Dedicating the Odell Horton Federal Building
Dear Friend,
This week, I hosted the renaming ceremony of our downtown federal building for the late U.S. District Judge Odell Horton and celebrated his life and achievements with our proud community. I also introduced the President's Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act and held a press conference to discuss its importance; voted for an assault weapons ban; urged enforcement of the Fourteenth Amendment's clause barring insurrectionists from public office; applauded President Biden's nomination of Kevin Ritz to be the next U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee; advanced the Environmental Justice for All Act; voted to advance the Veteran Service Recognition Act; announced grants to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC); and offered a weekly health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens.
Dedicating the Odell Horton Federal Building
Introducing the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act
Passing an Assault Weapons Ban
Urging Enforcement of 14th Amendment Against Insurrectionists
Applauding President Biden's Nomination of Kevin Ritz for U.S. Attorney
Advancing the Environmental Justice for All Act
Voting to Advance the Veteran Service Recognition Act
Announcing Nearly $1.2 Million in NIH Grants to UTHSC
Dedicating the Odell Horton Federal Building
On Monday, our community came together to celebrate the renaming of the Odell Horton Federal Building downtown. It was a beautiful event with speeches and songs and an audience made up of members of the judiciary, elected officials, friends and Judge Horton's family. In my remarks, I explained that my first bill to pass in Congress added Judge Horton's name to the building. Last year, I introduced and passed a bill naming the building for him exclusively. "It is the end of a past that needs to pass and the beginning of a future whose future is now," I said. It was a wonderful day for Memphis. See my release here.
Introducing the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act
On Thursday, I introduced the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act with my colleague from Virginia, Representative Don Beyer, and 32 co-sponsors. We then held a press conference where several co-sponsors spoke and as did representatives of Americans for Tax Fairness, Patriotic Millionaires and others. President Biden asked Congress to consider this measure, and we worked closely with the White House in crafting the legislation. While the bill's prospects in the Senate are unclear, it is extremely popular with the public. I look forward to seeing it pass the House. See my release on the measure here.
Passing an Assault Weapons Ban
This evening, I voted for an assault weapons ban that restores and updates the prior assault weapons ban that kept weapons of war out of our communities for a decade before Republicans opposed its renewal. See my release on the vote here.
Urging Enforcement of 14th Amendment Against
Earlier today, The Hill newspaper published my opinion column calling attention to my bill, introduced just 51 days after the January 6 attack, to ensure that those responsible for and who participated in the attack would never again serve in public office by enforcing Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to our Constitution. This section prohibits anyone who has engaged in insurrection against the Constitution they swore to protect, or who has provided "aid and comfort" to our enemies, from serving in public office. As Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, I feel an obligation to see this provision meaningfully enforced to keep traitors out of office. See the column here.
Applauding President Biden's Nomination of Kevin Ritz for U.S. Attorney
Earlier today, President Biden nominated Kevin G. Ritz to be the next U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. I applaud the choice of a legal professional who has served in the U.S. Attorney's office since 2005. See my release on the nomination here.
Advancing the Environmental Justice for All Act
On Wednesday, as a member of the Natural Resources Committee, I voted to advance the Environmental Justice for All Act, of which I am an original co-sponsor, to the full House. The bill would assure environmental justice by addressing the disproportionate impact on communities of color of permitting decisions made under the Clean Water and Clean Air acts and strengthen efforts at climate equity by providing funds to support communities and workers as they move away from polluting industries. I look forward to voting for this bill on the floor.
Voting to Advance the Veteran Service Recognition Act
Late Wednesday, as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, I voted to advance the Veteran Service Recognition Act to the full House. This bill would establish an information database for noncitizen veterans removed from the country, create a review committee that would make recommendations on removal cases, and establish a military program that would create opportunities for military service members and veterans to become naturalized citizens.
Announcing Nearly $1.2 Million in NIH Grants to UTHSC
This week I announced that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) would receive three grants from various National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling $1,194,000 for neurological and deafness research and for improving medical students' laboratory skills. See those releases here, here, and here.
The first case of polio in the United States in the past 10 years has recently been diagnosed. As a polio survivor, I know the impact of not being vaccinated. It is critical that children receive their vaccines on the schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If parents have questions or concerns about any vaccine, I encourage them to talk with their children's pediatricians, health care providers or pharmacists.
"He didn't measure you by your labels, by your titles, your school. He measured you by the sum of your person, your commitment to the law, your respect for other people. Those were the things…that he cared about." – Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Bernice Donald, speaking of Judge Odell Horton at the ceremony renaming the Memphis federal building in his honor on Monday.
As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress