Dear Friend, This week, I watched from the Senate Gallery as Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed for a seat on the United States Supreme Court, the first Black woman in the court's 233-year history. I also spoke from the House floor to commemorate the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in Memphis; voted for relief for struggling restaurants and small businesses; questioned expert witnesses about Russian oligarchs and their enablers; expressed concern for the safety of Ukrainian refugees; presided at a hearing on the Foreign Agents Registration Act; expressed disappointment at a flawed Federal Aviation Administration study mandated by legislation I got signed into law in 2018; congratulated Soulsville Foundation for being named a finalist for a prestigious museum award; spoke at Collins Chapel about funding I secured for a homelessness community project; announced significant transit and highway funding; introduced a bill to prohibit wildlife killing contests on public lands; announced the deadline for this year's Congressional Art Competition; and offered a health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens. Applauding Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court Remembering Dr. King on the Anniversary of His Death Voting for Relief for Restaurants and Small Businesses Questioning Experts on Russian Oligarchs and Enablers Speaking at a Hearing on the Trafficking of Ukrainian Refugees Presiding at a Hearing on the Foreign Agents Registration Act Expressing Disappointment at Flawed Study of Airplane Evacuations Congratulating Soulsville Foundation Speaking at Collins Chapel about Securing More Than $1 Million to Tackle Homelessness Announcing $124 Million in Transit and Highway Funding Introducing the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act Announcing the Deadline for the Congressional Art Competition Weekly Health Tip Quote of the Week
Applauding Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court 
On Thursday, I was in the Senate gallery to watch history being made as Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed for a seat on the United States Supreme Court. See my statement on this historic moment here. Remembering Dr. King on the Anniversary of His Death On Monday, I spoke on the House floor to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the 54th anniversary of his assassination in Memphis. I noted that, as I was speaking, a memorial service was under way at the National Civil Rights Museum, which was built around the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was slain. See those remarks here. Voting for Relief for Restaurants and Small Businesses Also Thursday, I voted for additional relief for restaurants and small businesses affected by the ongoing pandemic. See my release on that vote here. Questioning Experts on Russian Oligarchs and Enablers
Congressman Cohen with Bill Browder on Wednesday The Helsinki Commission on which I serve as Co-Chairman held a hearing Wednesday about Russian oligarchs and their enablers, including Western lawyers who help them fleece the Russian people. Before the hearing, I met with former oligarch-turned-Putin-foe Mikhail Khodorkovsky and, separately, with Bill Browder. Mr. Browder's tax advisor, Sergei Magnitsky, uncovered massive corruption in the Russian government and was killed in prison as a result, prompting "Magnitsky Act" sanctions legislation around the world. See my releases on the hearing here and on the meeting with Khodorkovsky here. Speaking at a Hearing on the Trafficking of Ukrainian Refugees On Thursday, the Helsinki Commission held a hearing on the dangers of human trafficking for Ukrainian women and children refugees fleeing the war in their country. See my release including my opening statement here. Presiding at a Hearing on the Foreign Agents Registration Act
On Tuesday, as Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, I presided at a hearing on reforming the Foreign Agents Registration Act. See my release here. Expressing Disappointment at Flawed Study of Airplane Evacuations
Last Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a long-awaited study on the impact of smaller airline seat sizes on the safe evacuation of passengers, which was required by the SEAT Act that I introduced and saw made into law in 2018. The flawed study, using only able-bodied people under 60 as its sample group, came to the foregone conclusion dictated by the airline industry. The public knows that modern aircraft cannot be evacuated in the 90 seconds mandated by law. See my release on this development here. Earlier this week, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on which I serve invited the chair of National Transportation Safety Board to testify, and I asked her about the study. See a release with that exchange here. Congratulating Soulsville Foundation
On Thursday, I congratulated the Soulsville Foundation on being named one of 30 finalists for the Institute of Museum and Library Services' National Medal. The National Medal is the nation's highest honor given to museums and libraries that demonstrate excellence in service to their communities. See my release here. Speaking at Collins Chapel about Securing More than $1 Million to Tackle Homelessness
Left to right, Mrs. Juliet Waddell Pittman, Project Coordinator for Collins Chapel, Mrs. Rhonda Davis, Chairman of the Board for Room in the Inn, Congressman Cohen, Bishop Henry M. Williamson Sr., Chairman of the Board for Collins Chapel and Mrs. Cheyenne Johnson, Member of the Memphis City Council. Photo by Tyrone P. Easley. Last Saturday, I spoke at the Collins Chapel Connectional Hospital event at Mt. Olive C.M.E. Church about the $1,080,000 funding I secured for its homelessness outreach efforts. It was one of the ten community projects I brought home to our district in the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus bill. Others were: - $3 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make improvements to Tom Lee Park along the Mississippi River waterfront.
- $750,000 for the Memphis ReStart Initiative, a multi-faceted small business development program that includes leadership training for Black managers, entrepreneurs and business owners, and identifies opportunities for Black businesses to thrive. The program is led by the Black Business Association of Memphis.
- $671,000 for the Cocaine and Alcohol Awareness Program, Incorporated (CAAP Inc.) Community Corrections Program. The funding would be used to support the community-based, residential, alternative-to-incarceration, corrections program that has a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
- $1 million for the purchase of equipment at the Regional One Medical Center.
- $400,000 for the provision of educational and job opportunities for Orange Mound and Binghamton residents by Christian Brothers University.
- $350,000 for investing in facilities and equipment at the Church Health Center.
- $3,000,000 for the Historic Melrose Redevelopment Project to invest in the redevelopment of the Historic Melrose High School and the Orange Mound Community.
- $1,000,000 for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Memphis Home repair program for low-income seniors
- $450,000 for Sadie B's Kitchen at The Hospitality Hub to build a commercial kitchen in the shelter as well as provide two supplemental food trucks.
Announcing $124 Million in Transit and Highway Funding On Wednesday, I announced the Federal Transit Administration's funding for transit and highway programs for Tennessee and the Memphis area. See that release here. Introducing the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act On Tuesday, I introduced the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act to stop the practice of rewarding hunters for killing animals on public land in contests that serve no legitimate wildlife-management purpose. See my release here. Announcing the Deadline for the Congressional Art Competition Each spring, a nationwide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Congressional Art Competition is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our Congressional District. The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students in the 9th District. The winning artwork of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will include the winning artwork from all participating districts from around the country. The winning artwork is also featured on the House's Congressional Art Competition page. How to apply: Send an image of your artwork (jpeg format) and a completed student release form (found on the House's Congressional Art Competition page) to CohenArtCompetition@mail.house.gov by May 4, 2022 at midnight. Weekly Health Tip Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Adam Schiff and at least ten other Members of Congress tested positive for COVID this week, and case numbers are trending upwards in certain regions of the country. There's talk of another possible surge. I urge everyone to observe public health guidelines and err on the side of caution when it comes to wearing masks indoors. Those over 50 are now eligible for a second booster shot, and I strongly recommend that those eligible get it. Quote of the Week "It has taken 232 years and 115 prior appointments for a Black woman to be selected to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. But we've made it. We've made it all of us, and our children are telling me that they see now, more than ever, that here in America anything is possible." – Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson at the White House ceremony Friday celebrating her confirmation as a Supreme Court Justice. As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress | 
