Condemning Supreme Court Rulings on Bump Stocks and Memphis Starbucks Workers
Dear Friend, Last Friday, I released statements on two important U.S. Supreme Court rulings involving guns and workers’ rights. This week, while the House is in recess, I announced a prestigious National Science Foundation grant to computer science researchers at the University of Memphis. I also welcomed a $1.3 million Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to the City of Memphis, reimbursing it for the costs of debris removal after last July’s severe storms. After my newsletter went out last week, I voted against this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. Despite some excellent provisions that I support, I couldn't agree to the inclusion of harmful culture war measures insisted upon by Republicans. I will encourage a House-Senate conference committee to come up with a more reasonable alternative I can support. And as temperatures across our region soar to dangerous heights, I provided some health tips for dealing with heat stress and dehydration. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter (X), Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens. Condemning Supreme Court Rulings on Bump Stocks and Memphis Starbucks Workers Applauding National Science Foundation Grant to the University of Memphis Announcing $1.3 Million FEMA Grant to Memphis for Debris Removal After July 2023 Storms Voting Against National Defense Authorization Act Despite Welcome Pay Raise for Service Members Condemning Supreme Court Rulings on Bump Stocks and Memphis Starbucks Workers Last Friday, I condemned the U.S. Supreme Court rulings on cases involving guns and workers’ rights. The first overturned the Trump-era bump stock ban which limited access to the devices that make semi-automatic rifles operate like fully automatic weapons. The second could harm the ability of employees of a Starbucks near Poplar and Highland, and many others, to be represented by a union. See my statements on the cases here and here. Applauding National Science Foundation Grant to the University of Memphis On Tuesday, I announced that the University of Memphis will receive a prestigious National Science Foundation grant for computer science research into diagnosing headaches. I congratulated the University and Professor Xiaolei Huang in this press release. Announcing $1.3 Million FEMA Grant to Memphis for Debris Removal After July 2023 Storms On Monday, I announced that the City of Memphis will receive a grant of $1,374,457 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for debris removal after the storms of July 2023. I asked President Biden to declare parts of Tennessee a disaster area immediately after the storms. See my release here. Voting Against National Defense Authorization Act Despite Welcome Pay Raise for Service Members Last Friday, June 14, I voted with a majority of Democratic members against the National Defense Authorization Act after Republicans inserted several poison pill culture war amendments targeting women’s reproductive health and free speech rights, among other things. The bill contains much-deserved pay raises for our service members, and I will encourage a joint House-Senate conference committee to work out a sensible compromise that I can vote for in the days ahead. See my full statement on my vote here. Record-breaking heat across our region and much of the nation prompts me to remind constituents that exposure to extreme heat without taking necessary precautions can be dangerous. Please do not keep infants or pets in parked cars, even “just for a minute,” as a car heats up very quickly. Follow some helpful guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for older adults and on staying hydrated here and here. “We cannot start over but we can create a new beginning.” – Joseph Rainey (1832-1887), the first African American member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1870-1879), born on this day As always, I remain. Steve Cohen |