Dear Friend, This week, I prepared to vote for the two major infrastructure bills as Congress continues negotiating the size and scope of the social safety net programs, the climate change elements and the tax reforms that will eventually become the Build Back Better plan central to President Biden's agenda. I also spoke in favor of a "red flag" bill that would allow law enforcement and loved ones to petition a court to temporarily prohibit someone who poses a risk to themselves or others from accessing a firearm; expressed my deep concern about recent shootings in Memphis involving school children; passed an amendment to a bill on violence prevention assuring that legal aid organizations can receive grant funding for services to victims of domestic violence; met with the leader of the worldwide Christian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Bartholomew; announced a significant grant to improve access to Memphis' public libraries; urged the Baseball Hall of Fame to induct the late Chicago White Sox star Minnie Minoso into its ranks; offered practical guidance to local arts and cultural organizations to receive COVID-related grant assistance; offered U.S. Capitol Historical Society 2022 calendars; noted the availability of vaccines for 5 through 11-year-olds; and provided a health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens. Preparing to Vote for Both Major Infrastructure Bills Voting to Advance Critical Gun Violence Protection Measure Expressing Horror at Yet Another Shooting of Memphis School Children Passing Amendment to Strengthen Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act Meeting Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew Announcing Significant Grant to Memphis Library Foundation Urging Baseball Hall of Fame to Induct Chicago White Sox Star Minnie Minoso Offering Guidance for COVID-Related Aid to Arts and Cultural Organizations Offering U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars Announcing FDA Approval of Pfizer Vaccine for 5- to 11-year olds Weekly Health Tip Quote of the Week
Preparing to Vote for Both Major Infrastructure Bills 
For the last several weeks, I have been involved in discussions over the shape and scope of the Build Back Better bill addressing the nation's social safety net, climate change and equitable tax policy while urging my colleagues to vote for and pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act already passed by the Senate. The framework for the Build Back Better bill includes funding to expand Medicaid in the 12 states whose legislatures – like Tennessee's – have refused to do so. That could be worth $1 billion for Tennessee. I worked with Majority Whip James Clyburn to keep the expanded Medicaid benefits in the bill. I look forward to a resolution of all of these issues central to the Biden administration's agenda in the days ahead. See my floor speech on "The Art of the Possible" here. Voting to Advance Critical Gun Violence Prevention Measure
On Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee, on which I serve as a senior member, voted to advance the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act to the full House of Representatives. I spoke in favor of this bill, which would allow law enforcement and loved ones to petition the court to prohibit someone that poses a danger to themselves or others from accessing . See my statement on the measure here. Expressing Horror at Yet Another Shooting of Memphis School Children On Monday, I expressed my horror at the shooting of three students outside the Kingsbury schools. The incident followed the attack last weekend on a funeral procession that left a student dead and the September 30 shooting at Cummings Elementary School. We must keep guns out of the wrong hands with effective background checks, address the underlying issues that contribute to gun violence, and provide law enforcement officials with the tools they need to address the rise in gun violence in Memphis and across the country. See my statement on Monday's shooting incident here. Passing Amendment to Strengthen Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act A heartbreaking statistic of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the increase in domestic and family violence that continues to affect Americans across the country. I offered an amendment to the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act to clarify that legal aid organizations can receive grant funding for their violence-prevention services, such as work on domestic violence protection orders. I am pleased to say both my amendment and the full bill passed the House on Tuesday. See my release here. Meeting Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew
On Tuesday, I attended a luncheon with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople in the Rayburn Room of the U.S. Capitol. During his visit to the Capitol, Patriarch Bartholomew expressed appreciation to President Biden and Speaker Pelosi for the ongoing commitment of the United States to religious liberty and freedom of conscience around the world. He also discussed with Speaker Pelosi the urgent need to support developing nations in securing vaccines for their populations. Announcing Significant Grant to Memphis Library Foundation Also Tuesday, I announced that the Memphis Library Foundation will receive a $49,490 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to enhance services for vulnerable populations facing transportation and financial barriers, made more difficult because of COVID-19. The grant will allow Memphis Public Libraries to expand outreach programs to traditionally underserved populations through the library's mobile technology van, including providing technology classes for minority, female, low-income, and other at-risk youth populations. See my release here. Urging Baseball Hall of Fame to Induct Chicago White Sox Star Minnie Minoso Last Saturday, The Chicago Tribune published an opinion column I wrote supporting the induction of the late Chicago White Sox star Minnie Minoso into Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame. My case is based in part on my long association with Minnie, an Afro-Cuban player who befriended me in 1955 as a child with polio decked out in a White Sox uniform in the stands of segregated Russwood Park in Memphis. Minnie taught me at a very young age about the cruelty of racial discrimination, Jim Crow segregation and bigotry. I have since heard from people around the country expressing support for Minnie and the effort to have him named to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown appears to be gaining traction. See my op-ed here. Offering Guidance for COVID-Related Aid to Arts and Cultural Organizations I am pleased to share that the American Rescue Plan Act, which I proudly voted for, will provide $135 million in relief funds for the National Endowment for the Humanities to sustain and support cultural and educational organizations. As a lifelong patron of the arts, I will continue to assist the humanities field both locally and nationally. The humanities play a vital role in sustaining Memphis' economy while enhancing its cultural and educational stature. Those working in these fields must have the support they need to make it through this pandemic. If you believe that your organization may qualify, you may find more information about the Humanities Grants here. If you have any questions or need assistance with grant programs, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (901) 544-4131. Offering U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars
My office will have a limited number of 2022 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. Announcing FDA Approval of Pfizer Vaccine for 5- to 11-year olds
Today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 to include children 5 to 11 years of age. The vaccine is administered as a two-dose series and is a lower dose than that used for individuals 12 years of age and older. If you are a parent of a child between 5 and 11, I encourage you to talk to your child's pediatrician about the vaccine. You can read the entire release from the FDA here.
Weekly Health Tip
There is good news on the pandemic front: the COVID-19 vaccination rate in Shelby County continues to increase, COVID-19 case counts are declining in Shelby County, certain adults can get a third booster shot, and the FDA today authorized a vaccine for children between 5 and 11 years of age. However, it is important to stay vigilant and for those who have not been vaccinated to talk to their doctor about any concerns with the shots. Although Shelby County's mask mandate has now been lifted for public settings other than schools, it makes sense to keep masks on while indoors in public, and to follow other public health best practices like maintaining social distances and washing hands frequently.
More information about the booster shots is available here. Vaccines are currently available for everyone 12 and older. If you need a ride to a vaccination site, you can call 901-RIDE901 (901-743-3901) to coordinate the best transportation option for you. The City of Memphis is also now coordinating with organizations, congregations, community groups, and businesses to host coronavirus vaccinations. The Pipkin Building at the old Mid-South Fairgrounds is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., and will remain a vaccination site through December 31. The Health Department at 814 Jefferson is now open, too, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. No appointments are needed. To find the latest information about vaccination sites, to request a vaccination appointment for a homebound individual, or to set up a community coronavirus vaccination event, visit https://covid19.memphistn.gov/ Quote of the Week "All three of these – health, planet, child care, et cetera – are all about the children. They're also about jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs – how people access them, jobs that are created by the new green technologies, jobs that are part of the national security of our country, that is necessitated by our protection of the environment. And so, it is an initiative that gives a big tax cut to the middle class, creates jobs, good-paying jobs, lowers costs for families and while making the wealthiest and big corporations pay their fair share. That's really the framework that the President shared with us this morning. " – Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking after Democratic House members met with President Biden on the Build Back Better infrastructure bill Thursday. As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress | 