Eddie Bernice Johnson

Eddie Bernice Johnson
Name	Eddie Bernice Johnson
Caption	Official portrait, 2013
State	Texas
District	30th
Term start	January 3, 1993
Term end	January 3, 2023
Predecessor	John Bryant
Successor	Jasmine Crockett
Office1	Member of the Texas Senate
Term start1	1987
Term end1	1993
Predecessor1	O.H. "Ike" Harris
Successor1	Royce West
Office2	Member of the Texas House of Representatives
Term start2	1972
Term end2	1977
Predecessor2	Sam Hudson
Successor2	Paul Ragsdale
Birth name	Eddie Bernice Johnson
Birth date	3 December 1935
Birth place	Waco, Texas, U.S.
Death date	31 December 2023
Death place	Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Education	Saint Mary's College, Texas Christian University (BS), Southern Methodist University (MS)
Occupation	Nurse, politician

Eddie Bernice Johnson was an American politician and registered nurse who served as a U.S. Representative for Texas's 30th congressional district from 1993 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first African American and first woman to chair the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Her career was marked by advocacy for STEM education, NASA, and civil rights, representing a district centered in Dallas.

Early life and education

Born in Waco, Texas, she was the daughter of Lee Edward Johnson and Lillie Mae White Johnson. She attended A.J. Moore High School before pursuing higher education at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana. She later transferred to Texas Christian University, where she became the first African American student to enroll in the nursing school and earned a Bachelor of Science in 1967. She subsequently obtained a Master of Science from Southern Methodist University in 1976.

Early career

Before entering politics, she worked as a chief psychiatric nurse at the Veterans Administration hospital in Dallas. Her political career began with her election to the Texas House of Representatives in 1972, where she served until 1977. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed her as the Regional Director of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for Region VI. She was elected to the Texas Senate in 1986, representing parts of Dallas County.

U.S. House of Representatives

She was first elected to the United States Congress in 1992, succeeding John Bryant to represent the newly created Texas's 30th congressional district. She served fifteen consecutive terms, becoming a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. In 2019, she assumed the chairmanship of the Science Committee, making history as the first African American and first woman to lead that panel. She announced her retirement in 2021 and was succeeded by Jasmine Crockett.

Political positions and legislation

A staunch advocate for science and technology, she championed funding for NASA and authored the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020. She co-sponsored the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and was a leading voice on environmental justice, supporting the Environmental Protection Agency and initiatives to combat climate change. She also focused on healthcare access, voting rights, and infrastructure development, playing key roles in the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act and efforts to protect the Affordable Care Act.

Awards and honors

Throughout her career, she received numerous accolades, including the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal and the National Science Board's Public Service Award. She was honored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Organization for Women. Institutions such as Texas Christian University and the University of Texas at Dallas have established scholarships and programs in her name. The Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station in Dallas was renamed in her honor.

Personal life and death

She was the mother of one son, Kirk Johnson. A lifelong resident of Dallas, she was a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She passed away on December 31, 2023, at her home in Dallas. Her death was met with tributes from colleagues including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and members of the Texas congressional delegation. Her legacy is celebrated for breaking racial and gender barriers in Congress and for her enduring impact on science policy in the United States.

Category:1935 births Category:2023 deaths Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas Category:Texas Democrats