Raising the American Flag Over our Cuban Embassy Once Again
Dear Friend,
I am writing this today from Cuba where I am helping Secretary of State John Kerry re-open the U.S. Embassy in Havana. This week, we marked the 80th anniversary of Social Security, I helped open the new Memphis and Shelby County Office of Re-Entry to help non-violent ex-offenders get back on their feet, and I joined Priscilla Presley at Graceland for the unveiling of a new Forever Stamp in the King’s honor. Keep reading to learn more.
Raising the American Flag over our Cuban Embassy Once Again
Giving Non-Violent Ex-Offenders a Fresh Start
Protecting Voting Rights
Helping End Excessive Police Force
Elvis, Forever the King
Bringing Congress to your Corner
Insuring Tennessee by Expanding Medicaid
Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Social Security
Bringing World-Class Athletes to Memphis
Raising the American Flag over our Cuban Embassy Once Again
The re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba and the re-opening of our Embassy in Havana will help promote human rights and freedom in a country where we have had little influence for too long.
I was proud to be there this morning—with my Minnie Minoso hat, in honor of the late “Cuban Comet”—with Secretary Kerry when the American flag was raised once again over our Embassy in Havana and I appreciate President Obama’s bold steps forward to normalize relations with Cuba.
One of the three Marines who lowered the flag when the US Embassy in Havana closed in 1961 is Gunnery Sergeant Mike East—a Memphian I met this morning. I am pleased he was able to help finally raise the American flag over our Embassy in Cuba today. It may have taken more than 50 years, but today he kept a promise made on that 1961 day: that they would return and raise the flag again.
Our relationship with Cuba has long been a thorn in the side of our relations with other Caribbean nations. The normalization of relations with Cuba will help us become closer to all our Caribbean neighbors and eventually help open new trade avenues for Memphis entrepreneurs and businesses, including AutoZone for Cuba’s aging American cars, FedEx, medical device companies and health-industry professionals. It will also improve Americans’ freedom to travel—and it is the right thing to do.
Giving Non-Violent Ex-Offenders a Fresh Start
I have long worked in Congress to ensure non-violent offenders who have paid their debt to society have a fair shot at a fresh start, including cosponsoring legislation to improve academic and vocational training to help with re-entry as well as to reduce recidivism.
On Tuesday, I was proud to help open the new Memphis and Shelby County Office of Re-Entry, which will provide several re-entry services to ex-offenders. And Wednesday afternoon, I spoke at the Federal Correction Institute of Memphis’ Re-entry Employment Specialist Training about how we can help assist Americans trying to get back on their feet after paying their debt to society.
President Obama wrote a powerful letter this week to the New York Times about why Congress must restore the Voting Rights Act, and I hope you’ll take a minute to read it here. And in case you missed it last week, I also wrote an op-ed on how we can do better in the fight to protect voting rights. You can read it here.
Helping End Excessive Police Force
It is disappointing that 20 years after the Justice Department began collecting data on nationwide excessive police force, the data we have is still effectively useless as this article points out. Because individual police departments store this data differently and some don’t report adequately, there’s no way to figure out the scope of the problem so we can begin fixing it. That’s why I introduced legislation to modernize the way our nation’s police forces collect and report instances of deadly force.
On Wednesday morning, I enjoyed the opportunity to join Priscilla Presley at Graceland for the unveiling of a new U.S. Postal Service Forever Stamp honoring the King.
Bringing Congress to your Corner
Last Friday, staff from my Memphis office was on hand at the Benjamin L. Hooks Library for my regular “Congress on your Corner” office hours to help address Memphians’ problems with and questions about Social Security, Medicare, FHA, the VA and other federal agencies. Stay tuned to these newsletters for information about the next Congress on your Corner event.
Insuring Tennessee by Expanding Medicaid
On Monday, a new study found that nationwide the uninsured rate has dropped 6 percent since the Affordable Care Act was passed—but it also confirmed that Tennessee must expand Medicaid to realize the full benefits of the Affordable Care Act. The uninsured rate didn’t fall as much in states that didn’t expand their Medicaid systems, like Tennessee. It’s time for the Tennessee General Assembly to pass Insure Tennessee and help save lives in our state.
Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Social Security
More than 110,000 citizens of the Ninth District rely on Social Security to help pay for basic necessities like food, healthcare and housing. As we commemorate today’s 80th anniversary of Social Security, it is as important as ever to recognize the impact of this pillar of the American safety net: two out of three retirees count on Social Security for a majority of their income, the program’s benefits lift one million children out of poverty each year, and it supports more than nine million of our veterans.
Even as we celebrate the success of Social Security, some in Congress still insist we must slash its benefits for millions of Americans who need it. I am fighting against these unnecessary and irresponsible policies, and I am proud to support legislation that would expand Social Security, increase benefits and better protect beneficiaries from rising inflation. I am also working to implement policies that would help Social Security remain solvent for future generations, and I will continue my efforts to ensure that Americans who have paid into the program receive the benefits we have promised them.
Bringing World-Class Athletes to Memphis
Yesterday afternoon, I spoke at a press conference announcing that the U.S. Women's Olympic Boxing Trials will be held in Memphis. The Trials will bring world-class athletes to our city, and I’m proud to be an Honorary Captain of the 2016 U.S. Women’s Boxing Olympic Team Trials. Let’s go, Team USA!
As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress