Statement by the Vice President on the Death of Former Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson was a visionary, a pioneer, and a fighter.

At a young age, she witnessed and experienced the profound effects of segregation and decided she would not stay on the sidelines in the fight for justice. She would go on to have a trailblazing career — from becoming the first Black chief psychiatric nurse at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Hospital and the first Black woman elected to public office in Dallas, to serving in the state legislature, becoming the first Black person to represent Dallas in Congress, and making history as the first registered nurse elected to the House of Representatives.

Throughout her long career in public service, she was always clear-eyed about what she was fighting for: the right of every person in Dallas and across the country to live free from discrimination and to have the opportunity to live up to their full potential.

As the first person of color and woman to chair the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, she played an instrumental role in the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, which is making historic investments in our economy, innovation, and HBCUs.

I had the privilege to serve alongside her in the Congressional Black Caucus and know that so many have benefited from her tireless work, myself included. Her legacy and leadership will be felt for generations to come.

Today, Doug and I are thinking of Congresswoman Johnson, her family, her community, members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and all of those whose lives she impacted.