In the 2010 United States House of Representatives elections, Johnson defeated incumbent U.S. representative Charlie Wilson by a margin of 5%. He was reelected to the position six times. In November 2023, the Board of Trustees at Youngstown State University offered him the position of president. Johnson accepted and resigned from Congress in January 2024 to become the 10th president of the university.
Early life and business career
William Leslie Johnson was born on November 10, 1954, in Roseboro, North Carolina.[3] After graduating from S.D. Lee High School in Columbus, Mississippi, he entered the United States Air Force in 1973.[4] Johnson graduated summa cum laude from Troy University in 1979 and from Georgia Tech in 1984 with a master's degree.[5][6] 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.[7] He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after a military career of more than 26 years.[8]
After his service in the military, he co-founded Johnson-Schley Management Group, an information technology (IT) consulting company that increased revenues by more than 200% in three years under his leadership. In 2003, he left the company to form J2 Business Solutions, where he provided executive-level IT support as a defense contractor to the U.S. military. From 2006 to 2010, he served as chief information officer of a global manufacturer of electronic components for the transportation industry.[2]
Personal life
On April 30, 1975, he married Wanda Florence Porter. They had three children together.[citation needed] Johnson is Protestant.[9][10] While Johnson and Porter got divorced, he got remarried to his current wife, LeeAnn Johnson. They have a son, Nathan, together.
In May 2010, Johnson defeated two primary opponents to win the Republican nomination.[11] In the general election, he defeated incumbent Charlie Wilson, 50%–45%.[12] He began his term in the 112th United States Congress on January 3, 2011.
In November 2011, Wilson filed for a rematch in the newly redrawn 6th District, which had been made slightly friendlier to Republicans in redistricting.[13] Johnson defeated Wilson again in a heavily contested race, 53% to 47%, and began his second term in January 2013.[citation needed]
In 2014, Johnson faced Democratic nominee Jennifer Garrison, a former State Representative and lawyer from Marietta, Ohio.[14] Johnson defeated Garrison, 58% to 39%, with Green Party candidate Dennis Lambert taking 3%. He began his third term in January 2015.[citation needed]
The House also passed Johnson's Stop the War on Coal Act, which would stop the creation of any new rules that threaten mining jobs.[16] Both pieces of legislation have been sent to the Senate for consideration. Johnson sponsored H.R. 4036, the Pass a Budget Now Act, which would cut legislators' pay if a budget is not passed by April 15 of each year.[17]
Johnson sponsored and supported several pieces of federal legislation during his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Veterans Health Care Facilities Capital Improvement Act
In 2011, Johnson sponsored the Veterans Health Care Facilities Capital Improvement Act of 2011 (H.R. 2646), which authorized funding for major construction and renovation projects at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities to address infrastructure deficiencies and expand capacity. The bill passed both chambers of Congress and was signed into law as Public Law 112-37 on October 5, 2011, by President Barack Obama.[26]
Community Fire Safety Act
Johnson introduced the Community Fire Safety Act of 2013 (H.R. 3588; 113th Congress) into the House on November 21, 2013. [27] The legislation amended federal law to permit the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a safety standard for fire-safe cigarettes, allowing states to enforce regulations intended to reduce fire-related injuries and deaths. The bill became law as Public Law 113-64 on December 20, 2013, following signature by President Barack Obama.[28]
Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America
Johnson introduced the Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America (H.R. 2824; 113th Congress) into the House on July 25, 2013.[29] If passed, the bill would have amended the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to require state programs for regulation of surface coal mining to incorporate the necessary rule concerning excess spoil, coal mine waste, and buffers for perennial and intermittent streams published by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement on December 12, 2008.[30] Supporters of the bill argued that it would be good for jobs, save the government money, and improve U.S. energy production by preventing the Obama administration from introducing more coal regulations.[31] Opponents described it as a bill that would require "OSM to implement the flawed 2008 Stream Buffer Zone rule and prevent the agency from improving that rule for a minimum of seven years".[32]
Improving Trauma Care Act
Johnson introduced the Improving Trauma Care Act of 2014 (H.R. 3548; 113th Congress) into the House on November 20, 2013.[33] The Bill focused on strengthening the nation’s trauma care system by improving coordination among emergency medical services, trauma centers, and federal agencies. It would amend the Public Health Service Act, with respect to trauma care and research programs, to include in the definition of "trauma" an injury resulting from extrinsic agents other than mechanical force, including those that are thermal, electrical, chemical, or radioactive. The bill was enacted as Public Law 113-152 on August 8, 2014.[33]
During the 117th Congress, Johnson sponsored H.R. 2472, designating the United States Postal Service facility located at 82422 Cadiz Jewett Road in Cadiz, Ohio, as the John Armor Bingham Post Office. The bill was signed into law as Public Law 117-269 on December 27, 2022, by President Joe Biden.[35]
Howard Arthur Tibbs Post Office
Johnson also sponsored H.R. 2473, which designated the United States Postal Service facility at 275 Penn Avenue in Salem, Ohio, as the Howard Arthur Tibbs Post Office. The legislation became Public Law 117-270 on December 27, 2022.[36]
World War II Memorial Prayer Act
Johnson sponsored the House version of the World War II Memorial Prayer Act, legislation directing that the prayer delivered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on D-Day be inscribed at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. The bill was enacted in 2014 and funded through private donations, with a permanent plaque later installed at the memorial.[37]
Stop the War on Coal Act
Johnson introduced the Stop the War on Coal Act, a legislative package intended to restrict federal agencies from issuing new regulations perceived as adversely affecting coal mining employment. The legislation passed the House of Representatives but did not receive final passage in the Senate.[38]
Pass a Budget Now Act
Johnson sponsored H.R. 4036, the Pass a Budget Now Act, which proposed reducing congressional pay if a federal budget was not passed by April 15, as required under existing budget law. The bill was introduced but did not become law.[39]
Political positions
During the presidency of Donald Trump, Johnson voted in line with Trump's stated position 96.8% of the time.[40] As of September 2021, Johnson had voted in line with President Joe Biden's stated position 13.9% of the time.[41]
Race relations
As protesters called for the removal of statues deemed racist, Johnson authored an opinion piece for The Washington Examiner titled "Our History Can Safeguard our Future". In his piece, Johnson opposed the toppling of statues, writing, "To really unify our country, we must pause and consider our history to provide context for our current national dialogue. We need to step out from behind our keyboards and learn more of the nuance of our shared heritage."[42]
Abortion
In a candidates' questionnaire in 2010, Johnson wrote, "I am pro-life, and I oppose abortion except in the case of rape, incest, and when the mother's life is in danger. Additionally, I support parental notification and a ban on partial birth abortions." During his 2010 and 2012 campaigns, Johnson was endorsed by the Ohio Right to Life PAC.[43]
Environmental issues
In 2016, during a House committee hearing on Environmental Protection Agency regulations, Johnson criticized the agency's approach to environmental rules, arguing that its policies harmed American businesses.
Johnson was briefly criticized on an episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver for asking a Department of Energy representative about the financial return on investment regarding the Clean Future Act, which host John Oliver compared to asking about the financial return on investment of a fire department.[44][45]
Johnson supported President Donald Trump’s 2017 executive order restricting travel from several countries and backed a revised version after federal courts blocked the initial order.[49]
Same-sex marriage
Johnson opposes the legalization of same-sex marriage, saying that it "undermines the integrity of the American family".[50]
Trump administration
In April 2018, Johnson defended EPA head Scott Pruitt during a congressional hearing on ethics concerns, arguing that the questioning had become personal in tone.[51] While Pruitt was being grilled, largely along party lines, during an April 2018 hearing about the ethics concerns, Johnson said, "I think it's shameful today that this hearing has turned into a personal attack hearing and a shameful attempt to denigrate the work that's being done at the EPA and with this administration". Public officials should have ethical standards "beyond reproach ... but so should members of Congress", he added.[51][52]
Resignation from Congress and move to Youngstown State University
On November 16, 2023, the Board of Trustees at Youngstown State University offered Johnson the position of president of the university, which Johnson accepted.[57] Johnson resigned from the House effective January 21, 2024, and assumed the presidency at Youngstown State the following day.[58][1]
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