[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 204 (Tuesday, December 12, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1215-E1216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING ANDREW JOHNSON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ILHAN OMAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 12, 2023

  Ms. OMAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Minneapolis City Council 
Member Andrew Johnson for his hard work and dedication to public 
service over the past decade. Over the years, Mr. Johnson has been 
applauded for his community engagement and commitment to small 
businesses and affordable housing. I had the pleasure of working for 
Mr. Johnson from 2013 to 2015 as his campaign manager and then Senior 
Policy Aide.
  Council Member Johnson was first elected to office in 2013 and, at 
the time, was the youngest member on the Council. For three terms, he 
has proudly served the constituents of Ward 12, which includes the 
neighborhoods of Cooper, Ericsson, Hiawatha, Howe, Keewaydin, 
Minnehaha, Morris Park, and Standish, in the southeastern corner of 
Minneapolis. During his tenure, Mr. Johnson served as the chair of the 
Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, Intergovernmental Relations 
Committee, and the Information Technology Subcommittee.
  Over the past ten years, Council Member Johnson has participated in 
nearly 400 community meetings with his constituents. As a devoted 
advocate for housing, he worked on the creation of hundreds of housing 
units within Ward 12. Mr. Johnson also led the City in creating its 
first new public-housing project in more than a decade. He has been a 
champion for transit throughout his tenure, working on ordinances to 
ensure that sidewalks were clear of ice for residents, pushing for 
funding for street repairs, and advocating for more lanes and safety 
precautions for bikers. He worked to ensure that all constituents, 
whether they walked, biked, drove, or used public transit had access to 
safe transportation.
  Council Member Johnson has had an impressive track record of serving 
his community. Key accomplishments that I want to recognize include the 
creation of the Small Business Office and Business Portal to serve 
local small business owners. He also authored the ordinance that 
allowed gender-neutral single-stall restrooms, led the efforts to 
rewrite the Animal Care and Control Ordinances to improve the quality 
of life for animals in shelters and was a co-founding member of the 
Transgender Equity Council. Last, but certainly not least, Mr. Johnson 
was also the lead sponsor of an ordinance that granted paid sick leave 
to over 100,000 constituents.
  No problem has ever been too big or too small for City Council Member 
Johnson. Although his time as a city council member is coming to an 
end, the legacy of his work for our community and the City of 
Minneapolis will never be forgotten. He will truly be missed at City 
Hall and by his constituents.

[[Page E1216]]

  

                          ____________________