Expecting to Vote for Aid to Support Israel and Ukraine
April 19, 2024 |
Dear Friend, This week, the dysfunctional Republican leadership finally produced bills for aid to Israel and Ukraine and scheduled a vote for Saturday. The support for Ukraine is long overdue, and I will vote in favor of it, in addition to aid to Israel and for the civilian population of Gaza. I also met in my Washington office with the President of the University of Tennessee and the Chancellor of Rutgers University-Camden, planned to attend next week’s grand opening of the Orange Mound Library in the former Melrose High School, condemned the current Turkish government for human rights abuses, welcomed the Senate’s quick dismissal of the spurious impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, offered some guidance on President Biden’s most recent effort to reduce student loan debt, and offered a health tip tied to warming temperatures. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens. Expecting to Vote for Aid to Support Israel and Ukraine Meeting with University President and Chancellor Looking Forward to the Grand Opening of the Orange Mound Library Condemning Turkey’s Political Oppression Welcoming Dismissal of Mayorkas Impeachment Hoax Offering Guidance on Student Loan Forgiveness Expecting to Vote for Aid to Support Israel and Ukraine The dysfunctional Republican leadership of the House has finally scheduled votes on aid to Israel and to Ukraine for Saturday, and I will vote for both measures. The delay in offering support to Ukraine has resulted in reversals on the battlefield and additional loss of life from both military and civilian populations, so providing this assistance is crucial. The measures will also provide military aid to Israel and humanitarian aid to the starving civilian population of Gaza, as well as assistance to Taiwan. Iran’s shooting 300 drones, rockets and missiles at Israel brought this issue to the fore with the need to replenish Israel’s weapons supply. Depending on the outcome Saturday, Speaker Mike Johnson could be seen as a profile in courage for risking his political career for a noble cause. I commend him for scheduling these votes and will support him if there is a motion, as threatened, to vacate the speakership. Meeting with University President and Chancellor Chancellor Tillis, Congressman Cohen and President Boyd On Wednesday, University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd and Rutgers University-Camden Chancellor Antonio Tillis visited my Washington office to discuss their education priorities. With President Boyd, we discussed the Tennessee Lottery I passed as a state Senator that provides so many scholarships to U.T. students and others. With Chancellor Tillis, I commended him on his commitment to attracting talented students from Memphis to his prestigious New Jersey university, particularly the “pipeline” he has created between Rutgers and Hamilton High School. Condemning Turkey’s Political Oppression My late Congressional colleague Tom Lantos was a champion of human rights, and I am proud to be a member of the commission created in his name. The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission held a hearing on Tuesday with expert witnesses on the ongoing oppression in Turkey. Among the hearing witnesses was Enes Kanter Freedom, a human rights activist and former NBA basketball player who was punished by the NBA for expressing his political views about the lack of human rights in China. See my questioning of witnesses here. Looking Forward to Orange Mound Library Grand Opening Next Friday, April 26, I plan to attend the grand opening of the Orange Mound Library at the former Melrose High School for which I secured $3 million in community project funding. The transformation of the school is an inspiring example of what happens when federal funding is invested in our community. Welcoming Dismissal of Mayorkas Impeachment Hoax The U.S. Senate made fast work of the meritless impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday, dismissing both baseless charges in less than three hours. I voted against the impeachment hoax and was pleased to see the Senate toss it aside without debate. Sadly, many in the press wondered if this kind of spectacle means the Senate is becoming like the House – a political, not a policy-based chamber. Offering Guidance on Student Loan Forgiveness President Biden’s latest action to erase student loan debt is projected to extend relief to more than 30 million Americans. This is benefiting people of all ages — from young people who are new to the job market to moms and dads who have been paying off old loans with sky-high interest rates for years. The new plan will cancel runaway interest for millions; it will automatically cancel debt for borrowers who are eligible for programs like SAVE and PSLF but just haven’t applied; it will cancel debt for borrowers who entered repayment decades ago and for people who enrolled in programs with low –financial value programs; and it will provide debt relief for people who are experiencing serious financial hardship. The Biden Administration has already helped four million people save $146 billion on student loan debt, and this is another big step in the right direction. Besides the cicadas we anticipate seeing as temperatures rise, the heat also brings mosquito season to our region. Remember to empty containers that collect standing water in areas where the West Nile virus has been detected in recent years. The Shelby County Health Department will be spraying, weather permitting, in the following ZIP codes this week: 38127, 38111, 38112, 38018, 38016, 38138, 38134, 38135, 38133, 38053, 38109, 38117, 38120, 38122, 38128 and 38109. “Your client was audibly uttering something. I won’t tolerate that. I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I want to make that crystal clear.” – Justice Juan Merchan instructing Donald Trump’s lawyers during Tuesday’s jury selection in the New York hush-money criminal case As always, I remain. Steve Cohen |