Congresswoman Johnson Celebrates 27th Anniversary Of American With Disabilities Act

“On this day 27 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. Since then, barriers for millions of Americans with disabilities have been removed. This important piece of legislation has barred discrimination of individuals with disabilities by employers, grants equal access to government services and agencies, and ensures that telecommunications companies provide services to Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing. Because of this legislation individuals now have an equal opportunity to contribute to society and play an active role in their local community.

“However, there is still much more that needs to be done to ensure these Americans are treated equally. The current unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities is 8.9 percent compared to 4.8 percent of those without a disability. The labor force participation for those with a disability is only 20.7 percent in contrast to 69.1 percent for those with no disability. Enforcement of the ADA and advancements in technology have also been concerns brought up by the disability rights community. I am proud to work with organizations like the Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind, who tackle some of these issues by providing employment opportunities for visually impaired residents of North Texas and give them the chance to fully participate in the labor force.

“This Congress, I have co-sponsored bills such as the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act and Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act. These are great examples of how Congress can improve the lives of those with disabilities in a bipartisan manner.

“While I recognize the 27th anniversary of the ADA, I will continue to work hard and continue my efforts for any legislative advancement that will bring equality to all people.” - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Commemorates Dallas Shooting One-Year Anniversary

“Today marks one year since the tragic shooting of our local law enforcement in downtown Dallas. On a night meant for peaceful protests in response to the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, chaos erupted and tragedy struck the heart of the city. The unjustifiable act of violence took the lives of five police officers: DPD Senior Cpl. Lorne Ahrens, DPD Officer Michael Krol, DPD Sgt. Michael Smith, DPD Office Patricio “Patrick” Zamarripa and DART Officer Brent Thompson. We remain grateful for these brave men who served in our community. The ambush on the very lives meant to serve and protect showed the stark contrast between law enforcement and the community. One year later, we are still working to de-escalate the message of hate that is spewed throughout the nation. We must continue to work towards easing the tension that is evident in our country by implementing legislation that will bridge the gap between police officers and civilians.”

“I commend the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Area Transit for their quick response on that fatal night. Without the dedication of first responders, the situation would have escalated even more. We honor the people who lost their lives one year ago today, as well as those who risked their lives to protect and serve the protesters. On this day of remembrance, let us a remember the heroic actions of those who serve and protect us selflessly each day.”  Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson Discusses Achieving Legislative Goals, Working Across The Aisle, And Progress On Civil Rights

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson was the first black woman to serve as chief psychiatric nurse at the Veterans Administration hospital in Dallas, where she worked 14 years before being elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1972. In 1986, she became the first woman and first African-American from North Texas elected to the state senate. 
She has now served in Congress 25 years, currently as the ranking Democrat on the House committee on Science, Space and Technology.

You clash often with Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, given his role as chairman of the House science committee. Are you able to do that and still have a productive relationship with him?

EBJ: Nobody's friendlier than me and Lamar. I say, "Lamar, here you come. I'm going to have a tough statement." He says, "Don't be too hard on me." That's the kind of conversations we have.

Your disagreements have been major ones. Still possible to be friendly?  

EBJ: It can be done. If you didn't do that [clash so much] obviously, you could have a closer relationship. I think he feels an obligation to follow what he thinks is right, and I certainly feel an obligation to follow what I think is right.
When he first became chair, he had a different staff that had some history, and the staff had worked together a number of years. All of those people have left, and they've been pretty much replaced by [Rep. Darrell] Issa's old staff when he was over investigations and oversight. Their whole agenda seems to be investigations and oversight, not on the actual scientific issues. That has made it more difficult.

Does Smith truly believe the science on climate change is inconclusive, or is he just locked into an ideology that won’t allow government to act?

EBJ: That's the opinion internally, and some on both sides of the aisle. I would not want to call any of their names, but I've had some conversations with members of the committee on the other side of the aisle, and they'll make a statement like, "Don't let it get to you. You know we know better." But they're going to stick to the party and to the leader just like, for the most part, we stick to our leaders on the other side, which makes it a divided committee.

How have things changed, if at all, now that Donald Trump is president?

EBJ: It's emboldened [Smith], I think. Although I've had a few conversations with some of the president's staff, and while they will admit that it's kind of a turmoil environment in the White House, they say we will not see a total turning back of the clock on many of the committee’s interests.

They say that even as they put Scott Pruitt in as EPA administrator?

EBJ: That's what I wonder, too. What I've said is that some of the things that the president has said would give you a sense that you could work with him on some issues, but when he put his Cabinet in, that pretty much spoke to what he's really saying.

Switching topics to the working poor. Our city has about 31,000 people who work full time and yet remain in poverty. There’s something screwed up about that.
Here's what I've observed. And I have worked with all kind of groups around the city.

EBJ: We have a lot of nonprofits that were put together for the sole purpose of serving and educating the poor. They have great intentions, but there's absolutely no coordination. So the average person who is very poor, who might be on a slim job, is the one that gets left out at the agencies because ... the agencies can only be in touch with those they can reach. So those that are doing these little part-time jobs all over and go home at night, the agencies never see.

What I [am asking the mayor about] is if we can find some way to computerize these agencies and maybe look at geographical areas or zip codes or something.

What is your relationship like with Gov. Greg Abbott?

EBJ: I went to see the governor in October. I'd been trying for over a year. I put several issues before him. But [my priorities were] health care, mental health care and nursing homes. We have the worst nursing home situation in the world, in the nation. At that time, I said to him, "I don't have any clue who is going to be the next president, but governor, we have got to do something about mental health care and we've got to do something about health care in general."

He said to me, "I have an idea that I'd like to explore that would work with the poor in health care." I said to him, "I will do everything in my power to help, to see what I could do to implement it."

I said, "Governor, I came to have an open, honest conversation with you. I didn't come with a hammer. I came with a lot of desire to get an understanding of how we can approach these problems." He gave me a strong commitment on mental health. He said, "You're going to be proud of how we can deal with that."

[Note: The Legislature did pass a number of bills aimed at improving mental health care, though they were pushed primarily by House Speaker Joe Straus and Rep. Four Price, R-Amarillo. Abbott signed them into law this summer.]

You’ve faulted Abbott for not doing as much as he could on mental health care. Why do you think he didn’t do more?

EBJ: Well, from what I hear there's such a divide between the House and Senate leadership and he's trying to stay out of the fray, from what I get. But then when he does come down, he comes on the Patrick side because that's more of the Tea Party side.
I've tried not to get involved in that.

I just think in Texas, to me, the two biggest priorities are mental health care and health care. If you can't keep some of the fear off of the street with people who are mentally ill, with an open gun environment, then you are never going to increase the relationships between people with guns and people without guns because the fear is there.

What's been your response to the Black Lives Matter movement?

EBJ: I understand the attitude of Black Lives Matter, I really understand. I don't join it because I just believe that the way that you solve problems is not a divisionary thing, but an involved thing. I just think that you've got to keep that communication line open between whoever you consider the enemy to be.

I truly understand. I've had conversations with the Black Lives Matter leadership. Listening to them, I can't find anything I disagree with in terms of what their goals are, but I think that that phrase is a put-off to a lot of people. Until they can make an approach and sit down around a table and have a conversation, they continue to be misunderstood. All lives matter.

I understand why they say "black lives matter" because when you look at the news from a vantage point, you do see a lot more black people getting killed by white policemen than anybody else. ... But you've got to do something deeper than just expressing your feelings. You've got to work with the police.

Does it ever depress you that so many of the issues you work on now are the same ones you began with all those years ago when you first ran for office?

EBJ: I think about that. I've actually discussed it with both my staff and my family. You can't afford not to keep trying because when you take a look back, there really have been changes and been positive changes. But even when there's positive change, things happen that can be a setback, but you can't afford to walk off and say nothing's going to ever change. You've got to keep trying at it.

But have things changed significantly? Is there good reason to believe that on these fundamental things we can make a difference?

EBJ: There's been change. We have more middle-class African-Americans, probably more middle-class Latinos.

I see a difference. Whether it doesn't appear to be that way, there's a difference in race relations. I was young when we would quietly go from house to house to discuss open accommodations. Judge Taylor would come out to my house at night at 10 o'clock to talk about school desegregation. We've done that.
For the most part, it's been good. We might be falling back into segregation, but a lot of that is because of economics. There are more people who are able to move into other neighborhoods.

When I grew up, I lived on a street where there was a college president, a beautician, a junk hauler. My father had a little business, but he was an aide at the VA. He drove trucks. It was a variety. You don't find that variety anymore.
You got all the same in neighborhoods, so it sticks out a lot more because we got more numbers of people. I think that overall we've gotten a whole lot better than what we've done bad.

This Q&A was conducted, edited and condensed by Dallas Morning News editorial board member Michael Lindenberger. Email: mlindenberger@dallasnews.com
Eddie Bernice Johnson is a Democrat representing Dallas in the U.S. House. Website: ebjohnson.house.gov

Congresswoman Johnson Stands In Solidarity With Transgender Community After Trump Bans Them From Serving In The Military

“As a granddaughter, daughter, niece, wife and sister of a veteran, I find it shameful for the president to deem a certain group of people as unqualified to serve in our military. The United States military is deserving of all who we are undoubtedly committed, dedicated and willing to humbly serve our nation. A person should not be deemed unfit to lay down their life for their country based on their gender identity. Our transgendered friends and family member should be treated equally and allowed to serve and protect our democracy and liberties.” - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson