[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 199 (Wednesday, December 21, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1330-E1331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      FAREWELL REMARKS TO CONGRESS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 21, 2022

  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, it has been a true honor to 
represent the 30th Congressional district in Washington and serve the 
great people of Dallas and North Texas as their representative in the 
U.S. House of Representatives. I have been privileged to work with so 
many dedicated public servants over the last 30 years to improve the 
lives of people not only in my district and state, but throughout the 
world.
  I can leave Congress knowing I worked hard every single day to 
improve the lives of my constituents by improving opportunities for 
employment, expanding educational access, adding healthcare options for 
children, seniors, and veterans, and of course bringing their tax 
dollars back to Texas to invest in a broad range of new and improved 
infrastructure projects.
  Throughout my career I have been privileged to be known as a 
trailblazer, beginning as the first female African American Chief 
Psychiatric Nurse at the V.A. Hospital in Dallas, as the first 
Registered Nurse elected to the Texas House and Senate, first woman in 
Texas history to chair a major Texas House committee, the Labor 
Committee and U.S. Congress, and the first African American and female 
to chair the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
  I was honored to be recognized as one of the most effective 
legislators in Congress, sponsoring and cosponsoring more than 300 
bills passed by the House and Senate and signed into law, and my 
acclaimed initiative, A World of Women for World Peace, has gained 
national and international recognition. I am also proud of founding the 
Diversity and Innovation Caucus and Homelessness Caucus and chairing 
the Lupus Caucus, the Congressional Caucus on Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
and the Congressional Black Caucus.
  One of my proudest accomplishments during my time as the Chairwoman 
of the Congressional Black Caucus was to ensure that all minority 
voices were heard with one strong,

[[Page E1331]]

unified voice. With that goal in mind, I formed the Tri Caucus where 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Black 
Caucus, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus came together to be a 
unifying group to bring attention to the issues all minority 
populations in this country face.
  My service as a senior Member of the House Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee has given me an opportunity to fund critical 
infrastructure projects in my district including the expansion of Love 
Field Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), the 
International Inland Port of Dallas, the creation of the Dallas Area 
Rapid Transit (DART) system, the construction of the 5.2-acre Woodall 
Rodgers Park project; millions of dollars for construction, operations 
and maintenance projects in the Dallas Floodway and Dallas Floodway 
Extension, drinking water facilities in North Texas as well as 
establishing a water research project at the University of Texas at 
Dallas and many other road and transportation projects such as securing 
funding to help complete the new signature Calatrava bridges on 
Interstate 30 and Interstate 35E.
  I successfully secured Federal Transit Administration funding for a 
program for intermodal terminals that will help entities like Dallas-
based Greyhound Corporation improve the efficiency of public surface 
transportation. I also successfully secured millions of dollars for 
improving bus stop by adding shelters and benches.
  I appreciate working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers along with 
local partners and the North Central Texas Council of Governments to 
carry out various studies, projects, and programs relating to 
navigation, flood damage reduction, shoreline protection, dam safety, 
water supply, recreation, and environmental restoration and protection.
  As the Chair of the Water Resources subcommittee, I authorized 
programs that improved drinking and wastewater systems in North Texas 
and cleaned up the Trinity River. I also joined my Congressional Black 
Caucus colleagues to improve and strengthen Disadvantaged Business 
Enterprise (DBE) programs and expand opportunities for minority and 
women owned businesses throughout the transportation industry.
  Throughout my tenure as Chairwoman of the House Science, Space, and 
Technology Committee and Ranking Member of the House Science Committee, 
I have often referred to it as the ``Committee of the Future.''
  When I earned the Chairwomanship for the Full Science Committee at 
the start of the 116th Congress, I laid out 3 main priorities.
  Those included: Ensuring the U.S. remains a global leader in 
innovation; addressing the climate crisis and restoring the credibility 
of the Science Committee as a place where science is respected and 
recognized as critical to good policymaking. I am proud to say that we 
have delivered great progress on every one of our priorities.
  From transformative legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act, to 
recognizing and honoring hidden figures, and helping to support a 
strong research and development enterprise for the U.S., we have made 
great strides in what we set out to do. The Committee is well-known for 
its bipartisanship and ability to get things done. I think this speaks 
to the spirit of the Science Committee--and with few exceptions over 
the years, I think it has been this way for some time.
  When we're working together to build a better future for Americans 
through building up our STEM pipeline, strengthening our nation's 
scientific institutions, and enhancing our research and development 
initiatives, to name a few, we are united in that effort.
  Since the day I was elected Chairwoman, I have been dedicated to 
ensuring the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is run in a 
bipartisan, effective, and efficient manner. I am very thankful for the 
partnership I have had with Ranking Member Lucas in so many of our 
efforts.
  A main priority throughout my entire career has been to build 
opportunities in STEM for all--no matter their background, race, or zip 
code. I am pleased to say, many of our efforts to increase recognition 
and representation in STEM have been enacted. There is 1 bill in 
particular that I worked for 15 years to make it a public law, the STEM 
Opportunities Act. It passed this year as part of the CHIPS and Science 
Act. With CHIPS and Science, we will create solutions to the climate 
crisis, advance semiconductor research and manufacturing, and so much 
more. We put this bill together with the needs of each and every 
American in mind, and with solutions at the forefront.
  We must remain steadfast in making sure the U.S. remains a beacon of 
excellence in science and innovation.
  But I couldn't have done all of these things without my committee and 
personal staff and all the great people I worked with locally and in 
Congress, and the hundreds of people I've leaned on along the way, 
putting politics aside to make North Texas and the entire state a 
better place to live and raise a family.
  Finally, as I leave this chamber after 3 decades of service, I want 
to provide some advice to my colleagues in this Congress and to those 
who will begin their service in the next session: Always remember that 
everyone has the same right to believe what they believe as you believe 
what you believe. Try to understand their reasoning for their beliefs 
to start to improve mutual understanding. Do not condemn before you 
have the explanation. It can start a mutual respect you never thought 
you would have.
  And although I look forward to having some more personal time, there 
are still things I want to accomplish, and if the good Lord is willing, 
I will continue working to make Dallas area the best region in the 
nation.

                          ____________________