Congresswoman Johnson Leads Congressional Delegation In Egypt

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri had talks Thursday with a US congressional delegation over the developments in the Middle East and Egypt's stance towards the Palestinian issue and Syrian crisis.

Talks also tackled the situation in Iraq and Libya, terrorism and relations between Egypt and the US, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Badr Abdel Atti.

The delegation, led by Eddie Bernice Johnson (Texas), includes four congressmen of African origin and their aides.

Shoukri reviewed Egypt's initiative over the Libyan crisis that was floated at the ministerial meeting of Libya's neighbors in Cairo lately as well as efforts to form a national government in Iraq, the spokesman said.

The two sides underlined the importance of boosting US-Egyptian efforts against terrorism.

The US delegation lauded the role played by Egypt to achieve stability and development in the region, underlining the importance of promoting Egyptian-US relations to serve interests of both countries.

Source: www.allafrica.com

Congresswoman Johnson Marks Women's Equality Day And The Passage Of The 19th Amendment

Congresswoman Johnson recently celebrated the anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote in America.

"Today is Women’s Equality Day! Today we commemorate the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. The observance of this day is important because it calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality." - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Is Honored By North Texas Toll Authority For Her Leadership In Congress On Transportation Issues

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson was honored in Plano, Texas by the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA). The NTTA honored Congresswoman Johnson with the Drive to Excellence Award for  the “creation of a robust and thriving transportation network serving one of the fastest growing regions in the country.”   

“ I want to thank the NTTA for this great honor. I have spent my career in the Congress securing as many federal resources as possible for the improvement of Texas’ infrastructure and highways,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “North Texas is a transportation hub for the entire country.  We have so many goods flowing through our state, and so many people who are dependent on our highways and tollways to get their services to destinations around the country. We must continue to invest in Texas tollways to ensure that we remain a thriving transportation hub for generations to come.”

Congresswoman Johnson is currently the highest ranking Texan on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.  She has served on the Committee for 22 years and has directed billions of dollars of federal investment into Texas infrastructure projects.

The chairman of the NTTA praised Congresswoman Johnson’s forward thinking and commitment to improving the transportation sector.  “North Texas has a unique and enviable position in Texas transportation – projects are getting done and people are moving here.  These accomplishments are made possible by forward-thinking individuals and organizations who find solutions to promote transportation as an economic driver and quality of life enterprise for all North Texans,” said Chairman Kenneth Barr.

The North Texas Tollway Authority is a political subdivision of the state of Texas that is authorized to acquire, construct, maintain, repair and operate turnpike projects in the North Texas region. NTTA serves Collin, Dallas, Denton, Tarrant and Johnson counties; it owns and operates the Dallas North Tollway, President George Bush Turnpike, Sam Rayburn Tollway, Addison Airport Toll Tunnel, Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge, the Mountain Creek Lake Bridge and the Chisholm Trail Parkway.

Congresswoman Johnson Hosts 8th Annual Dallas Youth Summit & Diversity Dialogue

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson hosted dozens of Dallas-area high school students for the 8th annual Youth Summit and Diversity Dialogue held at the Southern Methodist University’s Owens Art Center. The Youth and Diversity Summit was designed to bring about greater understanding and working relationships between young people of different faiths, ethnicities, and countries of origin in the Dallas area.

“It is important that as a society we celebrate diversity,” Congresswoman Johnson said to the students. “In our city, we have young people from all over the world who contribute to bringing a culture of peace and brotherhood. Together, we can share our cultural differences and make our world a better place for all people.”

Farrukh Valliani, president of the Aga Khan Council for the Central United States, addressed the students, highlighting that cultural diversity was crucial in today’s world. “Bringing people together for dialogue will create a more peaceful world,” he said. The Aga Khan Council worked in conjunction with Congresswoman Johnson’s office to make this year’s event happen.

Dr. Lori White, the Vice President for Student Affairs at SMU spoke to the students, noting that they were the future leaders of the world. “It is important that different people have respect for each other, and one another’s cultures,” she said. “The world will need your talents.”

During the summit students participated in four regional workshops exploring the cultures of different parts of the world. The workshops were led by experts in the fields of international relations and education. Tim Livingston of Dallas’ Channel 5 news served as the summit’s master of ceremonies.

Congresswoman Johnson Remembers Congressman Mickey Leland On The 25th Anniversary Of His Death

“It is hard to believe that it was 25 years ago today that my friend and mentor, Mickey Leland, passed away. He was a steadfast and caring leader from whom I learned so much, He made a lasting impact on Congress that has helped shaped our country’s focus to aid parts of the world that were suffering from extreme hunger. His legacy can be felt today through young leaders that are being trained in the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows Program at the Congressional Hunger Center in the nation’s capital. He died as he lived; bringing attention to the plight of refugees in a part of the world that sorely needed our help.

Congressman Mickey Leland was a transformative leader, not only in Texas but throughout the world. He began his political career by being elected to the Texas State Legislature from the city of Houston. Soon after his term began, Congressman Leland traveled to Africa and found the calling to which he would dedicate his life, ending hunger throughout the world.

Congressman Leland was elected to Congress in 1978 to represent the 18th Congressional District of Texas, filling the seat vacated by Congresswoman Barbara Jordan when she retired. He was a progressive leader that twice chaired the Congressional Black Caucus.  He also took his life’s mission to the halls of Congress where he helped to form the House Select Committee on World Hunger in 1984.

With the support of anti-hunger organizations, Congressman Leland was able to overcome opposition in the House of Representatives that argued that the Select Committee would be a waste of money, or would infringe upon the duties of existing committees. 

The Select Committee generated awareness within Congress regarding national and international hunger, and prompted a bipartisan effort to find solutions to end hunger in the U.S. and around the world. Congressman Leland also led numerous humanitarian trips with his Congressional colleagues, allowing them to witness firsthand the hunger crisis that was plaguing Sub-Saharan Africa. Due to his efforts, Congressman Leland was frequently called the “conscience of the House” by colleagues.

Congressman Leland made a lasting impact that can be felt today through the Congressional Hunger Center.  Former Democratic Congressman Tony Hall, a close friend of Congressman Leland and former chair of the House Select Committee on Hunger, joined Republican Representative Bill Emerson to form the bi-partisan Congressional Hunger Center in 1993. Soon after its formation, the Congressional Hunger Center established the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows Program to serve as a living legacy to Congressman Leland and his world-changing work to end hunger. The Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows Program trains emerging leaders during a two-year period to eradicate hunger worldwide. " - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Celebrates The 49th Anniversary Of The Voting Rights Act

"Today is the 49th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, the landmark federal legislation signed in to law by President Lyndon B. Johnson that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. 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. The right to vote is at the very core of our democracy. As American citizens, we possess the inalienable right to cast our vote, and to do so without the threat of voter intimidation." - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Joins Her Colleagues Urging Peace In South Sudan

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) and Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13) led a letter sent to Secretary Kerry today, signed by seven other House Democrats, thanking him for his efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement between South Sudanese President Kiir and Vice President Machar and updating him on their recent meeting with diplomats from the region.  

The letter was signed by Whip Hoyer and Reps. Barbara Lee, Karen Bass (CA-37), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18), Gregory Meeks (NY-5), Jim Moran (VA-8), Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10), and Chris Van Hollen (MD-8). 

"We are writing to apprise you of a meeting we recently hosted with diplomats from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and South Sudan on the crisis in South Sudan," the letter states. "One message was clear from the meeting: the role of the United States is critical in bringing the parties together and reaching any peace deal."

The letter continues: "The crisis in South Sudan continues to spiral downwards.  Just last month we heard reports of patients being executed in hospitals, among other atrocities.  More than one million people have been displaced from their homes since December, and the current rainy season will further exacerbate the misery inflicted upon South Sudan's civilian population. This misery may likely include famine in parts of South Sudan.  The role of the United States has never been more critical, and we look forward to working with you to bring the full weight of the United States to bear in re-establishing South Sudan on a path toward stability and prosperity for its people and the region."

July 18, 2014

The Honorable John Kerry Secretary of State U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. Secretary:

We are writing to apprise you of a meeting we recently hosted with diplomats from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and South Sudan on the crisis in South Sudan.  The purpose of the gathering was to gain the insights of regional players on the ongoing conflict and to affirm specific actions these countries can take to encourage both sides to stop fighting, such as freezing the assets of those providing material support to combatants.

One message was clear from the meeting: the role of the United States is critical in bringing the parties together and reaching any peace deal.  Several ambassadors singled out your contribution in maintaining pressure on President Kiir and former Vice President Machar to stay at the negotiating table and implement agreements to which they have committed.

We wholeheartedly agree with their praise and urge you to continue your efforts to facilitate the parties committing to a long-term agreement that will end the current hostilities.  We also commend the Department on its July 10th announcement regarding $22 million in additional humanitarian assistance for refugees and internally displaced persons in South Sudan and the region.  The crisis in South Sudan continues to spiral downwards.  Just last month we heard reports of patients being executed in hospitals, among other atrocities.  More than one million people have been displaced from their homes since December, and the current rainy season will further exacerbate the misery inflicted upon South Sudan's civilian population. This misery may likely include famine in parts of South Sudan.  The role of the United States has never been more critical, and we look forward to working with you to bring the full weight of the United States to bear in re-establishing South Sudan on a path toward stability and prosperity for its people and the region.

Recently, Assistant Secretary Anne C. Richard announced nearly $22 million in additional humanitarian assistance for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in South Sudan and South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. With this latest funding, the United States is providing more than $456 million in humanitarian assistance in fiscal year 2014 to refugees, IDPs, and other conflict-affected populations impacted by the crisis in South Sudan. Since the outbreak of the current crisis, more than 400,000 refugees have fled from South Sudan, seeking refuge in Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Sudan. Hundreds continue to flee the country daily, and more than one million South Sudanese remain internally displaced.

This latest U.S. contribution will allow both international and non-governmental organizations to provide refugees and IDPs with basic life support such as access to clean water; food, health care, and essential household items; employment training; gender-based violence prevention; and programs for child protection, including efforts to restore family links severed as a result of displacement.

The United States strongly supports the efforts of humanitarian organizations to meet needs in South Sudan. This aid can only be effective if the Government of South Sudan, opposition forces, and all other parties to the conflict stop fighting and remove obstacles to the delivery of life-saving assistance. It is crucial that President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar implement their May 9 agreement to end the violence and allow immediate, full and unconditional access for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and humanitarian organizations to reach those in need.

Sincerely,

STENY H. HOYER BARBARA LEE KAREN BASS EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON SHEILA JACKSON-LEE GREGORY MEEKS JIM MORAN DONALD PAYNE JR. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

Source: National Journal

Congresswoman Johnson Leads Briefing On Institutions For Mental Diseases Exclusion To Medicaid

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and Congressman Tim Murphy, in conjunction with the Congressional Homelessness Caucus and hosted by the Treatment Advocacy Center, led a congressional briefing on the Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) Exclusion to Medicaid.  

“The IMD exclusion has inadvertently caused our jails and prisons to become warehouses for the severely mentally ill,” Congresswoman Johnson said to the gathered crowd. “Unfortunately, the consequences of non-treatment are visible in our communities. People with untreated psychiatric illness now make up one-third of our estimated 600,000 homeless population; and in 2012, there were an estimated 356,268 inmates with severe mental illness in prisons and jails across the nation. Patients with mental illness need increased access to psychiatric beds to have a real chance of recovery. They don’t need to be left out on the street or incarcerated, because their illness is never treated. We must work to eliminate barriers to better mental health treatment for our underserved minority communities.”

The briefing was moderated by Doris Fuller, the Executive Director of the Treatment Advocacy Center.  Attendees engaged in a fruitful discussion with leading experts in the mental health field. The gathered professionals and lawmakers were told of the different effects of the IMD exclusion by panelists: Bob Davison, Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Essex County, NJ; Dr. Ray Patterson, a Prince George’s County Psychiatrist; Steve Baron, Director of the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health; and Bill Bailey, President of the Cenikor Foundation.

Congresswoman Johnson And House Committee On Science, Space & Technology Hold Live Downlink With Astronauts Aboard International Space Station

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology hosted a live communications "downlink" with the two U.S. astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), current ISS Commander Dr. Steve Swanson and Commander (USN) Reid Wiseman.

Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said in her opening statement, "This past weekend marked the 45th anniversary of the first humans landing on the Moon.  It was a bold achievement, as was the more recent assembly of the International Space Station.  The success of both of these ventures depended on the dedication and bravery of past and present members of the astronaut corps in spite of the risks they willingly face in the name of science and exploration.  I know that all Members join me in saluting them. While the road to its completion was a long one, the ISS stands as one of the engineering marvels of the modern age, and a testament to American ingenuity and perseverance." 

Members had the opportunity to speak with the astronauts for about twenty minutes.  They covered a number of topics, including those pertinent to policy and those lighter in nature.  The policy related topics dealt with how the ISS deals with orbital debris; what work the astronauts are doing on the ISS that will enable missions to take us beyond low-earth orbit and specifically to Mars; how their work helps the U.S. maintain leadership in science and technology and how it inspires young people to enter STEM fields; and why the U.S. needs to support the ISS. 

Dr. Swanson said, "Again, it goes back to what do we provide for the taxpayer? One, we provide research and development. That's what we get out of this. We get new products, new ideas, new science, and new research which always help the country in the future. And that creates new companies which helps the economy. We also inspire a new generation which hopefully gets them to be productive and help out and make our country stronger. And, we are explorers, which helps the whole human race."

Members also asked the astronauts a number of questions provided by children in their Districts including if anyone has had a birthday in space and how it was celebrated; what they pack in their suitcases; their favorite space foods; if they think we will find life in space; what a student needs to do in order to become an astronaut; and what inspired them to become astronauts.

Commander Wiseman described his inspiration, "I think back to my childhood when the space shuttle was just being developed and launched back in 1981. I was around six years old at the time, and I definitely remember a 747 flying over Maryland when I was in Towson with my parents. We had gone up to the top of a hill for the simple act of watching a space shuttle fly over on the back of a 747 as they were transporting it and that image is burned into my mind, and that probably started the course that I was on to become not only a Navy pilot, a test pilot, and then an astronaut. So, to me, we never know, that little thing that's going to spark the imagination of a child's mind and for me it was a simple airplane with a space shuttle flying--or, wait, that's not simple--but it was that simple act of being with my parents, and that was what sparked my imagination. So, as much as we can from up here and at NASA on the ground, we reach out to kids and just expose them to this world, this STEM world that's in motion. I think you never know when you're going to spark their imagination and I'm sure that we're doing it every day."

Ms. Johnson also expressed her hope that the Committee will hold a formal hearing in order to further examine the International Space Station, its utilization in support of exploration and basic and applied research, and the plan to extend the life of the ISS until 2024.

Source: www.spaceref.com

Congresswoman Johnson Comments On Court Rulings On Affordable Care Act's Premium Tax Credits

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson released the following statement on the rulings on the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, and the U.S Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit:

“Today’s D.C. Circuit Court’s ruling that subsidies and tax credits under the Affordable Care Act are only available to qualifying enrollees who accessed health insurance coverage through a state-run exchange creates uncertainty for the tens of thousands Texans who have been able to receive healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act through the federal health insurance marketplace. This decision, if upheld, proves to be another example of the importance of expanding Medicaid coverage in the state of Texas and highlights the need to create a state exchange,” said Congresswoman Johnson as she reviewed the D.C. Circuit’s ruling.

The Congresswoman was confident that the more prudent decision by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that subsidies were permissible in either state- or federally-run exchanges, would be upheld. She noted that: “The unanimous decision by the 4^th Circuit Court reflects the true legislative intent behind the law, which is to end discriminatory practices and enable millions of Americans to access affordable health care” said Congresswoman Johnson.  “I am glad that this court acted to protect the right to affordable healthcare for citizens of every state, even in those instances where the state failed to do so.”