Congress must not disappoint!

By Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

As members of Congress we have been sent to Washington to write legislation for our country, and to promote and protect the interests of  voters that elected us.

Rather than cooperating with one another, members engage in torrents of chaos, bringing our government to a halt, harming innocent people and vital programs.

What we have in Washington today does not reflect the values of the founders of our nation. If its members, who met for the first session in March of 1789, were alive today I am certain that they would be in a profound state of shock,  after witnessing what has become of what they began.

When I first came to U.S. Congress most members worked on a bi-partisan basis. Yes, we were Democrats and Republicans who differed, but we were able to function, to pass legislation, and we created an environment of civility.

If the American idea of Democracy  is to continue to be the one that people the world over look to for instruction, members of Congress must return to behavior that is constructive. We must civilly legislate in the interests of the American people.

There are tremendous problems being ignored in our country. There are a number of issues that need to be addressed, including infrastructure, immigration, disaster relief, the national debt and healthcare.

Due to the toxic environment on Capitol Hill very little of substance is being accomplished. This is unacceptable and must be confronted and eliminated. The American people deserve more than they are being given.

The Congress of the United States cannot afford to disappoint its citizens, giving them a menu of inaction. We are better than that!

• Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas.