Dear Friend, This week, I voted to pass a transformational bill, the America COMPETES Act, that contains amendments I proposed addressing overseas corruption, and that will stimulate manufacturing and support innovative technological processes to modernize our economy. With an estimated 120,000 MLGW customers without electricity because of the ice storm, I am monitoring the situation carefully and offer some tips and resources below. I also spent a good part of my week in Washington in consultation with experts on the situation evolving on the Russia-Ukraine border, including hearings as Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission. I also advanced the American Music Fairness Act at a Judiciary Committee hearing featuring my friend Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell of Memphis' Royal Studios; presided this morning over an inspiring hearing of my subcommittee on promoting "Lift Every Voice and Sing" as a national hymn; expressed concern about the recent desecration of Civil Rights monuments and called for support for my ongoing legislative effort to protect them; and suggested some guidance on Covid-19 awareness and prevention as a health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to o see what I'm doing as it happens. Voting to Pass America COMPETES Act Containing My Amendments Monitoring Power Outages and Offering Tips on Resources Expressing Grave Concern at a Helsinki Commission Hearing on Massing of Russian Troops at the Ukraine Border and Welcoming the Incoming Chairman of the OSCE Questioning Royal Studios' Boo Mitchell and Other Experts at a Judiciary Committee Hearing on the American Music Fairness Act Presiding at a Hearing on the History and Importance of the Hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing" Urging Support for the Civil Rights Legacy Protection Act after Recent Vandalism of Jackie Robinson Memorial Announcing a Research Grant for St. Jude Weekly Health Tip Quote of the Week
Voting to Pass America COMPETES Act Containing My Amendments 
Earlier today, I voted for, and the House passed, the America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength (COMPETES) Act containing two amendments I offered that will combat foreign kleptocracy in a big way and hold foreign entities operating in the United States more accountable to U.S. law. The America COMPETES Act is a major effort to upgrade our country's manufacturing capacity and invest in innovation. See my release on the measure here and my release on my amendments here. Monitoring Ice Storm Damage and Offering Tips on Resources
MLGW this afternoon is reporting over 120,000, or more than 65 percent, of customers without power because of Thursday's ice storm. I am monitoring the situation and am in contact with emergency management and other authorities. To report outages, call MLGW's automated line at (901) 544-6500. To report emergencies, like a gas leak, call (901) 528-4465. The City of Memphis has opened a warming center at the Hickory Hill Community Center, 3910 Ridgeway Road. If you need transportation to get there, call the Office of Emergency Management at (901) 297-1680. By all means, do your best to stay warm and safe. Expressing Grave Concern at a Helsinki Commission Hearing on Massing of Russian Troops at the Ukraine Border and Welcoming the Incoming Chairman of the OSCE
Congressman Cohen at the Helsinki Commission hearing Wednesday On Wednesday, the Helsinki Commission that I co-chair took up the sobering threat to world peace posed by Russia's aggressive and provocative massing of more than 100,000 troops at its border with Ukraine. The expert witnesses who testified gave a clear-eyed assessment of where things stand and what Vladimir Putin may be planning. See my release containing my opening statement, colloquy with witnesses and a brief closing remark here. On Thursday, the Helsinki Commission heard from the new Chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Zbigniew Rau, and we discussed the situation in Belarus, Ukraine and Poland. I look forward to working with the new Chairman. See my release on that exchange here. Questioning Royal Studios' Boo Mitchell and Other Experts at a Judiciary Committee Hearing on the American Music Fairness Act As a proud Memphian and cosponsor of the American Music Fairness Act, I was pleased to have Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell of the legendary Royal Studios in Memphis testifying as an expert witness in a hearing on the bill before the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. The American Music Fairness Act would restore balance in the music industry by finally compensating artists and other creatives who worked on a recording when their music is played on AM and FM radio. I support the passage of the law and will continue working to ensure artists are duly compensated for their work. See my release and my exchange with the witnesses here. Presiding at a Hearing on the History and Importance of the Hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing" This morning, I was honored to preside at the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties hearing on the history and importance of the profoundly inspiring hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing." The song, which advances and highlights important American values of liberty, equality, justice, and unity, is being proposed as a national hymn to accompany the national anthem in legislation proposed by my friend, House Majority Whip James Clyburn. See the entire hearing here and my release, including my opening statement, here. Urging Support for the Civil Rights Legacy Protection Act after Recent Vandalism of Jackie Robinson Memorial I was disturbed to read last weekend about another act of vandalism against memorials to our civil rights history and its heroes – this time to the birthplace marker for Major League Baseball's first Black player, Jackie Robinson. I reintroduced the Civil Rights Legacy Protection Act last February to address this issue after the repeated desecration of a memorial to Emmett Till outside Money, Mississippi. See my release on these developments here. Announcing a Research Grant for St. Jude On Monday, I announced that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will receive a National Institutes of Health grant for neurological research. See that release here. Weekly Health Tip
The White House has begun programs to make free COVID-19 tests and high-quality masks available to every household in the country. To expand access, the White House launched a program in mid-January to allow each household to order four free, at-home tests at COVIDTests.gov. This site also has information about other ways to access free testing at community health centers, pharmacies and through insurance reimbursement. Starting last Friday, the Biden Administration has been distributing 400 million N95 masks, which are available for free at participating clinics, pharmacies and retailers, including CVS, Kroger, Walgreens and Walmart which will distribute three masks per person at participating stores . Finally, this Saturday, February 5th, from 2 to 4 p.m., weather permitting, the Shelby County Health Department is hosting a Community Engagement Forum at the Cathedral of Praise, 561 South Prescott in Memphis (38111). There, the Memphis Health Center will offer Covid-19 testing on its mobile health clinic. The event is open to the public. Before you go, check to see whether the ice storm has prompted a cancelation. See additional information and resources to address the pandemic on my website here. Quote of the Week "Lift every voice and sing Till earth and heaven ring Ring with the harmonies of Liberty Let our rejoicing rise High as the listening skies Let it resound loud as the rolling sea Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us Facing the rising sun of our new day begun Let us march on till victory is won." – "Let Every Voice and Sing," proposed as a national hymn. As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress | 
