Expressing Gratitude for My Re-Election
Dear Friend,
This week, I thanked all of the voters who participated in Tuesday's election and was honored at the result in my race. My seniority on the Judiciary and Transportation and Infrastructure committees, and in Congress, will continue to benefit the people of Memphis, particularly if Joe Biden ultimately becomes President and major legislation can be passed and signed into law. I thank all of my constituents for the honor of serving you and congratulate Memphis and Shelby County for the remarkable 380,000-voter turnout in the midst of this pandemic. Settling into the work ahead of us, I reminded everyone that the Healthcare.gov insurance marketplace (created by the Affordable Care Act) opened November 1 and the window to enroll or change your insurance plan will end on December 15. I also urged everyone to be patient as we await the will of the people on the election of our next President; wrote to FBI Director Wray asking him to be vigilant in prosecuting the crime of vote suppression when it is encountered; warned about a scam involving Economic Impact Payments; announced a significant Justice Department grant to discourage gang membership in South Memphis; was pleased to receive a 100 percent score on my voting record from the Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights; pledged to re-introduce my Constitutional Amendment abolishing the Electoral College; and offered a pandemic-related health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens.
Expressing Gratitude for My Re-Election
Reminding Everyone that Healthcare.gov Open Enrollment has Begun
Writing FBI Director to Be Vigilant in Prosecuting Vote Suppression
Warning About Economic Impact Payment Scam
Receiving a 100 Percent Score on Voting Record from Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Announcing Justice Department Grant to Discourage Gang Membership
Re-Introducing Constitutional Amendment to Abolish the Electoral College
Expressing Gratitude for My Re-Election
On Tuesday, I was overwhelmingly elected to an eighth term in the U.S. Congress representing Tennessee's 9th District. I want to assure all my constituents that my increased seniority on the Judiciary Committee and on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in Congress generally, will translate into more influence in Washington on the issues you care about. I am very grateful for this show of support, especially as it occurred during this difficult pandemic and resulting economic dislocation. My staff and I look forward to serving you in the 117th Congress.
Reminding Everyone that Healthcare.gov Open Enrollment has Begun
The Healthcare.gov open enrollment period began November 1 and will end on December 15th. It is important for you to review your options during this period. If you are on Medicare or if your employer offers qualified health insurance in which you are enrolled, you're already covered and won't need to enter the Marketplace for your health coverage. If you aren't sure whether or not you should use the Marketplace to get insurance, call the Marketplace Hotline at 1-800-318-2596, visit www.Healthcare.gov, or you can always call my office at (901) 544-4131. You can also call the Marketplace Hotline or my office to find out if TennCare (Tennessee's Medicaid program) is a coverage option for you. During this devastating pandemic, health coverage is more important than ever, and I have worked to expand access to affordable and comprehensive health care. Additionally, I will continue to urge Governor Lee to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act which would provide coverage to thousands of Tennesseans.
Writing FBI Director to Be Vigilant in Prosecuting Vote Suppression
On Monday, I joined my Judiciary Committee colleague Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas and others in writing to FBI Director Christopher Wray to bring attention to deliberate vote suppression efforts being identified around the country, particularly involving manipulation of the U.S. Postal Service, and urging him to prosecute violators. See my release and the letter here.
Warning About Economic Impact Payment Scam
This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) warned of a scam involving Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) authorized by the coronavirus relief effort. The scam involves a text message created by thieves to trick people into disclosing bank account information under the guise of receiving the $1,200 Economic Impact Payment. The scam text message states: "You have received a direct deposit of $1,200 from COVID-19 TREAS FUND. Further action is required to accept this payment into your account. Continue here to accept this payment …" The text includes a link to a fake phishing web address. This fake phishing URL, which appears to come from a state agency or relief organization, takes recipients to a fraudulent website that impersonates the IRS.gov Get My Payment website. Individuals who visit the fraudulent website and then enter their personal and financial account information will have their information collected by these scammers. Please don't fall for it.
Receiving a 100 Percent Score on Voting Record from Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
This week, I learned I have received a 100 percent core on the Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights' assessment of my voting record on a variety of civil and human rights issues. See my release here.
Announcing Justice Department Grant to Discourage Gang Membership
Also Monday, I announced that the Department of Justice awarded a significant grant to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) to discourage gang membership and address the traumas associated with exposure to gang violence. See that release here.
Re-Introducing Constitutional Amendment to Abolish the Electoral College
I held a post-Election Day press conference on Wednesday, fielding questions from reporters on a crisp and sunny Midtown Memphis morning. I told them I plan to re-introduce my joint Congressional Resolution to abolish the anachronistic Electoral College and finally end its role in frustrating the will of the people in Presidential Elections. Again this year, the popular vote would have made the true winner clear sooner.
On Thursday, Shelby County reported 2,223 people hospitalized with COVID-19. The fourteen-day average of new cases has been rising since late September. So, again this week, I want to call attention to the high number of coronavirus cases, in Tennessee and across the country, that are likely the result of reopening prematurely without implementing basic precautionary measures such as wearing masks and adhering to social distancing guidelines. Please follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocols and those adopted by Memphis and Shelby County for staying safe in this ongoing pandemic: Wash your hands with soap frequently for at least 25 seconds; keep a minimum social distance of six feet from others; wear a face mask when out in public; and avoid being in crowds of more than 10. When you're indoors, six feet might not be far enough, according to recent studies; 14 feet might be better. It is best to wear a mask, particularly when indoors in close quarters. We must work together to get through this.
"We shall sooner have the fowl by hatching the egg than by smashing it." -- Abraham Lincoln, in his last White House speech, April 11, 1865, advocating readmitting Louisiana to the Union.
"I am certain that ‘the better angels of our nature' are still out there. But the politics and our political system right now are not inspiring them to emerge at the scale and speed that we so desperately need." – New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, "Even Before a Winner, America Was the Loser," November 5, 2020.
On Saturday, I plan to attend the memorial service for Myra Stiles, a former chair of the Shelby County Election Commission and a staunch supporter of access to the right to vote. Then, I will be attending the game against the USF Bulls at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Go Tigers Go!
As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress