My Duties in the 115th Congress
Dear Friend,
The House of Representatives has begun its August recess, a period that permits Members like me to spend more time working in our districts and hearing from our constituents face to face. With that in mind, I'm sending this newsletter to update you about Congressional activity in the last few months that affects Memphis. As always, I appreciate hearing from you about issues that concern you and the 9th Congressional District. Keep reading to learn more and follow me on Twitter and Facebook to see more updates as they happen.
My Duties in the 115th Congress
U.S. DOT Awards $71.2 Million to Improve Lamar Avenue Corridor
Drone Program Comes to Memphis
Introducing the NEWBORN Act
Working to Reduce Crime and Reform the Criminal Justice System
Passage of SOAR Act
Committee Approval of Judge Russell B. Sugarmon Post Office
FAA Inquiry leads to Safety Audit
Passage of Environmental Initiatives
NATO Support Resolution
Bringing More Federal Grants Money to Memphis
Signing Up for "Congress On Your Corner" and this e-Newsletter
Weekly Health Tip
Quote of the Week
My Duties in the 115th Congress
I have a variety of responsibilities in Congress representing Tennessee's 9th Congressional District. I am the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice where issues such as civil rights, constitutional rights, constitutional amendments and Presidential violations of the Constitution's anti-corruption provisions are regular subjects of concern. I am also a senior member of the full Judiciary Committee; a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where I serve on the Aviation Subcommittee, as well as the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit and the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials; a member of the Committee on Ethics; and a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, which promotes international human rights. I also belong to a variety of caucuses and task forces, including the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Medicare for All Caucus, the Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus, the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence, the Caucus on Infant Health and Safety, the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus and several caucuses devoted to various illnesses and medical conditions, such as diabetes, autism, cancers and HIV/AIDS.
U.S. DOT Awards $71.2 Million to Improve Lamar Avenue Corridor
On June 5th, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $71.2 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant for roadway repairs and capacity upgrades for Lamar Avenue, a regionally and nationally important intermodal freight corridor in America's Distribution Hub, Memphis. This project has been a top priority of mine during my entire tenure in Congress and will be a game-changer for Memphis, creating jobs and enhancing future growth. I was happy my work literally paid off for Memphis.
Drone Program Comes to Memphis
In May, I joined Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and officials with the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority for the announcement that Memphis will be a national test site for integrating unmanned aircraft systems, commonly referred to as aerial drones, into the national airspace. The airport authority was one of 150 applicants for the pilot program which it sought in partnership with the City of Memphis and its police and fire departments, Agricenter International, the University of Memphis, the Tennessee Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics, FedEx, GE subsidiaries AirXOS and Avitas, Intel, Flirtey, 901Drones, Express Drone Parts and ForeverReady Productions. This puts Memphis on the map as a major player in the nascent drone industry and will advance our stature as a center for testing this cutting-edge technology.
Introducing the NEWBORN Act
Also in June, I introduced legislation to address America's unacceptably high infant mortality rate with concrete measures in the Nationally Enhancing the Wellbeing of Babies through Outreach and Research Now (NEWBORN) Act. The legislation would create infant mortality-focused pilot programs in the highest-risk areas of the country and would address one or more of the top five reasons for infant mortality: birth defects, preterm birth and low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, maternal pregnancy complications and/or injuries to the infant. Memphis and Shelby County have some of the highest infant mortality rates in the country. Infant mortality is a reflection of our nation's overall health and its commitment to its children. We need to do more to assure women have the resources and information they need to deliver healthy babies and raise them to become healthy and productive adults.
Working to Reduce Crime and Reform the Criminal Justice System
One of my highest priorities in Congress is to help reduce crime in Memphis and make our criminal justice system more fair. I have cosponsored numerous bills to fight gun violence including the Assault Weapons Ban and the Gun Show Loophole Closing Act. I have also introduced legislation to encourage the use of police body cameras (the Police CAMERA Act), encourage the collection of accurate statistics on police shootings (the National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act), and encourage the use of independent prosecutors for police shootings (the Police Training and Independent Review Act). I have also introduced legislation to give nonviolent ex-offenders a chance to become productive members of society (the Fresh Start Act), worked to fight the racially disproportionate impact of outdated marijuana laws, and cosponsored the No Money Bail Act to stop the use of money bail as a condition of pretrial release. While these efforts remain bottled up by the House Majority, I am continuing to fight for them.
Passage of the SOAR Act
Earlier this year, the House passed my Stop, Observe, Ask and Respond (SOAR) to Health and Wellness Training Program bill aimed at detecting ongoing human trafficking activity. The bill is the result of an event I held at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis in 2016 to discuss and promote human trafficking awareness training that was attended by first responders, health care workers, faith-based groups, educators and state and local officials. Their energy inspired me to join with colleagues to provide $4 million a year in training grants to make health professions alert to possible instances of human trafficking and to detect the tell-tale signs of those who have been held in captivity.
Committee Approval of Judge Russell B. Sugarmon Post Office
In May, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform passed my bill naming the post office at 1325 Autumn Avenue for Judge Russell B. Sugarmon, a tireless trailblazer and advocate for Civil Rights and a highly regarded attorney and judge. I look forward to the full House and Senate passage of the bill in the weeks ahead and hope that it will ultimately be enacted.
FAA Inquiry leads to Safety Audit
I introduced the Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act requiring the Federal Aviation Administration to establish minimum seat sizes and distances between rows to help address concerns about the safe evacuation of airplanes in emergencies which passed the House as part of the FAA's reauthorization. Early this Spring, I pressed the FAA in a Congressional hearing to comply with a U.S. Court of Appeals order to address the issue of seat size and evacuation safety and in June, I learned of a decision by the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Transportation (DOT) to audit the FAA's oversight of the actual time it takes to safely evacuate various aircraft models. I'm proud that my efforts are leading to tangible safety improvements for the flying public.
Passage of Environmental Initiatives in Spending Bills
Also in June, two environmentally friendly amendments that I introduced passed the House as part of a federal spending package covering annual Energy & Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations. One of my amendments prohibits the House of Representatives from using funds to purchase plastic drinking straws for its cafeterias and food service areas. The other provides an addition $2 million to the Department of Energy's SuperTruck II Program to promote more fuel efficiency in freight trucks. You may have noted that several major companies have subsequently followed suit in banning plastic straws to limit their impact on the environment and harm to marine animals. Unfortunately, my repeated efforts to amend annual spending bills funding much of the federal government with language prohibiting federal spending at Donald Trump-owned businesses have been stymied by the House Majority, which has not permitted floor votes. The Constitution prohibits any president from receiving federal spending beyond his salary and I will continue my efforts to ensure the Constitution's prohibition is upheld.
NATO Support Resolution
Last month, while the President was in Brussels insulting our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) partners, the House passed my resolution supporting NATO and reaffirming our commitment to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of our allies in Central and Eastern Europe. It was a proud moment and showed that Congress understands the importance of stability and certainty in our diplomatic relations, even if the President does not.
Bringing More Federal Grants Money to Memphis
My office works closely with federal agencies and with constituents seeking federal grants. Including the Lamar Avenue DOT grant mentioned above, since January 1, the 9th Congressional District has been notified of $132.5 million in federal grants to entities within the District. So far this year, some of the top grantees have been the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA), which received a $19.9 million Department of Transportation Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant; the Shelby County Board of Education ($11.6 million for Head Start); Christ Community Health Services Inc ($4.5 million); the Memphis Health Center ($4.4 million); and Shelby County Government ($3.5 million for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Emergency Relief).
Signing Up for "Congress On Your Corner" and this e-Newsletter
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
Each week, I share a health tip in the hope of promoting a healthy lifestyle for residents of the 9th Congressional District. As always, it is best to check with your doctor before making any changes to your diet, exercise routine or lifestyle.
Almost everyone likes to take a swim when the temperatures hover in the 90s. It's important to be aware to the "dos" and "don'ts" of public pool or lake swimming. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compiled some useful "Swim Healthy, Stay Healthy" advice here, including: Don't Drink Pool Water.
Quote of the Week
"Any time someone carries a picket sign in front of the White House, that is the First Amendment in action." – The late NAACP Chairman Julian Bond, in an interview with The Freedom Forum Institute, August 23, 2001.
As always, I remain,
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress