Commutations, Health Care and Cuba
Dear Friend,
While Congress has adjourned for the holidays I supported President Obama’s actions this week to restore liberty to individuals unjustly imprisoned, including a Memphian, and to reopen diplomatic relations with Cuba. I was also relieved that Governor Haslam finally announced a plan to cover additional low income people in Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Keep reading to learn more about these important issues.
Presidential Commutations
Health Insurance for More Tennesseans
Relations with Cuba
Presidential Commutations
On Wednesday, President Obama issued commutations to eight federal prisoners, including Memphian Larry Nailor who was sentenced to life in prison for a non-violent drug conviction. These commutations are an encouraging sign that the President and Attorney General are taking positive steps, as I have long uged them to do, to implement a more rational, humane clemency system for Americans who are unfairly incarcerated. But these few commutations and pardons do not solve our nation's incarceration problem, as there remain thousands of Americans languishing in prisons serving sentences that have been repudiated by both Congress and the President. The laws that continue to create racially biased and unjust sentences must be reformed. In the meantime, President Obama can and should use his Constitutional power to help bring these people the justice they deserve, and I hope he does so as soon as possible.
On Monday, Governor Haslam unveiled his Insure Tennessee plan, a two-year pilot program to provide health coverage to Tennesseeans who currently do not have access to health insurance.
While I am dismayed by the amount of time that it took Governor Haslam to reach this agreement, I am relieved that he has completed his negotiations with the Obama Administration to begin expanding health coverage to more Tennesseans. I am glad the governor is following Arkansas’ lead and expanding coverage as our neighbor did 2 years ago. I am cautiously optimistic that the General Assembly will pass and implement the governor’s plan.
As a founding member of the Congressional State Medicaid Expansion Caucus, I remain committed to ensuring that all Tennesseans are able to take advantage of the benefits and protections made available through the President’s landmark Affordable Care Act. I believe that a full expansion of TennCare as originally prescribed by the law is the best way to cover Tennesseans, I am hopeful that implementation of the Governor’s plan can put Tennessee on the road to achieving universal health coverage in the future.Relations with Cuba
Wishing you and your family a happy and safe holiday season. Best wishes for 2015,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress