Celebrating Investment in Historic Mason Temple
Dear Friend
This week, I started off with a press conference to celebrate the $1.2 million I secured for substantial improvements to the historic Mason Temple where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made his last public speech. I also cosponsored articles of impeachment against a corrupt President Donald Trump and, separately, articles against a lawless, incompetent and dangerous Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. I also denounced the U.S. Department of Justice decision to request that seditious conspiracy convictions for January 6 rioters be vacated, condemned Vice President JD Vance’s endorsement of the corrupt Hungarian strongman Viktor Orban, met with educator constituents in my Washington office, applauded the release of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding in a belated response to January storms, flagged that the IRS has extended the tax-filing deadline to June 8 for residents of all 95 Tennessee counties, announced National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants to St. Jude and the UTHSC, and offered a Friday Flashback, a Doonesbury cartoon and a weekly health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens.
Celebrating Investment in Historic Mason Temple
Calling for New Articles of Impeachment against Donald Trump
Supporting Impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Denouncing DOJ Request to Toss Out January 6 Seditious Conspiracy Convictions
Condemning Vance Endorsement of Hungarian Strongman Orban
Meeting with Educator Constituents in My Washington Office
Applauding Belated FEMA Assistance for January Storm Damage
Flagging IRS Extension of Tax-Filing Deadline to June 8
Announcing $2.5 Million in NIH Grants to St. Jude and UTHSC
Holding a Team Cohen on Your Corner on Saturday, April 18
Celebrating Investment in Historic Mason Temple
On Monday, I joined Presiding COGIC Bishop J. Drew Sheard of Detroit, Bishop Brandon Porter, Mayor Paul Young, and other COGIC officials at a press conference to discuss the $1.2 million in Community Project Funding I secured for historic Mason Temple. The site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech, the COGIC world headquarters will undergo a needed renovation to preserve it for generations to come. I’m proud to deliver for my district, especially when it showcases a monument to the historic Civil Rights legacy we cherish.
Supporting New Articles of Impeachment against Donald Trump
I voted four times – in the Judiciary Committee and on the House floor – to impeach Donald Trump in his first term in office. I’ve received hundreds of messages and saw the frustration at the “No Kings” rallies spotlighting Trump’s unprecedented corruption and violations of his oath since returning to the White House for a second term. That prompted me to join my Congressional colleagues in introducing 13 articles of impeachment against him once again. See my statement on my reasons here.
Supporting Impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
On Wednesday, I also joined Congressional colleagues in introducing articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The charges include high crimes and misdemeanors: attacking Iran without Congressional authorization, making deadly strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, and failing to minimize civilian casualties as, for example, his launching a missile attack on a girls’ school, killing at least 175, including children. This blowhard warmonger displays his arrogance and incompetence by the hour and must be removed.
Denouncing DOJ Request to Toss Out January 6 Seditious Conspiracy Convictions
I was dismayed by the U.S. Department of Justice request to an appeals court to toss out the seditious conspiracy convictions against the criminal leadership of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers responsible for the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Making the request on the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination was in particularly bad taste. See my statement here.
Condemning Vance Endorsement of Hungarian Strongman Orban
The corrupt and autocratic pro-Putin strongman Viktor Orban was trounced from office in the election on Sunday but not before the United States Vice President, JD Vance, campaigned for him in Budapest and suggested his anti-democratic values aligned with ours. I released a statement condemning Vance’s intervention in a foreign election and his support for Orban. See that statement here.
Meeting with Constituents in My Washington Office
This week, I met with KIPP Public Schools officials to discuss their needs and legislative priorities. I also met with University of Memphis personnel dedicated to making sure student athletes have the financial information they need to make good decisions and avoid being defrauded.
Applauding Belated FEMA Assistance for January Storm Damage
On Monday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) finally announced it was releasing individual assistance for damage done in the January 22-27 storms. I wrote to Governor Bill Lee twice early on asking him to seek the assistance and am pleased it is coming, although belatedly. See my statement here.
Flagging IRS Extension of Tax-Filing Deadline to June 8
On Wednesday evening (April 15), the Internal Revenue Service announced that residents of all 95 Tennessee counties now have until June 8 to file their income taxes -- both business and personal returns -- an extension because of the impact of winter storms. See details here.
Announcing $2.5 Million in NIH Grants to St. Jude and UTHSC
On Tuesday, I announced four National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants totaling $2,525,665 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). See details of the grants here.
This is me with three-time Academy Award winning actress Meryl Streep in 2016 at an event supporting the National Women’s History Museum in D.C.
We are in the midst of the Mid-South tornado season and it’s always a good idea to be prepared for potential emergencies. The Shelby County Health Department’s “Talking Public Health” podcast walks you through precautions you should take in advance of severe weather. See information about the podcast here.
Holding a Team Cohen on Your Corner on Saturday, April 18
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 18, I will be holding a “Team Cohen on Your Corner” event at the North Frayser Community Center, 2555 St. Elmo Avenue, Memphis (38127), from 10 a.m. to 12 – noon. My staff and I can help you with Medicare/Medicaid, Veterans benefits, SNAP benefits, Student Loans, IRS issues, Housing and much more. I hope to see you there.
“Blessed are the peacemakers…The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters.” – Pope Leo in a sermon in Cameroon on Thursday
“It is easy enough to imagine an American version of this (Hungarian election) strategy. Mr. Trump, like Mr. Orban, has used his office to enrich himself, his family and his friends. He has issued pardons to political allies who have committed violent crimes, including one accused of sexually abusing children after receiving his pardon. He has cut taxes for the affluent and made it harder for working-class Americans to receive health care. His war in Iran has increased gas prices. His populism is fake. It serves a small slice of wealthy, well-connected people at the expense of most Americans, and it leaves him and his party politically vulnerable to an opposition that can credibly use government as a force for good.” – New York Times editorial on Tuesday “Here’s How to Defeat Trumpism”
As always, I remain…
Sincerely,
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Steve Cohen
Member of Congress