Seeking Fairness for American Olympic Gymnast Jordan Chiles
August 16, 2024 |
Dear Friend, This week, I engaged international Olympic sports authorities in an effort to have American gymnast Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal restored in the Women’s Floor Exercise event after what had been a remarkable performance. I also helped break ground on affordable housing in Orange Mound, appreciated the return of Russian dissident and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza to the world stage, welcomed the agreement on Medicare’s negotiated prices for ten popular pharmaceuticals, commended Ukraine on its successful incursion into Russia, welcomed a National Science Foundation grant to study the transportation needs of the future Blue Oval City workforce, celebrated the anniversary of Social Security, wrote about the consequences of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, discussed gerrymandering with a future Eagle Scout, welcomed 31 new American citizens after they were sworn in at a naturalization ceremony, and offered a back-to-school-related health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter (X), Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens. Seeking Fairness for American Olympic Gymnast Jordan Chiles Breaking Ground on Future Affordable Housing in Orange Mound Saluting Vladimir Kara-Murza’s Return to the World Stage Welcoming Medicare Negotiated Prices for Ten Popular Drugs Commending Ukraine on its Incursion into Russia Welcoming Grant to Study Transportation Needs of Future Blue Oval City Workers Celebrating the Anniversary of the Social Security Act Warning of Consequences of the Supreme Court Overturing Chevron Deference Precedent Discussing Gerrymandering with a Future Eagle Scout Welcoming New American Citizens Seeking Fairness for American Olympic Gymnast Jordan Chiles On Monday, I wrote to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), and on Tuesday, I wrote to the President of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the President of USA Gymnastics concerning the case of American gymnast Jordan Chiles who was stripped of an Olympic bronze medal in the Floor Exercise event based on mistaken judging decisions. Ms. Chiles clearly won the bronze medal. See my letters making that case here. Breaking Ground on Future Affordable Housing in Orange Mound On Tuesday, I joined Mayor Paul Young, City of Memphis Housing and Community Development Division officials and representatives of United Housing Inc. in breaking ground on four affordable housing units at the southeast corner of Semmes Street and Douglass Avenue. See a Daily Memphian story on the event here. Saluting Vladimir Kara-Murza’s Return to the World Stage Just days after his release from a Russian prison in a historic prisoner exchange, my friend, the Russian dissident politician and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Vladimir Kara-Murza, went on the livestreamed Washington Post Live to discuss his ordeal and the need for press freedom with Washington Post Opinion Page Editor David Shipley. Vladimir, whose case I championed as the Special Representative on Political Prisoners for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, has been ill but seemed spry as he talked of the imminent collapse of the current Russian regime and a “post-Putin” nation reintegrated into a peaceful and democratic Europe. It was inspiring to see him back as a powerful advocate for Russia’s future. Welcoming Medicare Negotiated Prices for Ten Popular Drugs On Thursday, the Biden-Harris administration announced that Medicare had reached agreement on negotiated prices for ten popular prescription drugs. The history-making development came as a result of passage of the Inflation Reduction Act that I voted for. MAGA supporters would reverse this progress. We can’t go back to pricing dictated by Big Pharma. Commending Ukraine on its Incursion into Russia Ukraine’s stunning and unexpected incursion into the Kursk region of western Russia is inspiring hope that the tables are turning in the war and that Russia’s evident weaknesses can be exploited. As the House Ranking Member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission), I joined the House Chairman Joe Wilson in an op-ed in The Hill newspaper this week encouraging support for our resolution condemning Russian aggression as genocide and later released a statement praising the Ukrainian success. Welcoming Grant to Study Transportation Needs of Future Blue Oval City Workers On Wednesday, I announced that University of Memphis Civil Engineering Professor Sabya Mishra will be receiving a National Science Foundation grant to study the public transit needs of future Blue Oval City workers. I sent a letter of support for the grant which will benefit our entire region. See my release here. Celebrating the Anniversary of the Social Security Act Wednesday was the 89th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signing the Social Security Act into law. I am committed to protecting and improving this vital program, which is why I am an original cosponsor of the Social Security 2100 Act, Social Security Fairness Act, and other measures that aim to protect and preserve Social Security. Warning of Consequences of the Supreme Court Overturing Chevron Deference Precedent In June, the U.S. Supreme Court sharply reduced the power of federal agencies to interpret the laws they administer and ruled that courts should rely on their own interpretation of ambiguous laws. The decision, undermining the so-called “Chevron deference” to agencies’ expertise, will likely have far-reaching effects across the country, from environmental regulation to healthcare costs. I joined my friend Dr. Michael Shank in laying out the possible consequences in this column for Newsweek. Discussing Gerrymandering with a Future Eagle Scout Cynthia Pensoneau, Sam Pensoneau-Perryman, Congressman Cohen, Vincent Perryman On Wednesday, I met with Sam Pensoneau-Perryman, a 12-year-old working toward the prestigious Eagle Scout award, the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America, and his parents. Sam wanted to talk about gerrymandering, the practice of state legislatures drawing state and federal electoral districts to favor one party over another and to keep the majority party in power. I have long supported reforms to this antidemocratic practice and last year introduced the John Tanner and Jim Cooper Fairness and Independence in Redistricting (FAIR) Act, which would require states to take their congressional redistricting decisions out of the political process and place it in the hands of independent redistricting commissions. The measure is named after former Tennessee Congressmen John Tanner and Jim Cooper, both champions of legislation to end partisan gerrymandering. Welcoming New American Citizens On Thursday, 31 new American citizens from 16 countries – India, Mexico, Columbia, Senegal, Vietnam, South Korea, Peru, Ethiopia, Argentina, Brazil, Jamaica, Venezuela, Honduras, Guatemala, Pakistan, and Guinea – were sworn in by U.S. Magistrate Judge Annie T. Christoff in the Odell Horton Federal Building downtown. “Today is a celebration. It was an honor to recite the pledge of allegiance with you. This country is now your country,” Judge Christoff told them. Congratulations and welcome to all. It’s back-to-school season, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has provided guidance encouraging drivers to be mindful of traffic laws and speed limits around school zones. It also has advice for parents to give their children when walking across streets, guidance for teen drivers and help on the use of car seats. For all of that new guidance visit NHTSA.gov/BacktoSchool. “Today, we are building on our work to lower costs and increase access to affordable prescription drugs by announcing that the Biden-Harris Administration has reached agreements with all participating manufacturers to lower prices for the first 10 drugs selected for the Medicare price negotiation program – from those that treat cancer to those that treat diabetes, heart disease, and blood clots. Thanks to our historic work to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, millions of Americans who rely on these drugs will save on their out-of-pocket costs. While people enrolled in Medicare are expected to save $1.5 billion in 2026 alone, American taxpayers will also save an estimated $6 billion.” – Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday As always, I remain… As always, I remain. Steve Cohen |