Commemorating Veterans Day
Dear Friend, This week, I attended Mayor Strickland and Mayor Harris’s Veterans Day luncheon and spoke about my work in Washington on behalf of veterans. On Tuesday night, I was reelected to a ninth term representing Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District and will proudly serve my constituents in the 118th Congress. Additionally, I wrote a letter to the editor of The Washington Post advocating for my Billionaire Minimum Income Tax, offered 2023 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars, and provided a health tip regarding a serious respiratory virus surging in our region. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens. Continuing to Represent Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District in the 118th Congress Championing the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act Offering 2023 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars Today we honor and pay tribute to our military veterans for their service and sacrifice. I continue to work on behalf of veterans, and dedicate a significant portion of my team to veterans’ issues, including working to improve our Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and ensuring my constituents get all the veteran benefits to which they are entitled. On August 12, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. I was proud to vote for this bill when it passed in the House of Representatives on July 13, 2022. Under the PACT Act, millions of veterans who are suffering from dozens of conditions related to toxic exposure may now be eligible for health care and disability benefits. Veterans ranging from those exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam all the way through modern-day conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will benefit from this new law. I encourage you to visit www.VA.gov/PACT to determine your eligibility and to apply. This week, I introduced the Veterans Protection from Fraud Act. Next week, I hope to pass my bill to rename the Memphis VA Medical Center for Luke Weathers Jr., the late U.S. Army Air Force officer and World War II combat fighter pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen “Red Tails” See my Veterans Day statement here. Continuing to Represent Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District in the 118th Congress When the 118th Congress convenes in January, I will begin my ninth term representing the people of Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District after being re-elected Tuesday night. Due to redistricting, the district will include the western portion of Tipton County starting next year. I am proud to represent my constituents, old and new, and look forward to serving you for another term. Championing the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act In late July, Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia and I introduced the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act to prevent tax avoidance by the very wealthiest Americans. The Washington Post’s Editorial Board recently published an article more or less defending the current tax system and criticizing our approach, so I responded with a letter to the editor that was published on Wednesday to explain how we can ensure billionaires pay their fair share. See that letter here. Offering 2023 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars My office will have a limited number of 2023 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please complete this form on my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified an increase in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) detections and RSV-associated emergency department visits and hospitalizations in several regions, with some nearing seasonal peak levels. The CDC is asking public health professionals to be aware of increases in respiratory viruses, including RSV, which is typically a common respiratory illness that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year of age in the United States. See here for the CDC’s recommendations on how to avoid catching the virus. “There’s so much at stake. And one of the most important expressions of love of country is to vote and to participate as part of our civic duty and our responsibility — our individual responsibility to uphold our democracy.” – Vice President Kamala Harris speaking Tuesday in Los Angeles. As always, I remain. Steve Cohen |