William Leslie Johnson (born November 10, 1954) is an American businessman and politician who has been the U.S. representative for since 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Early life, education, and business career
Born in Roseboro, North Carolina in 1954, Johnson grew up on family farms. He entered the United States Air Force in 1973, and married Wanda Florence Porter on April 30, 1975. They had three children. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after a military career of more than 26 years. He graduated summa cum laude from Troy University 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.
Johnson has received 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, he worked directly with senior congressional and Secretary of Defense representatives, as well as top leaders of the various U.S. intelligence communities, to ensure America's Special Operations forces were adequately equipped to carry out critical national security missions.
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.
Johnson is Protestant.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2010
In May 2010, Johnson defeated two primary opponents to win the Republican nomination. In the general election, he defeated incumbent Charlie Wilson, 50%–45%. He began his term in the 112th United States Congress on January 3, 2011.
2012
In November 2011, Wilson filed for a rematch in the newly redrawn 6th District, which had been made slightly friendlier to Republicans in redistricting. Johnson defeated Wilson again in a heavily contested race, 53% to 47%, and began his second term in January 2013.
2014
In 2014, Johnson faced Democratic nominee Jennifer Garrison, a former State Representative and lawyer from Marietta, Ohio. Johnson defeated Garrison, 58% to 39%, with Green Party candidate Dennis Lambert taking 3%. He began his third term in January 2015.
2016
Johnson was reelected to a fourth term in the 2016 general election, defeating Democrat Michael Lorentz, the mayor of Belpre, Ohio, 71%-29%.
2018
Johnson was reelected to a fifth term, defeating Democrat Shawna Roberts, of Barnesville, Ohio, 69%-30%.
Tenure
On January 7, 2021, Johnson objected to the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results in Congress.
The House passed Johnson's World War II Memorial Prayer Act, which would require the prayer President Franklin Roosevelt gave on D-Day to be placed on the World War II memorial.
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. 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.
Committee assignments
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade
Subcommittee on Environment and Economy
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Subcommittee on Space
Caucus memberships
Congressional Arts Caucus
Congressional Western Caucus
Republican Study Committee
Republican Main Street Partnership
Republican Governance Group
Problem Solvers Caucus
Legislation sponsored
Community Fire Safety Act of 2013 (H.R. 3588; 113th Congress) – Johnson introduced this bill into the House on November 21, 2013. The bill would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from requiring that all new fire hydrants in the United States be lead-free beginning in 2014.