Cheering $13.1 Million Grant to Redesign Memphis' Most Dangerous Intersection
September 6, 2024 |
Dear Friend, This week, I announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Program will invest $13.1 million to redesign the most dangerous intersection in Memphis – at Lamar, Kimball and Pendleton – which I consider a memorial to the late city planner and Complete Streets advocate Tommy Pacello. I also hosted a press conference to discuss the funding I secured for the Shelby County District Attorney’s Victim/Witness Program with Mayors Paul Young and Lee Harris and D.A. Steve Mulroy; expressed concern about a Russian disinformation campaign using a Tennessee company to mislead and misdirect American voters; announced a $1.1 million cancer research grant to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; met with SisterReach, an organization advocating for health care that respects civil liberties; spoke out against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s go-slow approach to ceasefire and hostage negotiations; stood with the family of Isaac Hayes in a dispute over the Trump campaign’s unauthorized use of “Hold On, I’m Comin’ ”; sought information on Belarusian political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich; sought a revision of an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rule restricting timely health care benefits to full-time employees; offered guidance for applying for this year’s Congressional App Challenge; and offered a timely health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter (X), Facebook, and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens. Cheering $13.1 Million Grant to Redesign Memphis’ Most Dangerous Intersection Securing Funding for Shelby County District Attorney’s Victim/Witness Program Expressing Concern at Russian Disinformation Efforts affecting Presidential Campaign Announcing $1.1 Million to St. Jude’s “Outstanding Investigator” in Cancer Research Listening Carefully to SisterReach Members’ Concerns Standing with Isaac Hayes’ Family in Dispute with Donald Trump Seeking “Proof of Life” for Belarusian Political Prisoner Seeking Revision of IRS Rule on Health Care Benefits for Full-Time Employees Competing in Congressional App Challenge Cheering $13.1 Million Grant to Redesign Memphis’ Most Dangerous Intersection On Tuesday, I announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Program will be investing $13,188,000 in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding for the redesign of Memphis’ most dangerous intersection at Lamar, Kimball and Pendleton. As a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have been advocating for this important safety improvement. In interviews at the intersection Tuesday afternoon, I said the project should be named to memorialize the role of the late city planner Tommy Pacello, an ardent supporter of the “Safe Streets” philosophy of making infrastructure improvements guided by the safety interests of all roadway users. See my release on this major improvement here. Securing Funding for Shelby County District Attorney’s Victim/Witness Program On Wednesday, I hosted a press conference at City Hall to discuss the $300,000 I secured through the annual appropriations process for Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy’s Victim/Witness Program. The money will assure that victims and witnesses feel safe in offering testimony to solve crimes. In addition to DA Mulroy, Mayors Paul Young and Lee Harris emphasized the importance of this investment in public safety and its potential to reduce crime in our community. I will continue working to secure additional federal dollars for public safety and crime reduction. Expressing Concern at Russian Disinformation Efforts Affecting Presidential Campaign On Thursday, I expressed concern regarding a Department of Justice finding that a Russian disinformation campaign is again seeking to boost Donald Trump’s prospects in the presidential race this year and has used a Tennessee-based company to spread its pro-Russian English-language propaganda videos on YouTube, X, Instagram, and TikTok. See my release here. Announcing $1.1 Million to St. Jude’s “Outstanding Investigator” in Cancer Research Last Friday, I announced that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Dr. Douglas R. Green will receive an “Outstanding Investigator” grant of $1,110,000 from the National Cancer Institute for research into the mechanism of regulated cell death. Dr. Green holds the Peter C. Doherty Endowed Chair of Immunology at the hospital. I congratulated him and the hospital for the life-saving work St. Jude continues to perform. See my release here. Listening Carefully to SisterReach Members’ Concerns about Health Care and Religious Liberty Left to right: Theryn Bond, Elise Saulsberry, Congressman Cohen and Cherisse Scott On Tuesday, I met with members of SisterReach, a grassroots 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports the reproductive autonomy of women and teens of color, low-income and rural women, LGBTQIA+ people, and their families. We discussed the idea of protecting religious freedom while not trampling on civil rights and infringing on access to healthcare, and about my Do No Harm Act that would restore the original aims of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and stop the erosion of the civil rights it protects. I told them I was not hopeful of its passage in the current Congress but assured them I was supportive of its ultimately becoming law. It was a productive meeting. Speaking Out about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Intransigence on Ceasefire and Hostage Release On Tuesday night, I appeared on Dan Abrams’ NewsNation show to talk about the deeply disturbing news from days earlier that six hostages held by Hamas had been murdered. I expressed my agreement with President Biden that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not doing enough to free the hostages and agree to a ceasefire, largely because resolving these issues does not align with Netanyahu’s political interests. See the interview here. Standing with Isaac Hayes’ Family in Dispute with Donald Trump This week, I posted on X (formerly Twitter), standing with the family of Isaac Hayes in their dispute over Donald Trump’s unauthorized use of the classic “Hold On, I’m Comin’ ” at his political rallies. I agree with them that Trump’s politicization of the song is inappropriate and offensive. I’m proud to have called Isaac my friend and firm supporter through the years and to now represent his birthplace, Covington. Seeking “Proof of Life” for Belarusian Political Prisoner On Wednesday, I released a statement through the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission) seeking “proof of life” of Belarusian political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich from the Lukashenka regime. As the Special Representative for Political Prisoners for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, I have been advocating for his release, and the world needs to know he is still living. Mr. Statkevich is a Belarusian politician and former presidential candidate who has been wrongfully detained as a political prisoner since 2020 and held incommunicado since February 10, 2023. See my statement here. Seeking Revision of IRS Rule on Health Care Benefits for Full-Time Employees On Tuesday, I led a letter with 17 other Members of Congress to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel seeking the revision of an IRS rule that permits employers to take more than a year to assess whether their employees are full-time workers eligible for health care benefits. See our release and the letter here. Competing in Congressional App Challenge As the October 24 deadline approaches for contestants, I would like to make sure everyone is aware of the Congressional App Challenge, which is a competition aimed at encouraging middle and high school students to learn how to code by creating their own apps. The Challenge aims to instill the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and requires contestants to design, code and demonstrate their innovations. Students participating in the competition may register and submit their app here through October 24, 2024. To learn more about the district’s competition, please visit my website here. For complete registration information and resources, please visit the Congressional App Challenge Website here. The Shelby County Health Department has now confirmed three cases of West Nile Virus and will continue its spraying regimen. It continues to urge those out at dusk, at night or in the early morning hours to use insect sprays containing DEET and to wear long sleeves and trousers. See its West Nile guidance, including future spraying schedules, here. “Don’t you ever be sad Lean on me, when the times are bad When the day comes and you’re down In a river of trouble and about to drown Just hold on, I'm comin’ Hold on, I'm Comin’ ” – “Hold On, I’m Comin’ ” -- song lyrics by Isaac Hayes and David Porter (1966) As always, I remain. Steve Cohen |