Pushing Back on Polluters, Fighting for Seniors, and More

Congressman Cohen was named "One of Congress's Most Effective Lawmakers" by the Center for Effective Lawmaking—#5 most effective among House Democrats

Dear Friend,  

This week, I demanded transparency on the Trump administration’s behind-closed-doors efforts to pollute our communities, and I pushed back on their illegal freeze of critical housing upgrades for Memphis seniors. I also announced $7.4 million in new funding for early education in Shelby County and shared an update on a recent award I received from the April 4th Foundation.

Read more below, and thanks for starting your weekend here. 

Recognized by the April 4th Foundation 

Earlier this month, I received the April 4th Foundation’s Open Door Award, given to individuals who have “opened doors” for others by expanding opportunity and carrying forward Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s pursuit of justice and peace. These issues have always been at the core of my career—from my time as a Shelby County Commissioner, where I led the effort to build the Med (now Regional One Hospital) and expand health care in Memphis, to my service as a Senator in the TN State Legislature, where I worked to create the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship program and led efforts to restore voting rights and reform criminal justice laws. In Congress, I've voted for bills like the Affordable Care Act to expand access to health care, worked to increase minority representation on the federal bench, and have helped bring a historic amount of federal funding home to support Memphis and TN-9, including the largest infrastructure grant in Tennessee history: $393 million to build the new I-55 bridge over the Mississippi River, creating jobs and opportunity for Memphis. 

The April 4th Foundation has recognized many leaders over the years—people like Congressman John Lewis, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Bishop G.E. Patterson, Rev. James Lawson, and others who’ve made a lasting impact on the fight for civil rights. I’m proud to be recognized by an organization doing important work to preserve and advance that legacy, especially in Memphis. 

$7.4 Million in Head Start Funding for Shelby County 

On Monday, I announced $7.4 million in federal funding to support Head Start programs here in Memphis and Shelby County. Head Start provides vital early education, nutrition, and health services to thousands of kids who otherwise wouldn’t have access. It’s supported primarily through federal funding, and it’s operated locally by the Shelby County Board of Education. 

At a time when so many critical federal funding and programs are under attack, I was pleased we secured this funding to continue supporting our local Head Start programs. Recent media reports indicate that the Trump Administration plans to eliminate the entire Head Start program. I’ll always keep fighting to make sure that it remains strong. 

Fighting to Restore Critical Housing Upgrades for Seniors 

Last year, I helped secure more than $16 million from the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) for affordable senior housing upgrades in Memphis and Covington. That funding—made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, a bill I proudly voted for—was set to modernize senior housing facilities like Wesley Stage Park with new windows, lighting, appliances, and other energy-efficient improvements. 

Now the Trump administration has frozen all GRRP funding, including for our local projects, because they’ve decided that anything labeled “green” must be bad. That’s not serious policymaking; it’s lazy, ideologically driven nonsense. This week, I led a letter with 15 of my colleagues urging HUD to reverse this harmful decision. This funding isn’t about politics—it’s about safety, savings, and quality of life for our seniors. 

Demanding Transparency on Clean Air Act Exemptions

A few weeks ago, I wrote to Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Lee Zeldin, demanding to know the names of companies in TN-9 seeking exemptions from the Clean Air Act. Memphis residents, especially those in areas like Southwest Memphis, deserve to know who’s trying to pollute in their backyard—especially if they’re trying to do so behind closed doors. 
 
After hearing from many of my colleagues facing similar issues in their own districts, I took it a step further this week. I led a letter with Senator Ed Markey and 59 of our colleagues demanding the full national list of companies applying for these so-called “presidential exemptions”—and details on how and why they think they deserve them. 
 
There’s too much history of environmental injustice in Memphis and in communities nationwide to let this process play out in secret. I urged thousands of Memphis residents to weigh in during the Shelby County Health Department’s open comment period regarding concerns about xAI (which you can still do here), I’ve written to the EPA myself demanding to know more information about xAI and other companies, and I’m not going to stop until we have clear answers. We deserve transparency and clean air—period. 

Standing Up for Small Businesses Hurt by Trump’s Tariffs

This week, I joined my colleagues in writing to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler to demand answers about the real-world impacts of their chaotic tariff policy. 

My office has already heard from all kinds of Memphis businesses affected by this mess—restaurants whose menus depend on imported foods and wines, breweries worried that aluminum cans may soon cost more than the beer they hold, manufacturing suppliers who build the parts and machinery other American companies rely on, and more. These tariffs are raising costs, fueling uncertainty, and hurting local small businesses that don’t have the resources to adapt like big corporations do. We’re calling on the administration to engage with small businesses, assess the damage these tariffs are causing, and provide real support—not just confusing new rules. 

District Office Meetings: Public Safety, USAID, and Workforce Development

On Wednesday, I was pleased to meet with representatives from several local organizations in my Memphis district office. I spoke with Ben Owen and his team from We Fight Monsters about their work combatting narcotics and sex trafficking and supporting recovery efforts. I also met with Dr. Samuel and Clara Pieh to discuss U.S. foreign aid and their personal experiences with USAID and health work in West Africa. Finally, I met with David Jordan and Julie Sanon of Agape Child & Family Services for an update on how the $1 million in Community Project Funding we secured to support their partnership with CodeCrew is helping young Memphians not only learn valuable, in-demand tech skills—but also to start great new careers. 

Thanks to all of them for making time to visit and share their work. 

REAL ID Reminder

Beginning May 7, the TSA will require a REAL ID—or another approved form of ID like a passport—to board domestic flights or enter certain federal facilities. Although you can still do things like drive and visit the post office or Social Security office without a REAL ID, most people will want to upgrade their license to avoid travel headaches. 

Click here to learn how to get a REAL ID and what documents you’ll need. Don’t wait until it’s too late. 

Friday Flashback

Tuesday was Jackie Robinson Day, commemorating a true American hero who broke baseball’s color barrier on April 15, 1947 when he took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers. 

Robinson was the first Black player in Major League Baseball and later became the first Black player inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame—on the first ballot, in his first year of eligibility in 1962. At UCLA, he was the first athlete in school history to letter in four sports: football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. He also served our country during World War II as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. 

I keep a Number 42 poster honoring Jackie Robinson in my office. It’s a reminder of his courage, strength, and the progress he helped spark in America and around the world. 

Weekly Health Tip: Spring Allergy Season in Memphis

It’s peak allergy season in Memphis, and pollen levels are surging across the region. If you’re dealing with itchy eyes, sneezing, or sinus pressure, you’re not alone. Keep windows closed, shower or change clothes after being outside, and monitor daily pollen counts to stay ahead of symptoms.

The CDC has helpful tips on managing seasonal allergies — click here to learn more. 

Quote of the Week

"Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're wasting your life." — Jackie Robinson 

“Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions—rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom, while taking concrete steps to make sure all students at Harvard can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and mutual respect. Let’s hope other institutions follow suit.” — Former President Barack Obama, in a statement on Harvard University’s rejection of the Trump administration’s demands 

As always, I remain, 

Most sincerely, 

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress