Congresswoman Johnson Warns Against Possible Government Shutdown

“House Republicans continue to stick by an extreme legislative agenda that does not have a chance to pass in the Senate nor be signed into law by the President.  We are witnessing a reckless agenda aimed to deliberately shutdown the government resulting in direct harm to our children, seniors, working families and economy. I want to assure the citizens in my district that my offices will remain open and fully staffed to ensure that lines of communication with the citizens of the thirtieth district  remain open.  This is a critical time for my constituents,  so I know my constituent services are needed more than ever.” - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

As of today, the Administration has advised:

·         140,000 Federal employees in Texas alone would be immediately and indefinitely furloughed, and many Federal employees and contractors that continue to work would not be paid during the shutdown.

·         Housing loans to low and middle income families in rural communities would be put on hold, as would start-up business loans for farmers and ranchers.

·         The Department of Defense estimates that during a shutdown nearly half of the civilian workforce would be sent home without pay, while the rest would continue to work for delayed pay, impacting the 51,621civilian workers in Texas.

·         SBA would stop approving applications for small businesses to obtain loans and loan guarantees.  In a typical month, SBA approves over $1 billion in loan assistance to small businesses.

·         All facilities and services in our national parks would be closed, as would the Smithsonian, impacting the hundreds of thousands of people that visit these sites daily.  This would have severely negative impacts on the surrounding local communities that rely on the revenue generated by travel and tourism to these destinations.

·         Important government research into life-threatening diseases, environmental protection, and other areas would be halted.

·         The government would stop issuing permits to conduct drilling operations on Federal lands, and would stop or delay environmental reviews of planned transportation and energy-related projects, keeping companies from working on these projects.

Congresswoman Johnson's Op Ed On Affordable Care Act And Healthcare Exchange

"On October 1st the health insurance exchange, a critical part of the Affordable Care Act, will launch in Texas, giving nearly 6 million uninsured Texans and businesses the opportunity to purchase reasonably priced health insurance.

The exchange will be operated by federal officials, given that Texas Governor Rick Perry has refused to establish one because of his opposition to legislation that is designed to provide coverage to the nearly 30 million uninsured Americans.

The exchange will not act as an insurance company. It will, however, decide which insurance companies participate in the plan. It will seek to maximize the number of people who enroll. Additionally, it will promote transparency among insurers and promote fairness for consumers.

In August the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded nearly $11 million to non-profits in Texas to hire “navigators” who will help uninsured Texans understand the various options that will be available in the exchange. Navigators will also help consumers who are eligible to receive financial subsidies that will be available.

Applications for insurance will be available on Oct. 1, 2013, and coverage will begin January 1, 2014. The open enrollment for the program ends March 31, 2014. Texas will witness the largest percentage gain of any other state if it fully implements health care reform, according to researchers at Rice University in Houston.

According to the Texas Hospital Association, providing health care for the uninsured in Texas cost taxpayers and businesses nearly $5 billion in 2010. The Affordable Care Act and it various components are designed to significantly lower that amount by providing insurance to the uninsured.

The idea of an exchange is not new. Members of Congress and federal employees have participated in such a program since 1960. Private health insurance exchanges also exist in our country and participating businesses and individuals have experienced lower insurance costs while receiving quality care.

I would suggest that those who oppose the Affordable Care Act and the concept of exchanges witness the experience with health care in Massachusetts. The exchange concept is based on the model used in Massachusetts called the Health Connector, which assists people and small businesses that are searching for affordable insurance.

The law was enacted in 2006 when former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was Governor. Nearly 300,000 previously uninsured people now have insurance because of the legislation. In fact, Massachusetts has the lowest percentage of uninsured people in the entire nation.

The Affordable Care Act and the exchanges will bring about vitally necessary changes in our state. As your representative in Congress who fought hard to enact this sensible piece of legislation, I urge you to spread the word about the exchanges through your churches, neighborhood organizations, and networks so that all of our citizens can have the peace of mind that comes with having health insurance for themselves and their families." - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Source: North Dallas Gazette

Congresswoman Johnson Votes Against Deep Cuts To Food Assistance

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson voted against H.R. 3102, Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act, Republican legislation which cuts basic food aid (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/SNAP) by nearly $40 billion over ten years. The measure will deny basic food assistance for nearly 4 million Americans. The measure passed by a vote of 217 to 210.

” I voted against a debilitating bill that affects the millions of low-income American families, because many of our citizens are already living on the edge of poverty, and these cuts would virtually eliminate the assistance they desperately need,” said Congresswoman Johnson. In Dallas County, 450,000 residents are food insecure, 300,000 of which are children.”

The bill contains a number of provisions that ignore the reality that millions of Americans continue to struggle with unemployment at 6.5% in Texas. The House bill would also cut school lunches for over 200,000 children and eliminate food assistance for 170,000 veterans. The Republican bill would subsequently eliminate 55,000 jobs in the first year alone.

Congresswoman Johnson noted, “In 2011, SNAP lifted 4.7 million people out of poverty. It’s not just the black or Hispanic populations who receive SNAP benefits, but it’s the working class, the elderly, and the disabled. Cutting this program would be devastating to the millions of Americans who are working hard to provide for their families.”

Source: North Dallas Gazette 

Congresswoman Johnson Hosts Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 21st Annual Science & Technology Brain Trust

Congresswoman Johnson served as host of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) 21^st Annual Science and Technology Brain Trust during the 43^rd Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The panel discussion ran from 9:00 a.m. – noon, and was live-streamed via the NASA website.

“For 21 years, I have worked diligently to expand opportunities for young people of color,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “It is important that young people are exposed to the resources and role models in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, so that we can continue to cultivate the young minds that will soon lead our nation. I am so delighted that all of you have come to this panel discussion to engage with these extraordinary panelists and learn more about careers in STEM.”

As the first female and first African American Ranking Member on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Congresswoman Johnson founded the Brain Trust in order to identify opportunities for youth to believe in what they can achieve by being exposed to positive examples.

Panelists include Dr. Bernard Harris, first African American to perform a spacewalk and medical doctor; Dr. Roosevelt Y. Johnson, Deputy Associate Administrator for Education with NASA; Mr. Fred Humphries, Microsoft Corp. VP US Government Affairs; Mr. Ray Dempsey, BP VP Public Affairs; Mr. Harold Strong, AP Developer – University of North Texas; Dr. Scott Edwards, Harvard University Professor of Biology; Mr. Barrington Irving, Aviator; Dr. Karina Edmonds, Cal Tech and former U.S. Department of Energy Technology Transfer Coordinator; Dr. Nerma Frazier, U.S. Department of Energy; Ms. Francessca Spencer Vasquez, Oracle; Dr. Gregory Primus, Former NFL Player and Orthopedic Surgeon; Mr. Adam Conner, Facebook; Ms. Megan Smith, VP of Google X; Mr. Beck Pringle, National Education Association; Moderator – Lesli Foster, WUSA9 News.

Congresswoman Johnson Voices Opposition To Cuts In SNAP

On September 19, 2013 Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas asked for and was granted permission to address the United States House of Representative for one minute regarding the Republican proposal to cut in the food stamp program in America.

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act. The GOP’s efforts to cut $40 billion in SNAP benefits over 10 years show how disconnected they are with our most vulnerable citizens; 4 million to 6 million low-income people will be affected by these cuts, including 450,000 residents in Dallas County that are food insecure. Almost 300,000 of them are children. Many of our citizens are already living on the edge of poverty, and these cuts would virtually eliminate the assistance they desperately need.”

“I am deeply troubled by this aggressive agenda to dismantle the SNAP program. It is not just the African American or Hispanic populations who receive these benefits. It is the working class, the elderly, the children, and the disabled. Cutting this program would be devastating to millions of Americans who are working hard to provide for their families. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill and support our neediest citizens”, said Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (source: Congressional Record.

Congresswoman Johnson is a current member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and has been since being elected in 1992. She is also the highest ranking Texan on this committee.

Congresswoman Johnson also presently serves on the Aviation Subcommittee, Highways and Transit Subcommittee and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee.

She is also an outspoken advocate for the poor in America.

Source Groundreport.com

Congresswoman Johnson Hosts Her 21st Annual Community Appreciation Day

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson hosted her 21^st Annual Community Appreciation Day at the DeSoto Civic Center Outdoor Pavilion from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. to showcase the district’s diversity. Congresswoman Johnson recognized her constituents and thanked them for their contributions to the community.

“I will continue to represent you, to fight for your interests and ensure that the issues that confront the people of the 30^th Congressional District are at the top of the nation’s agenda,” said Congresswoman Johnson.

The program included live music, multi-cultural performances, blood drives, blood pressure screenings, bone marrow screenings, and many more family orientated activities. Congresswoman Johnson honored World War II Veteran Mr. Bennie Cooper with a Bronze Star, a Victory Medal,  a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol on his behalf and a Dorie Miller coin.

“Today, we are especially honored to recognize the achievements of Mr. Cooper,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “The freedoms that we have today are because of him and those who have sacrificed their lives to serve and protect this great nation. We truly appreciate all of our veterans and we have an obligation to ensure they receive the benefits they rightly deserve.”

Congresswoman Johnson On Hunger In America And Proposed Cuts To SNAP

"Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a study stating that nearly 49 million adults and children reside in “food insecure” homes in America. In Dallas County there are roughly 500,000 adults and children who are food insecure, lacking diets that contain the necessary nutrients designed to keep them well, and prevent them from dying prematurely.

Fifty-eight percent of all students in the Dallas Independent School District live in homes that are deemed “food insecure”. In a country as wealthy as America, there are too many people that are hungry.

Unfortunately, the reality of excessive large numbers of hungry families is not new to Texas. While a member of the Texas Legislature, I sponsored legislation that resulted in children from low income homes being provided with free breakfast in public schools. Such a program was needed then, and it continues to be needed today.

Last week, I hosted a Hunger Summit in conjunction with the Dallas Coalition of Hunger Solutions. The coalition consists of the Texas Hunger Initiative, the North Texas Food Bank, Good Indeed, Feed3, the Dallas Baptist Association, the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, Get Healthy Dallas and a number of other community organizations. Together, we work to address the issue of hunger.

As Members of Congress return to Washington to tackle major issues, I remain concerned that some of my colleagues would permit drastic cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) program which provides food stamps to needy families and individuals.

This aggressive agenda to dismantle the SNAP program would deny assistance to nearly four to six million low-income people. The reality is that there is a wide-spread misconception about who receives SNAP benefits. It is not just the black or Hispanic populations, but it is also the working class, the elderly and the disabled.

Many families are forced to ration their meals. It is truly disheartening that parents have to skip meals in order to feed their children. Any proposed cuts to SNAP are disingenuous to the millions of Americans who are working hard to provide for their families.

Some of my colleagues are genuinely out of touch with a large portion of the American population. As your representative in Congress, I will vigorously fight any attempts to weaken the SNAP program. I will continue to ensure that those who are hungry continue to receive the benefits that are necessary for their survival." - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Source: Dallas Weekly Op Ed

Congresswoman Johnson Recognizes President Obama's Efforts On Syria

“I would like to applaud President Barack Obama for his  efforts in recognizing the Syrian people who were affected by an unprecedented chemical attack on August 21, 2013. An estimated 1,400 innocent Syrian civilians – including many women and children – were killed, while millions have been displaced as refugees.

Even amid controversy, President Obama has shown leadership and vehemently denounced the Syrian regime’s actions as inhumane. It is important that we distinguish the President’s efforts to protect international law and humanitarian interests during this difficult time. Although many of my colleagues and I have not made final decisions on whether to authorize an attack on Syria, I believe it is imperative that we acknowledge the President’s diplomatic efforts during this crisis.” - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Hosts Dallas Hunger Summit

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and the Dallas Coalition for Hunger Solutions held their second annual Hunger Summit from 8 a.m. to noon at the Texas Discovery Gardens in Fair Park. The Coalition is chaired by Congresswoman Johnson and works diligently to ensure that all Dallas County residents are empowered to gain equal access to healthy food.

“We have 400,000 people in Dallas County who go to bed hungry every night; 180,000 of those are children and the situation is unacceptable,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “We must look out for our children, because they are our future. We must find solutions to eradicate hunger.”

During the summit, officials discussed strategies currently being implemented to reduce hunger and increase access to healthy food options in Dallas.

Congresswoman Johnson noted, “I stand with all of you from various organizations represented here this morning in our roles of being advocates to ensure that those who are hungry are cared for and loved. It is a part of God’s work for us to reach out to people who are hungry. No child and no family should be without food.”

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins noted, “Working together, we can find the solutions to this plight that some face. Every person in our city should have access to nutritional food.  As people of faith, we must continue to work together so that no one goes to bed hungry. I pledge that I will continue to work with each of you and with Congresswoman Johnson to bring an end to this terrible situation of hungry children and families in our city.”

Two years ago, Congresswoman Johnson joined with the Texas Hunger Initiative and other community groups to create the Dallas Coalition for Hunger Solutions. The coalition includes Texas Hunger Initiative, North Texas Food Bank, Dallas Baptist Association, Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, Feed3, Get Health Dallas, and several other local organizations, businesses, and individuals.

Congresswoman Johnson Announces That She Will Seek 12th Term Representing The 30th Congressional District

Congresswoman Johnson was the keynote speaker at the annual Dallas AFL-CIO Labor Day Breakfast, and it was before crowed room of enthusiastic supporters that she announced that she would seek a 12th term representing the 30th Congressional District.

In her remarks Johnson stressed the importance of many of the issues that remain unfinished including a Jobs Bill, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, and Fair Pay. She vowed to return to Congress to help push President Obama's initiatives and those of the Democratic Party.

“We need to keep fighting. We cannot give up. We cannot give in. I stand ready to fight and I depend on you to watch my back while I fight." - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson