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Economic Recovery Dollars
in District 30
Since President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act on February 17, tens of millions of dollars have come to the
30th District of Texas. As the only Member of Congress from North
Texas to vote for the Recovery Act, Congresswoman Johnson is pleased
to see these funds come to DFW.
Here is information on some of the grants our communities have received:
Community Development Block Grant funding (provides affordable housing
and creates economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income
people)
City of Dallas: $4,700,469
City of Mesquite: $242,690
Dallas County: $566,867
Homeless Prevention Grant Program funding (provides short-term rental
assistance and other services for families who may become homeless
due to the economic crisis)
City of Dallas: $7,187,357
Dallas County: $866,753
Capital Fund Formula Program funding (assists public housing authorities
in rehabilitating and retrofitting pubic housing units)
City of Dallas: $8,815,293
City of Ferris: $57,868
Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding (helps state and local
governments acquire and redevelop foreclosed properties)
Dallas County: $4,405,482
Energy and Efficiency Conservation Block Grant funding (funds projects
that reduce energy use and improve energy efficiency)
City of Cedar Hill: $176,600
City of Dallas: $12,787,300
City of DeSoto: $187,700
City of Duncanville: $148,600
City of Lancaster: $143,300
Community Health Center funding
Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic (first round of funding): $1,300,000
Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic (second round of funding): $522,803
Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Medical Clinic: $238,685
Title I funding (finances academic support for low-achieving children,
particularly those in high-poverty schools)
Cedar Hill ISD: $750,344
Dallas ISD: $78,569,756
Desoto ISD: $1,086,527
Duncanville ISD: $1,686,338
Ferris ISD: $180,953
Irving ISD: $7,167,516
Lancaster ISD: $669,009
Mesquite ISD: $6,077,891
IDEA funding (provides support for students with disabilities)
Cedar Hill ISD: $1,627,000
Dallas ISD: $40,911,000
Desoto ISD: $1,812,000
Duncanville ISD: $2,540,000
Ferris ISD: $422,000
Irving ISD: $6,529,000
Lancaster ISD: $1,168,000
Mesquite ISD: $7,060,000
Through the federal recovery act that Congresswoman Johnson supported
in 2009, to date the 30th District has received $361,827,348 in
recovery funds and 1,159 jobs have been created.
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Education
Congresswoman Johnson believes that the United States Congress
must support high quality education to remain competitive in the
world.
As a mother and grandmother of three, she understands that nothing
is more important than the education we provide our children. While
there is no substitute for local control of our schools, she believes
the federal government has a key role in modernizing our schools,
reducing class size, and empowering our teachers. The importance
of quality education for our country's future requires a sustained
national effort. With your approval, she will continue to work hard
to provide an equal high quality education for all children, regardless
of race, ethnicity, financial status, or location.
The Dallas Independent School District is the twelfth largest school
district in the country and is still the fastest growing in the
school-aged population. Congresswoman Johnson's record on education
highlights the need to increase funding for school construction
and modernization, provide the necessary resources for teacher training
and retraining, allow adequate flexibility for educators to do their
jobs, while fighting for programs to counter Dallas County's high
dropout rate.
Congresswoman is leading the fight to increase funding in the "No
Child Left Behind Act" for programs aimed at keeping kids in
school by expanding after-school programs in high risk districts.
Congresswoman Johnson has also testified in front of the New Science
Board Commission about the implications of an inadequate educational
infrastructure in math and science. She helped secure $978 million
for science and math education through the National Science Foundation.
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The Environment
Eddie Bernice Johnson knows firsthand that North Texas residents
are very concerned about the environment. Not only does a healthy
environment enhance the quality of our daily lives, but also natural
resources in the DFW area are critical in supporting tourism, a
key element of our local economy. Congresswoman Johnson has worked
hard to find common ground between environmentalists and industry
because she understands it is critical to our local business community.
She believes it is a moral obligation to leave our children a clean
and protected environment.
Congresswoman Johnson has led the battle in the House of Representatives
against environmentally unsound industries which proposed waiting
until 2012 to begin the process of cleaning up unhealthy air contaminants
that plague the DFW area. She is recognized by numerous national
organizations for her efforts to defend clean air policies and protect
environmental standards for all Americans.
Congresswoman Johnson was the leader in Congress's historic move
to override President Bush's veto of the Water Resources Development
Act. This law provides a much-needed national investment in flood
prevention, navigation improvements, and ecosystem restoration for
our waterways.
Congresswoman Johnson also believes that a strong commitment to
environmental sustainability for all people is one of the cornerstones
of building a more just world. For that reason, She believes environmental
stewardship should be a consideration in every policy decision undertaken
by our government. For example, drilling for oil in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) has long been a favorite goal of several
big oil companies. Drilling in ANWR would greatly damage a precious
natural resource while doing nothing to help us achieve longterm
progress toward energy independence. Congresswoman Johnson voted
against Republican efforts to open the refuge for drilling.
Congresswoman Johnson also believes climate change threatens all
people's security. As a global economic and political power, the
United States has a responsibility to provide real leadership to
reduce the threat of climate change. To help make good on that promise,
Congresswoman Johnson supported the Safe Climate Act, which calls
for a 2% annual reduction in global warming pollution every year
from 2010 to 2050.
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Health Care
As a non-practicing registered nurse, Congresswoman Johnson realizes
that our current health care system needs major surgery.
Congress must finally tackle health care problems that have languished
for too long, important issues such as the 44 million Americans
that remain uninsured and seniors without access to prescription
drugs. Congresswoman Johnson will continue to work tirelessly in
the fight to preserve the Social Security benefits North Texans
have earned. Johnson is vigorously opposed to any plan that will
result in a reduction in Social Security benefits. She believes
that Social Security is a promise that must be protected not just
for our retirees, but also for widows, orphans and people with disabilities.
She has worked tirelessly to ensure that our nation maintains a
strong public health system safety net for the poor and uninsured.
Congresswoman Johnson targeted her efforts to ensure the extension
and expansion of the State Childrens Health Insurance Program.
Congresswoman Johnson supported legislation that improves the Medicare
Prescription Drug Program, addressing deadline penalties and ensuring
that the program is affordable and comprehensive. In her district,
she worked closely with Senior Citizens organizations, hosting telephone
town halls and bringing Medicare specialists to the community to
advise seniors as to the best possible benefit from the program.
Congresswoman Johnson joined in efforts to replace the scheduled
10.1% cut to the Medicare physician reimbursement rate to a 0.5%
increase, encouraging doctors that serve the poorest populations
to continue to do so.
To help speed cures and treatments for disease, Congresswoman Johnson
advocated specific increases for the Federal investment in a broad
range of research fields, including biomedical research.
Congresswoman Johnson has served as the chief psychiatric nurse
at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Dallas, and as regional
director of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
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Homeland Security, National
Security, Veterans
Congresswoman Johnson is an ardent supporter of homeland security
and a strong national defense.
She has traveled to Iraq to meet with our troops and military leaders
on several occasions. She has consistently voted for better equipment
and protection for our brave men and women despite her opposition
to the Iraq War.
Congresswoman Johnson also understands the need to protect the
transportation and infrastructure of Texas and America at large
from terrorist attacks and has worked hard to ensure that adequate
resources are made available to state and local governments.
Congresswoman Johnson has always been a supporter of first responders
who protect our community, and she has worked to ensure that law
enforcement officials, fire fighters, police, as well as emergency
response personnel have the equipment and training they need in
the event of an emergency. For example, Congresswoman Johnson strongly
supports the Community Oriented Policing (COPS) program, which has
aided the Dallas Police Department with equipment, technology, and
personnel to combat local crime.
As the senior Texan on the Transportation Committee, Eddie Bernice
Johnson held the first town hall meetings in the DFW region on Homeland
Security, addressing the needs of first responders. The Congresswoman
examined how the federal government could better assist state and
local governments with the consequences of chemical, biological,
and nuclear disasters, and domestic terrorism.
For our veterans, Congresswoman Johnson's commitment is unwavering.
She has consistently supported increased funding for veterans healthcare,
cost of living increases for Veterans Administration benefits, and
fought to ensure that Dallas VA facilities remain a reliable and
convenient place for our North Texas veterans to attend their medical
needs.
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International Relations, Trade, Peace
Congresswoman Johnson is nationally and internationally recognized
as a leader in democracy, good governance, and human rights. She
was one of the first members of Congress to visit Iraq and meet
with the U.S. Armed Forces personnel stationed in Baghdad.
Congresswoman Johnson has led the way in Congress to protect the
lives and rights of women and children during war, conflict and
its aftermath. She has introduced numerous resolutions on the role
of women in war and post conflict situations. Her resolutions seek
to ensure economic rights and empowerment as important steps toward
equal rights all over the globe. She has held national and international
peace discussion forums to promote the productive exchange of ideas
and experiences among women of all ethnic and national communities.
The Congresswoman believes that the children of the world deserve
to inherit a culture of peace; a lengthy process, where the results
are not visible overnight, but long overdue.
Congresswoman Johnson bases her votes on the foreign policy specific
resolutions on the notion that dialogue and engagement are the first
steps toward non-violent conflict resolution.
Congresswoman Johnson supports our troops by working to bring them
home safely, as soon as possible.
Congresswoman Johnson believes the tragedy in Darfur has gone on
far too long.
She has joined colleagues in Congress to pass sanctions against
the Sudanese government, encourage international companies to divest
from Sudan, and pushing for greater international intervention to
bring an end to the crisis.
Congresswoman Johnson knows that trade policies combined with a
comprehensive national workforce focused agenda will ensure continued
U.S .
leadership in fast growing industries. She continues to look for
ways to balance economic policies with the necessary safety nets
that will help American workers adjust to the global economy. She
supports legislation that guarantees health insurance for all dislocated
workers, ensures portable pensions, and lowers college tuition particularly
for families that are experiencing economic hardship.
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Science
As the third most Senior Democrat Member of Congress serving on
the House committee on Science and Technology, Congresswoman Johnson
is keenly aware of the details of science policy and an engaged
participant in the lawmaking process. Congresswoman Johnson believes
that science is the answer for our nation's security, health, and
economy. In the midst of an international financial crisis and increasing
unemployment, an increased focus on strengthening America's science
and technology infrastructure is needed now more than ever.
Congresswoman Johnson supports initiatives which raise standards,
prepare strong educators, and encourage more students to pursue
careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. Nationwide,
just 6.6 percent of 8th graders scored at the advanced level on
the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress in math. Moving
forward, we must expand educational programs, especially those dedicated
to K-12 education and to teacher enrichment activities and reach
out to groups who have been left behind. This type of investment
is desperately needed to increase our scientific workforce and will
ultimately sustain America's competiveness and future.
Congresswoman Johnson has successfully authored several important
measures that shape this nation's science policy, including contributions
to the drafting of the America COMPETES Act. This bill, which was
signed into law by President Bush, provides key investments in our
nation's education system to increase educational opportunities
in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields. In 2009,
Congresswoman Johnson once again introduced H.R. 1144, the Fulfilling
the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Act.
This legislation would implement recommendations outlined in the
National Academies report, Beyond Bias and Barriers, which
aims at increasing the number of women who pursue advanced degrees
in science.
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Transportation
Congresswoman Johnson strongly believes that maintaining an efficient,
multi-modal transportation system is critical to regional and national
economic growth.
Transportation issues are a top priority and Congresswoman Johnson
has played a leadership role in major projects such as DART, I-35,
DFW, the intermodal hub in Southern Dallas County, and the Trinity
River project.
As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee, and current Chairwoman of the Water Resources and Environment
Subcommittee, Congresswoman Johnson has been instrumental in enacting
national policy relating to all modes of transportation as well
this nation's critical water issues.
The Water Resources Development Act of 2010, legislation Congresswoman
Johnson co-authored, will soon be introduced. This vital bill authorizes
and modifies numerous critical projects in the areas of navigation,
flood damage reduction, hurricane and storm damage reduction, and
environmental restoration.
Congresswoman Johnson has also continued to push for increased
investment in maintaining our transportation infrastructure as part
of economic stimulus efforts including the potential of high speed
rail. Funding projects that are ready in North Texas will provide
thousands of good-paying jobs while creating economic assets that
reduce congestion and make our transportation system more efficient.
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