{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://cohen.house.gov/remembering-president-kennedy", "Remembering President Kennedy", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "TN", "Steve Cohen", "C001068", "cohen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\n50 years ago today, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. This week, I visited President Kennedy\u2019s grave at Arlington National Cemetery to pay my respects. Keep reading to learn more about this week in Washington.\nRemembering President John F. Kennedy  Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address  Helping Families Travel with Their Pets  Promoting American Innovation and Ingenuity  Protecting Human Rights Abroad  Helping Memphians Get Covered  2014 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars Are Available  White House Internships  Grant Announcements\nRemembering President John F. Kennedy\nPresident John F. Kennedy inspired me to pursue a legislative career and dedicate my life to public service. When I was 11, JFK campaigned in Memphis and I was on the street with my camera hoping to see him and get a photo.\u00a0As the motorcade passed me near the Methodist Church on Union, John Kennedy, sitting up on the backseat of the convertible in which he rode, turned backed toward me and waved and I snapped the photo which I\u2019ve cherished as one of my most prized possessions, as well as one of my most prized memories.\u00a0The photo hangs on the wall in Washington D.C., near my desk, and I look at it often.\nI was 14 years old when President Kennedy was assassinated, but his death left an indelible mark on me as it did on millions of other Americans. President Kennedy was a statesman who believed that politics could be an honorable profession and famously inspired countless Americans to serve their nation with the immortal words: \u201cask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.\u201d\nPresident Kennedy gave his life to this country; his assassination was a great loss for our nation. As we remember the life he lived, as well as the sad occasion of his death 50 years ago today, I hope my fellow Americans will take a moment to think back on the good that he did while he was with us: working for a more just society and fighting for both our civil rights as well as our human rights.\nBefore the House of Representatives adjourned for the week, I spoke on the House floor to commemorate his life. You can watch my speech here. This week, I was also reminded of one of the favorite records listened to in the Kennedy White House: the original cast recording of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe\u2019s Camelot. The recording of the musical included a line that Jacqueline Kennedy wanted her husband and his Presidency to be known for: \u201cDon't let it be forgot that once there was a spot, for one brief, shining moment that was known as Camelot.\u201d\nCommemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address\nThis week also marked the 150th anniversary of President Lincoln\u2019s Gettysburg Address. Most of us likely remember Lincoln\u2019s famous \u201cfour score and seven years ago\u201d line, but perhaps less well remembered are the words that came later in his address.\u00a0However\u00a0they are just as powerful:\n\u201cThe world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what [the soldiers] did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us\u2014that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion\u2014that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain\u2014that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom\u2014and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.\u201d\nOne hundred and fifty years later, I am proud to serve in the same legislative body where Abraham Lincoln once served and I remain dedicated to working hard on the great tasks before us today: ensuring equality, freedom, and fairness for all.\nHelping Families Travel with Their Pets\nOn Wednesday morning, I joined dog trainer and television personality Laura Nativo and Congressman Jeff Denham from California at Washington\u2019s Union Station for a press conference in support of the Pets on Trains Act of 2013. Earlier this year, Congressman Denham and I introduced the bill to allow families and passengers to travel with domesticated cats and dogs on certain Amtrak trains\u2014something Amtrak\u2019s current policies do not allow.\nThose of us lucky enough to have pets are greatly blessed with their companionship. When travelling on Amtrak, families should be able to bring their pets along.\u00a0Our bill would establish a pet policy on Amtrak trains so pets \u2013 which are a part of the family \u2013 won\u2019t be left at home to fend for themselves this holiday season.\nPromoting American Innovation and Ingenuity\nOn Wednesday, I supported bipartisan patent reform legislation in the House Judiciary Committee that would unleash creativity and create jobs. Although it\u00a0is not a perfect bill, it would help protect inventors from abusive litigation by so-called \u201cpatent trolls\u201d and make other needed reforms to the patent system. As it moves through the legislative process, I hope it can be improved even further. Our patent system helps keep the United States on the forefront of innovation and creativity. We must do everything we can to ensure that inventors can continue to forge breakthroughs that will lead to economic growth and jobs. I\u2019m glad that Republicans and Democrats could work together on this important legislation that promotes innovation, just like we did with the America Invents Act in 2011, which was introduced in the House by then-Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Lamar Smith from Texas and passed in a bipartisan manner.\nProtecting Human Rights Abroad\nOn Monday, I joined with my colleagues in the Congressional Caucus on Turkey to welcome a delegation of Turkish officials to Capitol Hill. While Turkey is one of our most valued allies, I feel we must always hold our friends and allies to the goals of justice and equality to which the United States aspires.\u00a0With that in mind, I asked the Turkish Foreign Minister about reports of antisemitism coming out of their country. These reports are disturbing, and we must do everything we can to promote tolerance of all people, in our country and beyond our borders.\nHelping Memphians Get Covered\nAll Memphians should have quality health coverage and the President\u2019s landmark Affordable Care Act\u2014also known as Obamacare\u2014is making affordable, higher-quality coverage available to people who have not had access to it in the past. Luckily, many who have been unable to afford quality coverage in the past are now eligible to enroll in Tennessee\u2019s Health Insurance Marketplace. If you do not have health insurance coverage, you may be eligible to save money on your health care premiums\u00a0in the Marketplace.\nIf you are on Medicare or your employer is going to offer qualified health insurance next year that you will enroll in, you\u2019re already covered and won\u2019t need to enter the Marketplace for your health coverage. If you aren\u2019t sure whether or not you will need to use the Marketplace to get insurance, call the Marketplace Hotline at 1-800-318-2596 or visit www.HealthCare.gov. You can also call my office or the Marketplace Hotline to find out if TennCare (Tennessee\u2019s Medicaid program) is a coverage option for you. If you are one of the millions of Americans who need health insurance, you can sign up\u00a0for coverage today that will take effect January 1, 2014. Enrollment in the marketplace will remain open until March 31, 2014, but you can go online to www.healthcare.gov\u00a0 today to check out your options.\nThe Affordable Care Act is already working for families across the Ninth District and the recent government shutdown didn\u2019t change that. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 147,000 individuals in the district now have health insurance that covers preventive services without co-pays, $3.1 million in insurance premiums have been returned to consumers, and more than 5,000 seniors on Medicare paid a total of $5.9 million less for their prescription medications as we continue to close the \u2018donut hole.\u2019 Also, health insurance companies can no longer discriminate against patients with pre-existing conditions and young adults up to age 26 can now stay on their parents\u2019 insurance plan.\nMany of the Marketplace website issues that have been in the news recently have been resolved.\u00a0However, the Marketplace website is only one tool that you can use to sign up for coverage. If you are having trouble accessing the website, please do not hesitate to call the Marketplace Hotline at 1-800-318-2596 or visit Seedco Mid-South for in-person help. Seedco is located at 22 North Front Street (Suite 900), and they can be reached by phone at 901-528-8341. If you have any other questions, you should also feel free to call my office at 901-544-4131.\n2014 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars Are Available\nMy office currently has a limited number of 2014 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive next year\u2019s calendar, please complete this short form on my website . Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee\u2019s 9th District. Please feel free to share this email with other citizens of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my eNewsletter.\nWhite House Internships\nThe White House Internship Program is currently accepting applications from young people who are interested in government and devoted to public service. If you\u2014or anyone you know\u2014 would like to spend some time working at the White House, gaining valuable professional experience and building leadership skills, I would like to take this opportunity to urge you to apply. The application deadline is January 5th, 2014. Click here\u00a0for more information.\nGrant Announcements\nI regularly release a list of grant announcements from federal agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, and others. These federal funding opportunities are available to faith-based and neighborhood associations, nonprofits and other community organizations in the 9th District. The announcements are\u00a0updated regularly on my website.\nAs always, I remain.\u00a0  \n\tMost sincerely,\n  \n\tSteve Cohen  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["http://cohen.house.gov/remembering-president-kennedy"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 6.600364111363888, "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"}