Washington, DC – Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson received the “Making the Difference Award” from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling Tuesday night, in recognition for her support of financial literacy initiatives in Congress.

“I believe that a financially-literate public is a key component of a strong economy,” Congresswoman Johnson said.  “As we work to move our economy to recovery and then to long-term prosperity, we must also do whatever we can to promote financial education.  I am honored to receive this award, and I look forward to a long partnership with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.”

In the 111th Congress, Congresswoman Johnson has introduced the National Financial Literacy Act of 2009, which will provide incentives to financial institutions, small businesses and corporations to provide financial education to their customers and employees, and the Naturalized Citizens Assistance Act, which will make financial education more available to newly-naturalized American citizens.  Under both bills, financial education programs will include such topics as saving for retirement, managing credit, long-term care, estate planning, insurance, income taxes, predatory lending, identity theft and financial abuse schemes.  Congresswoman Johnson also introduced the Expanding Tax Assistance Act of 2009, which will ensure that there is at least one official Internal Revenue Service tax assistance center located in each Congressional district.

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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a senior member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which, includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Oak Lawn, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, & South Oak Cliff; all of Balch Springs, DeSoto, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Ferris, Glenn Heights and Ovilla.