{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"TN\" and year = 2019 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-statement-john-lewis-cancer-diagnosis", "Congressman Cohen Statement on John Lewis Cancer Diagnosis", "2019-12-30", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today released the following statement on learning that Congressman and Civil Rights hero John Lewis has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer:\nJohn Lewis has been a heroic voice of conscience in an era of lessening values. He is America's saint. I was proud to join him on the House floor in protesting the Republican failure to advance reasonable gun safety bills and in standing with him in resistance to the illegitimate presidency we are enduring. Congressman Lewis is loved by all in Congress and is the voice of the beloved community. I know he will fight this cancer and come back as soon as practicable. He is in our prayers.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-commends-boeing-firing-muilenburg", "Congressman Cohen Commends Boeing for Firing Muilenburg", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, today commended Boeing for its decision to fire its CEO Dennis Muilenburg for his mishandling of the company's response to two crashes of its 737 Max aircraft that killed 346 people. Congressman Cohen demanded that Muilenburg take some responsibility for the crashes and the response at a hearing in October, asking What does accountability mean? See that release here.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nI commend Boeing for finally taking the proper action. The serial missteps and failures under the leadership' of CEO Dennis Muilenburg must come to an end for the flying public's safety and for America's economy. I hope this action results in a new leader who can right the errant Boeing ship.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/impeaching-president-united-states", "Impeaching the President of the United States", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,  \n\tThis week, I voted to impeach the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump,for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. I also voted to pass a major spending bill with recordfunding forsome of Memphis' highest priorities; voted to pass the U.S.-Mexico-Canada(USMCA)trade agreement;criticizedthe NCAA for James Wiseman's decision to quit a promising college basketball career and prepare for the NBA; congratulated sisters Jayda and Anaya Murray of Cordova for Winning the Congressional AppChallenge;wrote a letter opposing Tennessee's proposal to block-grantTennCare;announced more than $18 million in federal grants to a variety of Memphis institutions; offered U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars for 2020; and provided guidance for dealing with stress during the holidays. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.\nImpeaching the President of the United States  Voting to Pass a Major Spending Bill Supporting Memphis Priorities  Voting to Pass U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement(USMCA)  Criticizing the NCAA for James Wiseman's Decision  Congratulating the Murray Sisters of Cordova for Winning Congressional AppChallenge  Writing in Opposition to Block-GrantingTennCare  Announcing More than $13.3 Million in Head Start Grants  Announcing $4 Million Grant to Foote Park at South City  Announcing $872,000 in Research Grants to UTHSC and St. Jude  Offering U.S. Capitol Historical Society 2020 Calendars  Weekly Health Tip  Quote of the Day\n  Impeaching the President of the United States\nOn Wednesday, I voted to impeach President Donald Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors.President Trumpabusedhispower and obstructedCongress. Abiding by my oath as a Member of Congress, it was my duty to impeach this lawlessPresident.Before the vote,I argued on the House floor that Donald Trump'sactions threatenedthe core of our democracy by trying to steal the election from the American people.See my release including those remarkshereand my release on passage of the articleshere.  \n\t  Voting to Pass Major Spending Bills Supporting Memphis Priorities  \n\t  \n\tOn Tuesday, I votedfor one of twomajor spending bills funding the federal government through next September and avoiding another government shutdown.I was proud to vote forrecord highfunding forthe National Institutes of Health(NIH), Child Care Community Block Grants, Head Start,andTitle Ieducation programs.It also provides $25 millionto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NIHfor gun injury and mortality preventionresearch.The bill alsoraises the age for purchasing tobacco products to 21,a cause I have supported for a long time.See my release on ithere.  \n\t  Voting to Pass U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement\nOn Thursday, I voted for, and the House passed, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA),which will modernizetrade arrangements between the three countries. Many of its provisionsare marked improvements over the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).The new agreement requires Mexico to change its labor laws, deals more fairly with prescription drug patents, and advances environmental protection of marine wildlife from pollution and overfishing.See my release about ithere.\nCriticizingthe NCAA for James Wiseman's Decision\nI blame the NCAA for the unfortunate situation that led our University of Memphis star James Wiseman towithdraw from the Universityand prepare for the NBA draft.I believe the NCAA should face tough questions aboutitsmethods of disproportionate punishment and wish James the best as he prepares for the NBA.Please see my release about this sad developmenthere.\nCongratulating the Murray Sisters of Cordova for Winning Congressional AppChallenge\nEarlier this week, Jayda and Anaya Murray of Cordova won the Congressional AppChallengefor the 9th Congressional District of Tennessee with their Safety U app. The app presents a series of unsafe situations an entering freshman might encounter at college and offers a range of options for dealing with them. I want to congratulate them for their innovation and engagement with computer science. See my release about themhere.\nWriting in Opposition to Block-GrantingTennCare\nTo be on record for the official comment period, I submitted a letter totheCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services opposing Tennessee's block grant proposal. I remain gravely concerned about what this could mean for Memphians andresidents of the Ninth District. Thousands in our community depend onTennCareto survive, and Governor Lee's priorities have been focused on rural counties rather than cities like Memphis. I have fought tirelessly to expand access to affordable health care, and I believe this block grant would do nothing but harm Memphians. See my letterhere.\nAnnouncing $13.3 Million in Head Start Grants\nOn Thursday, I announced the Shelby County Board of Education and Porter-Leathwould be receiving a combined $13.3 million in Head Start grants. See my releasehere.\nAnnouncing $4 Million Grant to Foote Park at South City  \n\tOn Tuesday, I announced that Memphis will be receiving a $4 million Department of Housing and Urban Development grant for Foote Park at South City. See my release on ithere.\nAnnouncing $872,000 in Research Grants to UTHSC and St. Jude\nOn Monday, the National Institutes of Health informed my office that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will be receiving research grantstotaling $872,000. See my releasehere.\nOffering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars\nMy office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, pleasecompletethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter.\nSign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter\nI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled.  \n\t  \n\tFor those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form.  \n\t  \n\tIf you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form.  \n\t  Weekly Health Tip\nThe holidaysdon't have to be stressful but can often be overwhelming. I want to wish everyone a beautiful holiday season and offer some tips on relieving stress from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)here.\nQuote of the Day\nThis is my House floor speech during the debate on articles of impeachment on Wednesday:\nFrom our founding, the United States has been a special nation: a city upon a hill.' Our values are enshrined in our Constitution: liberty, equality, and opportunity. We are a self-governing people, where every person is equal before the law. In the United States, we don't have a king. We choose our leaders. We vote.\nGenerations of Americans have fought --and some have died  to secure these inalienable rights.\nThe Constitution begins, We the people of the United States.' That's us. It's not we the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, or China,' or we the Democrats' or we the Republicans.' It's We the people of the United States' and all Americans -- and only Americans -- get to have a say in our elections.\nDonald Trump used the high power of the Presidency to pressure a foreign nation to besmirch his perceived primary political opponent. He corrupted our elections and compromised our national security so that he could keep power. Not power for the people  power for himself. In 2016, Candidate Trump called for foreign interference when he said, Russia, if you are listening' In 2019, President Trump sought foreign interference when he needed a favor' from Ukraine to intervene in the 2020 election. President Trump attacked, and is a continuing threat, to our system of free and fair elections.\nLike all of you, I took an oath to support and to defend the Constitution. I urge my colleagues to abide by that oath and stand up to President Trump's abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. To my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I appeal to your patriotism and implore you to defend free and fair elections and preserve the Constitution.\nGod Save the United States of America.\nAs always, I remain  \n\tMost sincerely,\nSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-more-133-million-head-start-grants", "Congressman Cohen Announces More Than $13.3 Million in Head Start Grants", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that two Head Start programs in Memphis will be receiving major grants from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Head Start. The Shelby County Board of Education willreceive$12,163,727 and Porter-Leathwill receive $1,185,656 to further their work in early childhood development.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nI'm pleased that the Shelby County Board of Education and Porter-Leathwill be receiving this substantial support. These funds help underwrite programs for young children in our community to gain access to resources they need. Disadvantaged children need early help to prepare for an increasingly complex and competitive world. Providing young children access to that help benefits our community as a whole.\nPorter-Leathhas served the Memphis community for over 160 years, offering resources to at-risk children and their families. Partnering with the Tennessee Department of Children Services, Porter-Leathoffers residential, foster care, and adoption services alongside numerous other forms of assistance for families. The Early Head Start and Head Start programs are initiatives designed to promote developmental skills in children from birth to five years old, with home-based and center-based services catering to over 5,000 children and families in Shelby County each year.\nThe Administration of Children and Families partners with local providers to address and respond to the needs of vulnerable families, while the Office of Head Start allocates grant funding to 1,700 nonprofit and for-profit agencies that offer Head Start services. Both organizations emphasize inclusive and holistic early development programs in order to better communities across the United States.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-expresses-regret-james-wiseman-s-decision", "Congressman Cohen Expresses Regret at James Wisemans Decision", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today expressed deep disappointment at University of Memphis basketball star James Wiseman's decision to withdraw from the University of Memphis program to prepare for the NBA. He blamed the NCAA's completely unreasonable eligibility ruling, and the decision that the freshman would have to donate $11,500 and miss 12 games, for the unfortunate turn of events.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThe NCAA is responsible for upending what could have been a brilliant college career for this fine young man. All of Memphis will be saddened by James Wiseman's decision. Rather than continuing on in college, he chose to drop out of school. The NCAA essentially fed him to an agent. Rather than have a caring coach and guidance in his youth, he will be a teenage pro. If the NCAA had given him a reasonable suspension, he probably would have stayed. The NCAA has a lot to answer for here.\nYou'd expect Jerry Maguire to say show me the money.' I didn't expect it from Mark Emmert. Mistakes have consequences.\nI wish James Wiseman all the best as he enters the NBA draft.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-votes-us-mexico-canada-trade-agreement", "Congressman Cohen Votes for U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today voted for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that modernizes the trade arrangements between the three countries by updating and improving provisions of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). USMCA was made significantly stronger than the text that the President originally presented thanks to months of tireless work by Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Neal and the USMCA Working Group. The agreement assures that more car and truck parts will be made in America and that much of thework willbe done by employees making more than $16 an hour. It requires Mexico to change its labor laws to make it easier for workers to unionize and includes enforceable labor standards for the first time.It deals more fairly with restrictive prescription drug patents.USMCA also advances environmental protection of marine wildlife from pollution and overfishing.\n\nThe vote on passage was 385 to 41.\n\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\n\nI'm proud to be able to get to yes' on this important, bipartisan bill, which is good for FedEx, manufacturing and Memphis. USMCAis a major improvement over NAFTA, particularly in its laborand pharmaceuticalprovisions. We will need to monitor compliance, especially with its environmentalprovisions,which are an improvement from NAFTA but could be stronger.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-commends-jayda-and-ayanna-murray-winning-congressional", "Congressman Cohen Commends Jayda and Anaya Murray for Winning Congressional App Competition", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today commended Jayda and Ayanna Murray of Cordova for winning the Congressional App Competition for the 9th Congressional District of Tennessee with their Safety U app. The app presents a series of unsafe situations an entering freshman might encounter at college and offers a range of options for dealing with them.\nOfficially launched by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015, the nationwide Congressional App Competition allows students to compete against their peers by creating an application (or app) for desktop/PC, web, tablet, mobile device or other devices using any programming language. It is designed to promote innovation and engagement in computer science.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThis app was selected not only for its impressive code but also because it has an important educational and social mission. This app is an imaginative and practical way to introduce incoming freshmen to potentially threatening situations and helps steer them toward the correct, and safest, responses. It is aptly named Safety U' because its use will prepare new college students for campus life. I congratulate the Murray sisters on this achievement.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-delivers-remarks-during-house-impeachment-debate", "Congressman Cohen Delivers Remarks during House Impeachment Debate", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today spoke on the House floor during the historic debate on two articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump. The House is expected to vote on the articles  that the President abused his powers and obstructed Congress  later today.\nSee Congressman Cohen's remarks here.\nRead the speech:\nFrom our founding, the United States has been a special nation: a city upon a hill.' Our values are enshrined in our Constitution: liberty, equality, and opportunity. We are a self-governing people, where every person is equal before the law. In the United States, we don't have a king. We choose our leaders. We vote.\nGenerations of Americans have fought - and some have died  to secure these inalienable rights.\nThe Constitution begins, We the people of the United States.' That's us. It's not we the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, or China,' or we the Democrats' or we the Republicans.' It's We the people of the United States' and all Americans -- and only Americans -- get to have a say in our elections.\nDonald Trump used the high power of the Presidency to pressure a foreign nation to besmirch his perceived primary political opponent. He corrupted our elections and compromised our national security so that he could keep power. Not power for the people  power for himself. In 2016, Candidate Trump called for foreign interference when he said, Russia, if you are listening' In 2019, President Trump sought foreign interference when he needed a favor' from Ukraine to intervene in the 2020 election. President Trump attacked, and is a continuing threat, to our system of free and fair elections.\nLike all of you, I took an oath to support and to defend the Constitution. I urge my colleagues to abide by that oath and stand up to President Trump's abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. To my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I appeal to your patriotism and implore you to defend free and fair elections and preserve the Constitution. \nGod Save the United States of America.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-votes-impeach-president-trump", "Congressman Cohen Votes to Impeach President Trump", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today voted for, and the House passed, two articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump. The President has now been impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress and will be tried on those charges in the Senate.\nBefore the historic vote, Congressman Cohen participated in a floor debate on the articles. See his remarks here.\nRead Congressman Cohen's speech here:\nFrom our founding, the United States has been a special nation: a city upon a hill.' Our values are enshrined in our Constitution: liberty, equality, and opportunity. We are a self-governing people, where every person is equal before the law. In the United States, we don't have a king. We choose our leaders. We vote.\nGenerations of Americans have fought - and some have died  to secure these inalienable rights.\nThe Constitution begins, We the people of the United States.' That's us. It's not we the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, or China,' or we the Democrats' or we the Republicans.' It's We the people of the United States' and all Americans -- and only Americans -- get to have a say in our elections.\nDonald Trump used the high power of the Presidency to pressure a foreign nation to besmirch his perceived primary political opponent. He corrupted our elections and compromised our national security so that he could keep power. Not power for the people  power for himself. In 2016, Candidate Trump called for foreign interference when he said, Russia, if you are listening' In 2019, President Trump sought foreign interference when he needed a favor' from Ukraine to intervene in the 2020 election. President Trump attacked, and is a continuing threat, to our system of free and fair elections.\nLike all of you, I took an oath to support and to defend the Constitution. I urge my colleagues to abide by that oath and stand up to President Trump's abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. To my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I appeal to your patriotism and implore you to defend free and fair elections and preserve the Constitution.\nGod Save the United States of America.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cooper-congratulates-congressional-app-challenge-winner-tuneer-ghosh", "Cooper Congratulates Congressional App Challenge Winner Tuneer Ghosh", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Representative Jim Cooper (TN-05), announced that Tuneer Ghosh, a local high school junior, is the 2019 Congressional App Challenge winner for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District.\nThe Congressional App Challenge is a national initiative launched in 2013 to encourage interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by middle and high school students.\nA student at Montgomery Bell Academy, Tuneer's Advanced Placement Calculus course inspired him to create an app called Math Whiz, which helps people to sharpen their basic arithmetic skills. As users practice math problems on Math Whiz, the app provides in-depth analysis that measures the speed of user arithmetic skills.\nTuneer identified a problem and used his passion for STEM to solve it. His app will help kids everywhere become stronger, more confident math students, Rep. Cooper said.\nThough this year's app challenge has closed, middle and high school students across the district are encouraged to apply once the 2020 application period opens. To learn more about the Congressional App Challenge, please visit the official website for the initiative here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cooper-to-vote-in-favor-of-impeachment", "Cooper to Vote in Favor of Impeachment", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jim Cooper (TN-05) issued the following statement on his decision to vote to charge President Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress:\nThe Tennesseeand the U.S.model for proper behavior during impeachment is the late Tennessee Senator Howard Baker, a lifelong Republican who had the courage to take down Richard Nixon, a president of his own party, once he learned the truth. Baker, aided by Tennessee lawyer Fred Thompson (who later became a Republican U.S. Senator in his own right), thoroughly investigated Nixon and then, when they found evidence of wrongdoing, favored impeachment. Nixon, of course, then quickly resigned the presidency before being impeached.\nBaker's famous question was, What did the President know, and when did he know it? Baker was not punished by the Republican Party for his bravery. He later, for example, served as President Ronald Reagan's Chief of Staff.\nRepublicans today are so afraid of Trump's supporters that they are not publicly curious, although they often conclude, privately, that he's guilty. Democrats are relying on overwhelmingly credible witness testimony to try to get the facts. Congress has not yet obtained the equivalent of the White House tapes that sank Nixon. The most important White House witnesses like John Bolton, Mick Mulvaney, and Don McGahn have been blocked from testimony by Trump himself, the first president in U.S. history to completely defy investigations by Congress, even by the Republican Senate.\nBut the evidence against Trump is overwhelming. John Bolton apparently called Trump's Ukrainian policy a drug deal and the President's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, a hand grenade. Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, is already in prison, as is the President's campaign manager, Paul Manafort. The President's former top national security advisor, Michael Flynn, is on his way to prison. Is it possible that so many of the President's top advisors were criminals but he knew nothing of their wrongdoing? The President's former chief of staff, Admiral John Kelly, warned him that he was headed for impeachment.\nIf this whole mess were about foreign aid then perhaps Americans could get over it. But it is really about Trump helping Russia, America's enemy, by denying anti-tank weapons to our Ukrainian allies as they tried to beat back Russian occupation. These are life and death issues; already 13,000 Ukrainians have died in the struggle. It is about Trump asking three foreign powers, Ukraine, Russia, and China, to interfere in our U.S. elections. It is about Trump disrespecting all of our U.S. intelligence agencies. It is about Trump, after the 2016 campaign interrupted his efforts to build Trump Tower Moscow, cozying up to Russia's dictator, Vladimir Putin, and to other vicious, murderous dictators around the world.\nShould we overlook such wrongdoing? Howard Baker did not overlook a much more modest offense, the third-rate burglary at the Watergate.\nTennessee is directly harmed by the Russian influence that President Trump has been condoning. The TEN_GOP twitter page with 150,000 followers was a Russian operation designed to confuse Tennessee voters, and was retweeted multiple times by the President's son. Tennessee soldiers are harmed when the President abruptly, after a phone call with his favorite Turkish dictator, pulled our troops from the Syrian border, endangering our Kurdish allies and giving Russia a green light to expand their murderous influence in the area. The President's repeated criticism of NATO, the most successful military alliance in the world, has only emboldened Russia as it has discouraged our strongest and most loyal allies.\nWe, in the United States, are increasingly threatened by Russia and China. Our lives and liberty are threatened by the rulers of those countries. Yet our President has been enabling and encouraging them. Such behavior is impeachable.\nNo one can speak for Senator Baker, but I feel confident that he would be voting for impeachment today if he were in the House of Representatives. That's the way that I am voting: Yes, for impeachment. We have enough proof of high crimes and misdemeanors to send the President's wrongdoing to the Senate for trial. That's what the Constitution demands of us.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-4-million-hud-grant-foote-park-south-city", "Congressman Cohen Announces $4 Million HUD Grant  to Foote Park at South City", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that Memphis will be receiving a Choice Neighborhoods SupplementalGrant of $4 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nI was proud to be a part of the dedication ceremonies at Foote Park in September and am pleased to announce this supplemental grant to expand on the major improvements to a historic Memphis neighborhood.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-votes-record-level-spending-health-and-education", "Congressman Cohen Votes for Record Level Spending on Health  and Education Programs", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today voted for one of two comprehensive spending measures funding federal government programs through the end of fiscal year in September 2020. Both measures passed the House, averting another government shutdown. The measure the Congressman supported provides a record high level of spending on the National Institutes of Health, Child Care and Community DevelopmentBlockGrants, Head Start, Title 1 Education,and Food for Peace.\nThe bill includes $25 million, split between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, for firearms injury and mortality prevention, the first time this vital research has been funded in 20 years. It expands access to affordable housing, lowers prescription drug prices by increasing competition, protects the Affordable Care Act and raises the age for buying tobacco products to 21.The bill also provides an additional $36.2 million to Tennessee for highway and transit spending.\nThe spending measure theCongressmandid not support contained massive amounts of Department of Defense spending and $1.375 billion for President Trump's unwanted border wall.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThese spending bills are a major investment in the true needs of the American people but the amount of defense spending, and funding for Trump's border wall, caused me to vote against the second measure. Recent revelations about Pentagon lies about progress in Afghanistan, and the rampant corruption our spending there has caused, was reason enough to vote against the measure.Ialso declinedto acquiesce in an unnecessary and wasteful border wall.\nReversing the gun-lobby ban on federal research into gun violence will save lives.And mending our social safety net programs and bolstering medical research programs will strengthen American society. All of these provisions have now passed the House.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-872804-research-grants-st-jude-and-uthsc", "Congressman Cohen Announces $872,804 in Research Grants to St. Jude and UTHSC", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that St. Jude Children's Research Center and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center(UTHSC)willeachbe receivingaNational Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to continue their critical research. St. Jude will receive $376,950 for its work on chromatin modifiers from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. UTHSC will receive $495,854 foritswork on metabolism and diabetes from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThese are significant grants underwriting important research. I'm pleased to announce these investments in two of Memphis' highly respected medical research facilities.Thesegrants support good jobsandlead to new treatments and therapies.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-votes-advance-articles-impeachment", "Congressman Cohen Votes to Advance Articles of Impeachment", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Chairman of its Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, voted in the committee this morning to move two articles of impeachment against President Trump to the House floor.\nDuring a two-day markup Wednesday and Thursday, the committee considered a variety of amendments before sending articles charging the President with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for the full House to take up next week.\nDuring Thursday's debate, Congressman Cohen said:\nThe proof is there. This is the most abusive act we can imagine  trying to influence our elections with foreign interference. That takes power away from the American people. And that would end our country as we know it: a democracy, a shining city on the hill, a beacon of hope to people around the world who followed our revolution by changing their governments to give people the power, not kings.\nSee Congressman Cohen's entire remarks here.\nOn Wednesday night, Congressman Cohen delivered a Judiciary Committee speech about the effrontery President Trump's actions have been to the memory of those whofought for free and fair electionsand extended civil rights.See that speech here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/voting-advance-articles-impeachment-house-floor", "Voting to Advance Articles of Impeachment to the House Floor", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,  \n\tThis week, I voted to advance two articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump at thiscrossroadsin our nation's history. I also voted to lower prescription drug costs for millions of Americans; demanded that Boeing be held accountable for not correcting known safety defects in its 737 MAX aircraft; introduced the Safety is Not for Sale Act; highlighted the accomplishments of the House in passing legislation addressing real national needs; questioned experts on the evidence for impeaching the President; called attention to the fact that SUNDAY, December 15,is the deadline for signing up for Affordable Care Act health insurance; pointed out available resources for childcare assistance; offered free 2020 Capitol Historical Society calendars; and offered a health tip about handwashing. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.\nVoting to Advance Articles of Impeachment to the House Floor  Voting to Pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act  Demanding that Boeing be held Accountable for Not Correcting Known 737 MAX Flaws  Introducing Safety is Not for Sale Act  Highlighting Accomplishments of the For the People Agenda  Questioning Legal Counsel and Supporting Introduction of Articles of Impeachment  Announcing $1.9 Million Grant for Continued Rape Kit Testing  Calling Attention to Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act Health Coverage  Welcoming New American Citizens to Memphis  Pointing Out Federal Resources Available for Childcare Assistance  Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars  Weekly Health Tip  Quote of the Week\n  Voting to Advance Articles of Impeachment to the House Floor\nCongressman Cohen spoke at Wednesday's session on the markup of articles of impeachment\nOn Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the House Judiciary Committee, on which I serve as a senior member and Chairman of the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee, considered two articles of impeachment against President Trump  abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. In my opening statement, I discussed the foundation of our democracy, free and fair elections. Throughout our history, heroes have fought to ensure thatAmericanscan choose our leaders,and that every vote counts.See those remarkshere. On Friday morning, I voted to advance both articles to the House floor. See my release on that votehere.\nVoting to Pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act\nOn Thursday, I was proud to vote and see the House pass theElijah E. CummingsLower Drug Costs Now Act, legislationwhichwillallowthe Health and Human Services Secretary to negotiate the price of drugs, including insulin,andlowercostsfortens of millions of peopleon Medicare and private insurance. The bill also reverses price hikes above the rate of inflation and caps the drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries at $2,000. With the savings achieved, the bill will reinvest billions of dollars in the searchfor new breakthrough treatments and cures at the National Institutes of Health. See my release about the billhere.\nDemanding that Boeing be held Accountable for Not Correcting Known737 MAX Flaws\nOn Wednesday, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) appeared before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on which I serve as a senior member. I asked him about his agency's inadequate response to two fatal crashes involving Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and told him someone at Boeing needs the be held accountable. See my release and my questions to theAdministratorhere.\nIntroducing Safety is Not for Sale Act\nBefore Wednesday's Transportation and Infrastructure hearing got under way, I introduced the Safety is Not for Sale Act, legislation that would require air carriers to ensure all non-required safety-enhancing equipment is offered to all carriers without additional charge. See my release about the billhere.\nHighlighting Accomplishments of the For the People Agenda\nI am hearing misleading commentary from the right-wing echo chamber to the effect that the House is not doing anything as it pursues an impeachment inquiry into President Trump's conduct. Nothing could be further from the truth. The House has passed nearly 400 bills this year. But more than 300 of those -- including 275 bipartisan bills -- are stuck in the Senate where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refuses to call them up for a vote. This includes the Paycheck Fairness Act, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and bills to protect people with pre-existing conditions, to raise the minimum wageand to lower prescription drug costs. As we are so often reminded these days: the truth matters.\nQuestioning Legal Counsel and Supporting Introduction of Articles of Impeachment\nOn Monday, I questioned counsel forthe House Judiciary Committee andHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on the evidence collected during theimpeachment inquiry intoPresident Trump. See my release and my questioning of the witnesseshere. On Tuesday, I supportedJudiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler'sintroduction oftwo articles of impeachment. See my release on that decisionhere.\nAnnouncing $1.9 Million Grant for Continued Rape Kit Testing\nThis week, I was pleased to announce that the City of Memphis received a $1,899,781 grant to continue rape kit testing from the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). This will help Memphis and our local law enforcement track down assailants, help victims get justice and protect individuals from becoming victims of recidivists. Since 2014, I have worked successfully to substantially increase federal funding for rape kit testing,passingamendments to appropriations bills. A recent story in The Daily Memphian indicated Memphis has completed testing of 98 percent of previously untested kits.\nCalling Attention to Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act Health Coverage\nOpen Enrollment for 2020 Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance coverage began on November 1 and ends December 15 this Sunday. The Trump Administration reduced the open enrollment period by six weeks after taking office and is keeping that limited window of opportunity again this year. You can visitwww.Healthcare.gov/lower-coststo see if you qualify for tax credits that will be applied as discounts on your monthly insurance premium.\nWelcoming New American Citizens to Memphis\nOn Thursday, sixty new American citizens were sworn induringa naturalization ceremony in U.S. District Judge Mark Norris' courtroom in the downtown Memphis federal building. One of my district staff members represented me at the ceremony at which former residents of Indonesia, Congo, Senegal, Somalia, El Salvador, Columbia and 24 other countries raised their right hands and swore allegiance to our country. I agree with what Judge Norris told those assembled for the event: every American should attend one of these inspiring ceremonies. I welcome the new citizens to Memphis.\nPointing Out Federal Resources Available for Child Care Assistance\nAs your Congressman, one of my top priorities is to ensure that Memphians who work tirelessly to provide a strong foundation for their children have the support they need to be successful. It is important to know that the state of Tennessee has resources available for child care assistance. Eligible parents and guardians may receive support for child care services through Tennessee's Smart Steps Child Care Payment Assistance Program. Visithereto see if you are eligible.\nOffering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars\n  \n\t    \n\tMy office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, pleasecompletethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter.\nSign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter\nI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled.  \n\t  \n\tFor those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form.  \n\t  \n\tIf you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form.  \n\t  Weekly Health Tip\nHandwashing is the easiest way to reduce and prevent the spread of disease. It's simple and, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention informs us, good hand hygiene is good for everyone  except the germs. See that guidancehere.\nQuotesof the Week\nThe evidence of the president's misconduct is overwhelming and uncontested.  House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff at Tuesday's announcement that the House would consider two articles of impeachment against President Trump.\nWhen President Trump, for his own personal political gain, asked for a favor from a foreign leader, he did exactly what our Founders feared most -- he invited the influence of a foreign power into our elections. This is one of the primary reasons the Founders placed impeachment in our Constitution....  \n\tPresident Trump's subversive and illegal actions in seeking foreign interference are an effrontery to our Constitution and to free and fair elections.  \n\tThey are an affront to our Founders.  \n\tThey are an affront to the suffragists who fought for women's voting rights.  \n\tThey are an affront to the memory of Medgar Evers, a civil rights leader assassinated in Jackson, Mississippi.  \n\tThey are an affront to the memories of Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner, civil rights workers murdered in Philadelphia, Mississippiduring the Freedom Summer of 1964 while registering African Americans to vote.  \n\tThey are an affront to the memory of Viola Liuzzo, a mother of five, who was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan while she was in Alabama to participate in the Selma-to-Montgomery March.  \n\tAnd they are an affront to the memory of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. who championed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  \n\tAnd they are an affront to every service member who has fought to defend our nation and our system of self-government, based upon free and fair elections.  \n\tPresident Trump's attempt to subvert our election was an attack on America...  \n\t\"Those who want to turn a blind eye to President Trump corrupting our Democracy will try to get us to look away. We should not look away. I will not look away. I will remember our Founders' great plan for our great nation and I will remember the rule of law. Above all, I will adhere to my oath of office. -- from my Opening Statement at the Judiciary Committee markup of two articles of impeachment.\nAs always, I remain  \n\tMost sincerely,\nSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-votes-lower-prescription-drug-prices", "Congressman Cohen Votes to Lower Prescription Drug Prices", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today voted for, and the House passedH.R. 3, theElijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act,a comprehensive bill that preventsAmericans from having to pay more for their medicines than what Big Pharma charges for the same drugs in other countries.\nThe vote on passage was 230 to 192.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThe House is keeping its for the people' promise to America, today voting on a comprehensive plan to lower prescription drug prices and reform an industry knownfor unexplainable price hikeson life-saving medicationswhile industry CEOs make billionsof dollars.This bill literally puts money back in the pockets of consumers, and is a major step in the right direction.\nThe Lower Drug Costs Now Act:\n \nGives Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies, and creates powerful new tools to force drug companies to the table to agree to real price reductions, while ensuring seniors never lose access to the prescriptions they need.\n \n \nMakes the lower drug prices negotiated by Medicare available to Americans with private insurance, not just Medicare beneficiaries.\n\t\nStops drug companies ripping off Americans while charging other countries less for the same drugs, limiting the maximum price for any negotiated drug to be in line with the average price in countries like ours, where drug companies charge less for the same drugs  and admit they still make a profit.\n\t\nCreates a new, $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, and reverses years of unfair price hikes above inflation across thousands of drugs in Medicare.\n\t\nReinvests the hundreds of billions of dollars in savings in the most transformational improvement to Medicare since its creation delivering vision, dental and hearing benefits  and turbocharging the search for new cures.\n \nAdditionally, H.R. 3's expansion of Medicare coverage for dental, vision and hearing services represents a significant out-of-pocket savings for seniors.\n \n99percentof Medicare beneficiaries in TN-09 (105,000 people) are estimated to gain dental benefits;\n\t81percentof Medicare beneficiaries in TN-09 (86,000 people) are estimated to obtain vision benefits;\n\t87percentof Medicare beneficiaries in TN-09 (92,500 people) are estimated to secure hearing benefits.\n \nCongressman Cohen is a member of the Congressional Medicare for All Caucus and isco-leadingthe Diabetes PreventionSemipostalAct (H.R. 4914), which would raise revenue and direct it to research on diabetes, a diseasethatin Memphis is above the national average.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-demands-boeing-be-held-accountable-not-correcting", "Congressman Cohen Demands Boeing be held Accountable for not Correcting Known 737 MAX Flaws", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today questioned Federal Aviation Administration(FAA)Administrator Stephen M. Dickson after evidence emerged that Boeing was aware of a safety design flawregarding the angle of attack (AOA) disagree alertsin its 737 MAX aircraft but waited three years to address it.\n\nThe two 737 MAX aircraft involved in the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes lacked safety features that could have helped the pilots and aviation mechanics recognize false readings from sensors connected to the aircraft's new flight control system. Following the Lion Air crash, the Indonesian civil aviation authority's final report found that the inoperative AOA disagree alert on the airplane contributed to the crew being denied valid information about abnormal conditions.It was revealedthatBoeing knew in August 2017 that the safety feature only worked on planes for which airlines had paid for it as an optional safety feature.\n\nAddressing Dickson, Congressman Cohen said:\n\nSouthwest Airlines, which operates out of my hometown of Memphis, said in a statement that it had only learned that the system was optional after the Lion Air tragedy. We learned at our previous hearing in October that Boeing initially decided to wait to fix the defect for three years after discovering the flaw. Boeing also confirmed that it kept producing planes with this known defect and did not inform the FAA or its customers about it until after the Lion Air crash in October 2018.\n\nThis is completely unacceptable. Somebody needs to be truly held accountable. Someone needs to be held accountable at Boeing.\n\nSeeCongressman Cohen'squestionsto Administrator Dicksonhere.\n\nToday,Congressman Cohenalsointroduced the Safety is Not for SaleActto remedy the problemand ensure that additional fees are not charged for safety enhancing equipment on airplanes.See hisrelease about the billhere.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-s-remarks-historic-hearing-articles-impeachment", "Congressman Cohens Remarks at Historic Hearing on Articles of Impeachment against President Donald J. Trump", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, this evening delivered remarks at the markup of two articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump. The articles charge the President with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.\nSee Congressman Cohen's remarks here.\nOur Constitution embodies our values and laws and it vests the power of our government in the authority of the people, expressed through free and fair elections.\nWhen President Trump, for his own personal political gain, asked for a favor from a foreign leader, he did exactly what our Founders feared most -- he invited the influence of a foreign power into our elections. This is one of the primary reasons the Founders placed impeachment in our Constitution.\nLast week, Professor Karlan summed up this wrongdoing well when she stated that when President Trump invited -- indeed, demanded -- foreign involvement in our upcoming election, he struck at the very heart of what makes this country the republic' to which we pledge allegiance. That demand constituted an abuse of power.' She continued . . . drawing a foreign government into our election process is an especially serious abuse of power because it undermines democracy itself.'\nIt's as if our Founders could see into 2019 and, when they did, they saw Donald Trump corrupting our Democracy by saying to President Zelensky of Ukraine I'd like you to do us a favor, though. . .'\nPresident Trump's subversive and illegal actions in seeking foreign interference are an effrontery to our Constitution and to free and fair elections.\nThey are an affront to our Founders.\nThey are an affront to the suffragists who fought for women's voting rights.\nThey are an affront to the memory of Medgar Evers, a civil rights leader assassinated in Jackson, Mississippi.\nThey are an affront to the memories of Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner, civil rights workers murdered in Philadelphia, Mississippiduring the Freedom Summer of 1964 while registering African Americans to vote.\nThey are an affront to the memory of Viola Liuzzo, a mother of five, who was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan, while she was in Alabama to participate in the Selma-to-Montgomery March.\nAnd they are an affront to the memory of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. who championed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.\nAnd they are an affront to every service member who has fought to defend our nation and our system of self-government, based upon free and fair elections.\nPresident Trump's attempt to subvert our election was an attack on America.\nThe President got caught when the whistleblower exposed the President's scheme. Then the President sought to cover up that scheme. He stonewalled Congress as we pursued our investigation. He instructed his staff, cabinet, and other federal officials to do the same. Previous Presidents facing impeachment -- even President Nixon -- cooperated with Congress. But President Trump has thumbed his nose at our Constitutional power. Congress is a co-equal branch of government and was foremost in the Founders' minds. They placed Congress first, in Article 1 of the Constitution.\nPresident Trump's obstruction of Congress is an affront to Peter Rodino, who chaired this Committee in the summer of 1974 when Congress investigated Nixon's betrayal of his oath of office.\nIt is also an affront to the memory of Representative Barbara Jordan who, as a member of this Committee, said she would not be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction, of the constitution.'\nAnd it is an affront to the memory of Congressman Elijah Cummings who knew we were better than this.\nAnd it is an affront to the many patriots who loved their country enough to defy the President's tyrannical attempt to prohibit their testimony, including Ambassador Yovanovitch, Ambassador Taylor, Lieutenant Colonel Vindman, and Dr. Fiona Hill.\nAnd, further, it is an affront to the memory of Caldwell Butler, a principled Republican member of the Judiciary Committee in 1974. He did not support impeachment before the hearings, but the evidence convinced him. He announced that he would vote for impeachment by saying, For years we Republicans have campaigned against corruption and misconduct, but Watergate is our shame.' His sense of right and wrong was inviolate. When his Mother warned him that his future would go down the drain' he responded, Dear Mother, You are probably right. However, I feel that my loyalty to the Republican Party does not relieve me of the obligation that I have.' His Mother was wrong. Representative Butler served for another decade.\nAnd President Trump's obstruction of Congress is an affront to the citizens of my district, all members of Congress, and all Americans who support free and fair elections.\nWe, the People's House, have a duty to uphold our oath of office and be the check on a President who abuses his power, betrays his oath, and corrupts our elections. Those who want to turn a blind eye to President Trump corrupting our Democracy will try to get us to look away. We should not look away. I will not look away. I will remember our Founders' great plan for our great nation and I will remember the rule of law. Above all, I will adhere to my oath of office.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wake-boeing-737-max-crashes-congressman-cohen-introduces-safety-not-sale", "In the Wake of Boeing 737 MAX Crashes, Congressman Cohen introduces Safety is Not for Sale Act", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today introduced the Safety isNot for Sale Act, legislation that would require air carriers to adopt additional safety features and ensure all non-required safety enhancing equipment is offered or provided to all carriers without an additional charge.\nThe two 737 MAX aircraft involved in the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes lackedsafetyfeatures that could have helped the pilots and aviation mechanics recognize false readings from sensors connected to the aircraft's new flight control system.Following the Lion Air crash, the Indonesian civil aviation authority's final report found that the inoperative angle of attack (AOA) disagree alert on the airplane contributed to the crew being denied valid information about abnormal conditions.\nIn August 2017, Boeing learned that theAOAdisagree alerts were only functional on the planes where customers also purchased an optional AOA indicator. However, only 20 percent of Boeing's 737 MAX customers purchased these optional AOA indicators. As confirmed by Boeing at the latest Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on the Boeing 737 MAXin October, Boeing also confirmed that it kept producing planes with this known defect and did not inform the FAA or its customers about it until after the Lion Air crash in October 2018.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nAviation safety should not be treated as a luxury bought or sold for an extra fee. Safety features should be standard equipment on all airline fleets.The Safety is Not for Sale Act makes it clear that safetyis not optional.\nSee a copy of the bill here.\nToday, the full House Transportation and Infrastructure Committeewill holda hearing on the Boeing 737 MAX and the FAA's oversight of the aircraft's certification with witnesses including FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson.\nThe bill is supported by many aviation safety advocates, including the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO,andthe National Consumers League.\nThe Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l applauds the introduction of the Safety Is Not for Sale Act, a bill that would make additional safety information available to airline pilots in the cockpit and provide airlines with more safety data about the equipment they operate, while also making onboard safety enhancements easier to acquire, said Capt. JoeDePete, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l. To protect the passengers, crews, and cargo we fly, the U.S. airline industry must constantly enhance the equipment, processes, training, and procedures that havemade commercial air transportation the safest mode of transportation in history.\nWhen grieving the loss of a loved one following an aircraft accident, no one ever talks about the great ticket price they paid. Safety is presumed not for sale, said Sara Nelson, International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO. Our lives and our jobs depend on the core principle that safety is priceless, just like every soul on the plane.\nState of the art safety technology should be standard equipment on all aircraft, said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director, National Consumers League. If this bill were law, it could have saved hundreds of lives and prevented the recent tragic loss of life.\nThis bill is also supported by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants.\nMassachusetts Senator Edward Markeyand California Senator Dianne Feinsteinfirst introduced the Safety is Not for Sale Act in the Senate in April.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-jim-cooper-statement-on-space-force", "Rep. Jim Cooper Statement on Space Force", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I am honored to be here today with my friend and equal partner in this multi-year effort, Mike Rogers of Alabama. This is an excellent example of how friendship across the aisle, and the state line, can get good things done.\n\nWe need to establish a Space Force because we need to keep world-wide GPS safe, world-wide ATMs safe, and, most importantly, to keep YOU safe.\n\nThis is not a Trump idea. He tried to hijack it long after the House Armed Services Committee voted 60-1, on a totally bipartisan and nearly unanimous basis, to establish a Space Corps. Trump's belated support for a Space Force does not make this a Republican idea.\n\nFocus on space has been bipartisan since the first Pentagon space command in 1985, an initiative that was sadly terminated in 2002 when America got distracted by the War on Terror. Our adversaries and potential adversaries were not distracted. Since 2002, they have relentlessly pursued anti-US strategies against our literally defenseless satellites. Sadly, they have made space a war-fighting domain. On behalf of the free world, we must respond.\n\nWhat's the difference between a Space Corps and a Space Force? One word.\n\nThe language in this year's NDAA is primarily the old Space Corps language which passed HASC this year unanimously. The vision that Mike Rogers and I had in 2017 was to separate space from the traditional Air Force because the Air Force was neglecting its space mission and not performing as well as the NRO. We wanted a new independent service under the Air Force, just as the Marine Corps is under the Department of Navy. Our vision was not to spend much money on the Space Corps, but to put Air Force space money under new management. The only additional authorization in this bill for a Space Force in 2020 is $72 million, or less than 0.0001 of Pentagon spending.\n\nTo be sure, this is just the beginning of a long effort to birth a new military service, America's sixth, but it is long overdue and we all must ensure a safe delivery.\n\nWe look forward to your questions.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-supports-introduction-articles-impeachment", "Congressman Cohen Supports Introduction of Articles of Impeachment", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee,todaysupported the introduction oftwo articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump. The articles, to be debated later this week in the Judiciary Committee, charge the President with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nWhen I was sworn in as a Member of Congress, I accepted thesolemn duty of defending the Constitution. Inupholding my oath, I am compelled to support President Trump's impeachment.Trump has repeatedly placed hispersonal politicalinterests above thenationalinterests he swore to preserve, protect and defend.The President asked the president of Ukraine to get involved in next year's American elections for Trump's benefit,robbing Americans of a fair election independent of foreign influence.He then tried to cover it up by repeatedly defying Congressional oversight. Throughout our history, bravemen and womenfought -- and died -- for the right to vote.This impeachment is aboutpatriotism and duty, not politics. We are abiding by our oath to protect the Constitution and the future of our democracy.\nCongressman Cohen, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, originally introduced five articles of impeachment against President Trump in November of 2017.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cooper-responds-to-articles-of-impeachment-against-president-trump", "Cooper Responds to Articles of Impeachment Against President Trump", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Jim Cooper (TN-05) issued the following statement in response to the two Articles of Impeachment brought forth against President Trump,  \n\t  \n\tI will vote for the Articles of Impeachment against President Trump.Once again, the President has intentionally harmed America, this time by disregarding the law and interfering with U.S. aid to fight our enemy - Russia - against tanks that are invading Ukraine, already causing 13,000 casualties. When caught, the President obstructed justice by ordering others to hide the truth. Several of the President's top advisors have already been convicted of other criminal activity and his own former chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly, warned the President that he would likely be impeached if he did not change his ways. While Congress has carried out its constitutional duty to find the truth, the President has repeatedly obstructed its efforts.  \n\t  \n\tThe Senate should now hold a trial on these charges. I just hope there are enough senators like Tennessee's own Howard Baker who simply and bravely asked during the Watergate scandal, What did the President know, and when did he know it?'", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-questions-legal-counsel-impeachment-hearing", "Congressman Cohen Questions Legal Counsel in Impeachment Hearing", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee,today questioned thecounsel for theHouse Judiciary Committeeand the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligenceon theevidence collected during the investigation into President Trump's abuse of power. \nSee Congressman Cohen's exchange with the witness Daniel Goldman here.\nCongressman Cohen also made the following statement:\n\"The facts are undisputed and the President and his enablers have no defense. Today's testimonyrevealed how President Trump abused his office by leveraging American power to pressure a foreign country to intervene in our elections for the President's personal political benefit.He put hisown interests ahead of the country's, and theremustbe consequences.\nThat's the issue we need to get to in this committee: to understand the difference between doing something for the national good, for the international good, for the common good and for your own good. That's the difference.\nOther witnesses at today's hearing were staff attorneys Steve Castor and Barry Berke.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-votes-passage-voting-rights-advancement-act", "Congressman Cohen Votes for Passage of Voting Rights Advancement Act", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today voted for, and the House passed, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, which restores protections of voting rights gutted by a 2013 Supreme Court decision. As Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Congressman Cohen conductedseveral hearings on this bill, including one atthe University of Memphis School of Law in September. Congressman Cohen spoke in favor of the measure before it passed this morning. See that speech here.\nThe vote on passage was 228 to 187.\nAfter the vote, Congressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThe right to vote is the most fundamental right of citizenship in our democracy. Yet for most of our Nation's history, too many of our citizens, and particularly African Americans, were denied this right, especially in the Deep South. The Supreme Court was wrong to undermine the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder in 2013 and Republicans have been wrong in not joining us in reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act. Congress has now responded to ensure that every American has the right to cast a meaningful ballot.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/questioning-witnesses-historic-impeachment-hearing", "Questioning Witnesses at a Historic Impeachment Hearing", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend, This week, I questioned witnesses at a historic Judiciary Committee hearing analyzing the Constitutional grounds for the impeachment of President Trump. I also testified before the Rules Committee to advance theVoting Rights Advancement Act, and voted for the measure on the House floor; voted to curb unwanted robocalls; called attention to open enrollment for Affordable Care Act health insurance; pointed to federal resources available for childcare assistance;condemned a new Trump Administration rule on food stamps;announced federal research grants to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC); offered U.S. Capitol Historical calendars for 2020; and offered a health tip. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.\nQuestioning Experts at Historic Judiciary Committee Hearing on the Impeachment of President Trump  Managing Rules Committee Debate and Voting to Pass Voting Rights Advancement Act  Voting to Curb Annoying Robocalls  Calling Attention to Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act Health Coverage  Highlighting Accomplishments of the For the People Agenda  Pointing Out Federal Resources Available for Childcare Assistance  Condemning and Countering U.S.D.A.'s new SNAP Rule  Announcing Research Grants to St. Jude and UTHSC  Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars  Weekly Health Tip  Quote of the Week\n  Questioning Experts at Historic Judiciary Committee Hearing on the Impeachment of President Trump\nOn Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Constitutional grounds for the impeachment of a president,and I questioned legal scholars who testified that President Trump has committed impeachable acts. This is the fourth time in American history that the U.S. House of Representatives has considered the impeachment of a president. See my release and my questioning of the witnesseshere. See my interview after the hearing with Chris Cuomo of CNNhere. Testifying in Support andVoting to Pass Voting Rights Advancement Act OnWednesday night, I represented theJudiciary Committeeandtestified in favorofbringing theVoting Rights Advancement Act tothe House floor. Earlier today, I voted for and the House passed the bill, which restores protections of voting rights gutted by a 2013 Supreme Court decision -- a major legislative priority. You may recall that, as Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, I conductedseveral hearings on this bill,including one atthe University of Memphis School of Law in September. See my release on the bill's passage, and a floor speech I made in support of it,here. Voting to Curb Annoying Robocalls\nOn Wednesday, I voted for and the House overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act. The bill, which has broad support in the Senate and is likely to be signed into law by the end of the year, requires phone companies to block robocalls without charging customers any extra money and requiresthatcarriers ensure calls are coming from real numbers. It wouldalsogive government regulators more time to find scam callers and penalize them more aggressively. Calling Attention to Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act Health Coverage\nOpen Enrollment for 2020 Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance coverage began on November 1 and ends December 15, which is closer than you might think. The Trump Administration reduced the open enrollment period by six weeks after taking office and is keeping that limited window of opportunity again this year. You can visitwww.Healthcare.gov/lower-coststo see if you qualify for tax credits that will be applied as discounts on your monthly insurance premium. Highlighting Accomplishments of the For the People Agenda I am hearing misleading commentary from the right-wing echo chamber to theeffect that the House is not doing anything as it pursues an impeachment inquiry into President Trump's conduct. Nothing could be further from the truth.The House has passed nearly 400 bills this year. Over 300 of those -- including 275 bipartisan bills -- are stuck in the Senate where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refuses to call them up for a vote. This includes the Paycheck Fairness Act, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and bills to protect people with pre-existing conditions and to lower prescription drug costs.As we are so often reminded these days: the truth matters. Pointing Out Federal Resources Available for Childcare Assistance\nAs your Congressman, one of my top priorities is to ensure that Memphians who work tirelessly to provide a strong foundation for their children have the support they need to be successful.It is important to know that the state of Tennessee has resources available for child care assistance. Eligible parents and guardians may receive support for child care services through Tennessee's Smart Steps Child Care Payment Assistance Program. Visithereto see if you are eligible. Condemningand CounteringU.S.D.A.'s new SNAP Rule This week, the Trump Administration announced it isimplementing a new rule onwork requirementsthat is expected to prevent an estimated 700,000 people from receivingSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.This is a cruel and heartless move, which is whyI joined my colleagues this weektointroducethe Protect SNAP Act. This bill would prevent this rule from taking effect. Announcing Research Grants to St. Jude and UTHSC This week, I announced that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) received significant research grants from the National Institutes of Health. See my releases on the grantshereandhere. Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars  My office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter. Sign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter\n  \n\tI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled. For those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form. If you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form. Weekly Health Tip Last week, I got the shingles vaccine shot. Shingles is an often-painful disease consisting of blisters and a burning sensation that becomes more common with age. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it can be prevented with the vaccine. See the CDC's guidancehere. Quote of the Week\nThe president has engaged in abuse of power undermining our national security and jeopardizing the integrity of our elections. His actions are in defiance of the vision of our Founders and the oath of office that he takes to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Sadly, but with confidence and humility, with allegiance to our Founders and our heart full of love for America, today I'm asking our chairmen to proceed with articles of impeachment.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's statement Thursday. I'll be watching the AAC Championship Game on television Saturdayandwish everyone at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium -- and all loyal Tigers fans -- a second win in as many weeks over the Cincinnati Bearcats, and the championship!Go Tigers! As always, I remain  \n\tMost sincerely,\nSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-questions-witnesses-historic-hearing-impeachment", "Congressman Cohen Questions Witnesses at Historic Hearing  on Impeachment of President Trump", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, today questionedlegal scholars on the Constitutionalgroundsforimpeachment.This isthe fourth time in American history that the U.S. House of Representatives has considered impeachment of a president. See Congressman Cohen's five-minute questioning of the witnesses here.\nAfter the hearing, Congressman Cohen, who is Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, made the following statement:\nToday we heard compelling testimony about why the founders included impeachment in the Constitution and the offenses that would warrant removal from office. President Trump's conduct fulfills the founder's worst fears.The witnesses described howPresidentTrumpabusedhisoffice for personal advantage,betrayed the national interest,andcorruptedthe electoral process.Further we have collected extensiveevidence about how thePresident then tried to cover up his offenses and obstructCongressional oversight. Today's hearing has shown the American people that no one, not even the President is above the law.\nTestifying at today's hearing were:\nNoah Feldman, Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Harvard Law School;\nPamela S.Karlan, Kenneth andHarleMontgomery Professor of Public Interest Law, Stanford Law School;\nMichael Gerhardt, BurtonCraigeDistinguished Professor of Jurisprudence, University of North Carolina School of Law; and\nJonathan Turley, J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law, George Washington University Law School.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-cancer-research-grant-st-jude-1", "Congressman Cohen Announces Cancer Research Grant to St. Jude", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will receive a $695,409 grant from the National Cancer Institute for cancer research.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nI'm pleased to announce that St. Jude will receive this important funding to continue its research into childhood cancers at the nation's premier childhood cancer research hospital. This critical funding will permit St. Jude to make new discoveries, improve therapies, and support the hospital's dedicated employees.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-question-witnesses-historic-judiciary-committee", "Congressman Cohen to Question Witnesses in Historic Judiciary Committee Impeachment Hearing", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committeewill question witnesses Wednesday at a hearing on The Impeachment Inquiry into President Donald J. Trump: Constitutional Grounds for Presidential Impeachment. The hearing, which begins at 10 a.m. Eastern/9 a.m. Central time will be livestreamed from the House Judiciary Committee websitehere.\nOn Wednesday night, theHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence's Trump-UkraineImpeachment Inquiry Reportwas formally approved and transmitted tothe Judiciary Committee for its review.\nCongressman Cohen, the Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, made the following statement:\nWednesday's hearing will behistoric andwillshape our democracy for generations to come. The Intelligence Committee completed its report about the President's conductand transmitted itto theJudiciary Committee. Now, wewill begin our Constitutionaldutytoanalyze thosefindingsand determine if President Trump's actions warrant impeachment.\nThese aregraveissues andI hope all Americanswill follow the findings of the House.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-medical-research-grant-uthsc", "Congressman Cohen Announces Medical Research Grant to UTHSC", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) will receive a $380,000 grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute for research on diabetic vascular disease.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nDiabetes is more prevalent in Memphisand higherthan the national average, so research into any aspect of the disease isgood for Memphians.Thisresearchwill strengthen our Memphis medical school andsupport critical research to fight this devastating disease.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-6-million-airport-grant", "Congressman Cohen Announces $6 Million Airport Grant", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and InfrastructureCommittee, today announced a $6 million Federal Aviation Administration(FAA)grant to Memphis International Airport underwriting construction of de-icing pads and related facilities.\nThe airport is nearing completion of the firstconstructionphase of 12 de-icing pads.The next phaseisexpected to begin next year and be completed in 2022. Snow and ice on aircraft wings can affect airflow during takeoff so it must beremoved. The centralized de-icing facility will eventually replace de-icing done at various locations on the airport property. It will also segregate de-icing-affected water from the storm drainage system.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThis is an important investment and upgrade for the Memphis airport, assuring safety for the flying public. It will also provide good jobs. This grant is good for Memphis.\nThe Memphis International Airport has received $36.8 millionin federal grants so far this calendar year.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/applauding-decision-dispense-surplus-tanf-funds", "Applauding Decision to Dispense Surplus TANF Funds", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,  \n\tThis week, following a letter I wrote to Governor Bill Lee demandingto knowwhy Tennessee has withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance for low-income families, the Tennessee Department of Human Services announced plans to begin utilizing some of the money. I also pointed to significant legislative accomplishments made by the House that are stalled in the Senate; voted to send a bill decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level to the House floor; introduced a bill addressing exorbitant aviation fees; called attention to the deadline for signing up for Affordable Care Act health insurance; announced grants to Memphis International Airport and to two Memphis financial institutions; shared information about federal resources available for childcare assistance; offered U.S. Capitol Historical calendars for 2020; and offered a health tip about avoiding catching a cold. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen. ApplaudingDecision to DispenseSurplusTANF Funds  Highlighting Accomplishments of the For the People Agenda  Advancing Bill Decriminalizing Marijuana  Introducing FAIR Fees Act  Calling Attention to Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act Health Coverage  Announcing $6 Million Grant to Memphis International Airport  Announcing Grants to Memphis Community Development Financial Institutions  Offering 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars  Weekly Health Tip  Quote of the Week\n  Applauding State Decision to DispenseSurplusTANF Funds On Tuesday, I learned that the Tennessee Department of Human Services plans to use $390 million of $732 million in Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funding withheld for a rainy day. Earlier this month I wrote a letter to Governor Bill Lee demanding answers as to why this money had not been used. I had been seeking explanations from Governor Bill Lee, with whom I met last week, about the situation and believe Tuesday's decision was a small step in the right direction. I remain disappointed that the statewill continue tohold a significant amount of this money in reserve, and reminded Governor Lee that every day is a rainy day for those struggling to make ends meet. See my release and my letter to Governor Leehere. Highlighting Accomplishments of the For the People Agenda Recently,I have heard conservative politicians and pundits falsely claim that the impeachment inquiry has prevented the House from passing legislation. Nothing could be further from the truth. The House has passed nearly 400 bills this year. Over 300 of those -- including 275 bipartisan bills -- are stuck in the Senate where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refuses to call them up for a vote. This includes the Paycheck Fairness Act, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and bills to protect people with pre-existing conditions and to lower prescription drug costs. As we are so often reminded these days: the truth matters. Advancing Bill Decriminalizing Marijuana\nOn Wednesday, as a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, I voted to advance the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act to the House floor. The bill would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level, permit those with non-violent marijuana convictions to have their records expunged andfund restorative justice programs incommunities of color disproportionately affected bythemisguided War on Drugs. See my releasehere.Reforming our marijuana laws has been one of my policy priorities for decades and I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the MORE Act. Introducing FAIR Fees Act Many of my constituents tell me they are regularly frustrated to learn of exorbitant baggage, cancellation and changingreservation fees tacked on to their airfare for basic aviation services. That's why I joined my colleagues, Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, in introducing the Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous (FAIR) Fees Act, which would assure that the fees charged are proportional to the cost of the services provided and protect consumers from abusive pricing practices. See my releasehere. Calling Attention to Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act Health Coverage Open Enrollment for 2020 Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance coverage began on November 1 and ends December 15, which is closer than you might think. The Trump Administration reduced the open enrollment period by six weeks after taking office and is keeping that limited window of opportunity again this year. I have scheduled a Congress On Your Corner today between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Avenue, so that my District Office staff and an ACA navigator can help with the process, as well as with questions about other federal agencies and programs. I have also sent letters,emails and newsletter notificationsto my constituents to remind you of the deadline. Meeting with Federal Aviation Administration Officials\nOn Thursday,I had what I hope was a productive meeting with the Federal Aviation Administration Administration's Deputy Administrator, Daniel Elwell, and Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation Chairman Rick Larsen of Washington state,to talk about the lethargic pace at which my Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act is being implemented. I serve on the Aviation Subcommittee and made clear to Elwell that the flying public wants to know about how the SEAT Act provisions that became law a year ago are being used to assess the safety of seat sizes and the distances between seats on commercial airliners. I reminded Elwell that his agency regulates the airline industry, not the other way around. Announcing $6 Million Grant to Memphis International Airport\n  \n\tEarlier today, I announced a $6 million grant to Memphis International Airport for a consolidated de-icing facility.Thefirst phase of construction is currently under way, andthe next phase of the project, consisting of 12 de-icing pads and related facilities, is expected to begin early next year andtobe completedin 2022. This is a significant investment in the airport and will not only make travel through Memphis more efficient but will also provide good jobs. See my releasehere. Announcing Grants to Memphis Community Development Financial Institutions On Wednesday, I announced that two Memphis community development financial institutions will be receiving grants from the U.S. Treasury Department totaling $500,000. Tri-State Bank of Memphis will receive $275,000 and River City Capital Investment Corporation will receive $225,000. See my releasehere. FederalResourcesAvailable for Childcare Assistance\nAs your Congressman,one of my top priorities is to ensure that Memphians who work tirelessly to provide a strong foundation for their children have the support they need to be successful.Regardless of whether you are a working parent or a student yourself, it is important to know that the state of Tennessee has resources available for child care assistance. Eligible parents and guardians may receive support for child care services through Tennessee's Smart Steps Child Care Payment Assistance Program. Visit here to see if you are eligible. Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars\nMy office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter. Sign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter    I enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled. For those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form. If you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form. Weekly Health Tip\nMany people sometimes catch acold, especially as autumn temperatures drop.Hereis some good guidance from the centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on avoiding getting and passing on a cold. Quotes of the Week I know that members of this committee have frequently framed these complicated issues in the form of a simple question: Was there a quid pro quo? As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.  Ambassador Gordon D.Sondlandat Wednesday's impeachment inquiry.Frances   Photograph taken by Congressman Cohen at Cooper and Union in 1960 So, let us not be blind to our differences -- but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved. And if we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.  The June 10, 1963 American University Commencement Address by President John F. Kennedy, assassinated 56 years ago today.\nAs always, I remain  \n\tMost sincerely,\nSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cooper-welcomes-grandson-0", "Congressman Cooper Welcomes Grandson", "2019-11-21", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Jim Cooper (TN-05) issued the following statement regarding the recent birth of his first grandchild:\nOur family is incredibly blessed and utterly delighted to announce the birth of James Jay Gallisdorfer early this morning.\nMartha and I are grateful that our daughter, Mary Cooper Gallisdorfer, and her husband Scott have made us grandparents for the first time. Thank you to the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff at St. Thomas Midtown.\nMother and son are doing well, and this will be our most wonderful Thanksgiving ever!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cooper-cosponsors-pair-of-climate-bills-0", "Cooper Cosponsors Pair of Climate Bills", "2019-11-21", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Representative Jim Cooper (TN-05) announced today that he will cosponsor the 100% Clean Economy Act of 2019 and the Green New Deal.\nThe 100% Clean Economy Act is a new bill that incorporates key Green New Deal elements. It would set a net-zero global emissions goal by 2050, directing all federal agencies to use existing authorities to develop and implement plans to accomplish the goal. Agency actions can include regulations, incentives, research and development, and steps to reduce agency-specific emissions. The 100% Clean Economy Act has more than 150 cosponsors, and is supported by major environmental groups such as the League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund, Earthjustice, and Environment America.\nThe Green New Deal is a resolution calling on the federal government to set a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, create high-paying green jobs and provide job training to workers in the fossil fuel industry, ensure all buildings in America are energy efficient, and more.\nRep. Cooper's decision comes on the heels of Former Vice President Al Gore's opening presentation for 24 Hours of Reality, a global initiative of The Climate Reality Project. In yesterday's presentation held at Vanderbilt, Vice President Gore shed light on how rapidly the climate is changing, the potential effects that inaction could have on the global environment and economy, and the practical actions already implemented by many countries to resolve the crisis.\nAl Gore was ahead of his time and has been warning us about climate change for decades. His new presentation is a sobering reality. Our climate is changing faster than anyone expected, and we need bold solutions to help save our planet, Rep. Cooper said.\nI have always said that the Green New Deal is an important call to action, but it's not a legislative proposal and our job as legislators is to implement things and make them work. Well today the 100% Clean Economy Act sets forth parameters that help to confront the crisis head-on. The Green New Deal is quite ambitious in that it tries to solve many of society's problems, including the health care system, housing policy, living wages. But, its bold environmental goals can't be ignored just because the initiative might be a bit too expansive. So, supporting the combination of both of these measures  bold proposals and legislative text  makes a lot of sense to me, Rep. Cooper added.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-votes-advance-marijuana-bill", "Congressman Cohen Votes to Advance Marijuana Bill", "2019-11-20", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, today voted to advance the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act to the House floor. The committee vote was 24 to 10.\nThe comprehensive legislation decriminalizes marijuana at the federallevel, calls for a reassessment of marijuana convictions and expungement of criminal records and creates an excise tax to fundrestorative justice programs in the communities most impacted by the War on Drugs.At today'scommitteemarkup, Congressman Cohen made thecase to move forward on the bill. See those remarkshere.\nAfter the vote, Congressman Cohen made the following statement:\nIt's past time to remove criminal prohibitions against marijuana at the federal level. The MORE Act willhelp repair the damage done by the War on Drugs. These failed and racist policiesdisproportionatelyaffected communities of color.Theeffectsextend well beyond arrest and prosecution. This bill's expungement provisions help those convicted of non-violent marijuana offenses fully reintegrate into society and pursue their potential. Without a criminal record, they will be better able to find good jobs,access housing and vote.I'm proud to advancethis measure to the House floor and look forward to voting for it there.\nCongressman Cohen introduced the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act in January to allow access to medical marijuana for patients in states where marijuana is legal without fear of federal prosecution.Further, he introduced the Fresh Start Act which would expunge criminal records for non-violent offenders with seven years of good behavior. Many of those convictions would be related to marijuana.Congressman Cohen has long been recognized as a leader in marijuana legalization efforts.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressmen-cohen-and-garcia-and-senator-markey-introduce-legislation", "Congressmen Cohen and Garcia and Senator Markey Introduce Legislation to Stop Rising Airline Fees", "2019-11-20", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In first half of 2019, U.S. domestic airlines collected $2.8 and $1.4 billion respectively in just baggage and reservation fees\nWASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09),Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia (IL-04)andSenator Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts)today introduced the Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous (FAIR) Fees Act, legislation that would prohibit airlines from charging fees, including cancellation, change, and bag fees, that are not reasonable and proportional to the costs of the services actually provided. The bill also directs the Department of Transportation to review any other fees charged by airlines.\nToo often, airlines blindside travelers with exorbitant charges at checkout caused by unexpected fees for basic aviation services. This price gouging has exponentially grown as a business practice over the last decade. The top ten airlines worldwide collected $35.2 billion in ancillary fees in 2018, up from just $1.2 billion in 2007. In the first two quarters of 2019, U.S. domestic airlines collected $2.8 billion and $1.4 billion in just baggage and reservation fees, respectively. With the busiest travel season of the year still ahead, both of these figures are on track to reach all-time highs by the end of 2019.\nI often hear from my constituents and others about unreasonable fees for schedule changes, cancellations or checked baggage that appear out of whack with the likely true cost to the airlines,saidCongressmanCohen,a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure's Aviation Subcommittee.The FAIR Fees Act is a common sense remedy to the public's growing frustration with these exorbitant fees. It would require the FAA to review existing fees to ensure they are reasonable and protect consumers from abusive pricing practices.\nDuring the last several years, the flying public has experienced ever-shrinking airline seats, a new fare called basic economy' so you can pay more for less, increased baggage fees, and sky-high change and cancellation fees, often in excess of the original ticket cost,said Congressman Garcia.The flying public deserves better and the FAIR Fees Act will protect consumers from corporate price gouging that has resulted in record profits.\nAirlines fees are as high as the planes passengers are traveling on, and it's time to stop their rapid ascent,said Senator Markey, a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. It should not cost more to change an airline ticket than the original cost of the ticket, period. Airlines should not bilk passengers just because they need to check a couple of bags. With the Thanksgiving travel season upon us, I am proud to reintroduce the FAIR Fees Act so we can put a stop to this price gouging and protect consumers traveling to see their loved ones. I thank Reps. Cohen and Garcia for their partnership on this important consumer protection legislation.\nA copy of theFAIR Fees Actcan be found here.\nIn the House of Representatives, the legislation is also co-sponsored byAlbioSires (NJ-08), Mark Takano (CA-41), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Bobby Rush (IL-01), Barbara Lee (CA-13), RashidaTlaib(MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02),Ral M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Gwen Moore (WI-04)and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, D.C.Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) are co-sponsors of the legislation in the Senate.\nTheFAIR Fees Actis endorsed by the National Consumers League, Consumer Reports, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, U.S. Public Interest Research Group, Travelers United, Business Travel Coalition,Flyersrights.org,andAirlinepassengers.org.\nAdd-on airline fees should be transparent and fair,said Susan Grant, Director of Consumer Protection and Privacy, Consumer Federation of America.Passengers shouldn't be gouged when they need to change their plans or can't fit their baggage into ever-shrinking overhead space.\nAirlines have raised their fees sky high, forcing travelers to pay more and more for basic services that used to be included in the price of a ticket,\"said AnnaLaitin, Director of Financial Policy, Consumer Reports. \"This bill will help bring fees back down to earth by requiring airlines to make them transparent, reasonable, and proportional to the real cost of providing the service.\nAirlines are overcharging consumers with fees that are grossly disproportionate to the value of the service received and result in a windfall for airlines. Exhibit A' is change fees, where airlines charge $200 when the true cost of a change is 6 to 7 times lower, if not zero,said Kevin Mitchell, Founder, the Business Travel Coalition. This kind of unconscionable consumer price gouging is a textbook example of unfair methods of competition that underpin competition laws.\nFAIR Fees will be a strong dose of common sense for an industry that has become far too consolidated,said CharlieLeocha, President, Travelers United.When the major airlines can move in ancillary-fee lockstep without regard for actual costs the market system is clearly broken. If the pricing systems were working, we would not require congressional action. Unfortunately, since the country has been faced with airline merger after merger this bill has become necessary.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-community-development-financial-institution", "Congressman Cohen Announces Community Development Financial Institution Grants to Tri-State Bank, River City Capital Investment Corp.", "2019-11-19", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that two Memphis community development financial institutions(CDFIs)will be receiving grants from the U.S. Treasury Department totaling $500,000. Tri-State Bank of Memphis will receive $275,000 and River City Capital Investment Corporation will receive $225,000. The funds are intended to expand economic opportunities in economically distressed area and are provided toCDFIsdevoted to offering affordable financial products and services in economically underserved areas.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nTheseMemphis lending institutions and the community they serve will be strengthened by this support. Both recipients are known for their dedication to our city and these funds will go a long way in improving the businesses they lend to, increasing jobs in the process.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-applauds-state-decision-spend-down-732-million-tanf", "Congressman Cohen Applauds State Decision to Spend Down   $732 Million TANF Surplus", "2019-11-19", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today applauded the Tennessee Department ofHuman Services announcement that it would begindistributingsome of the $732 million in unspent block grant funding for the Temporary Assistance to Needy Family programsthat support Tennesseefamilies.But he expressed disappointment that $342 million will still be retained as a reserve surplus.\nCongressman Cohen wrote Governor Bill Lee on November 6 demanding answers about why funding for low-income workers was being held in reserve. In a state ranked 10thin the nation for its high poverty rate, Congressman Cohen said the decision was either mismanagement of federal dollars or a deliberate choice not to help needy families. See that letter here.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nI was extremely disappointed when I learned that money intended for families in need was instead being kept as a rainy day fund. I met with Governor Lee in Washington last week and he told me some action would be taken by DHS, and I commend him for taking a step in the right direction. Today's announcement isa welcome, although a belated and only partial correction of a very big mistake and should be a lesson: every day is a rainy day for Tennessee families who struggle to makes ends meet.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/voting-advance-equal-rights-amendment", "Voting to Advance the Equal Rights Amendment", "2019-11-15", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\nThis week, I voted to advance a bill allowing full ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. I also called attention to the December 15 deadline for open enrollment for Affordable Care Act health insurance; hosted my 11thannual Veterans Day event; introduced the Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act; took steps to reinstatetheCongressional Collegiate Sports Caucus; questioned Amtrak's CEO about his commitment to customer service; offered Capitol Historical Society calendars; and made my weekly health tip. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.\nVoting to Advance the Equal Rights Amendment  Calling Attention to Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act Health Coverage  Hosting 11th Annual Veterans Day Celebration  Introducing Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act  Planning to Reinstate Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus  Questioning Amtrak CEO's Commitment to Customer Service  Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars  Weekly Health Tip  Quote of the Week\n  Voting to Advance the Equal Rights Amendment\nOn Wednesday, I voted in the House Judiciary Committee to advance a measure eliminating the ratification deadline for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the House floor. The amendment would enshrine in our Constitution that all American citizens are equal under the law regardless ofgender.In my opening statement, I said the fundamental guarantee of equality should be welcomed, not feared. See my release and the full statementhere.  \n\t  Calling Attention to Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act Health Coverage\nOpen Enrollment for 2020 Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance coverage began on November 1 and ends December 15, which is closer than you might think. The Trump Administration reduced the open enrollment period by six weeks after taking office and is keeping that limited window of opportunity again this year. I have scheduled a Congress On Your Corner for Friday, November 22, at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Avenue, so that my District Office staff and an ACAnavigatorcan help with the process, as well as with questions about other federal agencies and programs. See more details about the upcoming Congress on Your Cornerhereand check outHealthCare.govto see what your coverage options are for 2020.  \n\t  Hosting 11th Annual Veterans Day Celebration\n  \n\tOn Veterans Day, I celebrated at the Kroc Center, joined by theTrezevantHigh School Junior ROTC Color Guard; hundreds of Mid-South veterans and guests CaptainAlonzaJ. Ross, commander, Naval Support Activity Mid-South; Terrell Owens, chief of police,VA Medical Center; David K. Dunning, director, MemphisVA MedicalCenter; and Dr. Michael C. Ellis Sr., Office of Community Engagement and Outreach Division of Community Services. See my release about the eventhere.\nIntroducing Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act\nOn Tuesday, I introduced the Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act with Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and SuzanneBonamiciof Oregon. The bill would prohibit debt collectors from attempting to collectfrom consumers after the statute of limitations has expired. See my release on the billhere.\nPlanning to Reinstate Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus\nOn Wednesday, I filed the necessary paperwork with the Committee on House Administration to reinstate the Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus. In the wake of recent NCAA eligibility issues, like the one involving James Wiseman at the University of Memphis, and sexual abuse coverups, and calls for studentathletes to benefit financially from their success, it's clear that issues involving college sports will come before Congress. See my release on the Caucushere.\nQuestioning Amtrak CEO's Commitment to Customer Service\nMore than 11 years ago, then-Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson testified before the House Judiciary Committee and, under questioning by me, promised that Memphis International Airport would retain its hub status and that our non-stop flight to Amsterdam would continue. I wasskeptical at thetime andwas,unfortunately,proven right whenneither promise was kept. So when Anderson, now CEO of Amtrak, came before the Transportation and InfrastructureCommittee Wednesday, I told him frankly that I doubted his commitment to customer service and disagreed with his decision to do away with Amtrak's traditional dining service. See my release and the exchange with Andersonhere.\nOffering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars\nMy office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter.  \n\t  Sign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter\nI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled.My next Congress on Your Corner will benext Friday, November 22, at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Avenue, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Those who want more information or assistance during open enrollment for Affordable Care Act health insurance are encouraged to attend.  \n\t  \n\tFor those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form.  \n\t  \n\tIf you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form.  \n\t  Weekly Health Tip\n  \n\t  \n\tNovember is National Healthy Skin Month, calling attention to the 3,000+skin diseases treated by dermatologists. Effective treatments for skin disease and other ailments are oftendelayed due to burdensome insurance requirements like step therapy.I am a cosponsor of the Safe Step Act (H.R. 2279) to assure thatdoctors are able to prescribe patients the best treatments.See the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases guidance on skin diseases andhowtoavoidthem here.  \n\t  Quote of the Week\nTo withhold that assistance for no good reason other than help with a political campaign made no sense. It was counterproductive to all of what we had been trying to do. It was illogical. It could not be explained. It was crazy.  William B. Taylor Jr., the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, testifying in the impeachment inquiry Wednesday about $391 million in military aid withheld from that country.  \n\t  \n\tAs always, I remain  \n\tMost sincerely,\nSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-plans-reinstate-congressional-collegiate-sports-caucus", "Congressman Cohen Plans to Reinstate the Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced he filed paperwork to reinstate the Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus to serve as an informal forum for members dedicated to examining issues of student-athlete compensation, the integrity and fairness of college sports and NCAA eligibility decisions that may come before Congress.\nCongressman Cohen originally formed the first Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus with former Texas Congressman Joe Barton in 2011.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThe enjoyment of college sports is one of our nation's most important pastimes andisa major component of taxpayer-supported public and private universities. But it's clear the fairness and integrity of college sports is rapidly deteriorating. From the National Collegiate Athletic Association's eligibility decisions, like the one currently compromising the future aspirations of student-athletes like James Wiseman at the University of Memphis and Chase Young at Ohio State,to financialcompensation opportunities for athletes currently prohibited from profiting from their own success, to sex scandal coverups, Congressional review of collegiate sports is critically important.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-questions-amtrak-ceo-commitment-customers", "Congressman Cohen Questions Amtrak CEO on Commitment to Customers", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today expressed his concern that Amtrak President and CEO Richard H. Anderson would not keep a stated commitment to customer service given the way Delta Air Lines, under Anderson's leadership, broke its promises to keep the Memphis International Airport as a hub.\nCongressman Cohen reminisced about rail travel and the dining car experience he enjoyed as a child and criticized Anderson for Amtrak's decision to abandon traditional food service, which has generated more than118,000written complaints. The Congressmanthenreminded Anderson of their last exchange, at an April 2008 hearing of the House Judiciary Committee'sSubcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law,in which Anderson testified that Memphis would retain its huband itsnon-stop flight to Amsterdamafter itsmerger with Northwest. After the merger, Delta closed the Memphis hub and ended the Amsterdam flight.\nIn his questioning of Anderson, Congressman Cohen said:\nLet me just remind you, sir, that the last time you were testifying and I was questioning, you promised me, you assured me, that Delta, when they merged with Northwest, would not leave the Memphis hub. The Memphis hub was there in perpetuity...And that thenon-stopAmsterdam flight from Memphiswould not stop.That turned out not to betrue, so I have a problem respecting what you say here.\nRegardingAmtrak's decision to eliminate food service,Congressman Cohen said:\nNow Amtrak is cutting out dining service. This is short-sighted and foolish. It's like Delta Air Lines taking away amenities to passengers and making air travel more like traveling on a bus...I hope you don't continue that at Amtrak.\nIn response to his question about dining service to Jim Mathews,President and CEO of the Rail Passengers Association, Mathews told him: It's not just the food but the experience, the sharedexperience of meeting people on the train and having a shared meal.\nSee the exchange with Anderson here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-votes-advance-equal-rights-amendment", "Congressman Cohen Votes to Advance the Equal Rights Amendment", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties,todayvoted to advance a measure that would eliminate the ratification deadline for the Equal Rights Amendment.TheJudiciary CommitteeapprovedH.J. Res. 79by a voteof21 to 11.Earlier this year,Congressman Cohenchairedthe first public hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment in 36 years.\nIn his opening statement today, Congressman Cohen made the following statement:\nWe know that in the year 2019, it is unacceptable that women still are not paid equal wages for equal work. We know that when women are treated with equal dignity and respect in the workplace, in the home, by our institutions of government, and in our society at large, all of the American people stand to benefit. And we know that a simple but fundamental guarantee of equality should be welcomed rather than feared.\nSee his entire opening statement here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-hosts-11th-annual-veterans-day-memorial-event", "Congressman Cohen Hosts 11th Annual Veterans Day Memorial Event", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today hosted his 11th annual Veterans Day event at the Kroc Center, thanking veterans for their service and listening to their ideas about how better to address veterans' needs. He was joined by the Trezevant High School Junior ROTC Color Guard and guests Captain Alonza J. Ross, commander, Naval Support Activity Mid-South; Terrell Owens, chief of police, VA Medical Center; David K. Dunning, director, Memphis VA Medical Center; and Dr. Michael C. Ellis Sr., Office of Community Engagement and Outreach Division of Community Services.\nHis guests were hundreds of Mid-South veterans.\nAfter the event, Congressman Cohen made the following statement:\nI'm reminded daily of the sacrifices our veterans have made and think of the historic places they have made unforgettable  places like Gettysburg and Vicksburg; Tobruk, Anzio and the D-Day Beaches of Normandy; Inchon in Korea; and elsewhere across Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan more recently. This history and those who made it are part of our American history, and should always be remembered with dignity and respect.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/representatives-cohen-ocasio-cortez-and-bonamici-introduce-fair-debt", "Representatives Cohen, Ocasio-Cortez and Bonamici Introduce  Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), joined byCongresswomenAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and SuzanneBonamici(OR-01), today introduced the Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act that would prohibit debt collectors from collecting or attempting to collect debt from consumers after a statute of limitation has expired.\nPredatory debt collection must be stopped, said Congressman Steve Cohen. Consumers' lives should not be interrupted by debt collectors aggressively trying to collect expired debt. My legislation protects consumers and ensures that they are treated fairly.\nThis bill aims to prevent more predatory debt collection practices from taking place for consumers for which the statute of limitations has expired, saidCongresswoman Ocasio-Cortez. Over time, records are lost and inconsistent evidence is presented that restarts the clock on debt that has expired. Consumers are owed these protections and I am proud to join my colleagues today to introduce the Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act.\nAs a former consumer protection attorney, I know that unscrupulous debt collectors often use deceptive tactics, said Congresswoman SuzanneBonamici. In 2018 alone, the FTC received nearly 500,000 complaints about abusive debt collection practices. This is unacceptable. Debt collectors should not use unreliable or out-of-date records to trick or coerce consumers into wrongfully paying debts that are not legally due  or may not even be theirs. I'm proud to co-sponsor this legislation to protect families and individuals in Oregon and around the country from abusive debt collection practices.\nThe statute of limitations is the legal time limit for filing a lawsuit. Courts have held that it is a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to file or threaten to file a lawsuit after the deadline has expired. However, the FDCPA does not say so explicitly. Also, in most states, expiration of the statute of limitations is an affirmative defense that the consumer must know to raise, and most debt collection judgments are obtained either by default with the consumer not appearing or against a consumer who is not represented by an attorney. In addition, even if the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit has expired, in most states it is not unlawful to pursue these debts through other means.\nAttempts to collect old time-barred debt pose several problems. Statutes of limitations exist because after the expiration of time, records are lost and memories fade, making it difficult for people to defend themselves. That is also true for out-of-court collections, especially because debt buyers often buy old debt for pennies on the dollar, without adequate documentation that they have the right person or right amount. Debt buyers often pursue people who do not owe the money or for the wrong amount. In addition, some debt collectors trick consumers, who do not understand that they cannot be sued, into making a partial payment that may start the deadline all over and open the consumer up to a lawsuit on an old debt.\nThe Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act would prohibit a debt collector from attempting to collect a debt after the statute of limitations has expired in order to ensure accuracy in debt collection, to prevent abusive tactics in the debt collection industry, and to allow consumers eventually to get on with their lives.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-commemorates-veterans-day-0", "Congressman Cohen Commemorates Veterans Day", "2019-11-10", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen released the following statement commemorating this year's Veterans Day:\nEach November, we pause to pay special tribute to the brave men and women who have served our country in uniform. This year, we also commemorate the 101stanniversary of the armistice that ended World War I.\nAs we honor all our veterans, we must also keep our promises to them with excellent care at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities so they receive the timely, high-quality treatment they deserve. For those transitioning out of the armed services into civilian life, we need to assure them that good-paying jobs and educational opportunities are available. I am proud to work on legislation to ensure veterans receive the benefits they were promised.\nWe have thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines stationed all around the world. On this Veterans Day, we thank them for their sacrifice and valor and look forward to their safereturnshome. I am pleased that I will spend time with Veterans in Memphis on Veterans Day.\nCongressman Cohen, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced the National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act (H.R. 3304) in June to ensure that certain members of the National Guard and Reservists who fall on hard economic times after their military service continue to obtain bankruptcy relief without having to fill out the substantial paperwork required by the means test under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. The measure was signed into law in August.\nLast month, Congressman Cohen introduced the Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act to help reduce veteran unemployment and train our veterans for good-paying, high-demand jobs.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-applauds-introduction-song-act-senate", "Congressman Cohen Applauds Introduction of the SONG Act in the Senate", "2019-11-08", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today applauded the introduction of the Stadiums Operating under New Guidance (SONG) Act in the U.S. Senate by Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Lamar Alexander and Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts. The bill would give the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the authority to issue Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) for concerts and other events held at stadiums across the country.\nCongressman Cohen led the introduction of a companion measure in the House in July, joined by Tennessee Congressmen Jim Cooper, Tim Burchett, John Rose and DavidKustoff.\nThe FAA currently has the authority to issue TFRs for major sporting events held at stadiums butnotforother types of large-audience events. When a concert is held in the very same stadium, often with the same size or even larger crowd, the air space cannot be restricted by a TFR.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nFans from around the world flock to places like Memphis and Nashville to experience the music andcatch a glimpse of the life lived by music legends.Keeping spectators safe in public gatherings of large numbers of people for any kind of event just makes sense, and this bill simply gives the FAA authority to restrict air space when it considers it to be necessary.\nSenator Blackburn made the following statement:\nWhether Tennesseans are going to a concert or a UT Vols football game, they should be able to enjoy the fun without worrying about unsafe skies. This is Drone Safety Awareness Week, we are introducing the SONG Act so that stadium patrons across the country can trust they'll be out of harm's way while they are at a special event.\nSenator Alexander made the following statement:\nTennessee attracts thousands of people who visit our state each year for concerts or music festivals, such as the Country Music Association (CMA) Fest, and Senator Blackburn's legislation would allow the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue a temporary flight restriction for smaller aircraft and drones over stadiums for concerts or music festivals the same way the FAA currently does for sporting events.\nSenator Markey made the following statement:\nOur skies have become a Wild West and drones can wander with few rules anywhere. That's why we need commonsense policies to address the risk of someone crashing a drone or dropping a dangerous payload on crowds of innocent people. Although the FAA can currently restrict the air space over sporting events, they don't have the same authority for differentkinds of events, even at the same venue. The SONG Act will remove this limit and allow the FAA to protect fans gathered at stadiums like Fenway Park, no matter whether they're there to see the Red Sox or their favorite band. I thank Senator Blackburn for her partnership on this essential legislation.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/announcing-12-million-innovation-corridor-grant-mata", "Announcing $12 Million Innovation Corridor Grant to MATA", "2019-11-08", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\nThis week, I announced that the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) willreceivea $12 million grant in support of a Rapid Transit Bus line and nine new electric buses. I also wrote to Governor Bill Lee seeking answers about why Tennesseehasn't spentmillions of federal dollars allocated forlow-incomefamilies; called attention to open enrollment for Affordable Care Act(ACA)health insurance; questioned witnesses at a hearing on recent immigration raids in Mississippi; expressed concern about now-proven claims that Trump conditioned military aid to Ukraine on its willingness to openabaseless investigationon a political rival; discussed other new impeachment-related subjects on national television; attended the funeral for former Michigan Congressman John Conyers;called attention to a free workshop on lowering utility bills; offered Capitol Historical Society 2020 calendars; and offered a health tip. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.\nAnnouncing $12 Million Innovation Corridor Grant to MATA  Seeking Answers from Governor Lee about Unspent Funding for Low-income Families  Calling Attention to Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act Health Coverage  Questioning Tactics and Goals of Recent Immigration Raids  Expressing Concern about Revelations from the Trump Impeachment Inquiry  Applauding Introduction of the SONG Act in the Senate  Talking Impeachment with The Circus on the Showtime Network  Attending the Funeral of My Friend John Conyers in Detroit  Calling Attention to TVAHolding Free Workshops on Lowering Utility Bills  Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars  Weekly Health Tip  Quote of the Week\n  Announcing $12 Million Innovation Corridor Grant to MATA\nOn Wednesday, I announced that the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) willreceivea $12 million grant to support a Rapid Transit Bus linethat will run from downtown to the University of Memphis. Planners are calling the eight-mile route, which will include the construction of 28 new transit stations, the Innovation Corridor.See my release about this major, transformative transit newshere.\nSeeking Answers from Governor Lee about Unspent Funding forLow-IncomeFamilies\nAlso Wednesday, I wrote to Governor Bill Lee with questions about why Tennessee  the 10thpoorest state in the nation has not spenthundreds of millions of federal dollarsallocated throughthe Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) programto help low-income families. Tennessee is the only state in the nation to accumulate an estimated $700 million dollar TANF reserve. This is a big deal to struggling Tennesseans, and the funds should be immediately dispersed in bold ways to assist families in need. See my release containing the letterhere.\nCalling Attention to Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act Health Coverage\nOpen Enrollment for 2020 Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance coverage began last Friday, November 1, and ends December 15, which is closer than you might think. The TrumpAdministration reduced the open enrollment period by six weeks after taking office and is keeping that limited window of opportunity again this year. I have scheduled a Congress On Your Corner for Friday, November 22, at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Avenue, so that my District Office staff and an ACA navigator can help with the process, as well as with questions about other federal agencies and programs. See more details about the upcoming Congress on Your Cornerhere.\nQuestioning Tactics and Goals of Recent Immigration Raids\nOn Thursday, I drove toTougalooCollege in Jackson, Mississippi, to attend a Committee on Homeland Security field hearing on recent immigration raids. My friend Congressman Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi, Chairman of the Committee, presided over an examination of the August 7 raids at seven poultry processing plants, the largest one-state immigration raid in American history. I asked about the Trump Administration's enforcement policies that ignore existing guidance on minimizing the impact of these raids on American communities. See my release about the hearinghere.\nExpressing Concern about Revelations from the Trump Impeachment Inquiry\nDespiteTrump'sinner circle's efforts tomisleadandcover up their actions, the impeachment inquiry is quickly proving that the President asked Ukraine to intervene in next year's elections in exchange for Congressionally appropriated military aidor a Presidential meeting.Asasenior member of the Judiciary Committee,Ioffered my views in national television interviewsas we consider what constitutesimpeachable conduct. See my interview with CNN's Poppy Harlowhereand with Brianna Keilarhere.\nApplauding Introduction of the SONG Act in the Senate\nThis week, Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Lamar Alexander and Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey introduced the Stadiums Operating under New Guidance (SONG) Act, a companion measure tothe billI introduced in the House in July along with Tennessee Congressmen Jim Cooper, Tim Burchett, John Rose and DavidKustoff.The measure wouldgive theFederal Aviation Administration (FAA)theauthority to restrict air space over music concerts and other events at stadiums across the country,as the FAAalreadycanover sporting events held at stadiums.See my releasehere.\nTalking Impeachment with The Circus on the Showtime Network\nCongressman Cohen talks with \"The Circus\" host Mark McKinnon\nOn Sunday night, my views on impeachment will be the focus of an in-depth documentary program called The Circus on the Showtime network. The show will air at 7 p.m. local time.\nAttending the Funeral of My Friend John Conyers in Detroit\nOn Monday, I attended the funeral of my friendand mentor, Congressman John Conyers of Michigan, a champion of civil rights and justice, with whom I served when he was chairman of the Judiciary Committee. See my release about the funeralhere. Last Saturday, I attended the funerals of my former colleague Rufus Jones and of former State Senator Reginald Tate.\nCalling Attention to TVA holding Free Workshops on Lowering Utility Bills\nThe Tennessee Valley Authority has been holdingfreeHome Energy Workshops in Shelby County to offer tips on lowering utility bills with money-saving habits for lower energy use. Attendees will receive afreehome energy kit. Thelastworkshop is Saturday, November 9, at the Cornelia Crenshaw Library, 531 Vance Avenue, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.\nOffering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars\nMy office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter.\nSign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter \n  \n\tI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled.My next Congress on Your Corner will be November 22 at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Avenue, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.Those who want more information or assistance during open enrollment for Affordable Care Act health insurance are encouraged to attend.\nFor those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form.\nIf you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form.\nWeekly Health Tip\nNovember is Alzheimer's Awareness Month, so designated in 1983 by President Reagan who in November 1994 publicly announced his own Alzheimer's diagnosis. In the United States alone, an estimated 5.2 million have Alzheimer's, and thousands more have other age-related dementias. I have long supported increased research funding on the disease and efforts to delay the onset of dementia. See the National Institute on Aging's information about Alzheimer's and other dementiashere. \nQuote of the Week\nHe was out there banging the drum against apartheid in South Africa long before it was a widely popular cause. He always supported the people of Haiti even when he couldn't support their government. He worked for all of our cities and jobs and employment and opportunity and peace and justice everywhere. Not every district gives their elected representative the elbow room to do all those things.  President Bill Clinton, eulogizing Congressman John Conyers at his funeral Monday in Detroit.\nAs always, I remain  \n\tMost sincerely,\nSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-questions-witnesses-field-hearing-recent-immigration", "Congressman Cohen Questions Witnesses at Field Hearing on Recent Immigration Raids", "2019-11-07", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today questioned witnesses about recent immigration raids in Mississippi and Tennessee at a field hearing of the House Committee on Homeland Security in Jackson, Mississippi.\n\nCongressman Cohen thanked the Committee's Chairman, Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi, for inviting him to the field hearing. Representatives Sheila JacksonLeeand Al Green, both of Texas, also participated at the hearing held at the historically blackTougalooCollege.Jackson Lee and Green are both members of the committee and Congressman Cohen was invited.\n\nIn his questions, Congressman Cohen noted the similarities between the August 7 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on seven poultry processing plants in Mississippi with the April 2018 raid at a slaughterhouse in Bean Station where nearly 100 people were arrested. This resulted in the inhumane treatment of employees' school-age children in bothraids.\n\nSee both rounds of Congressman Cohen's questions here.\n\nAfter the hearing, Congressman Cohen made the following statement:\n\nMississippi has changed in many ways but the immigrationraids area throwback to a dark time in the state's historywhere people in power targeted the other.'Byarrestingworkers, not employers, the Trump Administrationisn't doing anything to disrupt the flow of undocumented workers.Instead he is disrupting established communities and harming local economies.These raids in Mississippi and Tennessee are just political stunts.We need to see the Trump Administration work within the existing legal guidance to minimize the impact these raids have on American communities.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-12-million-grant-memphis-area-transit", "Congressman Cohen Announces $12 Million Grant to Memphis Area Transit Authority", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, today announced that the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) will be receiving a $12 million Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD)grant.The federal funding will be usedto create a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line along the eight-mile designated Innovation Corridor linking downtown Memphis to the Medical District, along the Overton Square entertainment district, past the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library on Poplar and on to the University of Memphis campus. \n\nTheU.S. Department of Transportationgrant, which Congressman Cohen endorsed in a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in July, would include construction of 28 new transit stations and nine new electric buses equipped with Wi-Fi and electric charging docks.\n\nCongressman Cohen, a longtime advocate of MATA, made the following statement:\n\nThisgrant is huge for Memphis. The $65.5 million Innovation Corridor project today's grant supports includes elements of Memphis's commitment to Complete Streets, including improvements to Union Avenue, sidewalks along Poplar Avenue, a pedestrian crosswalk at the Benjamin Hooks Library and access to bicycle routes. It will enhance both safety and employment opportunitiesfor our city.\n\nCongressman Cohen hosted a Complete Streets Roundtablediscussionlast monthwithvarious transportation, urban planning and other expert stakeholdersin the community.Congressman Cohenalsointroduced the Complete Streets Act (H.R. 3663) in July, whichwould create a grant program to fund Complete Streets projects to make transit routes safer and more accessible. Through this program, eligible local and regional entities could apply for technical assistance and capital funding to build safe streets projects, such as sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, and bus stops.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-demands-answers-unspent-funds-low-income-families", "Congressman Cohen Demands Answers on Unspent Funds for Low-Income Families", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today wrote to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, demanding answers regarding the state'sdecision to withholdhundreds of millions of dollars to help low-income familiesthroughthe Temporary Assistance to Needy Families(TANF)program.\nTennessee has the 10th highest poverty rate in the nation.\nIn his letter, Congressman Cohen wrote:\nWhen 15.3 percent of Tennesseans are living in poverty, it is inexcusable for the state to withhold millions of federal dollars allocated to help this exact population. At best, this has resulted in Tennessee's gross mismanagement of federal dollars; at worst, Tennessee has deliberately chosen not to assist needy families.\nAccording to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in fiscal year 2018, Tennessee spent only $21 million of its $190 million federal allocation on TANF programs. This means $170 million in federal dollars went unspent last year alone. As a result, Tennessee has a documented total of $571 million in unspent federal TANF dollars through FY 2018. The Beacon Center of Tennessee reported the unobligated federal TANF balance through FY 2019 at $733 million.\nSee the entire letter here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-participate-field-hearing-immigration-raids", "Congressman Cohen to Participate in Field Hearing on Immigration Raids", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, will participate Thursday in a Committee on Homeland Security field hearing on Immigration Raids: Impacts and Aftermath on Mississippi Communities atTougalooCollege inTougaloo, Mississippi.\nCongressman Cohen's friend and colleague, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi,Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, will preside over thehearing which will examine the August 7 massive raids on seven poultry processing facilities in six locations.This wasthe largest single-state immigration raid in U.S. history, which was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.\nThe hearing will look into the impact of these raids on immigrant communities and Trump Administration enforcement policies that ignore existing directives and guidance in place to minimize the impact ofICE interior enforcement actions on American communities.\nDetails:\nWhere: Holmes Hall Auditorium,TougalooCollege,Tougaloo, Mississippi\nWhen: Thursday, November 7, 10 a.m. Central time\nOpen press. Press RSVP:chsdempress@mail.house.gov\nUpdated info and livestream availablehere.\nPress Contact:AdamComis(Thompson) at (202) 225-9978\n\nWITNESSES:\n \nProfessor Cliff Johnson, Director, MacArthur Justice Center, University of Mississippi School of Law;\n\tFatherOdelMedina, Pastor, St. Anne Catholic Church, Carthage, Mississippi;\n\tDr. Constance Slaughter-Harvey, President of the Board, Legacy Education and Empowerment Foundation;\n\tMs. Lorena Quiroz, Lead Organizer, Working Together Mississippi and Mississippi Immigrant Coalition;\n\tMr. Jere Mills, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security;\n\tSheriff Mike Lee, Scott County, Mississippi; and\n\tDr. William Truly, Mayor of Canton, Mississippi\n \n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-attends-detroit-funeral-former-judiciary-committee", "Congressman Cohen Attends Detroit Funeral for former Judiciary  Committee Chairman John Conyers", "2019-11-04", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, attended the Greater Grace Temple funeral forformer Judiciary CommitteeChairmanand friend John Conyers, who passed away October 28. The service was attended by former President Bill Clinton, who delivered a stirring eulogy, and by Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee, Hank Johnson, John Lewis, Karen Bass, Gwen Moore, Bobby Scott, Gregory Meeks, Barbara Lee, Rashida Tlaib, Debbie Dingell, Maxine Waters and Joyce Beatty and former Members Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Bob Goodlatte and Sandy Levin.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\n\nJohn Conyers led an extraordinarylife and will be remembered as a champion of civil rights and civil liberties. As his colleagueduring his chairmanship ofthe Judiciary Committee,I learned a lot from him. Bill Clinton was right when he said Mr. Conyers did some simple things that showed his brain was connected to his heart' --like hiring Rosa Parks when he learned she couldn't make a living in Alabama. I will miss a treasured friend. His was a life well-lived.\n\nLast week, I went to the well of the House to speak about my friend. See those remarkshere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/voting-establish-procedures-impeachment-inquiry", "Voting to Establish Procedures for Impeachment Inquiry", "2019-11-01", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,  \n\t\t\t\t\tThis week, I voted to establishtransparent and fair proceduresforCongressas webegin thenextphase of our impeachment inquiry intoPresidentTrump'smisconduct.I also demanded accountability from Boeing's CEOafter the fatal crashes of its 737 MAX aircraft; wrote to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials to clarify how emergency evacuation testing of aircraft should be conducted later this month; remembered my friend and former Congressional colleague John Conyers; cheered for the World Series-winning Washington Nationals; welcomed ESPN's College GameDay to Beale Street on Saturday; prepared for my annual Veterans Day event; called attention to free, cost-saving energy workshops being offered by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA); offered Capitol Historical Society 2020 calendars; introduced a bill for creating a postage stamp and funding source for diabetes research; and offered a health tip. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.  \n\t\t\t\t\t  Setting Rules for How Impeachment Inquiry Will Proceed  Demanding Accountability from Boeing for Fatal 737 MAX Crashes  Seeking Realistic Procedures for Testing Aircraft Evacuations  Remembering My Former Congressional Colleague John Conyers  Cheering on the Washington Nationals for Winning the World Series  Welcoming ESPN's College GameDay to Beale Street  Preparing for My 11thAnnual Veterans Day Event  Calling Attention to TVA workshops on saving on utilities  Offering Capitol Historical Society Calendars  Introducing the Diabetes PreventionSemipostalPostageStamp Act  Weekly Health Tip  Quote of the Week\n\t\t\t\t  Setting Rules for How Impeachment Inquiry Will Proceed\n\t\t\t\tOn Thursday, I voted for, and the House passed, specific rules governingthe impeachment inquiry as we movefromclosed depositions to open hearings. These procedures will guarantee a thorough and transparent review of the President'sconduct.Recent polls show that the majority of Americans now support the impeachment inquiry, and the House of Representatives is dedicated to gathering all the facts and holding this administration accountable. Once the House's five investigative committees, including the Intelligence Committee, conclude their investigations, they will share their findings with the House Judiciary Committee on which I serve. As Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, I will have an important role in analyzing the evidence and making recommendations to the full Judiciary Committee about articles of impeachment. See my releasehere. Demanding Accountability from Boeing for Fatal 737 MAX Crashes On Wednesday, I questioned Boeing executives about the crashes of two of its 737 MAX aircraftthat killed346 people, and Idemanded they take concrete steps to be accountable to victims' families. See my release, including my exchange with the witnesses,here. Seeking Realistic Procedures for Testing Aircraft Evacuations\n\t\t\t\tLast year, I was proud to passtheSeat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act, which requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish minimum seat size and distance between rows of seats on planes in order to meet the 90-second emergency airplane evacuation time mandated by federal regulation.On Thursday, I wrote to senior Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials toquestionreports that aircraft evacuation tests mandated bytheSEAT Actwould not include participants under 18, over 60 or with travel-restricting disabilities, service animals or young children.This is unacceptable.It is essential that a representative demographic sampling of the flying public be used in the tests planned for November. See my release and the letter to the FAAhere. Remembering My Former Congressional Colleague John Conyers\n\t\t\t\tOn Sunday, I learned of the passing of former Michigan Congressman John Conyers with whom I served on the Judiciary Committee, which he chaired.Conyers was always a strong and consistent voice for civil rights and civil liberties, and I considered him a friend and mentor. He made a profound difference fighting for equality and justice across our nation, and I will miss him. See my statementhere. Cheering on the Washington Nationals for Winning the World Series\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tI've been an avid baseball fan all my life and have becomea big Washington Nationals fan since they came to D.C. I'vewatched this season astheNatsreversed a losing streak, defied the odds as a wild card pick,defeated the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League pennant, and then kept us in suspense through the seventh game of the World Series to beat the Houston Astros. What a season! What a team! GoNats! Welcoming ESPN's College GameDay to Beale Street\n\t\t\t\tOn Saturday, ESPN brings its College GameDay to Beale Street, calling attention to the Tigers' winning season and training its attention on the Memphis-Southern Methodist University game. Go Tigers!\n\t\t\t\tPreparing for My 11thAnnual Veterans Day Event\n\t\t\t\tThe invitations are out for my 11thAnnual Veterans Day event, to be held on the November 11thnational observance at the Kroc Center on East Parkway South. I want to thank all our veterans and hope to meet as many as I can on the holiday, hearing what's on their minds and letting them know what I'm doing for them in Washington. Calling Attention to TVA holding FREE Workshops on Lowering Utility Bills\n\t\t\t\tThe Tennessee Valley AuthorityisholdingFREEHome Energy Workshops in Shelby County to offer tips on lowering utility bills with money-saving habits for lower energy use. Attendees will receive aFREEhome energy kit. The remaining workshops are:\n\t\t\t\t November 4 at the Parkway Village Library, 4655 Knight Arnold Road, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.\n\t\t\t\t\tNovember 9 at the Cornelia Crenshaw Library, 531 Vance Avenue, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.\n\t\t\t\t Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars My office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter.  \n\t\t\t\t\t  Sign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter\n\t\t\t\tI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled. For those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form.\n\t\t\t\tIf you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form. Introducing the Diabetes PreventionSemipostalStamp Act On Wednesday, I joined Representatives Bobby L. Rush (D-Illinois), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania), and Peter King (R-New York) in introducing the Diabetes PreventionSemipostalStamp Act.Type two diabetes disproportionately affects people of color, and Memphis has one of the highest rates in the nation. This stamp will provide additional funding for the Centers for Disease Control's National Diabetes Prevention Program that works to combat this disease. Weekly Health Tip November is Diabetes Awareness Month. The diabetespostagestamp bill we introduced this week will help raise awareness about this disease that affects over 30 million people in the United States. I know how devastating diabetes continues to be in the 9thCongressional District, but type two diabetes can often be prevented. See the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on diabeteshere. Quote of the Week\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tIt's hard to beat a person who never gives up.  New York Yankees Slugger Babe Ruth (1895-1948). As always, I remain  \n\t\t\t\t\tMost sincerely,\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tSteve Cohen  \n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-seeks-representative-demographics-aircraft-evacuation", "Congressman Cohen Seeks Representative Demographics for Aircraft Evacuation Testing", "2019-10-31", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the HouseTransportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee onAviation, today wrote the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA)Administrator Stephen Dickson and Deputy Administrator Daniel K. Elwell,requesting information regarding theFAA's decisionagainstusing a demographically representative sample in its upcoming emergency evacuation testing as mandated by federal law. See the letter here.\n\nThe Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act that became law last October contained provisions of Congressman Cohen's Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act, requiring the FAA to establish minimum seat sizes and distances between rows of seats on commercial aircraft to assure the safety of the flying public. The FAAis planningtoconductevacuation testing using 720 participants over 12 days in November but reportedly will not include individuals under 18, over 60, or with travel-limiting disabilities, service animals or young children.\n\nThis is completely unacceptable and unrealistic, Congressman Cohen writes in his letter. The SEAT Act will have a significant impact on the safety and health of airline passengers if it is implemented properly. I respectfully request that you provide an update and explanation into the FAA's decision-making process in omitting these crucial demographic groups.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-votes-establish-rules-ongoing-impeachment-inquiry", "Congressman Cohen Votes to Establish Rules for Ongoing Impeachment Inquiry", "2019-10-31", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committeeand Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberates, todayjoined his colleagues toestablish rules and procedures for the next phase in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump's misconduct.These new procedures provide a forum of productive open hearings, the transmission of the evidence from the six committees engaged in the impeachment inquiry to the Judiciary Committee, and guidelines for any Judiciary Committee proceedings on impeachment of the President.The resolution passed todayby avoteof232 to 196.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nToday is trulysignificant in the history of our country.As Members of Congress, we swore an oath to defend the Constitution and we are upholding our commitment to the American people. As Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee, I have an important role and responsibility as the Judiciary Committee reviews the evidence and undertakes impeachment proceedings. House investigations have already produced evidence about the President's actions that should be of great concern to all Americans who believe no one is above the law. Congressional oversight is the constitutional duty of Congress and we will proceed in a fair and deliberative manner to learn the truth.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cooper-votes-in-favor-of-formalizing-the-impeachment-inquiry", "Cooper Votes in Favor of Formalizing the Impeachment Inquiry", "2019-10-31", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Representative Jim Cooper (TN-05) issued the following statement regarding the House's passage of a resolution by a 232-196 vote to formalize the impeachment inquiry into President Trump's conduct in office:\nWe have entered a new phase of the impeachment inquiry process. Evidence has been collected, witnesses have been deposed, and now there will be public hearings and procedures for the President and his counsel to respond to evidence.\nAs a member of one of the investigating committees, I have been present, along with 47 Republicans, for private depositions. It is critical that the American people now hear about the President's wrongdoing. No one is above the law, not even the President.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-demands-accountability-boeing-ceo", "Congressman Cohen Demands Accountability from Boeing CEO", "2019-10-30", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and InfrastructureCommittee, questioned Boeing CEO DennisMuilenburgand the company's Vice President and Chief Engineer John Hamiltontodayabout efforts to minimize pilots' familiarity with a safety system aboardtheBoeing 737 MAX aircraft.Manyrelatives of those killedin737 MAX accidents attended the hearing.\nIn his testimony, Muilenburg said he is accountable for his company's actions. In his questioning, Congressman Cohen askedMuilenburghow he is being accountablefor the two 737 MAXaccidentsin Indonesia and Ethiopia, which killed 346 people.\nWhat does accountability mean? Are you taking a cut in pay? Are you working for free from now on till you can cure this problem? Congressman Cohen asked. These peoples' relatives are not coming back; they're goneYou're continuing to work and make $30 million a year after these horrific two accidents that caused all these peoples' relatives todie. You're not taking a cut in pay at all?\nMuilenburgsaid decisions about compensation will be part of a comprehensive review by the company's board of directors.\nSee the entire exchange here.\nFollowing the hearing, Congressman Cohen made the following statement:\nWhat we witnessed here today isnot accountability,' and it is totally unacceptable.Muilenburgsays the lives lost will always be remembered, but the company is not making those responsible for their deathspay any price at all. At a minimum,Muilenburgshould forgo his salary, or resign.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-remembers-john-conyers-conscience-congress", "Congressman Cohen Remembers John Conyers, the Conscience of the Congress", "2019-10-28", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee on which Congressman John Conyers served with distinction for so long, remembered his friend and mentor today at his passing at 90 in Detroit.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nJohn Conyers was a steadfast and principled leader, working 15 years to get the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Holiday passed into law, and was instrumental in passing my Congressional Apology for Slavery. Mr. Conyers, the longest-serving African American in Congress, was a respected and strong moral voice for the Congress and for the Congressional Black Caucus, which he helped found and chaired and served so well. The conscience of the Congress, he was, at the end of his career, its dean  its longest serving Member, and the sixth longest-serving Member in history. He taught me much about patience and tolerance and the big picture. He was a friendly, respectful and kind Member to Democrats and Republicans, the public and the press. His was a life well-lived, and he will be missed.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/securing-americas-elections", "Securing America's Elections", "2019-10-25", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend, This week, I questioned experts on election security to explore whether America is prepared to conduct accurate and fair elections in 2020. I alsovoted for the Voting Rights Advancement Act in the Judiciary Committee;held a Congress On Your Corner eventfor constituents at the South Branch Library; hosted a roundtable discussion on Complete Streets; paid my respects to the late Congressman Elijah Cummings; attended a delightful roast of distinguished Memphis journalist and educator Otis Sanford; participated in a hearing on the Pregnant Workers' Fairness Act; inquired about eligibility for federal disaster assistance after Monday's devastating storm in Shelby County; responded to two instances of extremely inappropriate presidential rhetoric;paid my respects to former Tennessee Representative Rufus Jones;offered U.S. Capitol Historical Society 2020 calendars; and provided a health tip about safely discarding unused prescription drugs. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen. Questioning Experts at a Hearing on Securing America's Elections  Voting to Advance the Voting RightsAdvancementAct  Holding Congress On Your Corner  Hosting Roundtable DiscussiononComplete Streets  Paying Respects to the Late Congressman Elijah Cummings  Attending Roast for Distinguished Journalist Otis Sanford  Raising Fairness Issues for Pregnant Workers  RememberingFormer Tennessee RepresentativeRufus Jonesand Former Tennessee Senator Reginald Tate  Introducingthe Putting Our Veterans Back to WorkAct  Reminding Constituents About ACA Open Enrollment  Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars  Sign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter  Health Tip  Quote of the Week\n\t\t\t\t  Questioning Experts at a Hearing on Securing America's Elections On Tuesday, as a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, I questionedtop government officials aboutour election security. On Wednesday,I joined my colleagues in the House in passing the SHIELD Act, which takes decisive steps to fight foreign interference in our elections by strengtheningreporting requirements, closing loopholes and deterring foreign activity in U.S. elections.See my release about the hearing, including my questioning of witnesses,here. Voting to Advance the Voting RightsAdvancementAct On Wednesday, I supported the Judiciary Committee's passage ofH.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) of 2019, which would restore the Voting Rights Act toitsoriginal strength. This bill has been one of my top priorities. As the Chair of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, I held seven hearings this, including one at the University of Memphis Law School, year documenting current voting discrimination and the need for strong federal action including reinvigorating the Voting Rights Act's preclearance process. See my release on the Committee passage of the billhere. Holding Congress On Your Corner Earlier today, mystaff and I held a Congress On Your Corner event at the South Branch Library to help constituents of the 9thCongressional District with federal agencies, programs and benefits.I also gave my constituents, who braved a rainy morning to be there, an update on my efforts to strengthen the Voting Rights Act, improve the FAA's process for approving new aircrafts and hold Boeing to account for the fatal 737 Max crashes that haveled to the aircraft's grounding worldwide. Hosting Roundtable Discussion of Complete Streets Today,I hosted a roundtable discussion withcritical stakeholders on the concept of creating Complete Streets at the FedEx Family House on Polar Ave. Memphis has a bad reputation and terrible record for being unsafe for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders and I wanted to bring the community of traffic experts, urban planners, safety advocates and elected leaders togetherto work on a solution for our ongoing and serious problem. Earlier this year,I introducedH.R. 3663, the Complete Streets Act, to create a program to pay for technical assistance and capital grants for projects such as sidewalks, bike lanes and bus stops to improve the safety and efficiency of transit. We had a great panel with talented representative from Memphis and national safety organizations. I want to particularly thankMayors Lee Harris for taking the time to address Complete Streets issues. See myComplete Streets opinion editorial that ran in The Commercial Appeal on Tuesdayhere. Paying Respects to the Late Congressman Elijah Cummings\n\t\t\t\tOn Thursday, I paid my respects to the late Elijah Cummings, my colleague and friend, who was honored at a ceremony in the National Statuary Hallof the Capitol Building. Chairman Cummings was a giant in Congress, a Civil Rights hero and a champion of Baltimore.He was a man of honor and principle who led a remarkable life with dignity and grace. Earlier this week I participated in a CBC special hour commemorating Chairman Cummings. See my remarkshere Attending Roast for Distinguished Journalist Otis Sanford On Thursday night, journalists, public officials and old friends from around the country gathered at the University of Memphis to roast and toast Otis Sanford, the consummate Memphis political commentator, author, educator, journalist and raconteur. Otis is one of our city's greatest treasures, a wise man of integrity whose serious study of our community and its politics is admired by all. I delivered some remarks, dubbing Otis our North Star and notingthat it's important that we have journalists who will write, criticize and praise when appropriate. Otis found a way to do that with grace, and we can hope he will continue to for many years. Raising Fairness Issues for Pregnant Workers On Tuesday, I participatedin an Education and Labor Subcommittee hearing on the Pregnant Workers' Fairness Act (H.R. 2694). Ireferencedtheexperienceof anemployee at an XPO Logistics warehouse in Memphiswho suffered a miscarriage as a result of being denied accommodations forher pregnancyand how the Pregnant Workers' Fairness Actwould protect workers like her. See my release on the hearinghere. Introducingthe Putting our Veterans Back to WorkAct On Wednesday,I introduced the Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act to help reduce veteran unemployment and train our nation's heroes for good-paying, high-demand jobs.Veterans put their lives on the line to secure our freedom and our safety. We must do all that we can to repay their sacrifices and help them get back on their feet when they return home.Read my release on the billhere. RememberingFormer Tennessee RepresentativeRufus Jonesand Former Tennessee Senator Reginald Tate I was saddened to hear of the passing of my friends and former colleagues Rufus Jones and Reginald Tate. I served with Rufus for 14 years in theTennesseeGeneral Assembly. He was a respected leader who brought people together on many issues, particularly ones for the good of Memphis. He was a leader of the Shelby delegation and of the legislative Black Caucus and was an ally of mine onmany legislative issues. I served with Reginald for two years. He represented Memphis during difficult time and had a talent for reaching across the aisle.    Reminding Constituents about ACA Open Enrollment The 2020 Open Enrollment Period runs fromFriday, November 1 to Sunday, December 15, 2019.If you don't act by December 15, you can't get 2020 coverage unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Plans sold during Open Enrollment start January 1, 2020. Make sure you are ready to apply for coverage. Find more informationhere. Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars   \n\t\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\tMy office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House,I can only mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter. Sign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter I enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled. For those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by using thisform. If you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that with thisform. Health Tip Saturday is the Drug Enforcement Administration's RX Take Back Day, an opportunity for Americans to prevent prescription medications  such as opioids  from getting into the wrong hands. The DEA encourages people to clean out their medicine cabinets and turn in unused, expired and unneeded prescription drugs at one of 6,258 collection sites. To find a site near you, and to learn more about Take Back Day, see the DEA's guidancehere.   Quote of the Week I have loved Memphis for as long as I can remember. This once barbarous city atop the Chickasaw Bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River has had a profound and positive impact on my life as a journalist. But that's not the sole reason I love Memphis. The city has a pace, a character and a history that I have long respected and admired.  Otis Sanford,From Boss Crump to King Willie: How Race Changed Memphis Politics, 2017.\n\t\t\t\tAs always, I remain.  \n\t\t\t\t\tMost sincerely,  \n\t\t\t\tSteve Cohen  \n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cohen-introduces-bill-put-our-veterans-back-work-0", "Cohen Introduces Bill to Put Our Veterans Back to Work", "2019-10-23", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "[WASHINGTON, DC]  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today introduced the Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act to help reduce veteran unemployment and train our nation's heroes for good-paying, high-demand jobs. Congressman Cohen's legislation would reauthorize the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), which helps train unemployed veterans for careers in high-demand occupations, through2021.VRAP expired in March 2014. This legislation would also direct the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to award grants to hire veterans as firefighters and law enforcement officers.\nOur nation's veterans put their lives on the line to secure our freedom and our safety,said Congressman Cohen.We must do all that we can to repay their sacrifices and help them get back on their feet when they return home. I am proud to introduce the Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act to make sure that unemployed veterans have access to the support they need to find good-paying jobs in our 21st century economy.\nVRAP was created by theVOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011to help unemployed veterans access educational training programs that could lead to high-demand occupations including management, business and financial operations, protective service, healthcare, transportation, andmany others. While the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) approved more than 126,000 applications from veterans seeking to enter the program, only 76,000 were enrolled before the program's authorization expired last year. VRAP offered up to 12 months of training assistance to unemployed Veterans who:\n \nWere at least 35 but no more than 60 years old\n \n \nWere unemployed on the date of application\n \n \nReceived an other than dishonorable discharge\n \n \nWere not eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)\n \n \nWere not in receipt of VA compensation due to un-employability\n \n \nWere not enrolled in a federal or state job training program", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-and-judiciary-committee-advance-voting-rights", "Congressman Cohen and Judiciary Committee Advance the Voting Rights Advancement Act", "2019-10-23", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "[Washington, D.C.] Today, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, supported the Judiciary Committee's passage of the H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) of 2019. This bill has been a top priority for Congressman Cohen and his Subcommittee, which held seven hearings this year documenting current voting discrimination and the need for strong federal action including reinvigorating the Voting Rights Act's preclearance process.\nAfter the markup Cohen provided the following statement:\nAs the great Maya Angelou said, when someone shows you who they are, believe them.' When jurisdictions enact laws that disenfranchise voters, we should believe that is their intent. H.R. 4 would restore the pre-clearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act and prevent jurisdictions that have passed discriminatory voting laws in the past from enacting laws that would further erode voting rights. The right to vote is the most fundamental right in our democracy, and it must be protected.\nSeeCohen'sfull opening remarks here.\nThe VRAA is a comprehensive and much-needed proposal to amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965.The bill is a response to the Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which gutted the act's preclearance requirement contained in Section 5by striking down the coverage formula that determined which jurisdictions would be subject to preclearance.\nThrough a series of hearings in his Subcommittee, Congressman Cohen established a substantial record documenting an ongoing pattern of voting discrimination since the Shelby County decision. This record justifies the continuing need for preclearance and bolsters Congress's authority for enacting H.R. 4.\nH.R. 4 also strengthens other related provisions of the Voting Rights Act. The bill:\n \nexpands the availability of bail-in coverage so that a court can impose preclearance on a particular jurisdiction that has violated the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Amendments, the Voting Rights Act, or any other federal anti-voting-discrimination law;\n\tadds a practice-based preclearance formula that would subject any jurisdiction that engages in certain practices that have historically been used to discriminate against minority voterslike changing methods of election or jurisdictional boundaries, or imposing voter identification requirementsand, in most instances, meets certain demographic thresholds;\n\texpands the Attorney General's authority to send federal election observers;\n\trequires states and localities to provide critical public notice and enhanced transparency of voting changes and practices when they are implemented; and\n\tamends the Act's injunctive relief provision to allow private parties to seek such relief and to make it easier for them to obtain preliminary injunctions.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-questions-witnesses-foreign-interference-2020", "Congressman Cohen Questions Witnesses on Foreign Interference in 2020 Elections", "2019-10-22", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today questioned experts in election security and votersuppression about America'sefforts to combat election interference and ensure our voting systems aresafe,accurate and fair.Congressman Cohen believes U.S. elections should be decided by U.S. citizens without meddling by foreign governments and interests.In one exchange with witness Matthew Masterson, a senior cybersecurity advisor at the Department of Homeland Security, Congressman Cohen elicited testimony that Russian actors conducted at least research on election entities across all 50 states. Witness Ben Hovland, vice chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, said 90 percent of the $380 million Congress has appropriated to protect future elections has been used to improve security.\nCongressman Cohen asked Masterson why Russia conducted research on U.S. election systems.\nPresumably just to understand how elections are run across the United States, Masterson answered.\nKind ofspringtraining? Congressman Cohen asked.\nSee Congressman Cohen's exchange with the witnesses here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-questions-witnesses-hearing-pregnant-workers-fairness", "Congressman Cohen Questions Witnesses at Hearing on Pregnant Workers Fairness Act", "2019-10-22", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) questioned witnesses today at an Education and Labor Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services hearing titled Long Overdue: Exploring the Pregnant Workers' Fairness Act (H.R. 2694). In his questioning, Congressman Cohen asked about accommodating pregnant women by employers offering them leave and also raised questions about the conditions for pregnant women at the XPO Logistics warehouse in Memphis.\n\nCongressman Cohen raised the experience of Tasha Murrell,a Memphis XPOemployeewho suffered a miscarriage as a result of being denied accommodations of her pregnancy. Congressman Cohen asked how the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would protect women from suffering similar outcomes.See the entire exchange with witnesses here.\n\nThe Congressman made the following statement:\n\nThe workerswho have experienced discrimination and loss as a result ofnegligent employers highlight the need for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Acttoprotect expectingmothers. I was deeply disturbed by the stories of XPO workers in Memphis and am proud to support this meaningful legislation. \n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-requests-assessment-today-s-storm-damage", "Congressman Cohen Requests Assessment of Todays Storm Damage", "2019-10-21", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON Following this morning's storms,Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) sought detailed information on damage and injuries from Shelby County emergency managers in advance of potentially seeking federal emergency disaster assistance. Reports indicate several areas of north and southShelby Countysustained structural damage while at least 26,000homeswere without electricity. The storm struck just after 6:30 a.m. local time.\n\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\n\nI am asking for an assessment ofthedamage so that federal disaster relief is swiftly made available,if permitted,to those who need it. This was a serious storm and I'm grateful that, at this point, no serious injuries or fatalities have been reported. My staff and I will continue to monitor the situation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressmen-cohen-scott-introduce-bill-protect-consumers-fraudulent-tax", "Congressmen Cohen, Scott Introduce Bill to Protect Consumers from Fraudulent Tax Preparers", "2019-10-18", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Congressman Robert Bobby Scott (VA-03) today reintroduced the Tax Return Preparer Accountability Act to protect consumers from unscrupulous tax preparation businesses. The legislation would give the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) explicit authority to ensure that paid tax preparers are adequately trained and maintain high standards of integrity.\nMore than half of Americans rely on professional tax preparers when filing their returns. Unfortunately, throughout the country,tax preparers, some of whom are inadequately prepared and some of whom are crooked, are defrauding honest taxpayers with outrageous fees and cheating them out of the refunds they deserved, said Congressman Cohen. This bill would lead to taxpayers getting their fair return and prevent these dishonest business practices and protect the pocketbooks of working families and the federal treasury alike.\nThe issues with fraudulent tax preparers faced by my constituents and many others in 2012 demonstrated a need to change the law to better deter and prevent similar scams from happening in the future, said Congressman Scott. This legislation grants the IRS authority to oversee tax preparers and to ensure that they are adequately trained. This authority will protect taxpayers from predatory activities that masquerade as federal tax preparation services. \nCongressman Cohen first introduced this bill in response to Memphis-based Mo' Money Taxes, which was caught defrauding honest taxpayers with outrageous fees and cheating them out of the refunds they deserved. In September 2013, a federal court permanently barred the owners and a former manager of Mo' Money Taxes from preparing tax returns for others and of owning or operating a tax return preparation business. Mo' Money Taxes had been the subject of a U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division lawsuit seeking to shut the business down. The suit also accused its owners of creating and maintaining a business environment that encourages the preparation of fraudulent federal income tax returns. In 2015, three Mo' Money tax preparers were indicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States and for aiding in preparation of 19 false and fraudulent tax returns.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/remembering-elijah-cummings", "Remembering Elijah Cummings", "2019-10-18", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,  \n\tThis week, I remembered my friend and colleague Elijah Cummings of Maryland, a giant of Congress and a man of quiet power and integrity. I also chaired a hearing on strengthening the Voting Rights Act; moved to block federal funds from being used at Trump's Doral Resort for the G-7 Summit next year; introduced the Tax Return Preparer Accountability Act; prepared for my October 25 Memphis roundtable on Complete Streets; celebratedthe naturalization of 60 new American citizens; offered 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars; and offered a health tip on critical vaccinations during pregnancy. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.\nRemembering Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland  Chairing Hearing on Legislative Proposals to Strengthen the Voting Rights Act  Condemning Trump's Choice of his Doral Resort for the G-7 Summit  Introducing Tax Return Preparer Accountability Act  Holding a Complete Streets Roundtable October 25  Celebrating Newly Naturalized American Citizens  Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars  WeeklyHealth Tip  Quote of the Week\nRemembering Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland\nElijah Cummings was a giant in Congress and will be sorely missed. The son of a sharecropperwhorose to be the powerful Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, hewas a lifelong advocate for civil rights and justice and was a staunch defender of the Constitution. He was working hard to hold the President accountable for his impeachable conduct when he succumbed to complications from longstanding health problems on Thursday.We were fiends and I valued the time we spent together. He was amodel legislator, a man of integrity, knowledgeand grace.He will be missed. See my release on his passing here and my statement here.\nChairing Hearing on Legislative Proposals to Strengthen the Voting Rights Act\nOn Thursday, I chaired the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties as itconsideredlegislative proposals to strengthen the Voting Rights Act in the wake of the Supreme Court's disastrous 2013 ruling inShelby County v. Holder. This was the seventh in a series of hearings, including one held in Memphis on September 5, to create a record in advance of passage of H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act which would restore the pre-clearance provisions of the original act and strengthen voting rights protections. See my release on the hearing here.\nCondemning Trump's Choice of his Doral Resort for the G-7 Summit\nOn Thursday, Acting Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney announced that the G-7 Summit of world leaders will be held at Trump's Doral National Resort in Florida next June, a clear plan to violate the foreign emoluments clause of the Constitution and an astonishingly corrupt instance of illegal self-dealing. I condemned this decision when I heard about itsince it so clearly presents the appearance of improprietyand joined colleagues Friday in introducing the Trump's Heist Undermines the G-7 (THUG) Act.Public officials should avoid even the appearance of impropriety and this roars IMPROPRIETY.See my statement on the announcement here.\nIntroducing Tax Return Preparer Accountability Act\nEarlier today, I introduced the Tax Return Preparer Accountability Act with Congressman Bobby Scott of Virginia to protect consumers from unscrupulousand/or unskilledtax preparers who defraud honest taxpayers. This bill incorporates Internal Revenue Service rules for preparers to meet certain education and testing standards and gives the IRS explicit authority to regulate tax return preparers. See my release about the bill here.\nHolding a Complete Streets Roundtable October 25\nIt is an unpleasant fact that Memphis has a reputation as one of the most dangerous cities for pedestrians, bicyclists and users of public transit. That's why I introducedH.R. 3663, the Complete Streets Act,to create a program to pay for technical assistance and capital grants for projects such as sidewalks, bike lanes and bus stops to improve the safety and efficiency of transit. It's also why I am hosting a Complete Streets roundtable discussion next Friday, October 25, in Memphis to hear ideas from private sector stakeholders and our local, state and federal government on how to produce safer Complete Streets.\nCelebrating Newly Naturalized American Citizens\nOn Thursday, U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Parker presided at the swearing in of 60 new American citizens from 26 countries in his Memphis courtroom.As I had votes in Washington, mymydistrict staff attendedthis solemn and inspiring ceremony that made former residents of Nepal, China, Egypt, South Sudan, Honduras, Senegal and Laos, among other places, naturalized American citizens. Judge Parker quoted President Obama, who noted that the most important title is not president or prime minister, but citizen. I congratulate all our new Americans.\nOffering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars\nMy office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis form on my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter.  \n\t  Sign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter\n  \n\t  \n\tI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you can sign up here to receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled.My next Congress on Your Corner is next Friday, October 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the South Branch Library, 1929 South Third Street, Memphis 38109.  \n\t  \n\tFor those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by using this form.  \n\t  \n\tIf you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that with this form.  \n\t  Weekly Health Tip\nEarlier this month, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report withcompelling datathat indicated many pregnant women in the United States are not getting vaccines against flu and whooping cough. These vaccines are strongly recommended during pregnancy to protect both mother and child.Seventypercent of those who died from whooping cough in recent years were infants younger than two months. See the C.D.C.'sguidance here.Incidentally, it's not just women who need to get their flu shots: I got mine today.\nQuote of the Week\nI want justice, oceans of it. I want fairness, rivers of it. That's what I want. That's all I want. -- Congressman Elijah Cummings (1959-2019) at the 2015 Baltimore funeral of Freddie Gray.\nGod has called me to this moment. I did not ask for it. -- Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland (1951-2019) in an August 7, 2019, speech at The National Press Club.  \n\t  \n\tAs always, I remain  \n\tMost sincerely,\nSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-presides-hearing-strengthen-voting-rights-act", "Congressman Cohen Presides at Hearing to Strengthen the Voting Rights Act", "2019-10-17", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today presided over a hearing on legislative proposals to strengthen the Voting Rights Act in the wake of the Supreme Court's disastrous 2013 ruling inShelby County v. Holder. This was the seventh in a series of hearings, including one held in Memphis on September 5,to examine current voting discrimination and legislative solutions such asthe Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA).The VRAAwould restore the pre-clearance provisions of the originalactVoting Rights Actand strengthenitsprotections.\nIn his opening statement, Congressman Cohen said:\nThe right to vote is the right that guarantees all other rights in our democracy. Unfortunately, the right to vote of African Americans and other members of racial and language minoritieshas been threatened and undermined throughout our nation's history. The Voting Rights Act  with an effective preclearance provision  went a long way towards righting that wrong.But,sadly, since the effective neutering of the preclearance provision, voting rights for minorities once again is under sustained assault in many parts of our country. See Congressman Cohen's entire opening statement here.\nSee Congressman Cohen's questioning of witnesses here.\nAt the start of the hearing,Congressman Cohen took the time toremember his friend and colleague Elijah Cummings who passed earlier today. SeeCohen's statement on Mr. Cummings here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-remembers-congressman-elijah-cummings", "Congressman Cohen Remembers Congressman Elijah Cummings", "2019-10-17", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today remembered his friend and colleague Elijah Cummings of Maryland, who died this morning in Baltimore, and made the following statement:\nElijah Cummings was a giant of integrity and knowledge in Congress, and an inspiration in our ongoing efforts to investigate President Trump. Mr. Cummings clashed with the president as head of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, defending the Constitution, and always acted with grace. Just last week, he was on the call with Speaker Pelosi, offering thoughtful guidance. His was a life well-lived, and he will be missed.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-s-statement-trump-hosting-next-g7-summit-his-doral", "Congressman Cohens Statement on Trump Hosting Next G7 Summit at His Doral Miami Property", "2019-10-17", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.- Today, Congressman Steve Cohen, Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump's decision to hold the 2020 G7 Summit at Trump National Doral Miami, a potential violation of the Constitution's Emoluments Clauses:\nI am deeply concerned about President Trump's priorities. Rather than focus on the American people, he seems to be busy padding his wallet with taxpayer and foreign money. The federal government isn't his personal piggy bank nor should it be the promotional arm of the Trump Organization. The announcement that the next G7 Summit will be held at his Doral Miami resort is a brazen example of the corruption and self-dealing that has characterized this administration. We must continue our investigation into this and other abuses of power.\nOn September 6, 2019, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the House Committee on the Judiciary sent a series of letters requesting documents and other information regarding multiple efforts by the President, Vice President, and other Trump Administration officials to spend taxpayer funds at properties owned by the President in potential violation of the Constitution's Emoluments Clauses.\nCongressman Cohen and House Judiciary Chairman Jerold Nadler sent a letter to the White House Counsel and Secret Service seeking information about President Trump's recent promotion and solicitation of foreign and U.S. government business at Trump propertiesincluding pushing the Trump National Doral Miami as the next venue to host the G7 Summit.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cooper-announces-staff-appointments", "Cooper Announces Staff Appointments", "2019-10-16", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) announced today the addition of several members to his staff.\nCheryl D. Mayes will serve as Director of Operations and Finance for Rep. Cooper. Prior to joining Congressman Cooper's office, Mayes served as the founder and principal consultant at My Toolbox Consulting, a firm that provides leadership and development training for organizations and individuals. Mayes previously worked in community outreach and engagement at Nissan North America's corporate offices in Franklin, TN, where she cultivated relationships with local and national organizations, focusing on issues concerning diversity and inclusion. Mayes also served on the Board of Education for Metro Nashville Public Schools from 2010 to 2014. Mayes received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Tennessee State University and completed her Master of Business Administration at David Lipscomb University. Mayes replaces Kathy Buggs who will join the Office of Mayor John Cooper as Director of Neighborhoods.\nLindsey Smith joins Rep. Cooper's office as the Nashville-based District Scheduler. Smith is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Integrated Strategic Communication. Most recently, Smith worked as the campaign manager for Bob Mendes' Council-At-Large race. Smith also worked as a field organizer for former mayor Karl Dean's gubernatorial race. Smith currently serves as the president of Davidson County Young Democrats and is a New Leaders Council fellow.\nChelsea Angelo was recently appointed Scheduler in the Washington, D.C. office. Before joining Rep. Cooper's office, Angelo worked as a Research and Data Assistant for TIME's Up Legal Defense Fund and the Legal Network for Gender Equity. Angelo also worked as Regional Field Director for the Phil Bredesen for Senate campaign.\nI am happy to welcome these Tennesseans to my staff, Rep. Cooper said. They bring a wealth of experience and passion for the people of Middle Tennessee.\nIt is always bittersweet to say goodbye to staff members, but it makes it easier to say goodbye when I know that they will continue to work for the greater good. Kathy Buggs has been a vital part of my team for a long time. I appreciate her many years of service to this office and the people of Tennessee's Fifth Congressional District. I'm pleased that she will continue to serve the people of Middle Tennessee in her new role as Director of Neighborhoods for the Nashville mayor's office, Rep. Cooper said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/applauding-decision-hold-public-hearing-memphis-tenncare-block", "Applauding Decision to Hold Public Hearing in Memphis on TennCare Block Grant Proposal", "2019-10-11", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,  \n\tThis week, I applauded the decision to hold a public hearing in Memphis on the bad idea to block grant Tennessee's Medicaid program.TennCaredid not originally schedule a hearing in our city, despite the disproportionateimpact this proposed change would have on Memphians.I also called attention to a roundtable discussion on Complete Streets I have scheduled for October 25 to discuss pedestrian, bicyclist and transit users' safety; expressed concern at the Trump Administration's stonewalling of legitimate oversight of its clearly impeachable conduct; condemned Trump'sdangerousdecision to allow Turkey to invade parts of Syria held by U.S.-backed Kurdish militias; addressed Mr.Rakestraw'sA.P. Government class at White Station High School; talked to a large group of Career and Technical Education (CTE) students at Cordova High School; spoke out against gun violence at a Moms Demand Action event; offered 2020 U.S. Historical Society calendars; and offered a health tip on depression. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.\nApplauding Decision to Hold a Memphis Public Hearing on BadTennCareBlock Grant Proposal  Holding a Complete Streets Roundtable October 25  Expressing Concern at Trump Administration Stonewalling of the Ukraine-centered Impeachment Inquiry  Condemning Trump'sGreen Light to Turkey's Invasion of Syria  Addressing Mr.Rakestraw'sWhite Station High A.P. Government Class  Talking to Career and Technical Education Students at Cordova High  Speaking Out Against Gun Violence at a Moms Demand Action Event  Offering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars  Weekly Health Tip  Quote of the Week\n  Applauding Decision to Hold a Memphis Public Hearing on BadTennCareBlock Grant Proposal\nI wrote to Governor BillLeeon September 20requestinga public hearing on theTennCareBlock Grant proposal. Shelby Countyhas more than ten times the number of beneficiaries as Madison County, the only county in West Tennessee originally scheduled for a public hearing. Ialso wrote anop-edfor The Commercial Appeal. Iam pleased to seea hearing has been planned for Tuesday, October 15, at 1:30 p.m. at the University Center Ballroom, 499 University Street. Memphians deserve to be heard.This proposal would allow the state government to arbitrarily changeTennCarecoverage and slash benefits for those who need them most. I hope the hearingiswell-attended and expect it to produce the overwhelmingly negative response it has already received at hearings in Knoxville, Nashville and Jackson.\nHolding a Complete Streets Roundtable October 25\nCongressman Cohen speaking at People for Bikes Workshop Thursday\nIt is an unpleasant fact that Memphis has a reputation as one of the most dangerouscitiesfor pedestrians, bicyclists and users of public transit. That's why I introducedH.R. 3663, the Complete Streets Act.This bill would create a program to pay for technical assistance and provide capital grants for projects such as sidewalks, bike lanes and bus stops to improve the safety and efficiency of transit. I am hosting a Complete Streets roundtable discussion on October 25 in Memphis to hear ideas from private sector stakeholders and our local, state and federal government on how to produce safer Complete Streets.On Thursday, I attended a City of Memphis and People for Bikes workshop at which protected bike lane proponents, such as keynote speaker Charles T. Brown of Rutgers University, spoke of transportation equity and the need to prioritize the interests of pedestrians and bicyclists after decades of prioritizingmoving as manycars as possible through our streets.\nExpressing Concern at Trump Administration Stonewalling of Ukraine Impeachment Inquiry\nJust as Trump has repeatedly stonewalled the House Judiciary Committee throughout the 116thCongress, he is now obstructing the House's impeachment inquiry into his attempts to pressure foreign governments to dig up dirt on his political opponents.The American people deserve answers and it is essential we stand up to thisPresident's reckless and impeachable behavior. See my interview about the ongoing stonewalling with CNN'sBiannaKeilarhereand with CNN's Jim Sciuttohere.\nCondemning Trump'sIrresponsibleGreen Light to Turkey's Invasion of Syria\nI am deeply disappointed in the President's knee-jerk and irresponsible decision to give Turkey the green light to invade parts of northeastern Syria currently occupied by U.S.-backed Kurdish militias. There has been a bipartisan chorus from lawmakers and foreign policy experts condemning the President's decision to abandon an important ally. I am also very concerned about what message this abandonment sends to our other allies.I dread the humanitarian disaster that likely comes next.\nAddressing Mr.Rakestraw'sWhite StationHighSchoolA.P. Government Class\n  \n\tOn Tuesday, I met with students in teacher CurtRakestraw'sAdvanced PlacementGovernment class at White Station High School to talk about what I'm doing in Congress and to take thoughtful questions from students. Mr.Rakestrawis clearly a great teacher and hisengagingstudentsare a testament to his hard work.It was an honor to meet with them.\nTalking toCareer andTechnicalEducation Students at Cordova HighSchool\n  \n\tOn Thursday, I met with more than 650 juniors and seniors in various Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at Cordova High School aboutthe importance ofScience, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs.As a member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, I have supported legislation to expand access to these essential programs.Just last month, the House passed the STEM Opportunities Act to remove barriers for minority students in STEM fields. It is essential that our best and brightest have to opportunity to conduct research and improve technology to make us all safer, healthier and better prepared to meet the challenges ahead. I want to thank Principal Barton Thorne, teacher ArianeKavassand the entire Wolfpack for inviting me.\nSpeaking Out Against Gun Violence at a Moms Demand Action Event\nOn Thursday, I joined Moms Demand Action volunteers to speak out against senseless gun violence.The Judiciary Committee on which I serve as a senior member has passed a red flag law and limits on high-capacity magazines while the whole House has passed a bipartisan universal background checks bill and a bill closing the Charleston loophole. Unfortunately,these measuresremainbottled upbySenateMajority Leader Mitch McConnell who cares more about the NRA than the safety of our communities.\nOffering 2020 U.S. Historical Society Calendars\n  \n\tMy office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter.  \n\t  Sign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter\n  \n\t  \n\tI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled. My next Congress on Your Corner is Friday, October 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the South Branch Library, 1929 South Third Street, Memphis 38109.  \n\t  \n\tFor those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form.  \n\t  \n\tIf you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form.  \n\t  Weekly Health Tip\nDepression affects more than 8.1 percent of adults over 20 and can be a torment endured in silence without professional intervention. Depression among women is about twice as common as among men. Thursday was National Depression Screening Day,but any day when you or a loved one feel desperate or depressed is a good day to seek help. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255. See some guidance and resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionhere.\nQuote of the Week\nIf you were really great and powerful, you'd keep your promises!  Dorothy Gale, played by Judy Garland, to the Wizard, played by Frank Morgan,in The Wizard of Oz (1939)\nAs always, I remain  \n\tMost Sincerely,\nSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/media-advisory-congressman-cohen-host-complete-streets-roundtable", "Media Advisory: Congressman Cohen to Host  Complete Streets Roundtable", "2019-10-08", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Cohen will host a Complete Streets roundtable discussion with critical stakeholders to address Memphis' unfortunate distinction as one of the most unsafe cities in the nation for pedestrians, bicyclists and public transit users. Congressman Cohen has introduced H.R. 3663, the Complete Streets Act, that would create a grant program to fund Complete Streets projects to make transit routes safer and more accessible. Through this program, eligible local and regional entities could apply for technical assistance and capital funding to build safe streets projects, such as sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, and bus stops. The roundtable will provide an opportunity to discuss this legislation and other ideas for collaboration on Complete Streets policies with local, state, federal government and private stakeholders.\nLocal media are invited to attend.\nDetails:\nWhat: A Complete Streets Roundtable hosted by Congressman Cohen with relevant stakeholders\nWhen: Friday, October 25, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.\nWhere: FedExFamily House, 918 Poplar Avenue, Memphis 38105.\n(On-street parking available on Ayres Street.)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/pursuing-trump-impeachment-inquiry", "Pursuing Trump Impeachment Inquiry", "2019-10-04", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,  \n\tThis week, as I worked with constituents in the District, I followed the torrent of news from Washington and the growing evidence that President Trump must be impeached. I also met with Recording Academy officials and members to discuss strengthening their legal protections; demanded that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stop dragging its feet and implement provisions of my Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act; spoke to law students about abolishing the Electoral College; spoke with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer at Rhodes College; spoke at the dedication of the Russell B.SugarmonJr. Memorial Bridge; called attention to a gun crime tip line; offered Capitol Historical Society 2020 calendars; and reminded those eligible for Medicareor seeking coverage underthe Affordable Care Actof comingenrollment opportunities. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.\nPursuing Trump Impeachment Inquiry  Protecting Musicians and the Music IndustrySpeaking at the Dedication of the Russell B.SugarmonJr. Memorial Bridge  Demanding Federal Aviation Administration Review Airliner Evacuations  Discussing Abolishing the Electoral College  Calling Attention to Gun Crime Tip Line  Offering Capitol Historical Society Calendars  Weekly Health Tip  Quote of the Week\n  Pursuing Trump Impeachment Inquiry\nAll week, various revelations have shown the wisdom of pursuing an impeachment inquiry against President Trump. The transcript of his conversation with the President of Ukraine confirms that he solicited foreign interference in the 2020 election.Then he openly called on China to investigate Vice President JoeBiden.This clearly demonstrateshe is violating his oath and subverting the Constitution andthe immediate need to pursue an impeachment inquiry. The Presidenthas also threatened the whistleblower and has obstructed Congressional oversight of his actions. I have offered my thoughts on national television several times this week. See my interviews with MSNBC, CNN and the CBS Evening Newshere,hereandhere.\nProtecting Musicians and the Music Industry\nCongressman Cohen with JonHornyakand Vicki Loveland of the Recording Academy Memphis Chapter\nOn Wednesday, I went to Ardent Studio on Madison to meet with Recording Academy executive director JonHornyakand members to talk about federal legislation to strengthen music creators' rights. As a proud supporter of the Music Modernization Act,whichbecame law last year, I remain a staunch advocate of updating copyright law to protect musicians and will make sure producers, mixers and sound engineers receive the royalties they are due.\nSpeaking at the Dedication of the Russell B.SugarmonJr. Memorial Bridge\n On Thursday, I spoke from the grounds of the Memphis Theological Seminary adjacent to the new Russell B.SugarmonJr. Memorial Bridge and recalled my friend and mentor as one of our greatest champions of civil rights. I'm proud to have written and passed into law last year the bill naming the Autumn Avenue post office for the late paragon of justice. The date of Thursday's dedication  October 3  was selected by JudgeSugarmon'sfamily because it was the anniversary of the date in 1961 that he called his proudest moment, when he escorted the 6-year-old Malone twins, Sheila and Sharon, into Gordon Elementary School as part of the movement to desegregate Memphis public schools.\nDemandingtheFederal Aviation Administration Review Airliner Evacuations\n\nAs the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA)prepares to conduct tests next month of whether commercial airliners with their small seats and narrow distances between rows of seats can be safely evacuated in the statutorily mandated 90 seconds, I have been interviewed by reporters about my Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act. Provisions of the bill, requiring the FAA assessment of the safety of current seat sizes, became law last year. I'm concerned it has taken too long for the evaluation to get under way, but I'm pleasedto see the FAA is finally taking action. See a story about ithere.\nDiscussing Abolishingthe Electoral College\nCongressman Cohen with Justice Stephen Breyer\nAlso Thursday, I spoke to the American Constitutional Society atmy alma mater,the University of Memphis School of Law,about my Constitutional Amendment,H.J. Res. 7, to do away with the archaic Electoral College. Twice in the past 20 years we have had Presidents whodid not winthe popular vote. I believe that every vote should count. Later in the day, I spoke with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer before he delivered his Constitution Day lecture at Rhodes College.\nCalling Attention to Gun Crime Tip Line\nLast month, I met with officials with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to talk about gun crime in Memphis and the creation of a strike force to address it. I also told the officials that I would call attention to the bureau's Gun Crimes Tip Line in my newsletter to constituents. Call (888) ATF-TIPS (888) 283-8477--if you have a tip for these dedicated law enforcement specialists.  \n\t  Offering U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars    \n\t   \n\tMy officewill havea limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive myeNewsletter.  \n\t  Sign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter     \n\tI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled. My next Congress on Your Corner is Friday, October 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the South Branch Library, 1929 South Third Street, Memphis 38109.  \n\t  \n\tFor those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form.  \n\t  \n\tIf you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form.  \n\t  Weekly Health Tip  \n\tIt's time to start thinking about open enrollment for Medicare and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Medicare open enrollment starts October 15 and ends December 7. ACA open enrollment starts November 1 and ends December 15. Review all your options for Medicarehereand for the ACAhere.\nQuote of the Week\nThese are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. Thomas Paine,The Crisis, December 23, 1776.  \n\t  \n\tAs always, I remain  \n\tMost sincerely,\nSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cooper-testifies-at-middle-tennessee-tenncare-block-grant-hearing", "Cooper Testifies at Middle Tennessee TennCare Block Grant Hearing", "2019-10-01", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Testimony of Rep. Jim Cooper\non\nTennCare II Demonstration, Amendment 42\nOct. 1, 2019\n\nHistory may not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.  attributed to Mark Twain\nLet's be completely honest. Tennessee is one of the unhealthiest states in America and we lead the nation in per capita hospital closings. Both of these tragedies are partly the result of our refusal to expand Medicaid. And this waiver request not only doesn't help, it moves us backward. This radical, Trump-inspired plan would treat Tennessee like a guinea pig.\nDon't take my word regarding our bad health. Ask Tennessee's Department of Public Health, Nashville's non-partisan Sycamore Institute or Sen. Bill Frist's Health & Well-Being Index. Here are some of their examples:\nAlthough the outlook is better and better for Americans with cancer, not for us living in Tennessee. Cancer deaths are falling nationwide, but Tennesseans' continue to climb. How about Tennessee children? They are more likely to die here than if you're child in 40 other states. What if you are one of the two million Americans who suffer opioid abuse? There's hope if you live in a state that expanded Medicaid where access to treatment centers have led to fewer overdoses. But in Tennessee, more of our people are overdosing. And what about the health of mothers in Tennessee? Of all of the maternal deaths in 2017, 85% were preventable. Think about that  many of these mothers might still be alive if Tennessee had only treated them better by expanding Medicaid.\nHow can we explain our state government's complicity in all this bad news? And Nashville dares call itself America's health care capital!\nNow Tennessee is applying for its 42nd Amendment to its federal waiver in 25 years so that we can experiment again on our children, poor people and rural hospitals. The waiver application calls for refinancing core medical services to its core population. Shockingly, the waiver request barely mentions the health of Tennesseans because it's such a low priority.\nDon't forget that, since 2010, we have been offered almost a billion dollars a year in health assistance by the federal government. Perhaps if it had been offered by the Gates Foundation, we would have accepted it. Since 2010, we have made the cruel decision to reject federal money for ideological reasons. Never has our state turned down so much money, and we wouldn't think of doing so for other causes. Only the medical needs of our most vulnerable are scorned.\nHistory: The Public TennCare Reform Efforts\nFor the last twenty-five years, Tennessee Medicaid has been operating on a series of so-called Section 1115 waivers. In 1994, the legislature passed a page-and-a-half bill asking Gov. Ned McWherter to handle the problem of fitting medical care for the low income and disabled into tight state budgets. The legislature's motivation was primarily financial, not medical. They were not trying to improve public health but to reduce state spending.\nTennessee received its waiver from the Clinton Administration (McWherter was favorite of President Clinton), and TennCare was born in 1994. Tennessee's big idea was managed care, forcing hundreds of thousands of poor Tennesseans into managed care plans because it might save lots of money. Of course, the legislature would never have dared force regular citizens or state employees into such plans. Reimbursements to these Managed Care Organizations under TennCare were so low that no national managed care company wanted to do business in Tennessee. Nevertheless, the legislature bulldozed ahead, waiting six years before seriously studying reimbursement levels. As a result, the entire crop of home-grown TennCare MCOs failed while waiting to be fairly paid for their work, leaving the state's Medicaid patients in the lurch.\nWhen Gov. Phil Bredesen was elected in 2002, he had the advantage of having been a managed care executive. He knew that reimbursement levels for Medicaid had to be high enough to attract qualified managed-care providers. His change in reimbursement meant that Tennessee market was attractive to companies like Amerigroup and United  companies with proven management systems. Despite Gov. Bredesen's expertise, he had to correct previous structural problems in the original design of TennCare, which forced the removal of 170,000 Tennesseans from the rolls.\nThe Affordable Care Act, when passed in 2010, was a national fix a number of features of our health care system. It wasn't perfect, but I was proud to vote for it on behalf of the 750,000 people I represent in Middle Tennessee. Gone were the laws that allowed insurance companies to dump people as soon as they got sick; gone were sham insurance policies that provided no benefits; gone were the higher premium charges for women; gone were the policies that prevented people with previous medical conditions from ever getting health coverage. All Americans, including Tennesseans, have been beneficiaries of these changes in the law.\nBut the ACA was also designed to get not only the poor, but the low-income, medical insurance. This reform works wherever it is allowed to work, but not in Tennessee. The federal government committed to pay for the additional costs to states, and most states  enticed by the prospect of a realigned health care marketplace that was heavily subsidized by the federal government  signed up. The near-poor citizens of 36 states are now under the coverage of care, but not Tennesseans. Here, we had the third largest increase in uninsured in the nation last year. One out of every 10 people in our state, about 675,000 people, remain without any health insurance. Read the first chapter of T.R. Reid's book, The Healing of America. It describes a young Tennessee woman in her 30s who needlessly died of lupus for lack of medical care.\nTo his credit, after Gov. Bill Haslam was elected, he supported expanding TennCare in this newly aligned system, and it was made easier because ALL of our Tennessee hospitals and provider groups also supported the effort. His plan was called Insure Tennessee, and it was chock-full of conservative features such as co-pays and work requirements. Nevertheless, the state legislature soundly rejected the Governor's initiative after his half-hearted sales attempt and so began nearly a decade of refusing to expand TennCare. Gov. Haslam's failure left Tennesseans in the sad situation of paying federal taxes so that other states could take better care of their citizens than we do.\nNow, eight years later, Gov. Bill Lee has been handed another page-and-a-half bill (H.B. 1280) by the General Assembly asking Gov. Lee to handle the same problems that Gov. McWherter first faced a quarter-century ago: tight state budgets with little room for the medical needs of our citizens who need it most. Gov. Lee has the same response: more managed care.\nThe Hidden History: Gaming the Match\nTennessee governors have been very creative in grabbing federal dollars to shoulder their constitutional responsibilities in caring for the medical needs of Tennesseans. No matter how generous the federal government has been in assisting states with their constitutional responsibilities, states always want more money to do the work the Constitution left to them.\nMedicaid was created in 1965 to offer federal matching grants to state-run Medicaid programs. Prosperous states like Connecticut get a 50% match, or one federal dollar for every state dollar. Lower-income states like Tennessee get a much better deal, a 65% match rate. That means about two federal dollars for every Tennessee dollar.\nCritics of this uncapped matching formula know that it has drawbacks and benefits. Federal generosity has spurred endless medical care price increases. Any attempt to reduce medical spending looks punitive because of the ratchet effect of, in Tennessee's case, losing three dollars for every cut of one state dollar. Nevertheless, federal generosity under this formula has allowed dramatic improvements in health outcomes nationwide.\nThe two-for-one match rate is so favorable to Tennessee that it creates incentives for Tennessee to look literally everywhere for money to earn more matching funds. Some of these efforts look laughable in hindsight. Tennessee hospitals once volunteered to give large charitable contributions to state government, with the implicit understanding that they would quickly get all their money back and more. These were not charitable contributions at all, but self-serving investments. When the federal government tried to close this blatant loophole, state officials complained that they were being unfairly treated.\nAfter the charitable loophole was closed, hospitals began volunteering to have their beds taxed. Anytime someone volunteers to be taxed, especially with high taxes, you should get suspicious. These provider-specific taxes of, say, $10,000 per bed paid for themselves almost immediately with federal grants of $20,000 per bed. Once again, the feds closed this loophole, but only after Tennessee had taught many other states how to game the match.\nThe third generation of TennCare loopholes involved using inter-governmental funds to boost our lawful 65% match rate to higher levels of matching. The goal is to get as close to 100% federal funding for TennCare as possible. The irony is that all along the Affordable Care Act offered 90% to 100% federal funding for expanding Medicaid. Under the ACA (or Obamacare), Tennessee could easily have boosted its match rate without needless delays or loopholes.\nToday's Amendment 42 waiver request is really a fourth-generation loophole to get federal government to pay for virtually all of TennCare. By allowing Tennessee to use the highly-theoretical savings of its TennCare program vs. so-called budget neutrality, Tennessee is really seeking federal approval to spend as few state dollars as possible on the entire Medicaid population. This proposal moves Tennessee backwards, not forwards. Once again, our state's proposed TennCare reforms are almost entirely budget-driven, not people-driven.\nThe valid argument that the legislature should be concerned about our nation's fiscal situation is belied by the fact that Tennessee has long been a national leader in increasing federal deficits by milking the federal funds with every trick in the book, even inventing new tricks, while paying little or no regard to the health of poor Tennesseans. Also, our state cannot be trusted to stick to commitments to ask for less federal money. Tennessee once pledged it would not ask for the disproportionate share or DSH aid. Of course, the state soon reversed its position.\nThe TennCare II, Amendment 42 Demonstration Request\nI had hoped that Gov. Lee's religious faith would give him more of a heart for the poor, especially as we anticipate his Day of Prayer and Fasting later this month. His waiver request does not reflect what most states view as their duty to the poor. Remember, at least 36 states are doing better far than Tennessee in helping their most vulnerable.\nMy biggest issues with the Amendment 42 request are hidden in plain sight.\n1.\nThe main thing the Amendment 42 request says is, This is not Obamacare. I understand that our legislature feels that way, but that emotion costs us $1 billion a year. That is staggeringly wasteful and out-of-step with public opinion. Obamacare has never been more popular than it is today. All insured Tennesseans are benefitting from the many insurance reforms that were key elements of Obamacare such as pre-existing condition coverage.\nNot expanding Medicaid is one thing; shrinking it is worse. The waiver request allows cutting the eligible population of 1.4 million Tennesseans on Medicaid if, as has already been happening in our state, there are problems re-registering beneficiaries.\n2.\nThe second thing the Amendment 42 proposal says is, We want a block grant. The words block grant are very popular with state legislators. Who doesn't want free federal money with no strings attached?\nBut remember that Medicaid ALREADY has many aspects of a block grant (although, to be sure, it is way too complicated and bureaucratic). Unlike Medicare  health care for people over 65  which is federally funded and administered, Medicaid was always mainly federally-funded but state-administered. States have always had wide discretion to design their own Medicaid programs, without any waivers. With waivers, there is even more flexibility. That's why Medicaid benefits vary widely from state to state. After 41 waivers, Tennessee has enjoyed extra flexibility. Of course, federal oversight remains to guarantee a safety net for the poor so that states do not mistreat their disadvantaged citizens. Amendment 42 asks permission to rip holes in the TennCare safety net that was supposed to protect all Americans. Do poor Tennesseans really deserve less protection than citizens of other states?\nA strong case can also be made that it would be illegal under federal law for Section 1115 to waive Section 1903 of the Medicaid statute. Gov. Lee seemed to acknowledge the unlikelihood of CMS granting his entire waiver request. If this part of the waiver request proves illegal, then what? If Amendment 42 is not severable, then denying any of the request negates the entire plan.\n3.\nThe third major feature of Amendment 42 is shared savings. Producing any genuine savings in medical care is nearly miraculous, like finding a Holy Grail, because medical spending nationwide has increased 2.5% faster than inflation for four decades. Tennessee seems so confident of savings that the waiver request offers to be responsible for 100% of any cost overruns. Such overruns may be harder to prevent than the state anticipates, despite the state excluding several volatile TennCare programs from its waiver request.\nThere are only two ways to reduce spending on medical care if, as Amendment 42 says, there are no reductions in eligibility or benefits: providers must cut their prices or they must reduce the intensity or availability of care.\nHave you ever heard of any hospitals, doctors, or other providers voluntarily cutting retail prices or having a sale? I never have, and I am guessing they don't want to start now. Is the TennCare Bureau about to hammer Tennessee providers with lower reimbursement levels? Do we want more hospital closures and more physicians refusing to see TennCare patients?\nThat leaves rationing care as the only way to reduce TennCare spending. The state must rely on the tender mercies of its Managed Care Organizations to figure out how to spend less on our poor without hurting them. That is the most likely way that any savings can be found, namely denials of care by Amerigroup, United, and Blue Cross of Tennessee. These three insurance companies will be in charge of doing the dirty work while our legislature washes its hands of the problem.\nAmendment 42 is really return to Gov. McWherter's old playbook, with the difference that true management of care barely existed in 1994; companies that claimed to do it were really managing costs, not care. Health plans today have learned how to manage care but they are already using all the legal techniques in Tennessee. Do we really want to unleash them to use the previously illegal techniques on our fellow Tennesseans? Are any state legislators, with their government-paid health benefits, willing to accept such cutbacks for themselves and their families?\nThere is some suspicion that, because government dollars are fungible and the medical needs of poor people are so unpopular in the legislature, that Amendment 42 could become a piggy bank for other state spending. Is it moral to squeeze the TennCare MCOs to squeeze the state's poor for more money? The waiver request explicitly says that it won't spend expected savings on tourism development, financial institution regulation, or routine infrastructure maintenance but that's hardly reassuring. Robbing the poor to pay for those things would be beyond cruel.\n4.\nOne of the gravest dangers of this radical waiver request is reducing the little transparency we have into the workings of TennCare. There are no safeguards in the proposal to help Tennesseans monitor the effects of proposals such as the closed drug formulary that has never been allowed in any Medicaid program. What if your lifesaving drug is not on the list? And it's not likely to be with only one drug per disease? The waiver request does mention hiring an independent evaluator but that seems to be for internal use, not for public information.\nFrom its first days, TennCare lacked transparency because the state did not want anyone to know its many management difficulties, such as herding everyone into managed care or refusing to get the reimbursement levels right for six years. Today, TennCare does not want to emphasize the poor health of Tennesseans. Even TennCare seemed surprised recently at the unexplained drop in child enrollees. Forget about getting a list of reimbursement levels for providers. No one seems to have cracked down on Medicaid millionaires. Interestingly, the only mention of Medicaid fraud in the application refers to poor individual patients, not rich health care providers. They get a free pass.\nAny worthy waiver proposal should be completely transparent to the public. Experimentation may make sense, if it is a genuine experiment. But if it is just sweeping the problems of the poor under the rug, then it is exploitation, not experimentation.\nConclusion\nTennessee should be granted a waiver, but some modification of former Gov. Haslam's Insure Tennessee waiver request, and not this dangerous proposal. Our state should not be part of this radical Trump-inspired plan to further damage the health of Tennesseans and close more of our hospitals.\nOur state should focus on getting everyone in Tennessee health insurance coverage instead of unleashing managed care organizations to squeeze savings from the poor. At the very least, CMS should deny the worst parts of the waiver request and should force Tennessee to go back to the drawing board.\nTennessee would be wisest to do what Seema Verma did when Mike Pence was governor of Indiana: simply expand Medicaid. Our hospitals are closing, families are going bankrupt from medical expenses and people are dying. This is not the time for more state government experiments. It is not too late to get Tennessee back on the path to better health and stronger hospitals.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/pursuing-impeachment-donald-trump", "Pursuing the Impeachment of Donald Trump", "2019-09-27", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,  \n\tThis week, I supported Speaker Pelosi's decision to pursue an impeachment inquiry into President Trump, followingrecent developments involving the President's efforts to pressure Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 Presidential Election.I also questioned law enforcement experts on how to best protect Americans from assault-style weapons and armor-piercing bullets; recommended passage of my Safer Streets Act in ahearing on how gun violence affectsourcommunities; questioned the adequacy of the General Services Administration oversight of the Trump International Hotel lease; demanded to know why provisions of my Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act have not been implemented after becoming law almost a year ago; announced a significant grant to the Memphis airport; offered Capitol Historical Society calendars; and offered a seasonal health tip. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.\nPursuing the Impeachment of Donald Trump  Questioning Experts on Assault Weapons and Their Use on Our Streets  Addressing the Impact ofGun Violence withtheSafer Streets Act  QuestioningtheAdequacy ofGSA Oversight of Trump Hotel Lease  Demanding Answers on FAA Compliance with SEAT Act  Announcing $4.2 Million Grant toMemphisInternational Airport  Calling Attention to U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tip Line  Offering Capitol Historical Society Calendars  Weekly Health Tip  Quote of the Week\n  Pursuing the Impeachment of Donald Trump\nOn Tuesday,following a whistleblowercomplaint that the President pressuredthe President of Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 Presidentialelection,I joined Speaker Pelosi and the majority of House Democrats in support of a formal impeachment inquiry. I first calledfor the impeachment of the President in the fall of 2017and am heartened that so many of my colleagues are now in agreement that we must swiftly proceed withanimpeachment inquiry. I am very concerned bythe seriousness of this most recent and extremeexample of President Trump's impeachableconduct. See my release about this situationhereand my House floor speech on Thursdayhere.\nQuestioning Experts on Assault Weapons and Their Use on Our Streets\nOn Wednesday, as a senior member of theHouseJudiciary Committee, I questioned expert witnesses on assault weapons and armor-piercing bullets.Dr.RaShallBrackney, the Chief of Police in Charlottesville, Virginia, took exception to the flawed notion that a good person with a gun can stop a bad person with a gun. She said, Actually, what stops a bad person with a gun is keeping a gun out of their hands to start with. I ended my questioning of witnesses with a statement: I stand with the police and the sheriffs' departments, and not with the NRA. See my release and that testimonyhere.\nAddressing Gun Violence with Safer Streets Act\nOn Thursday, I questioned witnesses at a hearing on Community Responses to Gun Violence in Our Cities held by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. During the hearing, I discussed my Safer Streets Act, which would direct grant funding to communities with at leasttwice the national rate of violent crime.See my release on the hearinghere.\nQuestioningAdequacy ofGSA Oversight of Trump Hotel Lease\nAlso Wednesday, I questioned why the General Services Administration (GSA) didn't consider the Constitution's emoluments clause when evaluating the Trump Organization's lease of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. I also askedaboutTrump's decision to forfeit the profits earned at the hotel from foreign governmentsand why they haven'tbeen audited for accuracy or publicly revealed. See the wholly inadequate GSA responses to my questionshere.\nDemanding Answers on FAA Compliance with SEAT Act\nOn Thursday, the Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration appeared before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. I asked himwhy the Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act thatI authored andwassigned into law last year has not been fully implemented. See my releasehere.\nAnnouncing $4.2Million Grant to Memphis International Airport\nOn Tuesday, I announced a $4.2 million grant to Memphis International Airport for a deicing pad and associated facilities. See my releasehere.\nCalling Attention to U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tip Line\nLast month, I met with officials with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to talk about gun crime in Memphis and the creation of a strike force to address it. I also told the officials that I would call attention to the bureau's Gun Crimes Tip Line in my newsletter to constituents. Call (888) ATF-TIPS (888) 283-8477--if you have a tip for these dedicated law enforcement specialists.  \n\t  Offering U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars\n   \n\t  \n\tMy office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive myeNewsletter.  \n\t  Sign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter  \n\t     \n\t  \n\tI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled. My next Congress on Your Corner is Friday, October 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the South Branch Library, 1929 South Third Street, Memphis 38109.  \n\t  \n\tFor those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form.  \n\t  \n\tIf you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form.  \n\t  Weekly Health Tip\n  \n\t  \n\tEarlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported more than 540 cases of infection by the West Nile Virus, including cases in Shelby and Gibson counties in West Tennessee and Craighead County in Eastern Arkansas. The CDC has good advice on how to prevent and repelmosquitoes.See statistics on the disease, means of preventing exposure and other informationhere.\nQuote of the Week\nTo announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or anyone else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about anyone else.  Former President Theodore Roosevelt, syndicated column inThe Kansas City Star, May 7, 1918.  \n\t  \n\tCongratulations to the University of Memphis Tigers in their victory over Navy Thursday night. 4-0! Go Tigers!\nAs always, I remain  \n\tMost sincerely,\nSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-demands-action-enforcing-seat-act-implementation", "Congressman Cohen Demands Action on Enforcing SEAT Act Implementation", "2019-09-26", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Aviation, today demanded answers from Federal Aviation Administration Deputy Administrator Daniel Elwell about why provisions of the Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act have not been fully implemented. This bill, which Congressman Cohen authored and that was included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, requires the FAA to study the size of airline seats and the distance between seating rows in determining whether airplanes can be safely evacuated in the statutorily mandated 90 seconds.\nElwell answered that tests of airplane evacuations involving 720 demographically representative people are scheduled over 12 days in November. Congressman Cohen volunteered to participate in or observe the November testing. \nSee that exchange here.\nAfter the hearing, Congressman Cohen made the following statement:\nWe don't need to have another crisis like we had with the Boeing airplane. I am concerned that the FAA has not fully complied with the provisions of my SEAT Act almost a year after it was signed into law. It is past time for the FAA to prioritize safe evacuation of airplanes in emergencies. I look forward to seeing the SEAT Act's safety provisions implemented as soon as possible.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-recommends-addressing-gun-violence-safer-streets-act", "Congressman Cohen Recommends Addressing Gun Violence with Safer Streets Act", "2019-09-26", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today questioned witnesses at a House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Securing examining Community Responses to Violence in Our Cities, noting that Memphis isaffectedby poverty and violent crime.CongressmanCohen also described hisH.R. 3738,the Safer Streets Act, which would provide grants to communities with twice the national rate, or higher rates, of violent crime.\nSee his questioning of witness Reggie Moore, director of the Office of Violence Prevention, City of Milwaukee Health Department here.\nA recentstudy conductedby the Violence Policy CenterindicatesTennessee has one of thehighest African American homicideratesin the nationandAfrican Americans are disproportionately reported as victims of homicide.Of the323 African Americanhomicide victims in 2016,87 percent were killed by gunshot wounds.Nationwide in 2016, although African Americans represented only 13percentof the population, homicides of African Americansmade up 51percentof all reports.\nCongressman Cohen said, It is devastating for a community to hear of another senseless death of a promising young person.In describing the Safer Streets Act,hesaid, I think it makes sense to put the money where the problem is.\nCongressman Cohen alsosubmitted into the hearing record a Daily Memphianthree-part series articleon the impact of the stress and trauma of gun violence,a Commercial Appeal article about the Tennessee homicide rate, and a study published by the Violence Policy Center.\nThe articles and study can be seen here:\nDaily Memphian\nhttps://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/section/special-projects/article/6910/memphis-brainpower-counters-attacks-of-trauma\nTheCommercial Appeal\nhttps://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/crime/2019/05/31/tennessee-homicide-rate-statewide-national-average-ranking-high-rising/1290957001/\nTheViolence Policy Center\nhttp://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide19.pdf", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-says-president-s-conduct-subverts-constitution", "Congressman Cohen Says Presidents Conduct Subverts the Constitution", "2019-09-26", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today spoke on the House floor and condemned President Trump's efforts to pressure Ukraine's president to interfere with the 2020 U.S. presidential election. See Congressman Cohen's remarks here.\nAfter describing Trump's conduct, Congressman Cohen said:\nThis is subverting the Constitution and threatening our national security. I commend Speaker Pelosi for calling for an impeachment inquiry. It's the right time. It's the right issue. This is an egregious subversion of our Constitution. Long may the United States survive and live as a true democracy.\nCongressman Cohen has been a leader in the House Judiciary Committee's ongoing impeachment inquiry and has been in the forefront of Members calling for the President's impeachment. He introduced Articles of Impeachment in 2017.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-questions-experts-assault-weapons", "Congressman Cohen Questions Experts on Assault Weapons", "2019-09-25", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a hearing on Protecting America from Assault Weapons. Congressman Cohen is a cosponsor of H.R. 1296, Assault Weapons Ban of 2019. See Congressman Cohen's full exchange with witnesses here.\nAfter the hearing, Congressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThe perpetrator of the shooting in Dayton, Ohio was able to fire forty-one bullets in thirty-two seconds. Weapons capable of this level of destruction do not belong in our communities or on our streets. I stand with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), many others in the law enforcement community,and 70% of the American peoplein support of a ban on assault weapons. It is always the right time for Congress to come together and pass common sense gun laws that will keep Americans safe.\nOn February 6, 2019, the House Judiciary Committee held a historic gun violence prevention hearing. On February 13, 2019, the House Judiciary Committee passed H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, by a vote of 23-15 and H.R. 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019, by a vote of 21-14. The full House passed both of these bills on February 28, 2019. On September 10, 2019 the House Judiciary Committee passed three additional gun reform bills. H.R. 1236, the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2019, amended to include provisions from H.R. 3076, passed by a vote of 22-16; H.R.1186, the Keep Americans Safe Act, passed by a vote of 23-16; and H.R.2708, the Disarm Hate Act passed by a vote of 23-15.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-questions-witnesses-about-trump-international-hotel", "Congressman Cohen Questions Witnesses about the Trump International Hotel", "2019-09-25", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), aseniormember of the HouseTransportation and InfrastructureCommittee, questioned witnesses atahearingtodayabout the Trump Administration's oversight of the Trump Organization's lease of the Old Post Office. The Inspector General of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) admitted that the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution was not consideredwhen the lease was evaluated following the election of Donald Trump.\n\n\tWitnesses includedrepresentatives from the GSA, the GSA Office of the Inspector General, the Congressional Research Service, the Project on Government Oversight, and Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington. See the Congressman's first and second rounds of questioning here and here.\n\n\tAfter the hearing Congressman Cohen made the following statement:\n\n\tThe President's refusal to divest from his privately-owned businesses creates a conflict of interest, especially when his business leases property from agencies within the Executive Branch. It continues to raise serious questions about his compliance withthe Constitution's Domestic Emoluments Clause, which prohibits the President from receiving federal funds in excess of his official salary.It also could violate the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause, which is a vital protection against foreign governments' corrupting influence. The American people should have total confidence that the President is serving their interest, not his own financial enrichment. As the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, I will continue to hold this President accountable to the Constitution and to the American people.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/us-rep-jim-cooper-why-i-support-the-impeachment-process-opinion", "U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper: Why I support the impeachment process | Opinion", "2019-09-25", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I'm known for being calm and reasonable. There is so much partisanship and noise in Washington, D.C. these days, and we don't need more of that. What we need is to get America back on track.\nMy decision to support the impeachment process for President Trump is a very serious one. I've held my tongue and counted to 10 many times when Trump hurt our nation internationally by courting foreign dictators and harming our allies. He has refused to staff his own government by leaving numerous key positions vacant, appointed incompetents to fill some vacancies, and even selected strong critics to lead the very agencies they are supposed to supervise.\nThere is no shortage of outrages, and they are too numerous to mention here. But the standard for impeachment is high crimes and misdemeanors, not anything less. The standard is not whether I disagree with the President. Only the most serious misconduct qualifies, and there must be solid evidence to support it.\nThe Mueller Report was carefully done but mainly persuasive on the obstruction of justice issues, not the underlying crimes. We now know that the day after the Mueller Report was released the President redoubled his past efforts to undermine our elections by demanding interference by a foreign power, Ukraine. This past week, the President admitted this, which is the smoking gun I have been looking for.\nThe U.S. Senate voted unanimously, 100-0, to force the release of the whistleblower complaint against the President. The administration has stonewalled almost every previous request for information, every subpoena, and many witness requests. I am hopeful that this unanimous message from the Republican-majority Senate will persuade the President to allow Congress to conduct its Constitutional responsibilities. This is the first sign that Democrats and Republicans alike are realizing the grave nature of the President's misconduct. It was remarkable to see Monday's op-ed by seven Democratic freshmen members  all veterans of our military or intelligence community  indicate that they would prefer to lose their seats than to countenance breaches of national security. Most won in districts where the President is very popular. They know the political risks, but they were also convinced that inaction would mean no check on presidential overreach.\nNow, with the recent passage of the impeachment inquiry, congressional committees will redouble their efforts to find the facts underlying the President's misconduct. Our best guide here is what Tennessee Republican Senator Howard Baker continually asked of the Nixon Administration: What did the President know, and when did he know it? Similar, honest questions need to be asked now so that Congress and the American people can get all the facts. Depending on the outcome of these investigations, the House may or may not have the votes to formally accuse the President of wrongdoing by voting to impeach him. If the votes support it, that, in and of itself, does nothing to the President but accuse him of wrongdoing, much like an indictment. Then the U.S. Senate must conduct a trial to determine whether to convict him or not.\nThe outcome of that trial today in a majority-Republican Senate seems like exoneration for the President. But no one knows what the investigations will find. President Nixon looked safe until the existence of the White House tapes was revealed. They contradicted many of the transcripts that Congress had been given.\nRegardless of the ultimate outcome of the process, the House of Representatives has begun the solemn process of holding the most powerful man in America to account. This will prove, once again, that America is a nation of laws, not just of billionaires. No one is above the law.\nCongressman Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, represents Tennessee's District 5 in the U.S. House of Representatives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-42-million-grant-memphis-international", "Congressman Cohen Announces $4.2 Million Grant to Memphis International Airport", "2019-09-24", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced a $4.2 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant toconstructa deicing pad and related facilities attheMemphis International Airport.\n\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\n\nInvestments in the MemphisInternational Airportnot only benefit the traveling public; they also create good-paying jobs. I'm pleased that the airport will be getting a new deicing pad,which iscritical for safe flying in winter.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-comments-speaker-pelosi-opening-impeachment-inquiry", "Congressman Cohen Comments on Speaker Pelosi Opening an Impeachment Inquiry", "2019-09-24", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today commended House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for opening a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald J. Trump.\n\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\n\nToday is ahistoric day for our nation.The President has breached his oath, violated the lawand risked our national security.This week we learned that the President has abused his power and broken the law by pressuring a foreign government to investigate a political opponent.Further, he has moved to block the whistleblower report of that action being forwarded to Congress. These are but the latest in the long list of abuses of power by this President.As Members of Congress, we took an oathto defend the Constitution and protect our country.That includes the Congressionalresponsibility of oversight of the Executive which includes impeachment.We will thoroughly investigate the President's conduct andpursue the facts.We are a nation of laws and no one is above the law.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cooper.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cooper-issues-statement-in-support-of-an-impeachment-inquiry", "Cooper Issues Statement in Support of an Impeachment Inquiry", "2019-09-24", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Jim Cooper", "C000754", "cooper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Congressman Jim Cooper (TN-05) issued the following statement in support of impeachment proceedings against President Trump:\nIt's time for the House of Representatives to begin the impeachment process against President Trump. The President's invitation to yet another foreign powerthis time Ukraineto undermine U.S. elections requires that Congress begin the process in our Constitution to levy formal charges against him.\nThis is a very serious step, but the President's continuing misconduct requires that Congress uphold our Constitution and the laws of the land. No one, not even the President, is above the law.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-grant-st-jude-children-s-research-center", "Congressman Cohen Announces Grant to St. Jude Childrens Research Center", "2019-09-20", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that St. Jude Children's Research Center will receive a grant of $448,750 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for research involving immunology, allergies and transplantation.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nTransplant rejection research is critical as we see more of these miraculous procedures attempted. I'm pleased to see that St. Jude's research in this area is being supported by this substantial grant and know that its continuing work in this area will save lives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-introduces-deadly-force-independent-review-act", "Congressman Cohen Introduces the Deadly Force Independent Review Act", "2019-09-20", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today introduced the Deadly Force Independent Review Act that would require federal law enforcement agencies to establish a protocol for investigating their use of deadly force by federal officers and require the inspector general for the investigating agency to review and report on the adequacy or flaws in the review.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThe Deadly Force Independent Review Act addresses the issue of transparency when federal law enforcement officers are investigated for their use of deadly force. The object of this legislation, like the aim of the Police Training and Independent Review Act(H.R. 125)that I introduced in January, is to improve public confidence in these investigations at a time when that trust is lacking.\nCongressman Cohen has also sponsored twoother billsin this area:\n \nPolice CAMERA Act of 2019 (H.R.120)\n\t\nNational Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act of 2019 (H.R.119)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-sends-letters-condemning-tenncare-block-grant-proposal", "Congressman Cohen Sends Letters Condemning TennCare Block Grant Proposal", "2019-09-20", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today wrote letters to theAdministratorof the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services(CMS)and to Governor Bill Lee condemning the proposed block-granting ofTennCare.\nIn his letter to CMS, Congressman Cohen noted that the proposal would violate federal lawand allow the state unprecedented freedom to direct funds away from Shelby County, the largest population ofTennCarebeneficiaries.See his letterhere.\nIn his letter to Governor Lee, Congressman Cohen noted that the only scheduled public hearing on the proposal in West Tennessee is set for Madison County,nearlyatwo-hour drive fromMemphis. Congressman Cohen noted that Madison County had 24,528TennCarebeneficiaries in August, while Shelby County had 250,292  more than 10 times as many. Congressman Cohen requested that a fourth hearing be held in Shelby County so that its residents can be heard. See that letterhere.\nAlso Friday, TheCommercial Appeal publish my opinion article laying out the case against block-grantingTennCare. See that articlehere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/reviewing-lack-trust-between-police-and-community-and-excessive-use", "Reviewing Lack of Trust between Police and Community and Excessive Use of Force", "2019-09-20", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis week, I questioned witnesses at a House Judiciary Committee hearing examining policing practices, the lack of trust of the police in some communities and the need for transparent investigations of the use of deadly force by law enforcement.I also questioned EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) officials about coal ash contamination and the regulation of deadly asbestos; remembered distinguished Memphian philanthropist and civic leader Ira A. Lipman; demanded answers from former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski; wrote an opinion article for The Commercial Appeal opposing the block-granting ofTennCare; introduced the Deadly Force Independent Review Act; was named a notable leader in Congress for my votes on international religious freedom issues; questioned Republicans' harmful politicization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) process; announced a grant supporting the hiring of 36 new Memphis Fire Department firefighter-paramedics; announced a grant aimed at reducing gang violence; announced a $9.9 million grant to St. Jude Children's Research Center for leukemia research; called attention to a gun crime tip line; offered Capitol Historical Society calendars; offered a health tip on enrolling forTennCare; and recognized the 232ndanniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramto see more updates as they happen.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tReviewing the lack of trust between the Police and Community and use of excessive forceQuestioning the EPA aboutCoal Ash ContaminationRemembering Ira A. LipmanDemanding Answers from former Trump Campaign Manager LewandowskiWriting Opinion Article Opposing Block-Granting ofTennCareIntroducing Deadly Force Independent Review ActBeing Recognized as a Notable Leader on International Religious FreedomQuestioning Republicans' Politicization of the FISA ProcessAnnouncing FEMA Grant to Hire 36 Memphis firefighter-paramedicsAnnouncing Grant to Reduce Gang ViolenceAnnouncing $9.9 Million Grant to St. Jude for Leukemia ResearchCalling Attention to U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tip LineHolding a Congress On Your CornerOffering U.S. Capitol Historical Society CalendarsWeekly Health TipQuote of the Week\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  Reviewing the lack of trust between the Police and Community and use of excessive force\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOn Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on policing practices and the lack of trust many communities have in police departments over concerns about transparency in investigations of the use of deadlyand excessiveforce. Witnesses endorsed the ideas behind several criminal justice measures I have introduced. See my release on the hearinghere.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDemanding Solutions to Coal Ash Contamination\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOn Wednesday and Thursday, I questioned Environmental Protection Agency officials about coal ash contamination.I requested Wednesday's hearingwith the EPA's top official on water pollutionto raise my concerns about the pollution of the Memphis sand aquifer beneath the Allen Fossil Plant. See that releasehere. On ThursdayI questionedEPA Administrator Andrew Wheelerwhen heappeared before the Committee on Science, Space and Technologyabout when the risk evaluation on whether to ban asbestos will be completed. See my questions to him inthis release.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRemembering Ira A. Lipman\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI was saddened to hear of the passing of my friend, the distinguishedMemphian, founder ofGuardsmark, philanthropist and all-around civic leader Ira A. Lipman. See my statement about his storied life in The Congressional Recordhere.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDemanding Answers from former Trump Campaign Manager Lewandowski\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOn Tuesday, Corey Lewandowski appeared before the House Judiciary Committee anddid his best to aggressivelyavoid answering our questions. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report established that the President asked Lewandowskito obstruct justice andtheTuesday proceeding established that, like his former boss, he lies a lot. See my release on the hearing, and my questions to Lewandowski,here.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWriting Opinion Article Opposing Block-Granting ofTennCare\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEarlier today,The Commercial Appeal published my opinion piece where I expressed my strong opposition to Governor Lee's proposal to turnTennCareinto a block grant. See that articlehere. Also Friday, I wrote to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Servicesto express my oppositionandsent a letterto Governor Leerequesting that a public hearing about theTennCareprogram be held in Memphis. See a release containing both lettershere.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIntroducing Deadly Force Independent Review Act\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis week,I introduced the Deadly Force Independent Review Act.Thebill would require federal law enforcement agencies to establish a protocol for investigating the use of deadly force by federal officers and require the inspector general for the investigating agency to review and report on the adequacy or flaws in the review. See my release on the billhere.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBeing Recognized as a Notable Leader on International Religious Freedom\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBasedon my voting record,I was recognized as one of 34 House Members considered a leader on international religious freedom. See my release on the awardhere.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tQuestioning Republicans' Politicization of the FISA Process\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOn Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee examined the use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) designed to identify and pursue foreign spies and expressedmydisappointment that Republican members of the Committee continue to spin absurd conspiracy theories and bizarre accusations about the intelligence and law enforcement professionals trying to keep us safe. Seemyrelease on the hearinghere.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAnnouncing FEMA Grant to Hire 36 New MemphisFirefighter-Paramedics\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOn Tuesday, I announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency hadawarded a $4.4 million grantto the Memphis Fire Department,allowing it tohire 36 new firefighter-paramedics and reduce its use of overtime.See my releasehere.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAnnouncing Grant to Reduce Gang Violence\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlsoTuesday, I announced that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center will receivea $500,000 grant from the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to combat gang violence. See that releasehere.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAnnouncing $9.9 Million Grant to St. Jude for Leukemia Research\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOn Monday, I announced St. Jude Children's Research Hospital willbereceivemorethan$9.9 million from the National Cancer Institute for research on acute leukemia. See that releasehere.On Friday, St. Jude received a $448,750 grant to study immunology andtransplantation.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalling Attention to U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tip Line\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLast month, I met with officials with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to talk about gun crime in Memphis and the creation of a strike force to address it. I also told the officials that I would call attention to the bureau's Gun Crimes Tip Line in my newsletter to constituents. Call (888) ATF-TIPS (888) 283-8477--if you have a tip for these dedicated law enforcement specialists.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHolding a Congress On Your Corner\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tToday my District Office staff held a Congress On Your Corner event at theFrayserBranch Library. They were able to help my 9thCongressional District constituents with federal programs, benefits and opportunities.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOffering U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMy office will have a limited number of 2020 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please completethis formon my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive myeNewsletter.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign Up for Congress on Your Corner and this e-Newsletter\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my Congress on Your Corner events, you cansign up hereto receive a notification as soon as the next event is scheduled. My next Congress on Your Corner is Friday, October 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the South Branch Library, 1929 South Third Street, Memphis 38109.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by usingthis form.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIf you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWeekly Health Tip\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTennCareprovides comprehensive health care for both children and adults. If you have any questions about your coverage, you can contactTennCareConnect at 1-855-259-0701 or visit its websitehere.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tQuote of the Week\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTuesday, September 17thwas Constitution Day,the 232ndanniversary of the date the Constitution was signed by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA woman in Philadelphiaat the conclusion of theConstitutional Convention in 1787 asked BenjaminFranklin, Well, doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?A Republic, Franklin replied. If you can keep it.  Notes of James McHale, a Maryland delegate to the Convention, first published in 1906.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe principle of the Constitution is that of a separation of Legislative, Executive and Judiciary functions, except in cases specified. If this principle be not expressed in direct terms, it is clearly the spirit of the Constitution --Thomas Jefferson in a letter to James Madison, 1797.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAs always, I remain\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMost sincerely,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSteve Cohen\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-demands-epa-administrator-follow-his-own-agency-s", "Congressman Cohen Demands EPA Administrator Follow his own Agencys Recommendation on Asbestos", "2019-09-19", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a member of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, today questioned Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)Administrator Andrew Wheeler on his decision inAprilto disregard the advice of his agency's own scientists by issuing a rule that restricted but did not ban asbestos. Congressman Cohenled a letterwith 33 Congressional colleagues questioning that decision. Wheeler testified that a risk evaluation of asbestos is currently under way. See Congressman Cohen's exchange with Wheelerhere.\nCongressman Cohen focused his questioning on Administrator's Wheeler and the EPA's sideliningitsown scientists on a variety issues including on asbestos.EPA issued a rule on April 17 that did not ban asbestos, despite the recommendation of agency scientists. Asbestos-related deaths cause more than 37,000 deaths a year. Fifty-five other countries have completely banned asbestos.\nMr. Wheeler, I appreciate your being here. I've been disturbed and alarmed at several actions or inactions that have been taken at the EPA under your leadership. I'm sorry to say that, but it's true. I'm concerned with how often you have ignored apparently your own professional scientists, seemingly at the expense of people's lives, in favor of private companies and private profit.\nCongressmanCohen mentioned that he has been dissatisfied with the handling of coal ash ponds like the ones at the Allen Fossil Plant in Memphis that sits atop the Memphis sand aquifer, Memphis' groundwater.\nCongressman Cohen said the issue of asbestos regulation is personal to him.In 2003, singer-songwriter WarrenZevon, a personal friend of the Congressman,died from mesothelioma. He died a year after being diagnosed.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-named-one-34-notable-leaders-house-international", "Congressman Cohen Named one of 34 Notable Leaders in the House on International Religious Freedom Scorecard", "2019-09-19", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that he has been named as one of 34 membersof the U.S. House of Representatives who are Notable Leaders on international religious freedom issues. The assessment was made by 21Wilberforce, a Christian human rights organization dedicated to defending universal rights of religion, belief and conscience, based on his voting record on 64 measures introduced in the 115thCongress (January 3, 2017 through January 3, 2019).\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nI'm proud to be recognized for my work promoting and protecting international religious freedom, an issue I've made a top priority during my entire public career. Nothing is more important than the freedom of conscience.\nCongressman Cohen serves on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, which monitors and promotes human rights, including freedom of religion.Heisalsoa member of the Bipartisan Task Force for Combatting Anti-Semitism.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-s-police-training-and-independent-review-act-endorsed", "Congressman Cohens Police Training and Independent Review Act Endorsed by Law Enforcement Officials", "2019-09-19", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, questioned witnesses at a hearing on police practices and improving the relationship between the law enforcement and the communities they serve. Many of the witnesses endorsed the principle of an independent review when deadly forced is used.Congressman Cohen and Congressman Lacy Clay (MO-01)introducedthe Police Training and Independent Review Act (H.R. 125) on the first day of the new Congress in January.Further,Congressman Cohenand the witnesses discussed the importance of technology and effectively collecting and analyzing data to improve police practices.This year, Congressman Cohen introduced the Police Creating Accountability by Making Recording Available (CAMERA) Act (H.R. 120) and the National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act (H.R. 119). Both bills are designed to build confidence betweencommunities and policeby increasing transparency.Congressman Cohen also plans to introduce the Deadly Force Independent Review Act of 2019, which would provide for independent reviews in instances where federal law enforcement officers use deadly force.\nSee Congressman Cohen's exchange with the witnesseshere.\nDuring that questioning, Congressman Cohen said:\nI am deeply concerned about the crisis of trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. This is true in my own home city of Memphis, unfortunately. We are not strangers to the issue.\nWitnesses Ron Davis, the former director of the Department of Justice's COPS Office, and Chief Gina V. Hawkins of the Fayetteville, North Carolina,Police Department,said a level of independence, like that called for in the Police Training and Independent Review Act, is essential in building trust.\nThe Reverend Al Sharpton of the National Action Network endorsed the idea behind the CAMERA Act in his answer to Congressman Cohen.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-research-grants-uthsc", "Congressman Cohen Announces Research Grants to UTHSC", "2019-09-18", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASINGTON- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center will be receiving two grants totaling $683,760 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.The first, for$304,014, from the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, will be for research on the bladder.The other, for $379,746, from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, will underwrite heart and vascular research.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nI'm always pleased to announce significant grant funding for medical researchdiscover and implement new approaches for treating and preventingheartdisease.As a co-Chair of the Biomedical Research Caucus, I amproud that Memphis is home to medical research leaders like UTHSC.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-demands-epa-live-its-duty-protect-groundwater", "Congressman Cohen Demands EPA Live Up to its Duty to Protect Groundwater", "2019-09-18", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) questioned Dave Ross,Assistant Administratorof the Environmental Protection Agency's(EPA)Office of Water, about the agency's retreat from protections of groundwater and, in particular, coal ash contamination. See the exchangehere.\n\nCongressman Cohen noted that Tennessee has a serious problem with coal ash contamination and that he and his colleague, Congressman Tim Burchett (R-TN-02), have been working to shine light on it.\n\nCongressman Cohen was also critical of the EPA's apparent retreat from regulating groundwater pollutionincluding its reversal on the Clean Water Act's application to discharges of pollutants that flow through groundwater before reaching a river, lake or stream.Congressman Cohen noted that the Memphis sand aquifer has some of the highest-quality drinking water but concerns remain regarding contaminated ground water at the Allen Fossil Plant.\nCongressman Cohen said:\nI wish you would go more expansive. It's the people's health that's at stakeWater creates us. Water makes us live. Water cleans up our lives and allows us to survive. When we're blessed with clean water, we need to keep it. We don't need to find ways to get around enforcing laws that protect water\nCan you explain why the EPA has blocked implementation, and is considering rising and weakening, standard for toxic discharges? Mr. Ross, it is the EPA's duty to address this widespread contamination and ensure Americans have safe sources of drinking water, clean lakes and streams and an environment free of toxic coal ash. Vulnerable communities are living with the devasting impacts of coal ash contamination every day. We expect the EPA to live up to its statutory duty to protect human health and the environment, not to avoid and evade that responsibility.\nCongressman Cohen hadrequested today's hearing andthankedthe Subcommittee on Water Resource and Environmentmembers for holding it.Congressman Cohen also sent a Coal Ash letter to the EPA in Julyexpressing concern regarding its failure to address pervasive water contamination due to unsafe coal ash disposal and demand answers as to why the EPA has begun to weaken several critical health and environmental protections for the disposal of coal ash, rather than protect the health of communities near the hundreds of contaminated sites identified by the industry's own monitoring data.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-questions-republicans-politicization-fisa-process", "Congressman Cohen Questions Republicans Politicization of FISA Process", "2019-09-18", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at a hearing on Oversight on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Congressman Cohen expressed concern about seeking surveillance warrantsbased on activityprotected under theFirst Amendment.Congressman Cohenasked representatives from the FBI and Department of Justice to audit their use of the law in surveillingracial, ethnic, and religiousminorities. See his entire exchange with the witnesses here.\nIn his questioning, Congressman Cohen said:\nI appreciate the work you all are doing in your agencies. What the Department of Justice does, what the FBI does, what the intelligence agencies do, protectsour country. It's sad they're being attacked on a regular basis over the last two years.\nTurning to witness BradWiegmann, Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department's National Security Division, Congressman Cohen expressed concern about the FISA Act and First Amendment rights.Wiegmannassured himthatthey are carefully protected.\nA lot of people have issues or concerns about minority communities being targeted, Congressman Cohen continued. Have you or any of your colleagues here analyzed whether (a FISA Act provision) has disproportionately been used on specific minority groups  Muslims in particular, Hispanics, border communities  and how would you go about assessing this?\nWiegmannsaid the FBI cannot initiate any investigative activity, including under FISA, solely on the basisofone's race, religion, gender or nationality.\nOther witnesses at today's hearing were Michael J. Orlando, Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division, and Susan Morgan from the National Security Agency.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-remembers-ira-lipman", "Congressman Cohen Remembers Ira A. Lipman", "2019-09-18", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) mourned the passing Monday of his friend, Ira A. Lipman, the founder of Guardsmark and a supporter of social justice causes and a free press.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nMy friend Irawas apassionate advocate forsocial justice and a defender of journalistic freedom. He will be missed for his wisdom, courage and willingness to step up. His was a life well-lived.\nMr. Lipman was a leader in social justice organizations, and served as chairman,and later as honorary chairman for life,of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. He stood up to racism wherever it raised its ugly head and was recognized by the NAACP. He created the John Chancellor Award of Excellence, named for NBC newsman John Chancellor, who used Ira's knowledge as a student during the 1957 integration of Little Rock Central High School as a valued anonymous source. The Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human Rights at Columbia University was named for him.Mr. Lipman, who served on the board of the Simon Wiesenthal Center for 38 years, was given its highest honor, the Humanitarian Award, last year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-44-million-fema-grant", "Congressman Cohen Announces $4.4 Million FEMA Grant", "2019-09-17", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced thattheMemphis Fire Department will receive a $4,424,704 grant to hire 36 new firefighter paramedics. The grant addresses serious attrition in the paramedic ranks in recent years. The new paramedics will be used to staff ambulances with Advanced Life Support (ALS) first responder companies that are currently filled using overtime. The grantanticipatesparamedics receiving $66,437 a year, including $15,331 in benefits.\n\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\n\nOne of my top priorities is to bring federal funds to the district to create more jobs.The Memphis Fire Department has undergone some seriousstaffing shortagessince the 2008 financial crisis that resulted in the city temporarily stopping pension contributions as well as a2014-2016 hiring freeze. This substantial grant will allow our first responders to meet our critical emergency needs without the added expense and inconvenience of overtime pay. This is very good news for the Departmentand for Memphis.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-grant-reduce-gang-violence", "Congressman Cohen Announces Grant to Reduce Gang Violence", "2019-09-17", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center(UTHSC)will be receiving a $500,000 grant from the U.S.Department of Justice'sOffice of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to reduce gang violence. The grant underwrites UTHSC's work with Shelby County Schools and the Juvenile Justice Board to enhance gang desistence and diversion services implemented through the Gang Reduction Assistance for Saving Society's Youth (G.R.A.S.S.Y.) program, a model DOJ program designed to reduce gang violence.\n\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\n\nI am pleasedto see this grant awarded to UT's Health Science Center's G.R.A.S.S.Y. program. This program provides opportunities for youth in Memphis to engage positively in our community both in and out of the classroom. This grant will support its comprehensive approach to addressing and preventing violence.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-questions-former-trump-campaign-manager-corey", "Congressman Cohen Questions Former Trump   Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski", "2019-09-17", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, today questioned former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski about Trump's request that Lewandowski instruct then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to make a public statement that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigationwas unfair to Trump and that its focus should be on future elections. Lewandowski ultimately declined to deliver the message. See the entire exchangehere.\nCongressman Cohen quoted from a variety of press accounts regarding Lewandowski's unquestioning loyalty to Trump,andasked:\nLet me ask you this: Did the president pick you as an enforcer because he thought you'd play whatever role he wanted? Is that possibly why he chose you to take this message to Sessions?\nLewandowskianswered thatthat question would be better put to thePresident.\nCongressman Cohen noted that Trump talked to Lewandowski outside normal channels so there'd be no record of anything. Congressman Cohen said,But at the last minute, you got cold feet. You chickened out. ThePresident's trust was misplaced.\nCongressman Cohen concluded his questioning by saying Lewandowski's testimony wasjustmore obstruction of Congress by thisAdministration with Lewandowski following instructions not to provide useful testimony.\nYou're a loyal soldier, Congressman Cohen said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-25-million-grant-university-memphis", "Congressman Cohen Announces $2.5 Million Grant to University of Memphis", "2019-09-16", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the National Science Foundation has awarded the University of Memphisagrant of $2,584,309 for a project entitled The Learner Data Institute: Harnessing the Data Revolution to make the Learning Ecosystem more Effective, Efficient and Engaging. The project is directed by Computer Science ProfessorDr.VasileRus.\n\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\n\nMaking the learning experience more effective and engagingbenefits both students and teachers. I am pleased this National Science Foundationgrantis makingasignificant investment in the University of Memphis, and I am confident this research will prove invaluable.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-announces-99-million-grant-st-jude", "Congressman Cohen Announces $9.9 Million Grant to St. Jude", "2019-09-16", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will be receiving a grant of $9,965,625 from the National Cancer Institute for research on experimental and preclinical modeling involving acute leukemia. The funding is part of a cooperative agreement with the specialized research facility.\nCongressman Cohen made the following statement:\nThis is animportantgrant supporting St. Jude's ongoing leukemia research and it is reflective of the significant advancements and treatments innovators at St. Jude work tirelessly to discover. I have consistently advocated for greater investments in medical research, and I am pleased this funding will support this outstanding hospital in Memphis. Keeping St. Jude strong is good for children and good for Memphis.\nSo far this year, St. Jude has received more than $24.9 million in federal grant funding.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 369, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "TN", "p2": "2019"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=TN&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 369, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=TN&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=TN&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 369, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=TN&year=2019&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=TN&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "TN", "label": "TN", "count": 369, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=TN&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "2019", "label": "2019", "count": 369, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=TN", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2019-09-16,https~3A~2F~2Fcohen~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Fcongressman-cohen-announces-99-million-grant-st-jude", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=TN&year=2019&_next=2019-09-16%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fcohen~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Fcongressman-cohen-announces-99-million-grant-st-jude&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 186.0026461072266, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}