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COMMERCIAL APPEAL: Rep. Cohen wants hearings on slavery reparations

February 24, 2019

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen said he'd soon like to have Congressional hearings on the possibility of reparations for slavery. The Memphis Democrat said he's working on the issue with U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas.

He said her bill calls for a study of reparations, not the actual reparations themselves, and that he'd like to invite writers such as Ta-Nahesi Coates, Jelani Cobb, and Michelle Alexander to give testimony.

The concept of reparations has been around for decades. But hearings on the subject are far more possible now that last year's midterm elections gave the Democrats control of Congress once again, Cohen told a small group of people at a "Congress on your corner" event at the Randolph Branch Library near Summer Avenue on Friday.

"Being in the majority is a big difference. Big difference," Cohen said. "And it's great we have this majority."

Cohen mentioned other matters that become more possible under a Democratic House majority, such as further action against President Trump.

Cohen, who belongs to the Democrat part's liberal wing, had introduced articles of impeachment against Trump in 2017, at a time when Republican control meant the measure had little chance of advancing.

Now in his 7th term in Congress, Cohen told the group he's a bit jealous of the frenzy of national attention directed at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortex, the 29-year-old Democratic socialist who surprisingly beat a longtime incumbent last year to win a Congressional seat representing New York.

Cohen quipped that he has a car that is older than she is. Yet he said her hear is in the right place, and that's why he signed on to Ocasio-Cortez's "Green New Deal" plan to combat climate change.

Opponents have complained the plan is socialist overreaching.

Putting off dialysis for a conversation with the Congressman

About 20 people attended the event. One of them was 57-year-old Melanie Whiteley said she'd put off her kidney dialysis appointment to come talk with Cohen.

Her subject—urging more people to get into trades, such as plumbing and welding.

"The trades are just dying. No one's going into it," she told Cohen during a question-and-answer period.

Cohen gave a length answer that recapped his role in creating Tennessee lottery scholarships and related issues. Finally, he wrapped up. "I've got your message, and I'll look at it in the future to work on it."

Several minutes later, Whiteley left the meeting at the library early to go to the dialysis appointment.

She said she was glad to have a chance to talk with Cohen. "It was important today to have a face-to-face, just to bring an awareness."

Other people came for other reasons. 88-year-old Annie Maclin said she came "Because I like him."

Another woman in the audience said she's a federal employee who is experiencing discrimination on the job. Cohen asked her to speak with one of the staffers present.