Graduate College Resource Center Opens in Memphis

Dear Friend,

This week I participated in the opening of the Graduate Memphis College Resource Center and spoke at the National Youth Violence Prevention Forum.  I also announced that Memphis-area organizations have received federal investments of $4,022,791 this year for AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs.  And I sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin imploring him to pardon members of a Russian punk rock band that were recently imprisoned.

Graduate Memphis College Resource Center
National Youth Violence Prevention Forum
AmeriCorps and Senior Corps Funding
Free Imprisoned Russian Musicians
Tennessee Walking Horses
UTHSC
MLGW Scam
Free Photo Identification
Grant Announcements

Graduate Memphis College Resource Center

This week I spoke at a ribbon cutting for the Graduate Memphis College Resource Center at the Benjamin L. Hooks Library.  Graduate Memphis is an action initiative of Leadership Memphis and the Memphis Talent Dividend: College Attainment Initiative.  It is affiliated with the Talent Dividend Network and the Graduate Network.

The mission of the new center is to increase the number of adults with quality post-secondary credentials in the Memphis region.  These credentials could be certificates from technical schools to Associate’s degrees or Bachelor’s degrees.  What’s important is that every Memphian has an opportunity to pursue his or her dreams and have the opportunity to prepare through higher education so they can be better prepared for a highly competitive, rapidly changing 21st Century economy.

When speaking I emphasized the need to increase the number of college graduates to attract businesses and improve the overall culture of Memphis.  I also spoke about the benefits of the Tennessee Lottery regarding educational opportunities in Tennessee. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told me that if he had lottery funds for education he “would wear them out” to help get the word out about programs like this.  Schools need to use every opportunity to make sure students are aware of the benefits they have access to with HOPE scholarships and technical grants.  With a lottery scholarship and the $1,000 increase in Pell grants that President Obama and the Democratic congress passed, a college education in Tennessee can be almost cost-free for many students.  And 90 to 95 percent of Technical school grants are paid for by lottery funds. Click here to learn more.

National Youth Violence Prevention Forum

This week I spoke at a news conference highlighting the progress Memphis has made under the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention program.  Memphis, Detroit, Boston, Salinas, Chicago and San Jose were all designated as cities for the program with support from the U.S. Department of Justice.  Memphis’ comprehensive plan to reduce youth violence was launched on April 4, 2011 and Memphis is making some of the best progress out of all six cities selected.

Initiatives like this and the Defending Childhood program demonstrate how President Obama is in tune with the problems our country faces and has dedicated the time and resources to help collaboratively develop solutions.  I want to commend all the stakeholders and participants who have worked hard on developing and implementing this plan in Memphis.  Click here to learn more.

AmeriCorps and Senior Corps Funding
Today I announced that Memphis-area organizations have received federal investments of $4,022,791 this year for AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs.  The funds are being distributed by the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) to increase access to early childhood education and other educational-related programs and to engage seniors in community service.

I am pleased that AmeriCorps and Senior Corps have made such an investment in the 9th District.  Programs like AmeriCorps and Senior Corps strengthen our community by educating our youth and providing opportunities for seniors to make a difference.  More than 9,500 citizens of all ages are serving in CNCS programs across the state.  Without AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, these individuals might not otherwise interact and work together to improve our community.

Free Imprisoned Russian Musicians
This week I sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin imploring him to free several members of a recently imprisoned punk music group.  Three members of the band -- Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Maria Alyokhina -- were sentenced to two years in prison for a performance at Christ the Savior Cathedral.

These young women, charged with committing an act of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred or hostility,” were subject to a trial that has discredited the Russian judicial system, and is generally seen as farcical -- particularly as the judge refused to consider the women’s testimony or to hear witnesses for the defense.  It is also ironic that Russia, which until recently was ruled by Communists who tried to banish all religion, would now consider disrespecting a church to be worthy of prosecution.  It appears that the true motivation behind this case was to stifle protest against President Putin and to increase his power by forming an alliance with the church.  The behavior and reasoning of the judge – who criticized the defendants’ “active position in life” and “tendency to express their opinions categorically” – cannot plausibly be viewed as impartial. The sentence of two years imprisonment for their performance at the Cathedral is in any case draconian.

Without going into the merits or demerits of the Russian law relating to “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred or hostility,” it is important to uphold the principles of fair trial and humane sentencing as fundamental responsibilities of a just government.  I am a strong supporter of good relations with Russia and feel it is important to work together on issues regarding nuclear weapons reduction and energy production issues but the case of these young women receiving such harsh sentences for expressing themselves artistically and politically shows that the Russian judiciary lacks due process and respect for  personal freedom of speech.  Click here to learn more.

Sunday is Women’s Equality Day.  On Women’s Equality Day this year, as we do every year, we mark the progress our nation has made toward living up to its foundational values.  There have been many attacks recently on Women’s Rights in America and across the world.  Just as I am fighting to help free the women who have been wrongfully imprisoned in Russia, I will always fight for Women’s Rights here in America.

Tennessee Walking Horses
This week I joined with Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) in sending a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to express our support for USDA’s efforts to detect, eliminate, and punish the cruel soring of Tennessee Walking Horses. We thanked Secretary Vilsack for finalizing a rule requiring Horse Industry Organizations to issue mandatory minimum penalties for violations of the Horse Protection Act (HPA). We also applauded the USDA for taking this step to strengthen enforcement of the HPA and end this inhumane practice.

With this year’s Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration commencing this week, we urged USDA to establish and maintain a strong enforcement presence at that show. We recognize the tension underlying this year’s Celebration, given resistance to the new rule and recent criminal prosecutions under the HPA. We commend USDA and its inspectors for executing their inspection duties with diligence and integrity.

UTHSC

On Wednesday I announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the University of Tennessee Health Science Center $482,304 in new federal funds for heart and vascular diseases research.  The funds will be distributed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

MLGW Scam

MLGW is receiving renewed reports from customers who appear to have fallen victim to a nationwide utility bill scam. As part of the scam, customers are being told that President Obama has approved special funding through the Federal Reserve Bank for utility bill assistance. There is no such funding.  The most recent reports involve scammers giving victims a toll-free number to call for utility assistance. The customer is then prompted to enter his or her social security number and additional information, and is then provided with a fraudulent bank routing number. The routing number is not valid and the payments will not be applied to MLGW customer bills. The scams have also been reported in several other states. Customers who believe they have been victimized by a scam should contact MLGW at 901.544.MLGW (6549).  
 
Free Photo Identification
Shelby County driver service centers are no longer open on Saturdays but if you or someone you know still needs a photo ID for voting purposes you don’t have to wait in line. If you only need to get an ID for voting purposes, you can still visit any driver’s license renewal station in Shelby County during regular business hours and there is a special line to serve your needs.  And if you are a Veteran who needs ID you can get free government-issued photo IDs at the Veterans Administration.  To learn more about the new voter ID laws, visit my website here.

Grant Announcements
Each week I 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 updated regularly on my website.

Wishing you a happy and safe weekend,

As always, I remain,

Most sincerely,

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress