Taking a Stand for Civil Rights
Dear Friend,
This week, I introduced a bill to remove former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover's name from the FBI building in Washington, DC, delivered a keynote address on criminal justice reform to the American Bar Association, joined officials from across the country at the Sexual Assault Summit for Cities in Memphis and attended the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the Monuments Men. Keep reading to learn more or follow me on Twitter and Facebook to see these updates as they happen.
Taking a Stand for Civil Rights
Fighting for Criminal Justice Reform
Working to Reduce the Rape Kit Backlog
Remembering the Monuments Men
Investing in Our Infrastructure
Bringing Congress to your Corner
Accepting the Stone Award for Most Outstanding Politician
Honoring the Melrose Legends
Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
Fighting Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Outcomes
2016 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars Are Available
Taking a Stand for Civil Rights
On Thursday, I introduced a bill to remove former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover's name from the FBI building in Washington, DC. I also had the opportunity to question current FBI Director James Comey about the need to remove Hoover's name from the building at a House Judiciary Committee Hearing. The civil rights we enjoy today are in spite of J. Edgar Hoover, not because of him. Hoover’s infamous counter intelligence program (COINTELPRO) sought to silence Dr. King and other civil rights leaders as well as civil rights organizations including Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). COINTELPRO was also used by Hoover to out homosexuals working for the government, ruining careers and lives. The Hoover years are a stain on the FBI and our nation’s history. Yet, Hoover’s name adorns one of the most prominent buildings in our nation’s capital and one that houses one of the agencies of our government responsible for justice. I encourage everyone to view Michael Isikoff’s illuminating documentary on Yahoo News entitled: “Uniquely Nasty: The U.S Government’s War on Gays.” It is past time to remove Hoover’s name from this place of honor.
Fighting for Criminal Justice Reform
On Friday, at the invitation of my esteemed friend Judge Bernice Donald, I delivered the keynote address at the American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Section’s 2015 Fall Institute in Washington, DC. The impact our broken criminal justice system has had on the African American community, in particular, is staggering. One in three African American males can expect to go to prison at some point in his lifetime. I have been fighting my entire career for criminal justice reform, calling for reduced mandatory minimums for non-violent drug offenders, reforms to our country’s outdated drug laws, and transparency for our law enforcement agencies. I am going to keep pressing Congress to take action on these important issues.
Working to Reduce the Rape Kit Backlog
On Monday, I participated in the Sexual Assault Summit for Cities at the Cook Convention Center. Leaders from Memphis and 13 other cities gathered to strategize about best practices for reducing rape kit backlogs in cities across the country. Memphis unfortunately has had one of the worst rape kit backlogs in the country. Last year, I secured an extra $5 million in the Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2015 to help reduce the rape kit backlog nationally. In September, Memphis was awarded a $1.9 million federal grant from the program funded by this measure to help reduce its rape kit backlog. Earlier this year, I offered an amendment to increase funding by an additional $4 million for this program. It passed the House, and I am urging my colleagues to include this additional $4 million in a final funding bill.
Remembering the Monuments Men
On Thursday, I attended the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the Monuments Men at the U.S. Capitol. As you may know from the recent movie of the same name, the Monuments Men were a group of men and women from 13 nations who put their lives in jeopardy to protect and preserve artistically and culturally important artifacts that the Nazis planned to destroy during World War II. Their quiet dedication ensured that generations to come will be able to enjoy and be uplifted by the great art that would have otherwise been lost forever. I was proud to cosponsor legislation to award them a Congressional Gold Medal and personally worked to secure nearly half of the House cosponsors for this bill. You can read more about the Monuments Men here.
Investing in Our Infrastructure
On Thursday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on which I serve approved a bipartisan surface transportation bill over the next six years. While the bill is not perfect, it is a step in the right direction after 34 short-term extensions. The Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform (STRR) Act would improve roads, bridges and upgrade buses for MATA. It would also reauthorize the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program to increase participation by minority businesses in state and local procurement. I look forward to providing the needed funds to invest in our infrastructure and put American families back to work.
Bringing Congress to your Corner
This morning, staff from my Memphis office was on hand at the Whitehaven Branch Library for my first “Congress on your Corner” office hours in Whitehaven to help address Memphians’ problems with and questions about Social Security, Medicare, FHA, the VA and other federal agencies. My next “Congress on Your Corner” event will be Friday, November 6 from 10am-1pm at the Benjamin L. Hooks Library. This will be my sixth “Congress on Your Corner” since June at the Hooks Library. Stay tuned to these newsletters for more information.
Accepting the Stone Award for Most Outstanding Politician
On Saturday night, I was presented with the 2015 Most Outstanding Politician award at the 20th Annual Stone Awards at the Buckman Performing Arts Center. The Stone Awards recognize community leaders, businesspeople, and entertainers who have made a significant contribution to the Memphis Metropolitan area. I would like to thank the Stone Awards for this honor.
Honoring the Melrose Legends
I was proud to join my friend Pastor Melvin Charles Smith at Mt. Moriah East Baptist Church for the Melrose High School Maroon and Gold Legends Ball to honor 15 ministers who graduated from Melrose. Congratulations to the 2015 Melrose High School Legends.
Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
On Monday, I spoke at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Memphis Office’s National Hispanic Heritage Month celebration to a group of high school students, federal employees, and Cubans who have relocated to Memphis. I discussed President Obama’s decision to normalize relations with Cuba, something I have fought for throughout my career. I was pleased to join Secretary of State John Kerry in Havana in August for the reopening of the U.S. Embassy there.
Fighting Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Outcomes
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With black women twice as likely to die from breast cancer as their white counterparts, I have spent the month fighting to expand Medicaid in Tennessee so that we can help reduce the gap in breast cancer outcomes and provide Tennessee women the health care coverage they need to stay alive.
2016 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars Are Available
My office currently has a limited number of 2016 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please complete this form on my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee’s Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other citizens of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my eNewsletter.
As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress