Applauding President Biden's Pardons for Marijuana Possession
Dear Friend,
This week, I applauded President Biden’s decision to pardon those convicted of marijuana possession, a position I have advocated for years. I also returned from Warsaw, Poland, where I represented the United States at a variety of forums and other events demonstrating our country’s commitment to Ukraine, political prisoners, and the rule of law. I also attended this afternoon’s groundbreaking for the historic Melrose High School redevelopment project for which I secured $3 million earlier this year; introduced a measure to prevent lobbyists from profiting off foreign adversaries seeking to undermine American interests; introduced a bill to deter the misuse of defamation lawsuits to stifle free speech; invited constituents to attend a webinar on the Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program on Friday, October 14; announced $1.4 million in Department of Justice grants and Commerce Department grants to the University of Memphis to stimulate Black wealth creation and to AgLaunch, an agriculture innovator; and offered a health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens.
Applauding President Biden’s Pardons for Marijuana Possession
Attending Groundbreaking at Historic Melrose High School
Introducing Free Speech Bill to Prevent Misuse of Defamation Law
Holding Student Loan Forgiveness Webinar October 14
Announcing $1.4 Million in Department of Justice Grants
Announcing Grant Advancing Black Wealth Creation
Announcing $1.5 Million Grant to AgLaunch
Applauding President Biden’s Pardons for Marijuana Possession
Congressman Cohen urges passage during debate on the MORE Act in April
On Thursday, President Biden pardoned all of those convicted under federal law of simple marijuana possession, a position I have advocated for years. This action removes the stigma of a criminal record for thousands of people and opens opportunities. See my statement on the executive action here.
Congressman Cohen speaking in Warsaw, Poland earlier this week
This week, I traveled to Warsaw, Poland, to show my support for the Polish government, which has welcomed nearly 1.5 million refugees from neighboring Ukraine, and to take part in international forums on human rights and security. I visited the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, where I spoke with brave Ukrainian women who have fled their homes for safety as Putin’s war of aggression continues to plague their nation. Their heart-wrenching stories underscore the need for continued U.S. support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, and the threat Putin poses to democratic values in the region and around the world.
I participated in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Warsaw Human Dimension Conference in Warsaw, where I chaired an event on political prisoners in my capacity as the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s newly appointed Special Representative on Political Prisoners. The panelists included Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of Vladimir Kara-Murza – a Russian politician and activist jailed for speaking truth to power and seeking a free and democratic Russia; Nadzeya Luchanok, a Belarusian activist and daughter of philosopher and methodologist Uladzimir Matskevich imprisoned in Belarus; Marc Behrendt, Director of Europe and Eurasian Programs at Freedom House; and Oleksandra Romantsova, Executive Director of the Center for Civil Liberties.
I also delivered the official U.S. statement on the Prevention and Eradication of Torture during the conference’s plenary session on the Rule of Law. As an invited guest, I spoke at the German Marshall Fund’s 2022 Warsaw Security Forum, joining panel discussions on Russian responsibility for aggression in Ukraine alongside U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE Michael Carpenter and on Russia’s role as a state-sponsor of terrorism. During this visit, I had high-level meetings with U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski, Ambassador Michael Kozak, and Polish Secretary of State Jakub Kumoch, during which we discussed the Polish government’s response to Ukrainian refugees and security concerns. I also had dinner at Ambassador Brzezinski’s house and had a discussion led by former CIA Director and retired General David Petraeus and the executive and legislative leadership of the Polish government as well as Senator Chris Murphy, State Department and U.S. security leaders.
I was proud to represent our country on what proved to be a useful and productive fact-finding trip.
Attending Groundbreaking at Historic Melrose High School
Congressman Cohen speaks at historic Melrose groundbreaking
This afternoon, I attended the groundbreaking at the historic Melrose High School redevelopment project for which I secured $3 million earlier this year. The transformational community project will invigorate Orange Mound.
As Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, I joined Ranking Member Joe Wilson (R-South Carolina) and Representatives Jim Banks (R-Indiana) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan) in introducing the bipartisan Stop Helping Adversaries Manipulate Everything (SHAME) Act. The legislation serves as a deterrent for would-be enablers of foreign governments seeking to undermine democracy, democratic institutions, and U.S. national security interests. See our joint statement here.
Introducing Free Speech Bill to Prevent Misuse of Defamation Law
Earlier today, I introduced the Free Speech Protection Act, a measure to deter the use of so-called Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP), groundless defamation lawsuits the powerful use to stifle free speech and criticism and satire by journalists and critics. See my release on the measure here.
Holding Student Loan Forgiveness Webinar October 14
On Friday, October 14 at 12 noon Central, I will be hosting a webinar with a senior Department of Education official on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans (Consolidation Loans and Parent PLUS Loans) after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Last October, the U.S. Department of Education announced a set of improvements to the PSLF Program, including waivers of certain program requirements which will be available to borrowers until the end of this month - October 31, 2022.
To join the webinar on Friday at 12 noon Central time, click on this Zoom link or watch it from my Facebook page.
Announcing $1.4 Million in Department of Justice Grants
On Monday, I announced two grants from the Department of Justice totaling $1,405,946. The first, for $1,005,962, for Shelby County, is from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Program. The second, to Casa Luz, a domestic violence program, is for $399,984. See my release here.
Announcing Grant Advancing Black Wealth Creation
The University of Memphis will receive a $1.4 million grant from the Department of Commerce to promote Black wealth creation. See my release here.
Announcing $1.5 Million Grant to AgLaunch
Earlier today, I announced that AgLaunch, a Memphis-based non-profit organization that aims to accelerate the transformation of regional agriculture, will receive a grant of $1.5 million from the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. See my release here.
The Shelby County Health Department is now offering influenza vaccine at its two Immunization Clinics at 814 Jefferson and at 167 Washington Street in Collierville and at the five public health clinics around the County. The vaccine is available at no cost to those with health insurance and on a sliding fee scale for those without insurance.
According to the department, vaccination against the influenza virus is recommended for anyone over the age of six months. Everyone is at risk, especially during influenza season, which usually runs from October to May each year, with the most cases in our region usually reported in February. For more information, click here.
The flu vaccine is available at all Shelby County Health Department clinics from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.
- Cawthon Public Health Clinic
1000 Haynes, 38114 - Collierville Public Health Clinic (Tuesday and Thursday only, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
167 Washington St., 38017 - Hickory Hill Public Health Clinic
6590 Kirby Center Cove, 38118 - Immunization Clinic
814 Jefferson, Rm. 216, 38105 - Millington Public Health Clinic
8225 Highway 51 North, 38053 - Southland Mall Public Health Clinic
1287 Southland Mall, 38116 - Shelby Crossing Public Health Clinic
1826 Sycamore View Road, 38134
“Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. It's time that we right these wrongs.” - President Biden announcing pardons for marijuana possession offenses on Thursday.
As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress