Celebrating Major Investments in Memphis Mass Transit
August 26, 2022 |
Dear Friend, This week, I celebrated major investments in the Memphis bus transit infrastructure at an event hosted by the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) and attended by Federal Transit Administrator Nuria Fernandez and local elected officials. I also applauded President Biden's actions on student loan forgiveness; wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland for an update on the status of the Department of Justice investigation into Johnson & Johnson baby powder contaminated with carcinogenic asbestos; addressed the 15th annual meeting of the Mid-South Minority Business Council; announced a staff opening in my Memphis office for a Gold Star Family member to serve in a veterans' outreach position; announced an aging research grant for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and a grant St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to study metabolism; and offered a health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens. Celebrating Major Investments in Memphis Mass Transit Applauding President Biden's Action on Student Loan Debt Relief Requesting an Update on DOJ Investigation of Johnson & Johnson Addressing the Mid-South Minority Business Council Announcing Gold Star Family Program Position Opening Announcing Aging Research Grant to UTHSC and Metabolism Research Grant to St. Jude Celebrating Major Investments in Memphis Mass Transit
On Wednesday, I joined our community in celebrating a $76.3 million commitment to improve bus transit infrastructure in Memphis. This investment is in addition to the $46 million I announced in April for a Bus Rapid Transit corridor linking downtown with the medical center and the University of Memphis. As a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I have been working with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Transit Administration leaders and making MATA CEO Gary Rosenfeld's and his team's vision of the future of transit become a reality for our region. The new grants from the Federal Transit Administration will upgrade our buses to be electric, replace our maintenance facility and create electronic charging stations for the Crosstown Corridor Connector. As Federal Transit Administrator Nuria Fernandez said, these green grants are "coming to the right place to do the right thing." These improvements will transform our city's transportation infrastructure, improve commuter efficiencies, and create good-paying jobs. Applauding President Biden's Action on Student Loan Debt Relief On Wednesday, President Biden announced that the Administration will extend the pause on student loan repayment to December 31, 2022, and proposed targeted debt relief of up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 for non-Pell grant recipients that could help as many as 43 million borrowers making less than $125,000 or household incomes of under $250,000 a year. Relieving this burden will help many families who are struggling with the rising prices of goods and services. The plan also extends the public service student debt reduction program. See the plan details here. Requesting an Update on DOJ Investigation of Johnson & Johnson
Also Wednesday, I wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland about the Department of Justice's investigation into Johnson & Johnson's baby powder contaminated with asbestos, which killed thousands. According to internal memoranda, Johnson & Johnson specifically marketed this baby powder to women of color and women who the company deemed "overweight." See my release and the letter here. Addressing the Mid-South Minority Business Council
Congressman Cohen with MMBC President and CEO Jozelle Booker Also Wednesday, I addressed the Mid-South Minority Business Council about its ambitious economic development goals. It is inspiring to see these public service-oriented leaders pursuing their agenda. The three-day event, which ended Thursday, included workshops and resources for those seeking to expand or improve their businesses and an in-person hiring fair. Announcing Gold Star Family Program Position Opening
We are seeking a Gold Star Family Member to join our 9th Congressional District team for a two-year paid position in my Memphis office. The Gold Star Family Program will host an eligible family member to assist with veteran and military casework and outreach. If you are interested, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/job/658119800 to find more information and apply. Announcing Aging Research Grant to UTHSC and Metabolism Grant to St. Jude
Last Friday, after this e-newsletter went out, I announced a significant National Institute on Aging grant to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). On Wednesday, I announced a $1.6 million grant to St. Jude to study metabolism. See those releases here and here.
As we near the end of the summer season, we continue to hear about heat-related stresses that can injure our health. Please consider this advice on heat stress from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about how to keep yourself, your family and your employees safe. "A scientist who is also a human being cannot rest while knowledge which might be used to reduce suffering rests on the shelf." -- Dr. Albert Sabin, inventor of the oral polio vaccine, born on this date in 1906. As always, I remain. Steve Cohen |
