Congressman Cohen, Local Leaders to Hold Press Conference Today

TN Rep. Jeanne Richardson (D-Memphis)
TN Rep. Joe Towns (D-Memphis)
TN Rep. Larry Miller (D-Memphis)
TN Rep. John DeBerry (D-Memphis)
TN Rep. G.A. Hardaway (D-Memphis)
TN Rep. Ulysses Jones, Jr. (D-Memphis)
TN Sen. Beverly Marrero (D-Memphis)
Memphis City Council Chairman Myron Lowery
Shelby County Commissioner Deidre Malone
Ruth Davis, AFSCME
Howard Richardson, Memphis Labor Council
Henry Perry, Teamsters

Yesterday, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) spoke out on the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives against proposals by some governors in southern states to refuse money made available through H.R. 1. In recent days, Governors Bobby Jindal (LA), Haley Barbour (MS), Mark Sanford (SC) and others including Governor Bredesen have stated that they may not accept funding that increases unemployment insurance benefits for citizens of their states.

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced yesterday that the jobless rate rose a full percentage point in one month to 8.6 percent in January, up from 5.3 percent a year ago.

“When President Obama’s economic advisor Larry Summers laid out the parameters for the recovery package, he explained that it should be ‘timely, targeted and temporary,’” said Congressman Cohen. “An extension of unemployment benefits manifests these core principals. These federal dollars are put back into the economy immediately, and in states like Tennessee where there is a 9 percent sales tax, they generate revenue for cash-strapped state and local governments. Especially considering today’s news of a one percent jump in unemployment in Tennessee in the past month, I fail to see the logic of refusing federal money for unemployment insurance.”

Congressman Cohen’s Floor speech is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pke8Borsd-4.

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Contact:
Marilyn Dillihay, Press Secretary, 202-225-3265
Charlie Gerber, Communications Assistant, 202-225-3265