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.
As a 26-year veteran of the United States Air Force, I am grateful to all of America's heroes - the men and women in uniform 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.
Last Congress, my colleagues and I worked to pass the VA MISSION Act to streamline duplicative VA community care programs and give veterans greater access to health care in both VA facilities and in their communities. Particularly in rural areas, it’s important that veterans have the option to seek care locally for basic health needs, rather than travel longer distances or experience greater wait times for appointments at VA facilities. However, we must also ensure that health care providers are being reimbursed by the VA in a timely manner for the services they are providing. Be assured, I will continue working with my colleagues to reduce bureaucratic and administrative inefficiencies.
In the 112th Congress, I had the honor of serving as the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committees. My subcommittee worked diligently to uncover several of the VA scandals that surfaced during the Obama administration. I have continued to work to ensure the VA is operating through greater transparency and accountability. For as long as I serve in Congress, I will fight to make sure all our nation's veterans receive the treatment and benefits 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 they have earned and to which they are entitled. During this session of Congress, I am pleased to support H.R. 95, the Homeless Veteran Families Act, which would give the VA the authority to pay a partial per diem to certain providers to support homeless veterans with children. Additionally, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 303, the Retired Pay Restoration Act, which would make individuals who were retired or separated from the military due to a service-connected disability eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and military retired pay.
I am also proud to have co-sponsored and advocated for H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, which has been signed into law by President Trump. This legislation provides a long overdue correction by extending the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange to veterans who served in the Blue Water Navy during the Vietnam War, ensuring that these heroes are provided the disability benefits that they have earned for their service.