Dear Friend, This week, I attended a hearing of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol and heard more details of former President Trump's illegal effort to subvert the will of the American people and undermine our democracy. I also noted that MLGW has recommended setting thermostats at 78 during the ongoing heat wave; voted for the Lower Food and Energy Costs Act; voted to advance the VICTIM Act to improve crime-clearance rates to the House floor; urged support of my bill outlawing wildlife killing contests on federal lands; voted to protect the families of Supreme Court justices; wrote to President Biden, commending him for taking steps to reverse Trump's policies toward Cuba and recommending additional measures to improve U.S.-Cuba relations; announced grants to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and the Shelby County HIV/AIDS program; and offered a health tip about mosquito-borne illnesses. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens. Applauding January 6 Committee for Revealing Trump's Illegality Setting Thermostats to 78 in the Ongoing Heat Wave Voting to Lower Food and Energy Costs Advancing the VICTIM Act Urging Support for the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act Voting to Protect the Families of Supreme Court Justices Commending Biden Administration for Reversing Trump Policies on Cuba Announcing NIH Grants to St. Jude and UTHSC Announcing $1 Million Grant to Shelby County HIV/AIDS Program Weekly Health Tip Quote of the Week
Applauding January 6 Committee for Revealing Trump's Illegality 
I attended Thursday's hearing of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol. I have been closely following the Committee's work and what it has revealed about the former president's Big Lie and illegal efforts to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. I am very concerned about ongoing efforts to undermine our democracy and that Trump continues his grift by peddling the false idea that election results he dislikes are illegitimate. These hearings are profoundly disturbing but necessary if we are to preserve the rule of law in the U.S. Setting Thermostats to 78 in the Ongoing Heat Wave
The ongoing heat wave in Memphis prompts me to point out that MLGW is asking customers to set their thermostats at 78 both to conserve energy and lower monthly utility bills. It has other summer tips here. The City of Memphis has not opened any of its cooling stations and, with the heat abating slightly, may not, but recommends people go to libraries or malls to cool off. If that changes, I will put that information on my webpage, Cohen.House.gov. Voting to Lower Food and Energy Costs On Thursday, I voted for and the House passed H.R. 7606, the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act, to reduce our reliance on foreign fertilizer production, lower crop input prices, strengthen the food supply chain, and ensure robust competition in the meat and poultry sector. I continue to remind people that price inflation is a global phenomenon caused by the pandemic, supply chain disruptions in China and the war in Ukraine. This measure will help ease some of the pain. Advancing the VICTIM Act As a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, I attended Wednesday's day-long markup of several bills, including the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act, which would help law enforcement agencies improve their homicide clearance rates. I voted to advance the VICTIM Act to the full House. Urging Support for the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act
The Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife on which I serve held a legislative hearing on my bill, H.R. 7398, the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act, on Thursday and I joined my colleagues in urging its advancement. See my release here. Voting to Protect the Families of Supreme Court Justices The full House voted to protect the families of Supreme Court justices on Tuesday, just days after a California man armed with a gun and a knife was charged with the attempted murder of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. I do not agree with the current majority's views on many issues, but they and their families should receive protection from credible threats. See my release here. Commending Biden Administration for Reversing Trump Policies on Cuba
On Thursday, I led a letter to President Biden with Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and 24 other Congressional colleagues commending him for reversing some of the cruel and ill-advised Trump policies on Cuba. The letter also recommends eliminating sanctions policies that could impede Cuba's efforts to deliver its low-cost Covid-19 vaccines to low-income countries. See my release and the letter here. Announcing NIH Grants to St. Jude and UTHSC
On Monday, I announced a National Cancer Institute grant to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and on Wednesday I announced a National Institute of General Medical Sciences grant to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). See those releases here and here. Announcing $1 Million Grant to Shelby County HIV/AIDS Program On Monday, I announced that Shelby County's Ryan White HIV/AIDS program would receive a grant of $1,013,563 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services. See that release here. Weekly Health Tip
The West Nile virus has been detected in Shelby County and the Health Department is actively surveilling the mosquito population and spraying larvicide to suppress it. The virus has so far been detected in mosquitoes in the following zip codes: 38103, 38107, 38108, 38122, 38104, 38114, 38111, 38109, 38116, 38118, 37501, 38128, 38135, 38053, and 38127. I urge everyone to take precautions against mosquito bites to avoid this often-serious disease. For more information on the county's mosquito control program click here. I also recommend, once again, employing public health protocols to avoid Covid-19, including wearing masks when indoors among those whose immunization status is unknown to you. Quote of the Week "Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea." – Poet, lyricist and civil rights leader James Weldon Johnson, born on this date in 1871. As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress | 
