Bill Johnson
R-Ohio, Air Force
Bio: Bill Johnson was born and raised on family farms, where he learned early the values of hard work, honesty, and sacrifice. Those values have stayed with Johnson throughout his life and have made him the leader he is today.
Following his retirement from military service, Johnson turned to creating and building high technology businesses. He cofounded Johnson-Schley Management Group, Inc., an information technology (IT) consulting company that increased revenues by more than 200% in just three years under his leadership. In 2003 he left Johnson-Schley to form J2 Business Solutions, Inc., where he focused on providing executive level IT support as a defense contractor to the U.S. military.
From 2006 through 2010, Johnson served as Chief Information Officer of a global manufacturer of highly engineered electronic components for the transportation industry headquartered in Northeast Ohio. As a member of the executive leadership team, he managed a multi-million-dollar departmental budget.
Since first being elected in 2010, Johnson has been fighting to create jobs in Eastern and Southeastern Ohio, improve services to our nation’s heroes – our veterans, and to make our federal government more effective, efficient, and accountable to the American people. He’s working hard to ensure that our children and grandchildren are blessed with the same opportunities of previous generations. Johnson has led the effort in the House of Representatives to defend the coal industry from executive and bureaucratic overreach, and to secure American energy independence. Seven bills authored by Johnson were signed into law during his first two terms.
In November of 2016, Johnson was elected to a fourth term to serve the people of Eastern and Southeastern Ohio. Johnson retained his seat on the powerful House Energy & Commerce Committee that is charged with providing a key role in developing America’s energy, healthcare, and telecommunications policies (among others), while providing oversight on the Administration’s implementation of these laws. Johnson also serves on the House Budget Committee.
Congressman Johnson, and his wife LeeAnn, currently reside in Marietta, Ohio with a son, Nathan. Johnson is also the proud parent of three grown children: Joshua, Julie, and Jessica, and is a grandfather of six.
Military Bio: Johnson entered the U.S. Air Force in 1973, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after a distinguished military career of more than 26 years. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Troy University in Troy, Alabama in 1979, and he earned his Master’s Degree from Georgia Tech in 1984. During his tenure in the U.S. Air Force, Johnson was recognized as a Distinguished Graduate from the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Squadron Officers School, and Air Command & Staff College. Bill is also a proud recipient of the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. As Director of the Air Force’s Chief Information Officer Staff at U.S. Special Operations Command, Johnson worked directly with senior congressional and Secretary of Defense representatives, as well as top leaders within the various U.S. intelligence communities, to ensure America’s Special Operations forces were adequately equipped to carry out critical national security missions.
Legislation: As a 26 year veteran of the United States Air Force, I am grateful to all of America’s heroes – the men and women who willingly risk their lives to protect our freedoms. One of my top priorities as your representative is ensuring that our veterans and their families receive the benefits, care, and services they have earned through their sacrifices.
Our veterans and their families deserve our deep appreciation for their service and sacrifice. They also deserve much better care than what they are receiving from the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA). After thousands of reports of long wait times, unnecessary deaths, and delays in approving benefits, it is clear that the VA is woefully underserving our veterans.
In the 112th Congress, I had the honor of serving as the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committees. Many of the recent VA scandals were uncovered by my subcommittee, which has worked diligently to uncover the truth behind the smoke screen that is the VA. For as long as I serve in Congress, I will fight to make sure all of our nation’s veterans receive the treatment and benefits which they have earned.
While serving in Congress, I have authored and supported numerous important pieces of legislation to ensure these men and women, their families, and survivors are receiving the health care, educational and job training opportunities, and other benefits to which they have earned and are entitled. During this session of Congress, I introduced H.R.2605, the Veterans Fiduciary Reform Act of 2015, legislation to reform the VA’s fiduciary program and protect vulnerable veterans from fraud and abuse. Assistance Program.
I am proud that my “Veterans Health Care Facilities Capital Improvement Act”, was signed into law, providing necessary funds for VA hospital construction and renovation projects. During the last Congress, I am also proud to say that I introduced the “World War II Memorial Prayer Act” that requires a plaque or inscription with the words President Franklin Roosevelt prayed with the nation on June 6, 1944, the morning of D-Day be placed on the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC. This legislation passed Congress and has been signed in to law.
Our veterans and their families deserve our deep appreciation for their service and sacrifice. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to ensure that these heroes receive the care they have earned. We owe quality – and timely – healthcare to the men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting and defending us.