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Condemning the President’s Performance in Helsinki

July 20, 2018
Enewsletters

Dear Friend,

This week, I was shocked at President Trump's disgraceful and servile performance at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. I also introduced legislation to sanction certain Russian financial institutions in response to the continued Russian occupation of parts of Ukraine, voted to provide funding to help state and local officials secure their election infrastructure against Russian interference, condemned Trump's self-dealing at his golfing resort in Scotland, introduced new legislation to prevent federal spending at Trump-owned businesses, expressed concern about Tennessee's low voter participation, wrote to the Attorney General with concerns about the Shelby County Juvenile Court and met in my D.C. office with some inspiring young basketball stars. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me on Twitter and Facebook to see more updates as they happen.

Condemning the President's Performance in Helsinki
Introducing Sanctions Against Russian Financial Institutions
Voting to Fund Efforts to Secure Our Election Infrastructure
Expressing Outrage at Trump Self-Dealing in Scotland
Expressing Concern about Low Voter Registration and Participation
Writing to Attorney General Regarding Shelby County Juvenile Court
Meeting with Dorsey Sims III and Diamonds & Gems in the Rough
Signing Up for "Congress On Your Corner" and this e-Newsletter
Weekly Health Tip
Quote of the Week


Condemning the President's Performance in Helsinki

This week, the whole world looked on in disbelief as President Trump appeared to accept Russian President Vladimir Putin's denial of Russian election meddling and to scorn the conclusions of the U.S. intelligence community about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Trump's embarrassing and disgracefully servile performance prompted former CIA Director John Brennan to question the President's loyalty to this country. For Trump to stand beside a murderous dictator and discount established Russian meddling is reprehensible. Even more offensive was Trump's apparent willingness to turn over American diplomats and other citizens to Putin for Russian interrogation. Unfortunately, Trump's confusing and conflicting explanation for his fawning spectacle in Helsinki later in the week certainly didn't improve this dangerous situation. We are in uncharted waters with this President and I continue to fear for the future of the country under his leadership.


Introducing Sanctions Against Russian Financial Institutions

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On Wednesday, I introduced legislation to impose sanctions on Russian financial institutions in response to Russia's continued occupation of Ukraine after the February 2014 invasion and annexation of Crimea. The bill would impose sanctions on at least three of seven named banks if the President finds that Russia has continue to flout the Minsk Agreement which was meant to lead to a cease fire in the Donbass region of Ukraine, but has not. Financial sanctions appear to get Putin's attention and are likely to be effective in reigning in his aggression and refusal to respect international law. In a related effort, I signed on as a cosponsor of the Secure America from Russian Interference Act, introduced Thursday, which aims to protect the integrity of our elections against the kind of Russian meddling we saw in 2016.


Voting to Fund Efforts to Secure Our Election Infrastructure

On Thursday, I also voted to provide an additional $38 million to the Election Assistance Commission to help state and local officials secure our nation's election infrastructure from Russian interference. However, the measure was defeated when the House Majority voted it down.


Expressing Outrage at Trump Self-Dealing in Scotland

While vacationing between his disastrous NATO and Helsinki calamities, the Trump entourage spent last weekend at the Trump Turnberry golfing resort in Scotland where it ran up a bill to be paid by taxpayers of at least $68,800 and, by one estimate, as much as $200,000. I have repeatedly sought to prohibit federal spending at Trump-owned businesses by trying to amend annual spending bills, as I did this week with the appropriations bill for Interior Department and the nation's banking and financial services regulators, and have repeatedly seen the efforts prevented from getting a floor vote by the House Majority. One of the Constitution's anti-corruption provisions prohibits any president from receiving federal funds beyond his salary. Since Trump has declined to place his holdings in a blind trust, or divest, he continues to profit when federal agencies spend money at his businesses. The House should be looking into these violations instead of blocking legislation that would put a stop to them.


Expressing Concern about Low Voter Registration and Participation

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On Tuesday, I spoke on the House floor after reading a story in The Commercial Appeal that cited a Pew Charitable Trusts study showing Tennessee's last-place ranking in voter turnout, at 28.5 percent, in the 2014 mid-term elections. See my remarks here. The same Pew study showed just 74 percent of the eligible population is even registered to vote in Tennessee. True democracy can't function if more than 70 percent of registered voters don't bother to participate. The right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy and it's one of the reasons the Russians keep trying to interfere with our elections. For the convenience of our citizens, Tennessee now has online registration.


Writing to the Attorney General Regarding Shelby County Juvenile Court

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As the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, I wrote a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday to urge that the Department of Justice continue monitoring the Shelby County Juvenile Court in compliance with a 2012 Memorandum of Agreement. While Shelby County and the Juvenile Court have sought to terminate the agreement, a report just last month indicated ongoing problems with the court's handling of children in need of psychological evaluations, and the 2012 memorandum cited a history of systemic discrimination against African American children. This is not the time to end federal oversight. Read my letter here.


Meeting with Dorsey Sims III and the "Diamonds & Gems in the Rough" Basketball Team

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On Thursday, as he does each year, Coach Dorsey Sims III brought his basketball team, the Diamonds & Gems in the Rough, to visit me in my D.C. office as they prepared to play in the famed Rucker Park Tournament in New York City. Sims makes it his business to find unsigned post-high school players and to display their talents to recruiters at tournaments along the East Coast. While in D.C., the team visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture and my office was pleased to give them a tour of the U.S. Capitol. Rucker Park is hallowed ground for basketball, having featured such future stars as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant. I wish the Diamonds and Gems success in New York.


Signing Up for "Congress On Your Corner" and This e-Newsletter

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I enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my "Congress on Your Corner" events, you can sign up here to receive notification as soon as the next event is scheduled.

For those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by using this form.

If you would like to receive this weekly e-Newsletter, or share it with others, you can do that with this form.


Weekly Health Tip

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Each week, I share a health tip in the hope of promoting a healthy lifestyle for residents of the 9th Congressional District. As always, it is best to check with your doctor before making any changes to your diet, exercise routine or lifestyle.

Saturday, July 21, is National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day, an opportunity to highlight the role medical professionals play in HIV/AIDS awareness and in promoting HIV testing. I signed on as a cosponsor of a House resolution calling attention to National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day, and I salute the hard working medical personnel working to end the scourge. For more information on HIV/AIDS testing, including where you can get tested, you may want to visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.


Quote of the Week

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"As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last. And the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and a complete narcissistic moron." – H. L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920.



As always, I remain,

Most sincerely,

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Steve Cohen
Member of Congress

Issues:9th DistrictMemphis