Praising the Department of Justice for its Decision to Collect Data on Police Use of Force
Dear Friend,
This week, I praised the Department of Justice for announcing it would begin collecting data on force used by federal agents, welcomed NAACP President Cornell Brooks to Temple Israel in Memphis, was pleased to learn the DEA would delay placing kratom on its list of Schedule I drugs, and celebrated the wedding of my staff member Michael Fulton and his bride, Tia Pitt. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me on Twitter and Facebook to see these updates as they happen.
Praising the Department of Justice for its Decision to Collect Data on Police Use of Force
Welcoming NAACP President Cornell Brooks to Memphis
Fighting for a Sensible Drug Policy
Celebrating the Wedding of Michael Fulton and Tia Pitt
Joining President Obama in Israel for the Funeral of Shimon Peres
2017 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars Are Available
Bringing Congress to your Corner
Praising the Department of Justice for its Decision to Collect Data on Police Use of Force
Today, I praised the Department of Justice for announcing it would begin collecting data on force used by federal agents and will help local law enforcement collect data of their own, something for which my bill, the National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act, has called for. This is a significant step in the right direction and a critical component to rebuilding trust between the police and the communities they serve. Read more about their decision and my bill here.
Welcoming NAACP President Cornell Brooks to Memphis
Photo credit to Lynn Eisenstatt
On Wednesday, Rabbi Micah Greenstein, Senior Rabbi at Temple Israel and a member of the NAACP national board, invited NAACP President Cornell Brooks to Temple Israel for Yom Kippur services. President Brooks spoke to the congregation on justice and the long history between the Jewish and African American communities. Jack Greenberg, the last living NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorney who argued before the Supreme Court in the Brown v. Board of Education case, passed away on Yom Kippur. He embodied the shared values that President Brooks spoke of that bind African Americans and Jews together. Rabbi Greenstein encouraged all members of Temple Israel to join the NAACP because we must all take part in fighting racial disparities that are still too prevalent in America.
Fighting for a Sensible Drug Policy
On Thursday, I was pleased to hear that the DEA delayed placing kratom on their list of Schedule I drugs and will open a public comment period. It is important to have an open process, and a public comment period will give citizens a voice in this discussion. Read more here.
Celebrating the Wedding of Michael Fulton and Tia Pitt
On Saturday, my Senior Legislative Assistants Michael Fulton married the charming, bright and beautiful Tia Pitt in Maryland. Michael has been in my office since my first year in Congress. I am very proud of him and wish him and Tia a happy life together.
Joining President Obama in Israel for the Funeral of Shimon Peres
Last month, I was invited by President Obama to join him in Israel for the funeral of former Israeli President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres. Below are some pictures from my trip that I wanted to share with you.
Charles, Prince of Wales
Former President Bill Clinton
French President François Hollande
Boarding the plane to Israel
Homage to Jerusalem by Alexander Calder on Mount Herzel in Jerusalem
2017 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars Are Available
My office currently has a limited number of 2017 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 eNewsletter.
Bringing Congress to your Corner
Today, I joined my staff for “Congress on your Corner” at the Ed Rice Community Center to assist constituents with questions or problems with federal agencies such as Social Security, Medicare, FHA, the VA and more. Thank you to everyone who attended. Please visit my website at https://cohen.house.gov for more information on future Congress on your Corner events.
Go Tigers!
As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress