Skip to main content

Discussing Legislative Accomplishments

August 23, 2019
Enewsletters

Dear Friend,
This week, as the August District Work Period continued, I met with constituents in Memphis and discussed the work House Democrats have accomplished so far this year. I also wrote to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to demand soring inspections at this year's Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration; met with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives officials and shared their Tip Line for gun crimes; talked with the British consul general at a Greater Memphis Chamber event; condemned the President's recent anti-Semitic tropes; announced my September 16 Small Business Procurement Fair; announced some significant health-related federal grants; and offered a seismic health tip. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see more updates as they happen.

Discussing Legislative Accomplishments with Constituents
Writing to Agriculture Secretary regarding Horse Soring
Meeting on U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Task Force, Tip Line
Talking about Brexit with British Consul General
Condemning President Trump's Use of Anti-Semitic Tropes
Announcing Small Business Procurement Fair on September 16
Announcing Significant Health-Related Federal Grants
Weekly Health Tip
Quote of the Week


Discussing Legislative Accomplishments with Constituents

I am regularly asked by constituents and the media about what Congress has accomplished, and I find that I can proudly point to a whole host of measures important to the 9th Congressional District that have passed the House this year. Those include the Paycheck Fairness Act, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, the Climate Action Now Act, the Raise the (Federal Minimum) Wage Act, the strengthened Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, the Save the Internet Act, the Securing America's Federal Elections Act and the Consumers First Act. As the Chairman of Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, I have also presided at several history-making hearings – on women's reproductive rights, the Equal Rights Amendment, the presidential pardon power and marijuana laws and racial justice.

Writing to Agriculture Secretary regarding Horse Soring

Image removed.

On Wednesday, as the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration was getting under way in Shelbyville, I wrote to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue demanding that U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors pay rigorous attention to the intentional "soring" of horses. See my release and the letter here.

Meeting on U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Task Force, Tip Line

Image removed.

Also Wednesday, I met with U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chris Rogers, Director of Industry Operations Steve Kolb and Special Agent/Program Manager Michael Knight regarding the upcoming formation of the ATF Strike Force in Memphis. This initiative will focus on reducing violent crime and shooting incidents. My hat is off to them for their work helping to protect us. The officers asked me to publicize the ATF's gun crimes tip line. Call (888) ATF-TIPS – (888) 283-8477 -- if you have a tip for these dedicated law enforcement specialists.

Talking about Brexit with British Consul General

Image removed.

Bobby White, Congressman Cohen and Sherman Greer.

On Thursday, I spoke briefly at the luncheon meeting of the Greater Memphis Chamber held at the Smith and Nephew headquarters in Cordova. The main speaker was Andrew Staunton, the British Consul General for the Southeast United States, who explained what is happening with Britain's scheduled departure from the European Union on October 31 (Brexit). I also had the opportunity to speak with my former district director and now Memphis City Council Member Sherman Greer and with Bobby White, a former senior aide to Mayor A C Wharton and district director for my predecessor, former Congressman Harold Ford Jr. White is now chief policy officer for the Chamber.

Condemning President Trump's Use of Anti-Semitic Tropes

Over the course of the last several days, the President has been revisiting anti-Semitic tropes. The President is trying to stoke divisions between people and paint the Democratic Party as anti-Israel. I am Jewish, and I believe suggesting Jews have divided loyalties when it comes to Israel promotes an anti-Semitic trope and should be condemned as one. On Wednesday, during an interview on MSNBC, I condemned these remarks. See the video of my full appearance here.

Announcing Small Business Procurement Fair on September 16

On Monday, September 16, I will host a Federal Procurement Fair at the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis to give Memphis small business owners an opportunity to learn more about the federal government contracting process. Participating agencies include the General Services Administration (GSA), the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Tennessee Small Business Development Center and the Minority Business Development Center. If you would like to participate, please contact Jeremy Jordan at Jeremy.Jordan@mail.house.gov or (901) 544-4131.

Announcing Significant Health-Related Federal Grants

This week, I announced significant U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grants to three Memphis health centers and a research grant to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. See my releases on those grants here and here.

Sign Up for "Congress on Your Corner" and this e-Newsletter

Image removed.

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

Today marks the 8th anniversary of an unusual 5.8 magnitude earthquake that shook the Washington, D.C., region, cracking the Washington Monument and doing hundreds of millions of dollars in other damage. Memphis is not far from the New Madrid Fault which slipped in 1811-12 in a series of quakes estimated at more than 7.4 in magnitude. Now is a good time to assess your preparation for the next "big one" and avoid injury. See guidance from the U.S. Geological Survey here and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) here.

Quote of the Week

Image removed.

"Here in America, we don't let our differences tear us apart. Not here. Because we know that our greatness comes from when we appreciate each other's strengths, when we learn from each other, when we lean on each other, because in this country, it's never been each person for themselves. No, we're all in this together. We always have been." – Michelle Obama, Commencement Address at the City College of New York, June 3, 2016.

As always, I remain
Most sincerely,

Image removed.

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress