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Helping Memphians Who Are Living in Substandard Public Housing Facilities

April 24, 2015
Enewsletters

Dear Friend,

This week, I worked to ensure the residents of several poorly-maintained public housing facilities in Memphis know how to seek help from the federal government, the Senate confirmed Loretta Lynch as our nation’s first ever African-American female Attorney General, I cosponsored the End Racial Profiling Act, and my bipartisan CARERS Act to reform our nation’s criminal marijuana policies continued to gain more support from both sides of the aisle. Keep reading to learn more about what happened this week, or if you’d like to receive the updates in this eNewsletter (and more) as they happen, simply “like” my Facebook page. Be sure to check it regularly, as it will be updated often with news, pictures, and videos.

Helping Memphians Who Are Living in Substandard Public Housing Facilities
Confirmation of Our Nation’s First African-American Female Attorney General
Helping End Racial Profiling
Reforming our Nation’s Outdated Criminal Drug Policies
Congratulating Impressive Memphis Students
Recognizing Exceptional Bravery in Memphis
Serving the Ninth District
Growing Jobs and the Memphis Economy
Highlighting the Importance of Vaccines
Helping Uninsured Memphians Gain Health Care Coverage

Helping Memphians Who Are Living in Substandard Public Housing Facilities

I am very disturbed by the substandard conditions many Memphians residing in public housing facilities like Goodwill Villages and Warren Apartments are living in. If you, or anyone you know, is a resident of a public housing facility with concerns about substandard living conditions, I encourage you to reach out directly to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by calling (901) 544-3367.

Confirmation of Our Nation’s First African-American Female Attorney General

This week’s confirmation of Loretta Lynch as our nation’s first African-American female Attorney General is both historic and long-overdue. I am disappointed that it took a nearly-unprecedented 166 days for Senate Republicans to allow a vote on the President’s nomination, but I am pleased with the outcome of today’s vote. I look forward to Ms. Lynch continuing the good work of Attorney General Eric Holder, encouraging expanded use of just commutations based on the Fair Sentencing Act, fighting to protect the civil rights and voting rights of all Americans, and focusing our limited enforcement resources on crimes that actually harm people by helping bring our nation’s outdated drug laws into the 21st century.

Helping End Racial Profiling

From the biased use of ‘stop and frisk’ policies to the impact of unfair mandatory minimum sentences on minority communities, there is widespread evidence that racial disparities pervade our criminal justice system. As the author of the first and only Congressional apology for slavery and Jim Crow-era laws, I know Congress must address these problems that undermine confidence in the system and threaten the cause of justice. Injustices like racial profiling cannot continue in a society that holds fairness and equality in high regard. I was proud to join my friends Congressman John Conyers and Senator Ben Cardin this week in sponsoring legislation to help end it. Read more about our legislation here.

Reforming our Nation’s Outdated Criminal Drug Policies

With support for reforming our nation’s outdated marijuana policies at an all-time high, members of both parties are realizing that it’s time for Congress to act. I am pleased to report that the CARERS Act I am leading with Senators Rand Paul, Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Don Young to modernize our criminal drug policies is continuing to gain bipartisan support. This week, Republican Congressman Walter Jones and Democratic Congressman Ed Perlmutter signed on as our newest cosponsors, bringing the total number of cosponsors to 16—8 Republicans and 8 Democrats.

Also this week, Attorney General Eric Holder confirmed reports that discredited DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart would resign. This is appropriate as she has not prioritized or concentrated on drugs that actually lead people to commit crimes like heroin and methamphetamine and she was insubordinate to the President when she criticized his acknowledgement of the fact that marijuana is no more harmful than alcohol. Hopefully her successor will help lead the effort to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I, where it is currently restricted at the same level as heroin and at a higher level than more harmful drugs like cocaine.

Congratulating Impressive Memphis Students

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This week, I enjoyed spending time with four Ninth District students who have been accepted to attend U.S. Military Service Academies this fall. I am sure their parents are proud of the hard work that helped them reach this point as well as of their achievements in both life and in academics. The dedication that Joseph Asemah, Langston Osborne, Andre’ Vaughn and Sean Williams have shown to their academics and to our country should serve as an inspiration to us all. I wish them each the best of luck in their future endeavors, and I am confident they will make Memphis and the entire Ninth District proud.

Recognizing Exceptional Bravery in Memphis

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By rescuing a family in Memphis from a burning vehicle, DEA Special Agent Hurley went above and beyond the call of duty. Without his courage and quick thinking, they could have been gravely injured or even killed. His actions are worthy of a Congressional Badge of Bravery, and I was pleased to join U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton to present him with one.

Serving the Ninth District

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Jalen Douglas, a rising junior at Howard University and a graduate of White Station High School, spent the last several months working as an intern in my Capitol Hill office. We benefited greatly from Jalen’s service to the citizens of the Ninth District, I look forward to learning of her continued success as she completes her education, and I thank her for serving her community and country.

Growing Jobs and the Memphis Economy

The Memphis Aerotropolis can be both a transportation network and an economic development engine for the Mid-South. Yesterday, I introduced two bills to help speed development of our Aerotropolis development, read more about them here.

Highlighting the Importance of Vaccines

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I spoke on the House floor Wednesday about why it’s so important that parents vaccinate their children. As a polio survivor, I know first-hand what happens when they don’t. Vaccines work; they don’t cause autism. You can watch my speech here.

Helping Uninsured Memphians Gain Health Care Coverage

When you filed your taxes this year, you may have noticed that your refund is smaller than expected if you did not have health insurance coverage last year. You can avoid a similar reduction in next year's tax refund by ensuring that you are enrolled in a qualified health insurance plan this year. HealthCare.gov has opened a special enrollment period for families and individuals who did not have coverage and are seeing reduced refunds or increased taxes owed. Click here to find out more about how to take advantage of this special enrollment period and lower your tax burden.

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

Issues:9th DistrictChildren and FamiliesEducationHealth CareJudiciaryMemphisScience and TechnologyShelby CountyTennessee