Congresswoman Johnson Receives Lifetime Infrastructure Champion Award

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson was presented with the “Lifetime Infrastructure Champion Award” at the Irving Transportation & Water Summit, an event hosted by the City of Irving on Aug. 20. The Summit was attended by approximately 300 state officials, infrastructure administrators, business leaders and private citizens from throughout the state of Texas.

“North Texas has become a model for infrastructure and transportation in our country,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “I learned early in my congressional career the importance of a strong infrastructure and transportation system. I know how much, not only the people in District 30, but those throughout the state of Texas, rely on well-maintained highways and bridges. I also know how important it is for the state of Texas to meet the demands of businesses and residents, who rely on various modes of transportation.  As a member of Congress, I will continue to fight for the funding required to meet the needs of the people of Texas. Good highways lead to good jobs for people, and better jobs lead to a better economy for Texas.”

During the presentation of the award, Michael Morris, the Director of Transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments noted: “Congresswoman Johnson has done more to promote quality transportation and infrastructure than anyone else in North Texas…The work of Congresswoman Johnson has improved the lives of all people who reside in North Texas. Our quality of life exists because of her efforts.” 

The DFW Metropolitan Area is the largest regional economy in Texas, representing roughly 25 percent of the State’s economy.  By the year 2025, the region is expected to attract nearly three million new residents and over two million new jobs.  Congresswoman Johnson emphasized that securing adequate transportation funding to ensure the North Texas region will be able to sustain its economic growth will remain a top priority.

Congresswoman Johnson has been a champion for Texans throughout her distinguished career as a Member of Congress.  Since her election to Congress in 1992, she has been widely recognized in Washington as a skillful and effective legislator.  Because of her seniority in the U.S. Congress, she has been able to leverage her experience to benefit the 30th Congressional District.  She is the senior Texan on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and has fought hard to ensure that North Texas’ transportation system is responsive to all residents. She has championed the development of an efficient and integrated transportation (multimodal, intermodal, pedestrian, and bicycle) system that is critical in maintaining the region’s quality of life and economic vitality.

Source: North Dallas Gazette

Congresswoman Johnson Announces 23 Million Grant For DFW Airport

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson announced that DFW Airport was awarded $23 million in grant funds by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The funds granted will be used for necessary taxiway/runway rehabilitation and maintenance efforts during an upcoming phase of structural updates to DFW Airport.

“The announcement of this grant award is great news for DFW Airport and the Dallas region,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “These much needed updates are vital to airport infrastructure, and will have long-term benefits for the economy and the DFW community at large. As one of the busiest airports in the world, federal grants like these are important for preserving this airport’s reputation as a global gateway and securing its rightful place as a leader in providing transportation worldwide.”

Following Congresswoman Johnson’s announcement Sean Donohue, CEO of DFW Airport shared congratulatory remarks. “Congresswoman Johnson has been instrumental in the growth and development of DFW,” said Mr. Donohue. “She understands that DFW Airport is a major asset for our region. She continues to be an advocate.”

Congresswoman Johnson is the senior member from the state of Texas on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and serves on the Aviation Subcommittee. 

Congresswoman Johnson Urges Reversal Of Decision On Dallas Urban League

United States Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, who represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas and one of only two African American women in the Texas delegation, issued a strong letter of support for the Urban League of Greater Dallas & North Central Texas. That letter was delivered to the National Urban League which is attempting to “disaffiliate” the Dallas organization.

Rep. Johnson sent a letter last week to Marc Morial, the President and CEO of the National Urban League. Her comments praised the work of the local organization to correct the financial course of the Dallas Urban League, and it expressed confidence in the new administrative and board leadership now in place.

The letter states:

“The disaffiliation of the chapter could have a devastating impact on hundreds of non-profit organizations…..I am confident that the current leadership has the experience and vision to move the organization forward.”

Rep. Johnson’s call for a reversal of the national organization’s decision follows the issuance of a formal appeal sent to the national organization. The process forward is unclear.

“We formally asked for an appeal,” said Terry Woods, President of the Urban League of Greater Dallas & North Central Texas, and now we are awaiting a response to our demand for a fair, thorough process of evaluating all that Dallas has accomplished to turn this organization around. In fact, we discovered the problems that National should have uncovered.”

Woods thanked Rep. Johnson for her letter.

“We live in a period of time when a lot of elected officials won’t take risks,” said Woods. “Our Congresswoman, Eddie Bernice Johnson, personifies leadership, and we are grateful, on behalf of those we serve, for her commitment to the important work we are doing in the Dallas region.”

Source: Dallas Weekley

Congresswoman Johnson Applauds Court Decision Regarding Texas Voter ID Law

“Today, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that the restrictive Republican-backed Texas voter ID law violates section two of the Voting Rights Act. As a result of the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County vs. Holder, Texas, a state with a long history of discriminatory voting practices, was empowered to implement stricter voter ID laws that infringed upon the constitutional rights of minority, poor, and elderly Texans.

The right to vote is fundamental to our democratic system of government, and it is strengthened when every citizen can freely exercise his or her right to participate. The Fifth Circuit’s ruling recognizes the discriminatory effect of Texas’s laws and highlights the need to remedy the harmful impact of the Shelby decision. The court affirmed the striking difference the law has on minority voters who are not able to obtain the identification needed to vote.

In Texas, while many are able to vote with a handgun license, countless others are unable to do so with a college or student I.D. This is unacceptable. As such, I urge my colleagues to move forward on passing the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015. This piece of legislation will restore the voting rights protections that were stripped away by the Supreme Court’s ruling and guard against further attacks on fundamental voting rights.

As we look forward to tomorrow’s celebrations in recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, we must renew our commitment to fight for democracy by advancing the protection of the right to vote.” Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Keynote Speaker At Opening Of Progressive National Baptist Convention

Fifty years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Act, a key piece of civil rights legislation that was gutted by a Supreme Court decision in 2013.

Hundreds of clergy from around the country gathered in Dallas this week for the Progressive National Baptist Convention. They say the fight for voting equality and fairness at the polls continues to this day.

“We want the Congress to know, and the world to know, that everyone deserves the right to vote,” said convention attendee Kip Banks.

Dallas Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson was a featured speaker Thursday at the convention. She spoke of her pride in seeing the Voting Rights Act signed, which determined that many southern states needed federal approval before they could change voting laws due to patterns of discrimination.

Two years ago, a Supreme Court decision struck down key provisions in the law. Many Congressional democrats like Johnson have been fighting ever since to put them back in.

“There’s momentum with the Democrats, it’s a struggle with Republicans,” Johnson said. “We have not been able to get it out of committee. It’s really a puzzle as to why.”

Pastors at this conference said it's difficult for minority and poor citizens to get to polling locations, and it's a struggle to add polling places on college campuses and in poor urban areas.

“Some people think there's not a problem," Johnson said. "But if you're African-American, you know that there is a problem. And the problem should be corrected. And we will not stop until it is."

“The 2016 election is around the corner, tonight is the first Republican debate," Banks said. "For us, there's no reason to turn the clock back."

Federal appeals court Wednesday struck down Texas' voter ID law, saying it was discriminatory. Many of the convention-goers say that's a perfect example of why the fight for equal voting rights continues to this day.

Source: NBC5

Congresswoman Johnson Recognizes The 25th Anniversary Of American With Disabilities Act

“This Sunday marks twenty-five years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “This law is one of the most comprehensive and successful pieces of legislation in our nation’s history. It protects the rights of individuals living with disabilities and ensures greater accessibility and inclusivity in many aspects of every-day life.”

Since the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted, the law has provided millions of Americans with the opportunity to participate fully in our society by:

·Making the workplace more accessible by prohibiting private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities;

·Providing for reasonable accommodations to those who otherwise would have difficulty on the job because of a disability, such as making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities; and

·Ensuring those with differing abilities have the tools to succeed by requiring employers to make a reasonable accommodation for the known disability of a qualified applicant or employee, such as providing a deaf applicant with a sign language interpreter during the job interview, or allowing an employee with diabetes to take regularly scheduled breaks during the workday to eat properly and monitor blood sugar and insulin levels.

In addition to the 56.7 million Americans living with disabilities, the ADA has also positively impacted the lives of the 232,000 individuals with disabilities who are living with disabilities in Dallas.

“As we mark this anniversary, we recommit ourselves to ensuring that every American has the opportunity to live independently and with dignity,” concluded Congresswoman Johnson. “I am proud of the progress the law has made for Americans with disabilities, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to advance equality for all Americans and remove obstacles that stand in the way of the American Dream.” - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Praises NASA And New Accomplishments in Space Exploration

"It is not an overstatement to say that NASA's planetary science program has been extraordinarily successful, and that fact is a tribute to the hard work and perseverance of NASA, its contractors, and the space research community. Yet, Congress also has a role to play in keeping NASA's solar system exploration program robustnamely, we need to do our part by making sure NASA receives adequate and timely funding to support the development and operation of those challenging missions. And we need to make sure we are also providing the funding needed to develop the advanced technologies that will enable the future missions that will continue to rewrite the science textbooks." - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Announces Federal Grant For Glen Heights Fire Department

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson announced that the Glenn Heights Fire Department was awarded $78,858 in federal grant funds by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funds will be used to improve operations and safety within the department and assist in meeting the firefighting and emergency response needs of the Glenn Heights Fire Department and emergency medical first responders.

“The announcement of this award is great news for the Glenn Heights Fire Department,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “Our firefighters are on the front lines every day risking their lives to keep us all safe, and it is important that we make every effort to support the important work and service they provide to our communities. I am pleased that the department won this competitive grant that will be used to enhance their ability to do their jobs safely and efficiently. I am very proud of the men and women who serve at the Glenn Heights Fire Department and of firefighters throughout District 30 for the selfless service they provide. I will continue to fight for the resources and support they need.”

This grant was awarded as a part of FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources required to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards. Congresswoman Johnson has been a strong advocate for grants to local first responders in the 30th Congressional District.

Source: Focus Daily News

Congresswoman Johnson Joins President Obama On Historic Trip To Kenya And Ethiopia

Black lawmakers were among those leaving Thursday with President Barack Obama aboard Air Force One on a historic trip to Africa, which marks the first time a sitting U.S. president has traveled to Kenya and Ethiopia.

The visit underscores the president’s familial ties to Kenya, where he has already met with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, spent time with members of his father’s family, and will attend a summit with young African leaders.

The visit also marks the first time that a sitting U.S. president addresses the African Union. He will attend bilateral meetings in Ethiopia and Kenya, attend additional meetings at the African Union, and address the sixth Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), the first to be held in sub-Saharan Africa.

“The Global Entrepreneurship Summit will highlight the president’s commitment to promoting entrepreneurship globally, particularly opportunities for women and girls,” National Security AdvisorSusan Rice said earlier this week at a White House press briefing, according to a statement.

Rice, foreign policy aide Ben Rhodes, and White House spokesman Josh Earnest joined him on the trip.

Rice also said that the president would have an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims and the survivors of the 1998 embassy bombings, which targeted U.S. embassies not only in Nairobi, but also in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Also joining him at various times on the six-day trip aboard Air Force One are about 20 lawmakers, including Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), president of the Congressional Black Caucus; Representatives Barbara Lee and Karen Bass, Democrats from California; Representatives Gregory Meeks and Charlie Rangel, Democrats from New York; Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.); RepresentativesEddie Bernice Johnson, Al Green  and Sheila Jackson Lee, all Democrats from Texas; Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.); Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio); Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.); Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wisc.); Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.); Rep.  Cedric Richmond (D-La.); Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.); and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.).

Source: Chicago Defender