Closely Following Developments in the Tyre Nichols Case
January 26, 2023 |
Dear Friend, This week, I have continued to closely follow the developments in the Tyre Nichols police beating case and have been in regular contact with local and federal officials as the imminent release of video of the events of January 7 approaches. I join our community leaders in urging a calm and peaceful response to what we have already been warned will be quite disturbing footage. On Tuesday, I returned to Washington and introduced four major pieces of legislation: a living wage bill, a measure to combat global corruption, a bill identifying a Russian mercenary group as a foreign terrorist organization, and a bill to permit a second magnetometer screening for airline passengers who believe they received a false positive initially. On Sunday, I attended the moving tribute to Lisa Marie Presley at Graceland. I also wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra seeking assistance for HIV and AIDS patients after the State of Tennessee announced plans to reject federal HIV funding for non-profits; met twice with French Ambassador Philippe Étienne; met with youth-mentoring advocates; and offered a seasonal health and safety tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens. Closely Following Developments in the Tyre Nichols Case Introducing HARM and Combating Global Corruption Acts Introducing TSA Second Screening Act Remembering Lisa Marie Presley at Graceland Addressing Need for HIV Resources in the Wake of Tennessee Suspending Funding for Non-Profits Meetings with French Ambassador Meeting with Mentoring Advocates Closely Following Developments in the Tyre Nichols Case I am closely monitoring developments in the Tyre Nichols police beating case and have been in continual contact with local and federal law enforcement officials and our local government leaders. Many anticipate that the public release of the police body camera footage will spark justified outrage. Police Director Cerelyn Davis has called the officers’ actions “a failing of basic humanity.” For those who choose to watch what will be disturbing and graphic video, I encourage all to view it knowing that the wheels of justice are turning and that justice will be served. Let this horrible incident demonstrate that, in the United States, police brutality has consequences and that we can mete out justice in peace and make necessary reforms. See my statement from the House floor earlier today here. On Wednesday, I introduced the Living Wage Now Act, a measure to immediately increase the current $7.25 minimum wage to $15 per hour. Raising it to at least this minimum standard – right now – is long overdue. See my release on the bill here. Introducing HARM and Combating Global Corruption Acts On Tuesday, I led a bipartisan group of Congressional colleagues in introducing the Combating Global Corruption Act which aims to identify and combat corruption around the world. The next day, I introduced another bill, the Holding Accountable Russian Mercenaries (HARM) Act, with bipartisan Congressional colleagues. The HARM Act seeks to designate the Russian-based mercenary Wagner Group as a foreign terrorist organization. Both measures continue the important work of fighting corruption and human rights abuses around the world. See those releases here and here. Introducing TSA Second Screening Act On Tuesday, I also introduced the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) Second Screening Act. The measure would allow passengers to opt for a second magnetometer or x-ray screening after being flagged with an initial result they believe to be a false positive, rather than being subjected to a mandatory physical pat-down. See my release on the measure here. Remembering Lisa Marie Presley at Graceland Graceland on Sunday On Sunday, I attended a moving tribute to Lisa Marie Presley, a daughter of Memphis who left us too soon. Former Shelby County and Memphis Mayor A C Wharton said her birth in 1968 – a hard year for Memphis with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr – was “woven into the institutional memory…of this city.” See the entire memorial service in this video. Lisa Marie will be missed. Addressing Need for HIV Resources in the Wake of Tennessee Suspending Funding for Non-Profits On Monday, I wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra seeking his assistance to ensure the health and safety of Tennesseans living with and at high risk of contracting HIV by providing direct funding for testing, prevention and treatment to local health departments and organizations, since the Tennessee Department of Health’s (TDH) decision to discontinue its participation in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Prevention and Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative with statewide non-profit groups. See my release and the letter here. Meeting with French Ambassador Ambassador Étienne (fourth from left) and Congressman Cohen (third from right) On Wednesday, I joined members of the Congressional French Caucus in a meeting with Ambassador Étienne as he prepares to retire from his position. We discussed his many accomplishments during his tenure as well as the lasting bond of friendship and cooperation between France and the United States. The Ambassador will be missed by me and many of my colleagues. Meeting with Mentoring Advocates On Wednesday, I met with a group advocating greater opportunities for young people seeking mentors and guidance in navigating a complex political and business environment, including several from Memphis. I was inspired by their questions and their zeal. In the depths of Winter, now is a good time to test the smoke alarms in your home to make sure they are working properly. If you do not have a working smoke alarm in your home, the City of Memphis and Tipton County have programs that provide free smoke alarms to certain residents who own the property in which they reside and do not already have a working smoke alarm. If your municipality participates in the Get Alarmed TN! program, the State of Tennessee can also connect you to your local free smoke alarm program here. “I expect our citizens to exercise their First Amendment right to protest, to demand action and results. But we need to ensure our community is safe in this process.” – Memphis Police Director Cerelyn Davis on the likely response to release of police body camera footage in the case of Tyre Nichols. As always, I remain. Steve Cohen |