Honoring a Legend: The Life and Legacy of Eddie Bernice Johnson

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Retired U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson. The news has been flooded with kind words from our nation’s leaders recounting the amazing life she led. Johnson was a Texas native, born in Waco, Texas on December 3, 1935. Johnson became a nurse in 1955 after attending St. Mary’s College at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana before continuing her education at Texas Christian University in 1967 for her BSN and then her master’s degree in public health from Southern Methodist University in 1976.

As nurses, we mourn the loss of a woman who paved the way for Nurses in Politics as Johnson became the first registered nurse elected to Congress in 1992. She was the first Black chief psychiatric nurse at Dallas’ Veterans Affair hospital where she served as a chief nurse for 16 years before entering into her nearly 50-year tenure as a politician. Congresswoman Johnson was the first black woman to chair the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology and to lead the Congressional Black Caucus. Today, we reflect and celebrate the many accomplishments she had as well as the pathway she started for women and for nurses in politics.

Her most notable impact on the nursing profession was her sponsorship of the National Nurse Act of 2011 which amended the Public Health Service Act to establish a position of National Nurse for Public Health within the Office of the Surgeon General. The duties of this position provided leadership and coordination of Public Health Service nursing professional affairs for the Office of the Surgeon General and other agencies of the Public Health Services. The National Nurse for Public Health was responsible for the identification of national health priorities, encouraging volunteerism of nurses and strengthen the relationship between government agencies and health-related organizations and promote the dissemination of evidence-based practice in educating the public on health and health promotion and disease prevention activities. Her support of this legislation supported and validated the need for public health nurses.

Among her successful work as a civil rights activist, U.S. Rep Johnson sponsored over 300 new laws during her tenure and supported thousands of pieces of legislation. Arguably one of the most iconic pieces of legislation sponsored by Johnson was H.R.1396 — 116th Congress (2019-2020), also known as the recognition of Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson to honor all of the women who contributed to the success of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during the Race to Space. Additionally, it is clear based on sponsored, cosponsored, and supported legislation Johnson maintained significant support for legislation in focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields and ensured appropriate recognition for those who contributed to education advancement and military service.

The Texas Nurses Association sends our sincerest condolences to the family, friends, and constituents of Retired Rep Eddie Bernice Johnson as well as our gratitude for the years hard work and dedication poured into the people of Texas.

For more information about Nurses in Politics, visit us at https://www.texasnurses.org/page/nursesinoffice.