Hoping to Vote for Coronavirus Relief Package
Dear Friend,
I hoped to return to Washington this week to vote on a coronavirus relief compromise worked out between Speaker Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, but evidently the Senate Majority Leader won't let anything happen until after the November 3 election. This week, America learned that the parents of 545 migrant children can't be located by federal immigration officials because of outrageous and inhumane Trump administration policies. We also learned that the coronavirus pandemic, far from "turning a corner," is peaking again in Tennessee and across the country while the President continues his attacks on an infectious disease expert rather than working to fight a virus that has taken the lives of more than 220,000 Americans or providing support for the six million people who missed rent or mortgage payments in September. I welcomed the commutation of the unfair life sentence of non-violent offender Curtis McDonald and watched as record numbers of voters in Shelby County participated in our democratic election process. I praised Pope Francis for his inclusive approach to civil unions for same-sex couples and expressed disappointment at the Senate's haste in moving the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to a floor vote. I also wrote an op-ed in The Commercial Appeal about progress on my Complete Streets Act. I also offered 2021 Congressional calendars and provided a coronavirus-related health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens.
Hoping to Vote for Coronavirus Relief Package
Calling for Repeal of Tax Break for Millionaires
Expressing Outrage at Trump Immigration Policy Cruelty
Warning of Coronavirus Peak Amid Trump Disinformation Effort
Welcoming Clemency for Curtis McDonald
Monitoring Record-Breaking Local Early Voting
Approving of Pope Francis' Stand on Same-Sex Civil Unions
Expressing Disappointment at Senate Haste to Confirm Judge Barrett
Moving Forward with Complete Streets
Offering 2021 Congressional Calendars
Weekly Health Tip
Quote of the Week
Hoping to Vote for Coronavirus Relief Package
I share your frustration when I read that negotiations over a compromise coronavirus relief package remain stalled and that Senate Majority Leader McConnell is happy to keep it that way until after the election. I know that six million people were not able to make their rent or mortgage payments last month. I know much of the country is experiencing a surge in cases and that more than 220,000 have died. I know businesses are suffering. I am eager to get back to Washington and vote on a solution, and I assure you I will do all in my power to get relief to those I know are hurting.
Calling for Repeal of Tax Break for Millionaires
As part of whatever pandemic relief compromise is reached, I am hoping that we can repeal the obscene tax breaks for millionaires surreptitiously inserted into the first CARES Act back in March by Senate Republicans. See my op-ed in Wednesday's The Hill newspaper about that repeal effort here.
Expressing Outrage at Trump Immigration Policy Cruelty
We learned from court filings this week that the parents of 545 children can't be located after the disastrous implementation of the Trump administration's 2017 policy of separating children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. At least 60 of these children were under the age of five, and some weren't yet verbal, at the time of this calculated cruelty. While we must do all we can to reunite these families, it is important for us to stand against any similar inhumane treatment of immigrants and to bring those responsible for this atrocity, such as Trump advisors Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon and Jeff Sessions, to a reckoning with history and justice.
Warning of Coronavirus Peak Amid Trump Disinformation Effort
The seven-day average of new cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee has been rising since late September and is now peaking at a record higher than the previous peak in mid-July. That's why it's important to not only follow public health protocols of washing hands, wearing masks and keeping your distances from others, but to also bear in mind that when President Trump says we're "turning a corner" on the crisis, he is lying. Consider the source when the President calls Dr. Fauci, our nation's preeminent infectious disease specialist, one of the "idiots" urging sensible precautions. I also said this week that Governor Bill Lee should have implemented a mask mandate, which would have cost the Tennessee taxpayer nothing, instead of wasting $1 million of coronavirus relief funds on PSAs about the benefits of masks. The bottom line: Take this seriously. Our lives depend on it.
Applauding Clemency for Curtis McDonald
I was pleased to learn that Curtis McDonald had his life sentence commuted on Wednesday after serving behind bars for more than 20 years for a non-violent offense. I wrote to both Presidents Obama and Trump seeking his release. It shouldn't take the intervention of reality television personalities to see this kind of justice done. There are thousands upon thousands who don't have big names pleading their cases for clemency who still deserve justice. I have continually urged Presidents of both parties to broadly use their pardon and clemency powers to rectify the systematic injustices of our criminal justice system. See my release on Mr. McDonald's release here.
Monitoring Record-Breaking Local Early Voting
I am encouraged that the pace of Early Voting in Shelby County is reportedly outpacing levels in the previous three presidential elections. For those who have not yet participated, here is some useful guidance about the process:
Voting in person: Early Voting began on Wednesday, October 14 and ends through next Thursday, October 29. See the Shelby County Election Commission's page on upcoming elections for election dates, offices to be elected, Early Voting schedules (locations, dates, hours), Election Day polling locations, sample ballots and an absentee application.
Voting by mail: Currently, Tennessee is not allowing all residents to request absentee ballots despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, those with underlying conditions, as well as their caretakers, may request absentee ballots. See the Shelby County Election Commission's page on voting absentee for a full list of circumstances that qualify you to vote absentee by mail.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Tuesday, October 27. Due to mail delivery delays at the Postal Service, it is strongly recommended that you request an absentee ballot as soon as possible. Request your ballot here. Once you've received it and cast your votes, immediately complete and send it back to the Election Commission.
Mail-in ballots must be received at your county election commission by Election Day to count. Mail-in ballots CANNOT be hand delivered to election offices. The only acceptable way to submit an absentee mail-in ballot in Tennessee is by mail (USPS, FedEx, UPS, et cetera). If you do not receive your ballot in the mail, please contact the Shelby County Board of Elections Absentee Department at (901) 222-6800 or absenteevoting@shelbycountytn.gov.
If you request an absentee ballot but do not receive or return your ballot in time, you may still be able to cast a provisional ballot, either during early voting or on election day. However, provisional ballots require additional verification. To make sure your ballot is counted, it is best to apply for your absentee ballot as early as possible and return it by mail as early as possible.
Approving of Pope Francis' Stand on Same-Sex Civil Unions
I was pleased to see Pope Francis take a stand in support of civil unions for same-sex couples this week. He may not speak for all 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, but his tolerant and inclusive leadership is a hopeful and welcome development.
Expressing Disappointment at Senate Haste to Confirm Judge Barrett
I am disappointed that the Senate Judiciary Committee rushed its vote on the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett on Thursday and that the full Senate will likely make the unwise decision to seat her on the Supreme Court with another hasty and injudicious vote on Monday. This appointment to succeed the esteemed Justice Ginsburg was badly mishandled.
Moving Forward with Complete Streets
I am concerned about the increase in pedestrian fatalities in Memphis and have been working on successful legislative remedies, including parts of my Complete Streets Act which were included in the Moving Forward Act that passed the House in July. Almost exactly a year ago, I hosted a Complete Streets roundtable discussion at the FedEx Family House on Poplar, bringing together all the stakeholders involved in making our street designs smarter and safer for all modes of transportation, including walking and bicycling. See my op-ed in Tuesday's Commercial Appeal here.
Offering 2021 Congressional Calendars
My office will have a limited number of 2021 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please complete this form on my website. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee's Ninth District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the Ninth District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my e-Newsletter.
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.
"A citizen's right to a vote free of arbitrary impairment by state action has been judicially recognized as a right secured by the Constitution, when such impairment resulted from dilution by a false tally…, or by a refusal to count votes from arbitrarily selected precincts…, or by a stuffing of the ballot box." – Justice William Brennan for the majority, Baker v. Carr, a 1962 U.S. Supreme Court case from Shelby County.
Last Saturday, I was fortunate to attend the game at the Liberty Bowl Stadium to watch Memphis' historic win over UCF – a game for the ages. I plan to be there tomorrow for the game against Temple. Go Tigers Go!
As always, I remain
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress