Vowing Tyre Nichols' Legacy will be Justice and Police Reform
Dear Friend, This week, I attended the funeral for Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old mercilessly beaten to death by Memphis police officers, and vowed to honor his memory by renewing my longstanding call for necessary reforms. I also was named the Ranking Member, or top Democrat, on the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where I will have a major role in shaping policy regarding airports, air cargo, commercial airline service and passenger safety. I also introduced a bill to prohibit unreasonable fees being tacked onto passenger air travel; announced a major Department of Transportation grant for a comprehensive study improving the safety of streets in Memphis; applauded the reimbursement of costs the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) incurred in addressing the COVID-19 public health crisis; announced additional transit funding for the Memphis tri-state area; met with the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly; and offered a health tip about improving our community’s own assessment of its needs. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens. Vowing Tyre Nichols’ Legacy will be Justice and Police Reform Being Named Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee Announcing Safe Streets Grant for Memphis Seeing UTHSC Reimbursed $3.1 Million for COVID-19 Emergency Response Announcing $14.7 Million in Transit Funding for Tri-State Region Meeting with OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella Vowing Tyre Nichols’ Legacy will be Justice and Police Reform I returned to Memphis on Wednesday for the funeral of Tyre Nichols, determined to see that the “assignment” his mother said he was sent on is fulfilled through justice for him and for his family and in the enactment of meaningful reforms. This fine young man’s death has captured the attention of the entire country, even the world, and is propelling demands for passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. I have invited the Reverend J. Lawrence Turner, senior pastor of the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, who presided at Tyre’s funeral, to be my guest at President Biden’s State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening. As he and others have said, the momentum from the public’s revulsion at Tyre’s horrific killing should lead to a more humane approach to ensuring public safety for all. Being Named Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee On Tuesday, I was named the Ranking Member, or top Democrat in the new House minority, on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Aviation Subcommittee. From this new position, I will have a greater role in shaping policy on airports, air cargo, commercial airline service and passenger safety. This year, the Subcommittee will also reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, setting aviation policy for the next five years. I also will remain a senior member of the Judiciary Committee and its subcommittees on the Constitution, crime and regulatory reform. These committee assignments will ensure that I can advance the best interests of Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District, and I am proud of the confidence my colleagues have shown in naming me to these important posts. See my release on my committee assignments here. Also on Tuesday, I reintroduced the Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous (FAIR) Fees Act. The measure would prohibit airlines from charging fees – including bag, seating, cancellation, and change fees – that are not reasonable or proportional to the costs of the services provided. See my release here. Announcing Safe Streets Grant for Memphis Also Tuesday, I announced the City of Memphis will receive a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant of $640,000 for preparation of a comprehensive “Safe Streets for All” plan. This discretionary program was established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which became law with my support in 2021. This funding aligns with the goals of my Complete Streets Act, which seeks to provide safe and accessible transportation options for all modes of travel, including pedestrians, in a city where the unacceptably high pedestrian fatality rate must be effectively addressed. See my release here. Seeing UTHSC Reimbursed $3.1 Million for COVID-19 Emergency Response The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) did a phenomenal job addressing the public health emergency when COVID-19 threatened to overwhelm our capacity, saving lives and monitoring the scope of the pandemic. This week, I announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has begun reimbursing UTHSC for the expenses it incurred on our community’s behalf. See that release here. Announcing $14.7 Million in Transit Funding for Tri-State Region The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) is already transforming mass transit in our region with the Bus Rapid Transit dedicated route linking the University of Memphis to the medical center district and downtown. It is also transitioning to no-emission electric buses. This week, I announced substantial funding to the tri-state transit network to sustain ongoing improvements. See that release here. Meeting with OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella Congressman Cohen and Secretary General Montella As the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s (OSCE-PA) Special Representative on Political Prisoners, I regularly consult with European leaders on pressing international issues, particularly in this era of growing authoritarian political repression. As a senior member of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, I was pleased this week to meet with OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella of Italy. We had a productive conversation, and I look forward to future meetings. Understanding the social and environmental factors affecting the health status of Shelby County residents is critical to improving community health. That is why the Shelby County Health Department is seeking participants in a community health needs assessment survey to identify important health needs and issues through systematic, comprehensive data collection and analysis. If you are interested in getting involved in this effort, I urge you contact the health department after reviewing this information. “We have come into this place locked in solidarity across the nation and the world to celebrate the life of Tyre Nichols, a good person, a beautiful soul, a son, a father, a brother, a friend, a human being, gone too soon, denied his rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, denied the dignity of his humanity, denied the right to see the sun set another day, to embrace his mother, hang out with his friends, hold his child, and the right to grow old.” – The Reverend J. Lawrence Turner, senior pastor of the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, at Tyre Nichols’ funeral in Memphis on Wednesday. As always, I remain. Steve Cohen |