Wishing Everyone a Safe and Spirited 4th of July
Dear Friend,
I wish everyone a safe and spirited anniversary of our nation’s founding, with the Declaration of Independence signed 248 years ago tomorrow in Philadelphia. Also, this week, I condemned Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling giving former President Trump and all future presidents immunity from criminal prosecution for officials acts, which seems to me like an invitation to the kind of tyranny our Founders sought to prevent. I also announced a major grant to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), welcomed Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement to the Chickasaw Electric Cooperative for damage incurred during the storms of June 2023, and offered a health tip about fireworks safety. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter (X), Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens.
Wishing Everyone a Safe and Spirited 4th of July
Condemning Supreme Court Ruling on Trump’s Immunity from Criminal Prosecution
Announcing $1.2 Million CDC Cardiovascular Program Grant to UTHSC
Welcoming FEMA Grant Reimbursing the Cost of Restoring Electric Power after June 2023 Storms
Wishing Everyone a Safe and Spirited 4th of July
Happy 4th of July! On this Independence Day, I hope everyone will ponder how far we have come as a country, advancing civil rights and other goals, and all we have to look forward to. Many, including me, are concerned about the direction we have taken or could take after the November elections, but I am optimistic that we will continue being that shining “city on a hill,” a model of democratic self-restraint and a magnet for those seeking freedom. Here’s wishing you a celebratory holiday.
Condemning Supreme Court Ruling on Trump’s Immunity from Criminal Prosecution
Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling giving former President Trump and any future presidents immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts is a disgrace and places the holder of the office beyond the reach of the law. As the dissenters in the 6-3 case make clear, no precedent, tradition, or history anticipated making one man or woman above the law and, in fact, much of our early history shows our Founders feared this result. Many of the Supreme Court’s rulings this term, I believe, have moved our country in the wrong direction. However, the Trump immunity case will go down in history as a potential inflection point for our democracy. Like Justice Sonia Sotomayor, I am concerned what this will hold for our democracy, but I remain hopeful that the American people will themselves ensure the integrity of our government. See my statement after the ruling here.
Announcing $1.2 Million CDC Cardiovascular Program Grant to UTHSC
On Monday, I announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will provide a $1,196,000 grant to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) for its comprehensive cardiovascular health program. See my release here.
Welcoming FEMA Grant Reimbursing the Cost of Restoring Electric Power after June 2023 Storms
Much of the Chickasaw Electric Cooperative’s infrastructure was damaged by the tornadoes and straight-line winds of June 2023. I was pleased to announce this week that the State of Tennessee has received a grant of $1,273,374 to reimburse the utility for the expenses it incurred in restoring power. See my release here.
Last year, 9,700 people were rushed to emergency rooms across the country with injuries from fireworks, and eight died from injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Please use common sense in using these often-dangerous explosives, don’t use them when impaired by alcohol or drugs, keep a source of water nearby, and don’t let small children use fireworks, even sparklers. See all of the Commission’s recommendations here.
“Never in the history of our Republic has a President had reason to believe that he would be immune from criminal prosecution if he used the trappings of his office to violate the criminal law. Moving forward, however, all former Presidents will be cloaked in such immunity. If the occupant of that office misuses official power for personal gain, the criminal law that the rest of us must abide will not provide a backstop. With fear for our democracy, I dissent.” -- Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent in Trump v. United States, decided on Monday
“For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king; and there ought to be no other.” – Thomas Paine, Common Sense, January 1776
As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress