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Celebrating Black History Month

February 5, 2016
Enewsletters

Dear Friend,

This week, I was selected to serve as Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee’s new Task Force on Executive Overreach to check Republicans’ obsession with conducting hearings and investigations relating to President Obama’s supposed executive overreach, reintroduced a bill to give non-violent ex-federal offenders a fresh start, and received an A rating from the National Education Association for my work on public education. Keep reading to learn more about my week or follow me on Twitter and Facebook to see these updates as they happen.

Celebrating Black History Month
Serving as Ranking Member of the Task Force on Executive Overreach
Giving Non-Violent Ex-Federal Offenders a Fresh Start
Receiving an A Rating from the National Education Association
Remembering Jack Eaton
Honoring St. Jude’s 54th Anniversary
The IRS Urges Public to Stay Alert for Scam Phone Calls
Ensuring Memphians Get the Tax Refunds They Deserve

Celebrating Black History Month

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On this Black History Month, let’s take a moment to express our admiration and gratitude to some of the Memphians that helped write history. We are thankful for the courage of investigative journalist and anti-lynching crusader Ida B. Wells; the leadership of former NAACP Executive Director Dr. Benjamin Hooks; Rev. James Netters; Rev. Kenneth T. Whalum, Sr.; Rev. Kenneth T. Whalum, Jr.; my friends Maxine and Vasco Smith; the generosity of Robert Church, who saved Memphis financially after the Yellow Fever epidemic and established services for African-Americans that they were excluded from under Jim Crow law; the audaciousness of A.W. Willis, who was the first African-American member of the Tennessee General Assembly since Reconstruction; Jesse H. Turner, Sr., the fiscal expert of the Shelby County Commission, the treasurer of the NAACP, and the President of Tri-State Bank; the wisdom, judgment, and political acumen of Judge Russell Sugarmon; the boldness and the vision of Judge D’Army Bailey; the devotion to education displayed by Velma Lois Jones; the remarkable musical gifts of Maurice White, who passed away this week, W.C. Handy, Memphis Slim, Phineas Newborn, Jimmy Lunceford, Rufus Thomas, B.B. King, Isaac Hayes, Willie Mitchell, Teenie Hodges, and the rest of the giants of Stax Records and Royal Studios and living legends such as Al Green and Kirk Whalum; the amazing athletic prowess of Penny Hardaway, Elliot Perry, Lorenzen Wright, Larry Finch, Barry Wilburn, Bobby Smith, Todd Day, Claude Humphreys, and Rochelle Stevens, who brought Olympic gold back home to Memphis. And many, many more…We stand in awe of their courage, their skills, their will, their talents, and their contributions.

Serving as Ranking Member of the Executive Overreach Task Force

On Wednesday, I was selected to serve as Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee’s Task Force on Executive Overreach. This task force will conduct hearings and investigations relating to separation of powers and executive overreach issues and will report to the Judiciary Committee detailing on its findings and recommendations. As Ranking Member of the so-called Task Force on Executive Overreach, I would be less than forthright if I did not say that I and many others are skeptical as to whether the creation of this task force will be anything other than the latest platform from which House Republicans will attack President Barack Obama. From the Affordable Care Act to the President’s deferred action programs to provide temporary relief for certain undocumented immigrants, Republicans have continued to play politics and accuse President Obama of violating the Constitution when legally implementing his policies. I’m grateful that my seniority on the Committee provides me the opportunity to check baseless Republican attacks on our President. However, I hope that as the task force moves forward with its work, my colleagues on the Majority side will prove our skepticism to be unwarranted. You can watch my comments at the House Judiciary Committee meeting here.

Giving Non-Violent Ex-Federal Offenders a Fresh Start

On Monday, I reintroduced the Fresh Start Act to enable non-violent ex-federal offenders who have served their sentence and are now law-abiding, productive members of society to apply to have their conviction expunged from their records. Today, even if an ex-federal offender was non-violent, they could very well face a life sentence. That’s because the stigma of their conviction often follows them for the rest of their life. Employment, education and housing opportunities – the very things necessary to turn a life around – can all be denied because of a past conviction. We should give non-violent ex-federal offenders who have demonstrated a commitment to turn their lives around a real chance to start over again and contribute more fully to society—and my legislation would do just that.

Receiving an A Rating from the National Education Association

This week, I received an "A" rating on the National Education Association's annual Legislative Report Card for 2015. The Report Card tracks Members’ of Congress overall support for public education, students and educators through vote tracking, bill cosponsorship and other advocacy for education and educators. I have consistently supported legislation to improve the state of our nation's education system. I believe that productive and progressive investments in our classrooms today are critical to providing greater opportunities for all our children in the future.

Remembering Jack Eaton

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On Wednesday, Memphis lost a sports legend in former “Voice of the Tigers” Jack Eaton. At a charity auction in the 1980s, I won the opportunity to travel with the Memphis Tigers and Jack Eaton up to Columbia, Missouri for a game against the University of Missouri. Jack and I roomed together, and I had the privilege to join Jack for the play-by-play and color commentating for the game. I'll never forget that at the end of a basketball game, when the result was not in doubt and a player scored, he used to say, "It'll make it look better in the yearbook." It was an incredible experience and memory that I will never forget thanks to Big Jack. I used to dream of becoming a sportscaster. I have known Jack since my childhood as the “Voice of the Tigers” and sports director and sportscaster for WMC Action News 5. Jack was a very special Memphian and Tiger fan. Our political views were not similar but he was always very, very nice to me. He was part of all of our families, and he will be missed.

Honoring St. Jude’s 54th Anniversary

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Thursday was the 54th Anniversary of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's grand opening in Memphis and World Cancer Day. I am proud that St. Jude is in Memphis, and the world is so fortunate to have these researchers, scientists, and doctors treating patients, greatly improving the quality of medical care, and finding cures to save lives. St. Jude is a beacon of hope for thousands of children and families all across the world. Thank God for St. Jude.

The IRS Urges Public to Stay Alert for Scam Phone Calls

The IRS continues to warn consumers to guard against scam phone calls from thieves intent on stealing their money or their identity. Criminals pose as the IRS to trick victims out of their money or personal information. Click here for several tips to help you avoid being a victim of these scams and what to do if believe you have been contacted by a scammer.

Ensuring Memphians Get the Tax Refunds They Deserve

In December, I voted to permanently extend the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which is indexed for future increases, for low and middle income individuals and families. This provision ultimately became law.

April 15th – the deadline to file your 2015 federal tax return – is only a few months away. As you prepare your return, I hope you won’t overlook the EITC if you are eligible for it. It is an important credit that can give families a financial boost and is too important for people to overlook. Sadly, eligible taxpayers in Memphis and Shelby County have not taken full advantage of the program. I want to encourage everyone who is eligible to consider claiming it when filing their taxes.

Memphians shouldn’t pay more than they owe, and they should receive every penny they deserve in refunds. In 2014, I helped open one of 15 new Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites that operate throughout Shelby County. The VITA sites are available to provide tax return guidance and advice free of charge to ensure that Memphians take full advantage of programs like the EITC and get the tax refund to which they are entitled. More information including a list of all VITA locations and their hours is available at the Shelby County Trustee’s website, and I encourage you to find one near you to help ensure you get every penny you are owed.

As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
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Steve Cohen
Member of Congress

Issues:EducationJudiciaryMemphisMillingtonShelby CountyTennessee