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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas |
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retired as dean of the Texas congressional delegation in January |
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2023, concluding a noteworthy tenure spanning 15 terms in office; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Admired as a trailblazer, Representative Johnson |
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became the first Black woman ever elected to public office in Dallas |
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when she won a seat in the Texas House in 1972; twenty years later, |
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she earned distinction as the first registered nurse ever to serve |
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in Congress; she became the first Black woman to chair the House |
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Science, Safety, and Technology Committee in 2019; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Johnson was an ardent champion of |
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STEM education for girls and minority students, and she helped |
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secure passage of the CHIPS and Sciences Act to increase production |
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of semiconductor chips in the United States; moreover, she played |
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an important role in the development of The University of Texas |
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Arlington and Dallas campuses as Tier One Research facilities; and |
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WHEREAS, Benefiting transportation and the economy in North |
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Texas, Representative Johnson was instrumental in passage of the |
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law repealing the Wright Amendment, which had imposed flight |
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restrictions on Dallas Love Field; throughout her tenure, she |
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worked tirelessly to bring federal funding for Dallas Area Rapid |
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Transit; her efforts also proved key in legislation that helped |
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enable construction of AT&T Stadium in Arlington; she excelled in |
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forging positive relationships across the aisle to achieve results |
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for her constituents; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Johnson was born in Waco in 1935, and |
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after graduating from A. J. Moore High School, she earned her |
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nursing certificate from St. Mary's College at the University of |
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Notre Dame; she went on to receive a bachelor's degree from Texas |
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Christian University and a master of public administration degree |
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from Southern Methodist University; while employed by the Veterans |
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Administration hospital in Dallas, she was a psychotherapist and |
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chief psychiatric nurse; following three terms in the Texas House, |
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she served as an administrator for the United States Department of |
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Health, Education, and Welfare; she then became a business owner |
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and served in the Texas Senate from 1987 to 1993; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of her long and distinguished career |
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in public service, Eddie Bernice Johnson demonstrated a deep |
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understanding of the needs of her constituents and an unyielding |
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commitment to building a brighter future for all Americans; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Eddie Bernice Johnson for her exemplary |
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service as a United States congresswoman and extend to her sincere |
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best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Representative Johnson as an expression of high regard |
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by the Texas House of Representatives. |