Congressman Steve Cohen

I joined President Obama on an historic trip to Cuba. This was the first trip to Cuba by a United States President in 88 years. While there, I honored my friend and Cuban baseball legend Minnie Minoso by wearing my autographed Minnie Minoso hat and distributing hats to President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro. I also distributed pins and baseball cards, given to me by the Chicago White Sox, to various officials.

If you have questions or problems with Social Security, Medicare, FHA, the VA or other federal agencies, I hope my office can help. From 12pm to 2pm on Thursday, September 1st, staff from my Memphis office will be on hand at the Orange Mound Community Center (2572 Park Avenue) to answer your questions and provide assistance dealing with federal agencies. We hope to see you there.

Congressman Cohen was featured on CBS Evening News for his bill, the SEAT Act (H.R. 4490), to require the FAA to establish a minimum seat size on commercial airlines as well as a minimum distance between rows of seats to protect the safety and health of airline passengers.

Congressman Cohen and Congressman Lacy Clay, who represents Ferguson, Missouri, introduced the Police Training and Independent Review Act. The legislation would help encourage incidents of deadly force used by police to be investigated and, if need be, prosecuted, by an independent entity as well as provide improved training for police officers. Their bill has been endorsed by the NAACP and the Chicago Tribune.

After being selected as one of nine finalists in July, Memphis was awarded a $30 million Choice Neighborhood Grant from HUD to help revitalize Memphis. President Obama’s Choice Neighborhoods program aims to transform neighborhoods of poverty into viable mixed-income neighborhoods with access to economic opportunities through investing in well-functioning services, effective schools, public assets, public transportation and improved access to jobs.

In the southwest corner of Tennessee, the 9th Congressional District, which includes Memphis, Millington and other parts of Shelby County, is located on the banks of the Mississippi river and borders both Arkansas and Mississippi. Memphis is steeped in its rich Delta past, but has transformed itself into a 21st Century city and America's distribution center.