The 48th Anniversary Of Medicare & Medicaid

Congresswoman Johnson recently spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives to commemorate the 48th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 48^th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. These programs provide an essential safety net for seniors, people with disabilities, and vulnerable children and families.

Before Medicare was enacted on this day in 1965, half of all seniors were uninsured. Today, forty-two million seniors and nine million people with disabilities receive health care through Medicare. Sixty-seven million Americans also rely on Medicaid, including six million seniors and one million nursing home residents.

On this notable anniversary, we must consider not only how to preserve, but also how to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid well into the future. The Affordable Care Act helps support Medicare by making key preventive services available to consumers with no out-of-pocket costs, by eliminating fraud and improving efficiency, and by saving seniors an average of $18,000 in drug costs over the next decade.

I am confident that Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act will continue to provide quality, affordable health care for Americans who need it well into the future. I will be working hard in Congress to make sure of it.” - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Honored By National Forum For Black Public Administrators

Congresswoman Johnson was recently honored by the National Forum For Black Public Administrators (NFBPA). Congresswoman Johnson was recognized for her dedication and hard work to enhance public service. 

Each year a limited number of individuals receive the award to spotlight their achievements and to say "Thank You for your exemplary leadership qualities, inspiring others to strive for excellence and demonstrating the core values aligned with the NFBPA mission and goals."

Congresswoman Johnson Addresses A-WOW International Girls Leadership Initiative Conference

Congresswoman Johnson recently spoke to the leaders in Dallas attending the A-WOW International Girls Leadership Initiative Conference.  

This was the kick off to a week-long conference focused on empowering young women and international leadership. Congresswoman Johnson discussed her international peace initiative, A Women of Women for World Peace , and shared the importance of staying focused on goals and taking advantage of educational opportunities.

A-WOW Global Initiative (A-WOW) is an organization committed to leadership development and enhancing cultural and socio-psychological change through the interactions between different cultures. These cultural exchanges foster and promote education, leadership, and innovation while at the same time collectively tackling issues of illiteracy, poverty and teen pregnancy among the most vulnerable populations in Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Costa Rica and the United States. 

Congresswoman Johnson Explains The Benefits Of The Affordable Care Act For The 30th Congressional District

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson has announced a new analysis that shows that her constituents are already benefiting from the Affordable Care Act.  This analysis comes on the heels of the 38^th vote by Republicans in the House of Representatives to repeal the protections and reforms of the health care law.

“Over the past three years, my constituents have already been seeing lower costs and better coverage,” said Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. “Instead of working together to ensure there is a smooth implementation process of the Affordable Care Act, House Republicans are continuing their efforts to repeal and undermine the law.”

The new analysis shows that the health care law has already provided the following benefits to my constituents:

·         Coverage for 10,100 additional young adults.  The health care law requires health insurers to permit parents to retain coverage for their children until their 26^th birthday.  Because of this provision, 10,100 young adults in my congressional district have already gained health care coverage.

·         Lower drug costs for 3,900 seniors.  The health care law is providing major savings in drug costs for seniors in the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole.’  Because of this provision, 3,900 seniors in my congressional district have received prescription drug discounts worth $5.6 million, an average discount of $620 per person in 2011, $720 in 2012, and $770 thus far in 2013.

·         Free preventive services for 77,000 seniors.  Since 2011, the health care law provides free Medicare coverage of preventive services, such as mammograms and colonoscopies.  As a result, 77,000 seniors in my congressional district are now eligible for Medicare preventive services without any co-pays, coinsurance or deductible. 

·         Free preventive services for 124,000 individuals in private plans.  Since September 2010, the health care law also provides, for those enrolled in most private plans, free coverage of preventive services.  As a result, 124,000 individuals in private plans – including 26,000 children and 54,000 women – now have health insurance that covers preventive services without any co-pays, coinsurance, or deductible.

·         Savings in premiums for 113,000 individuals. 113,000 individuals in the district have saved on their premiums due to ACA provisions that prevent insurers from spending more than 20% of their premiums on profits and administrative overhead.  Because of these protections, over 31,800 consumers in the district received approximately $4.5 million in insurance company rebates in 2012 and 2011 – an average rebate of $95 per family in 2012 and $187 per family in 2011.

·         Protection for up to 48,000 children with pre-existing conditions.  Since September 2010, the health care law has prohibited insurers from denying coverage to children for having a pre-existing health condition.  Because of this provision, up to 48,000 children with pre-existing conditions in my congressional district are being protected from denial of coverage.    

·         Elimination of lifetime limits on coverage for 150,000 residents.  Since September 2010, the health care law has prohibited insurers from placing a lifetime limit on coverage.  As a result, in my congressional district, 150,000 individuals no longer have a lifetime limit imposed on their coverage, and beginning in 2014, will not face an annual limit on coverage.

·         Access to quality, affordable coverage for 204,000 uninsured individuals.  Beginning in 2014, millions of uninsured Americans will gain access to quality, affordable health coverage, through the new Marketplaces and the expansion of Medicaid, under the health care law.  In my district, 23,000 individuals who lack health insurance will have access to quality, affordable coverage without fear of discrimination or higher rates because of a preexisting health condition.

Congresswoman Johnson Introduces Legislation To Expand Access To Mental Health Care

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson has
introduced a bill (H.R. 2757) that would repeal the exclusion from Medicaid of services for patients in an institution for mental diseases (IMD). IMDs are defined as inpatient facilities of more than 16 beds whose patient roster is over 51% people with severe mental illness.

Congresswoman Johnson noted, “Many Americans rely on Medicaid, and by repealing this IMD exclusion, we can help more Americans receive the healthcare they need. There isn’t a need for this exclusion because there has been a decline in large psychiatric hospitals and Medicaid currently permits the treatment of children, adolescents, and seniors with severe mental illness in IMDS. The current law is discriminatory and leaves many citizens with severe mental illnesses without access to healthcare.”

In the 1960s, federal policy excluded IMDs from Medicaid reimbursement to prevent states and counties from shifting responsibility for caring for this population to the federal government. Currently, Medicaid payments are prohibited for IMDs with a population between the ages of 22 and 64.

Congresswoman Johnson & Congressional Black Caucus Meet With President Obama

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and other Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) met with President Barack Obama about implementation of the Affordable Care Act, voting rights, economic issues, and immigration reform at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Congresswoman Johnson released the following statement after the meeting:

"Today's meeting allowed us the opportunity to voice our opinions and really have a productive dialogue with the President. During the meeting, I emphasized the importance of making higher education more accessible by making student loans more affordable. The jobs of the present and future are in the fields of science, engineering, and math. We must encourage our students to pursue these fields, but these are degrees that take 4 to 5 years to complete. In order for our country to remain competitive, we must ensure the burden of student loans does not deter these students from pursuing bachelors and advanced degrees in these important fields that will help secure our Nation's economic future.

In light of the recent Supreme Court's decision on the Voting Rights Act, I also stressed the need for all American citizens to have their right to vote protected. In my home state of Texas, Attorney General Gregg Abbott has already moved forward with voter id laws that the federal government previously blocked under section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. I was pleased to hear that the President is committed to working with the CBC to ensure we end discriminatory voting laws around the country, and protect everyone's right to vote."

Congresswoman Johnson Requests That President Obama Implement A Plan To Protect Rights Of Afghan Women & Girls

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson sent a letter to President Obama requesting that he review a proposed strategy to support women’s rights in Afghanistan. The letter asks the President to work with Congress to further develop and implement this plan.

“As the United States prepares to draw down troops in Afghanistan, we must send a clear message to the Afghan government that we are serious about promoting women’s rights,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “In recent years, the U.S. has made significant progress in protecting women’s rights in Afghanistan. Implementing a strategic plan to support the rights of women and girls in the future will ensure that this progress is not undone.”

In the letter, Congresswoman Johnson highlights a strategic plan prepared by Human Rights Watch. The plan will help ensure that international pressure on Afghanistan to promote women’s rights will continue after the U.S. military’s drawdown of forces.

Congresswoman Johnson Comments On Texas Legislation Limiting A Woman's Access To Reproductive Health Services

Congresswoman Johnson recently voiced her concerns in  Roll Call over the Texas Legislation that will severely limit a woman's access to reproductive health services.

"Something historic is happening in Texas. Recently, the Texas Legislature approved an outrageous bill that would ban abortion after 20 weeks with only narrow exceptions and shut down many health clinics. Yet Republicans’ unrelenting attacks on women’s choices have hit a nerve, and women across Texas are standing up to protect their rights in staggering numbers.

Texas Republicans’ actions are insincere and will hinder women’s access to health care. If Republicans truly wanted to reduce abortions in Texas, they would invest in reproductive health care and comprehensive sexual education across the state. Yet the anti-choice legislation under consideration could forcibly close three dozen licensed health centers in Texas where women may receive abortions, reproductive health services and cancer screenings.

I am not pro-abortion, but I do believe a woman should be able to make intensely personal decisions about her pregnancy with the counsel of her doctor, her family and her faith — and without the interference of politicians. The Constitution guarantees all of us a right to privacy and freedom of religion. I believe a woman must be free to make the difficult decision about the future of her pregnancy in conjunction with her family and health care professionals. Women must also have access to the information and health care necessary to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.

Women who are knowledgeable about reproductive health and have access to contraception are more likely to avoid unwanted pregnancies, precluding the need for many abortions. Texas Republicans have not connected the dots.

Instead of supporting access to reproductive health care, Republicans chose to cut the state’s family-planning budget by two-thirds in 2011. These cuts were projected to cause 284,000 women to lose access to family-planning services and to add $273 million in costs to taxpayers because of unplanned pregnancies in Texas.

Texas has the fifth-highest teen pregnancy rate of any state in the country, but Republicans have consistently opposed one of the best tools we have to reduce teen pregnancy: comprehensive sex education. Comprehensive sex education programs are demonstrably effective in helping youth delay sexual activity, reduce the number of sexual partners and increase the use of contraception. In fact, researchers using data from the National Survey of Family Growth found that teens who received comprehensive sex education were 50 percent less likely to get pregnant than teens who received abstinence-only education.

So why aren’t Texas Republicans actively supporting access to education and reproductive health care? Their ideology seems to be getting in the way of our rights and our lives. Republicans’ refusal to allow Texas women to access education, receive reproductive health care and make decisions about our health defies reason, science and our constitutional rights. It is truly unacceptable.

Instead of inserting government policies into our personal lives, Republicans should be working to expand, rather than curb, family-planning services and sex education. I hope Republicans in the state legislature have a change of heart in response to the groundswell of support for women’s rights that we have seen in Texas. Texas women deserve it." - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Source: Roll Call Op-Ed

Congresswoman Johnson Opposes Republican Farm Bill

Congresswoman Johnson along with the Congressional Black Caucus, took a unified stand to oppose the Republican Farm Bill. 

In years past, the Farm Bill has been a strong bi-partisan/ two party bill that has allowed America to set food policy, and to help those working families in need with nutrition assistance. In this current Republican-led congress, they have stripped this proposed bill of the needed nutrition assistance for kids, students, and families across this country that need it to survive.

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Congresswoman Johnson Featured On BET's Congressional Confidential

Congresswoman Johnson was recently featured on BET's Congressional Confidential, where she discussed her career as a public servant and her driving force to help others.

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Congresswoman Johnson's 'Lunar Legacy Act' Would Protect Apollo Artifacts

As NASA turns away from the moon and towards sending astronauts to Mars (by way of an asteroid or two), two members of Congress have put forth a plan to protect the United States' lunar leftovers.

Reps. Donna Edwards (D-Md) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) introduced on Monday (July 8) the "Apollo Lunar Landing Legacy Act" to create a new National Park on the moon.

According to the bill, which has been referred to the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee for Natural Resources for further consideration, the proposed national park would encompass the artifacts left on the moon by the six Apollo missions that landed there between 1969 and 1972.

The "Historical Park" would also cover the remains of the Saturn V rocket stages that propelled the missions to the moon and were purposely impacted with the lunar surface, including the S-IVB third stage that launched the Apollo 13 aborted lunar landing mission.

"As commercial enterprises and foreign nations acquire the ability to land on the moon, it is necessary to protect the Apollo lunar landing sites for posterity," Edwards and Johnson wrote in the bill. "Establishing the Historical Park under this act will expand and enhance the protection and preservation of the Apollo lunar landing sites and provide for greater recognition and public understanding of this singular achievement in American history."

To protect and preserve

The bill follows NASA's own efforts to establish guidelines for future lunar visitors, whether human or robotic, when approaching the historic sites. Two years ago, the agency introduced its recommendations for "space-faring entities" on "how to protect and preserve the historic and scientific value of U.S. government lunar artifacts."

The guidelines outlined boundaries or "keep-out of zones" around the Apollo sites, in particular for the first and last landing (Apollo 11 and 17) locations. The Google Lunar X Prize, which has spurred the development of commercial robotic lunar rovers and which, through a "Heritage Prize" encourages visits to the site of man-made objects on the moon, has adopted the NASA guidelines for its competing teams.

The United Nations' Outer Space Treaty of 1967 prohibits governments from claiming the land on the moon (or other celestial bodies), but establishes that spacecraft and other hardware remain the property of their respective countries until purposely relinquished, regardless of where the items may currently reside.

Managing the moon park

The Apollo Lunar Landing Legacy Act assigns jurisdiction over the suggested "Apollo Lunar Landing Sites National Historical Park" to the Secretary of the Interior and NASA Administrator.

Under the legislation's provisions, the space agency would be responsible for ensuring proper monitoring of the Apollo landing sites, as well as managing access to them. NASA would also work with the Smithsonian Institution to verify an "accurate cataloguing of items in the Historical Park."

The act also calls for an additional action with regards to Tranquility Base, the site where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Apollo 11 mission, within one year of the Historical Park being established.

The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with NASA's Administrator, will "submit the Apollo 11 lunar landing site to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization for designation as a World Heritage Site," the bill reads.

In addition to the Apollo lunar module descent stages, the artifacts left at each of the landing sites include scientific equipment, the astronauts' spent life support backpacks and, with one exception, still-standing American flags. The Apollo 15, 16 and 17 sites are also the parking spots for three lunar roving vehicles, or moon buggies.

Source: CollectSpace.com

Congresswoman Johnson Introduces Legislation To Protect Lunar Landing Artifacts

Congresswoman Johnson, Ranking Member of the House Committee On Science Space & Technology, recently introduced legislation that would protect and preserve America's lunar landing sites:

The legislation she proposed would protect artifacts left on the moon from Apollo missions 11 through 17. No ground on the moon would be included, although the bill requires the nomination of Neil Armstrong’s first footprints on the moon for a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which offers protection to threatened sites.

“In light of other nations and private entities developing the ability to go to the Moon, the United States must be proactive in protecting artifacts left by the seven Apollo lunar landings,” Johnson said in a written statement.

The bill, which was introduced in the House on Monday, is sponsored by Johnson, the ranking Democrat of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, and fellow committee member Rep. Donna Edwards, a Democrat from Maryland.

A spokeswoman for the Democrats on the committee said those who take or damage artifacts on the moon would be subject to punishment under the same laws as those who take or damage property in national parks.

Obviously, such a bill would be hard to enforce and hard to protect. Johnson admits it sounds far-fetched to have a national historical park on the moon, but believes legal protection for the objects there is important.

“I don’t think that there is anything far-fetched about protecting and preserving such irreplaceable items and such a hallowed place,” she said in a statement.

The committee spokesperson also said the head of the Russian space agency, Vladimir Popovkin, has called for protection of relics from the first manned missions to the moon.

The bill has been referred to both the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee.

Source: Dallas Morning News

 

Congresswoman Johnson's Op Ed On The Recent Increase In Student Loan Rates

"In 2012, nearly 500,000 Texas students received Stafford loans to help finance their college educations. These loans are available to students from low- to moderate-income backgrounds who demonstrate a need for assistance.

While students who borrow under the program are in school, the federal government pays the interest on their loans. Students do not begin repayment until graduation. This past Monday, interest rates on the loans increased to an unacceptable and unduly burdensome 6.8 percent, from 3.4 percent. Republican members of Congress resisted Democratic efforts to maintain the lower rate.

Rather than seeking to reduce the deficit by closing tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans, Republican lawmakers insisted that an additional financial burden be placed on the backs of students from poor and middle-class families.

We ask our young people to prepare for the future by attending college and acquiring one, two and sometimes three degrees. Many of those who follow our suggestions find themselves unemployed and faced with a monumental wall of debt on the day they receive their diplomas.

Nationally, 7 million students will be affected by increased rates. Congressional budget analysts predict the increase will cost a student pursuing a four-year degree an additional $2,600.

Approximately 20 million American students attend college or a university each year, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, a Washington-based educational organization. I believe that the new rate will have a chilling impact on the ability of high school students to pursue college degrees. Nearly 60 percent of those who attend college borrow money to further their studies.

At a time when the number of American undergraduate and graduate degrees is slipping compared to those earned in other industrialized nations, we must do all we can to encourage students to seek higher education.

Interest rates for our banking institutions are lower than they have been for decades. At the same time, the jobless rate is unacceptably high. Some college graduates experience a job search that lasts for months or years. Many are faced with debt while they are unemployed or underemployed.

According to American Student Assistance, a Boston-based nonprofit that advises undergraduate and graduate students, 41 percent of student borrowers become seriously delinquent in loan repayment five years after they complete their studies. Most say their inability to find work is the principal reason for their plight.

Student debt in America is enormous. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Americans owe approximately $ 1 trillion in education loans. That exceeds what is owed on automobile loans, $730 billion, and credit-card debt, $693 billion.

According to the College Board, a testing and resource service, the average public college tuition for 2012 was $8,600. The cost of tuition at a private school that same year was $29,000.

Graduates, faced with mounting debt, are less likely to purchase homes and begin personal savings. Many, afraid of defaulting on loans, are accepting salaries that simply cover their living expenses. In such a climate, the spirit of risk-taking or starting a new business is discouraged.

Our approach to ensuring that our students are properly educated must be comprehensive and equitable. Congress must seek a solution that does not unfairly burden students. The current interest rate will not accomplish that objective.

During the 2012 presidential election, in an attempt to win student voters, leadership in both parties pledged that the lower rate would be extended for a full year.

I intend to fight to realize that promise. Congress must revisit the issue before the summer recess begins in August and demonstrate to our students that we are serious about their educational needs and their financial well-being." - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Source - Dallas Morning News - Op Ed

Congresswoman Johnson Mourns The Passing Of Former Congressman William H. Gray III

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of a great friend and mentor. Congressman Gray tirelessly served the people of Philadelphia and this Nation with the utmost passion and commitment. During his tenure in Congress, he spoke out on the apartheid in South Africa, enhanced the infrastructure in Philadelphia, and advocated on behalf of the middle class and under-served communities. He was an exceptional leader whose legacy will forever remain in our hearts and minds. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Andrea, his three sons, and his family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one.” - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Discusses Supreme Court Decision On Voting Rights Act

Supreme Court’s decision harms minorities

"With its ruling on the Voting Rights Act, the Supreme Court has taken the country back to a time when racial minorities were unable  to participate equitably in the voting process.  The Court’s unprecedented decision is disgraceful to civil rights leaders and legislators who have fought to preserve equal voting rights in this country. It reminds me of a time in our history when minorities were prevented from voting because they had to pay a “poll tax” before they could vote.  The tax represented a mean-spirited and vicious way of keeping hundreds of thousands of people from voting.  The objection to eliminating the poll tax was that it would allow people of color to “flood the polls.”

I recall having to pay a poll tax to vote in Texas. The practice began in 1902. It did not end until 1966. During those sixty-four years, hundreds of thousands of our citizens were denied the right to vote, an opportunity to participate in American democracy.  The federal government prohibited the use of a poll tax in national elections in 1964 with the passage of the 24th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.


The Court’s current assault on the Voting Rights Act prevents the federal government from ensuring that states with a history of racial discrimination will not enact voting methods and procedures that will deny a very significant right and duty.

Prior to that time nine states, mostly located in the southern United States, had to receive clearance or prior approval from the Justice Department or a federal court before they could institute changes in voting methods or engage in redistricting.

In its ruling, the Court did not alter Section Five. Instead, it ruled that the formula, detailed in Section Four, used to determine which states should be covered by Section Five went beyond constitutional limits and used data that was outdated. The effect of that ruling is to mute Section Five, and allow states to amend voting procedures and practices as they see fit without fear of federal intervention.

Those who advocated for radical changes in the Voting Rights Act said that increasing numbers of racial minorities participated in state and national elections. They even pointed to the election of President Barack Obama as a reason for the elimination of federal oversight and intervention.

The reality is that since 2010, eight southern states passed laws designed to make voting more cumbersome for racial minorities.  Various civil rights organizations and entities such as the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have consistently opposed the elimination of federal involvement in local elections.

Recently, a U.S. Court of Appeals judge said that without Section Five of the Voting Rights Act minority voters would suffer.

Efforts to lessen the impact of the minority vote in Texas have been egregious. Last summer, a federal court in Washington stated that a redistricting map enacted by the Republican controlled legislature was “purposefully discriminatory.”

In the spring of 2012, the Texas NAACP and Mexican American Legislative Caucus of the Texas House of Representatives went to federal court to stop the state from requiring a photo ID in state elections.  A federal court agreed, finding that the law violated Section Five of the Voting Rights Act.

Bipartisan coalitions of members of both the House and Senate have historically supported the Voting Rights Act and its provisions.  In 2006, the Act was renewed for twenty-five years. The vote in the House was  390 to 30, while the vote in the Senate was 98 to zero. President George W. Bush signed the measure.

Simply stated, the Voting Rights Act is the perpetuation of our democracy. We are a great country because all of our citizens have the right to exercise the right to vote without fear of intimidation.

Congress must now come together to do what we all know is the right thing to do. We must once again make the Voting Rights Act a principled piece of legislation that protects all of our citizens, regardless of race, class or religious preference. This is why we are Americans.  This is fundamental to our freedom." - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Source: The Hill - Op Ed