Congressman Johnson: Town Halls, Webinars, Travel to DC
U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Ohio’s 6th Congressional District is hanging tough. You can learn more about the Congressman at his website.
What are some ways the COVID-19 outbreak has changed your work life?
Ohio’s 6th Congressional District is the longest district east of the Mississippi River. Prior to COVID-19, during any district work period, my days were extremely long and required a lot of windshield time to get around to all my constituents. So, working from home has been a challenge, especially given that the hard-working people and business owners in Eastern and Southeastern Ohio have had so many issues to deal with. But, I’ve continued to work hard for those I represent, though much of that work has been via phone and video calls. I’ve hosted many town halls and webinars to assist small businesses with questions on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and to help stakeholders in my district prepare for the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction to expand broadband internet access in rural America, which will start shortly. This issue of rural broadband internet access has really come to the forefront on the American people, and that has occupied a large percentage of my time.
Though COVID-19 didn’t create the urban-rural digital divide, it has certainly brought it into full focus. I dare say that lawmakers and decision makers at all levels – local, state, and federal – are now fully aware that access to high speed internet is as important to every American as plumbing and electricity. We live in a digital age, and that’s not going away…and, for people in rural America to participate in distance learning (education), remote working (economic opportunities), and telehealth (access to high quality health care), they must have access to the internet. I’ve spent many hours working this issue…both with constituents and officials at the FCC.
Contact with colleagues hasn’t stopped…but, it has become more challenging. Bipartisanship is hard to obtain in today’s highly politicized environment, but we are still talking and looking for ways to tackle the issues we face, both related to COVID-19 and otherwise. I communicate constantly with my staff to learn what they are hearing from constituents, and my office is still full speed ahead on assisting those who need help with federal agencies. I continue to drive back to Washington for votes and committee hearings.
Many people found themselves out of work due to no fault of their own. It’s always something I keep in mind, and my staff and I go the extra mile to be responsive to their inquiries.
How about your personal life?
Fortunately, I have a family that is very supportive of my role as a U.S. Representative. And, while the work hasn’t slowed down, I’ve enjoyed spending more time at home with my family. Because of the time demands and travel involved with my duties, I am typically either in Washington or traveling up and down the 18 counties I represent. So, I’ve still been very busy — actually busier in many ways than at any time since I was first elected in 2010. I do miss interacting with people in person, though. Phone calls and video conferences are nice, and we are able to get work done and accomplish what we need to, but nothing can replace meeting in-person.
What steps are you taking to hang tough?
I remind my family and my constituents that America has seen tough times before…we’ve had our backs against the wall many times, facing seemingly insurmountable odds. Yet, America has known far more victories than defeat. I’m comforted by seeing so many people pull together on a local level, and it feels great to help small businesses and individuals solve problems. We’re all in this together…and, if we continue to respond to this (and any other) crisis with fact and faith, we’re going to be stronger on the other side of all this. My wife, LeeAnn, my children, and I have taken this time to reflect on our many blessings…I encourage all Americans to do the same.
What advice are you sharing with the people you love?
We will get through this. America has been through tough times before, and we always come out stronger. The strength of our nation is not in our government or institutions…rather, it’s in the indomitable spirit, the heartbeat of the American people. Our history tells us we will make it through this.