Delivering $17.1 Million in Community Projects to Memphis
July 22, 2022 |
Dear Friend, This week, I voted for, and the House of Representatives passed, spending bills containing nine community projects that I requested for the 9th Congressional District, totaling $17.1 million. There are more spending bills to come, but these bills included money for Overton Park/Memphis Zoo parking, the cobblestone landing along our riverfront, and funding for other major projects and redevelopment (see the full list below). I also voted to advance an assault weapons ban; questioned Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg about Memphis transportation priorities; voted for the Respect for Marriage and Right to Contraception acts; was named the Special Representative on Political Prisoners by the president of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Parliamentary Assembly; co-chaired a hearing on conditions in Ukraine under Russian occupation; introduced a bill to improve our ties with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova; anticipated Sunday's Baseball Hall of Fame induction of my childhood hero, Minnie Minoso; and offered a health tip about a new crisis-intervention tool. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens. Delivering $17.1 Million in Community Projects to Memphis Voting to Advance an Assault Weapons Ban Questioning Transportation Secretary Buttigieg about Memphis Priorities Voting for the Right to Contraception and Respect for Marriage Acts Being Named OSCE Special Representative on Political Prisoners Co-Chairing Hearing on Life in Ukraine Under Russian Occupation Introducing the Euro-Atlantic Solidarity and Major Democratic Ally Act Celebrating Minnie Minoso's Induction into the Baseball Hall Fame Delivering $17.1 Million in Community Projects to Memphis On Wednesday, I voted for and the House passed a measure containing six spending bills that included nine community projects that I requested for the 9th Congressional District worth $17,148,332. See my release here. The community projects funded by the bills include:
Voting to Advance an Assault Weapons Ban
After a more than 12-hour markup of a commonsense measure to ban assault weapons and lengthy debate on Republican amendments aimed at torpedoing the effort, late Wednesday night I voted in the Judiciary Committee to advance the measure to the floor for a full vote by the House. See my release on this step here. Questioning Transportation Secretary Buttigieg about Memphis Priorities
On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg appeared before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on which I serve for an oversight hearing on implementation of last year's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). I asked "Mayor Pete" about Memphis transportation priorities, including reducing traffic and pedestrian fatalities through my Complete Streets Act that was included in the IIJA. I also asked him about funding for Memphis International Airport and a passenger rail route between Memphis and Nashville. See my release, including our exchange, here. Voting for the Right to Contraception and Respect for Marriage Acts
Twice this week, I spoke from the House floor before voting for measures made necessary by the Supreme Court's recent reasoning in overturning Roe v. Wade which threatens to erode other privacy rights. The Respect for Marriage Act would protect same-sex and interracial marriages and the Right to Contraception Act assures that birth control remains available. See my releases here and here. Being Named OSCE PA Special Representative on Political Prisoners
Margareta Cederfelt, President of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, on Thursday appointed me to be the first-ever OSCE PA Special Representative on Political Prisoners. As Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, I welcome the chance to serve as the voice of political prisoners across the 57-nation OSCE region. Every day, we witness more political arrests of opposition politicians, journalists, activists and civilians in Russia, Belarus, and other participating States that are cracking down on free speech, freedom of the press, and free thought. Through this position, I am committed to working tirelessly to elevate the issue of political imprisonment as the egregious violation of human rights that it is. In this new role, I will collect and share intelligence on political prisoners throughout the OSCE region, raise awareness of participating States with high rates of political prisoners and advocate for the release of political prisoners. Co-Chairing Hearing on Life in Ukraine Under Russian Occupation On Wednesday, the Helsinki Commission held a hearing on the conditions in Ukraine for those living under Russian occupation. Our witnesses were a U.S. diplomat and two Ukrainian politicians. They painted an ugly picture of what I and others believe is a campaign of genocide. See my release about the hearing here. Introducing the Euro-Atlantic Solidarity and Major Democratic Ally Act On Thursday, Helsinki Commission Ranking Member Joe Wilson, from South Carolina, joined me in introducing the Euro-Atlantic Solidarity and Major Democratic Ally Act in an effort to forge stronger ties with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova as they face an aggressive Russian menace. See our release here. Celebrating Minnie Minoso's Induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame
On Sunday, my childhood hero, the late Minnie Minoso of the Chicago White Sox, known as "the Cuban Comet," will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. I wish I could be there for it, but I took the opportunity this week to remind my Congressional colleagues and the press about the need to treat Cuban baseball players like we treat other foreign players by passing my Baseball Diplomacy Act. See my release here.
Last Friday, July 16, the new 988 Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline went into effect nationwide. Authorized by Congress in 2020, the line routes callers in distress or their loved ones to trained crisis-intervention specialists in their area. Much like 911 for police and fire emergencies, the 988 line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please make a note of the number and consider telling others about its availability.
"The case against Donald Trump in these hearings is not made by witnesses who were his political enemies. It is instead a series of confessions by Donald Trump's own appointees, his own friends, his own campaign officials, people who worked for him for years, and his own family. They have come forward. And they have told the American people the truth." – Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Vice Chair of the January 6th Committee, at Thursday night's public hearing. As always, I remain. Steve Cohen |
