Preventing Presidents from Pardoning Themselves, Family or Aides
Dear Friend,
This week, I introduced a Constitutional Amendment to limit the presidential pardon power, reminded constituents that open enrollment for 2018 Affordable Care Act insurance policies has begun, urged the House Judiciary Committee chairman to hold a hearing on legislation to stop the president from firing a special counsel on illegitimate grounds and introduced a bill requiring the president to comply with the JFK Records Collection Act. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me on Twitter and Facebook to see more updates as they happen.
Preventing Presidents from Pardoning Themselves, Family or Aides
Reminding That Open Enrollment For Affordable Care Act For 2018 Has Begun
Urging Judiciary Committee Chairman To Consider Legislation To Stop the President from Inappropriately Firing the Special Counsel
Requiring The President To Release JFK Assassination Documents
Meeting With Minnie Minoso's Son
9th Annual Veterans Day Luncheon
2018 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars Are Available
Important Information on the Equifax Data Breach
Quote of the Week
Weekly Health Tip
Remember Daylight Saving Time Ends on Sunday
Preventing Presidents From Pardoning Themselves, Family or Aides
On Tuesday, I introduced a Constitutional Amendment to limit the scope of the presidential pardon power. The Amendment would prohibit presidents from pardoning themselves, as well as members of their families, their administrations and campaign staffs. The pardon power is supposed to be a safety valve against injustice. It is not supposed to be a way for presidents to put themselves, their families and members of their administration and campaigns above the law. Video of my speech on the House floor about the Amendment can be found here.
The Amendment would apply to the current as well as future presidents.
See the text of the amendment here.
Reminding That Open Enrollment For Affordable Care Act For 2018 Has Begun
On Wednesday, I went to the House floor to remind my constituents and the country that the much-reduced time period for enrolling in health care throughHealthcare.gov ("The Affordable Care Act") has begun. This year's open enrollment is half the length of time – six weeks shorter – than last year. December 15 is the last day to sign up.
Memphis has recently seen a decrease in the disparity in breast cancer mortality rates between black and white women, a clear indication that access to affordable care saves lives. Video of my speech can be found here.
In 2018, in Tennessee, 88 percent can find a "Bronze" Plan for under $75 a month. In Memphis, many consumers earning between $30,000 and $48,000 a year can find a "Silver" plan for under $100 a month.
The Affordable Care Act has led to demonstrable improvements in health outcomes. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration has tried to undermine the program by slashing funding for marketing and public awareness as well as funding for "navigators" to help people with the process. For more information seeHealthcare.gov.
On Thursday, during a markup of bills in the Judiciary Committee, I again raised the question of why a committee with jurisdiction over special counsel isn't trying to ensure that President Trump doesn't inappropriately fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller. So far, Mueller has secured least two indictments against individuals associated with President Trump's campaign and one guilty plea as part of his investigation into possible collusion with Russia during last year's election. A bill I support that would strictly limit the situations in which a special counsel could be terminated continues to lie dormant, and I asked that it be given a hearing. See my remarks here.
Requiring The President To Release JFK Assassination Documents
On Friday, I introduced legislation that would require the president to comply with a 25-year-old law that obligated him to release all documents associated with the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy that can be released by October 26, 2017. Last week, when the deadline passed, President Trump announced he was releasing only a portion and giving relevant agencies six more months to review the documents retained. My bill would require the President to comply with the Congressionally-mandated deadline, complete his review of these remaining documents quickly and release all remaining documents that can be released promptly.
Meeting With Minnie Minoso's Son
Also this week, I sat down with my friend Charlie Rice-Minoso, son the late, great Chicago White Sox legend Minnie Minoso, my hero since childhood. We talked about his Dad and about baseball on the afternoon before the Houston Astros won the World Series. I met Minnie as a child of 5 at an exhibition game at the old Russwood Park in Memphis when he gave me a baseball – through the hands of a white player, because of segregation. Five years later, I met him at the Lorraine Motel, where black players stayed when their white teammates stayed at The Peabody. These experiences shaped my early views of segregation and racial prejudice. I spoke about Minnie Minoso, the first black White Sox player, on the House floor when we recognized the contributions made by the Negro Leagues. Read about my hero here.
9th Annual Veterans Day Luncheon
On Friday, November 10th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at BRIDGES, I will be hosting my 9th annual Veterans Day BBQ Luncheon to honor our veterans in Memphis. I will also discuss my work as your Representative in Washington, D.C., to help improve the lives of veterans, including my support of programs that assist our veterans who are homeless or who are on the verge of homelessness. Veterans should RSVP at 901-544-4131 by Wednesday, November 8th if you would like to attend. Visit my website for more information.
2018 U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars Are Available
My office currently has a limited number of 2018 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 9th District. Please feel free to share this email with other residents of the 9th District who may be interested in receiving one but who do not receive my eNewsletter.
Important Information on the Equifax Data Breach
On September 7, the consumer credit reporting agency Equifax disclosed a data breach from earlier this year that compromised the personal information of 143 million Americans. All 9th District residents should be aware of precautionary measures that can help ensure their financial security.
If you believe your data may have been compromised, there are steps you can take. These include: regularly monitoring your accounts, creating additional alerts for your credit report, and placing a security freeze on your credit report, which prevents others from opening up accounts in your name without your knowledge. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFBP) has published a helpful guide, which you can find here, on how to secure your identity following the Equifax data breach.
If you have any questions or are in need of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (901) 544-4131 or visit my website at/contact/email.
The city editor of the New York Tribune, called before a grand jury, refused to identify his sources despite the offer of a pardon from President Woodrow Wilson, and he was jailed and fined. The U.S. Supreme Court found that the editor, George Burdick, had the right to reject the presidential pardon and not testify because a pardon "carries an imputation of guilt; acceptance a confession of it." -- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Joseph McKenna in Burdick v. United States (1915).
Each week, I share a health tip in the hopes 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.
On this week when children (and their parents) collected buckets full of Halloween candy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges Americans to limit consumption of "added sugars" in processed foods. Unlike the sugars derived from milk or fruit, added sugars are additives to foods making them sweet and includebrown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, molasses and raw sugar. See:https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/data-statistics/know-your-limit-for-added-sugars.html
Remember Daylight Saving Time Ends on Sunday
Set your clock back one hour before you go to bed Saturday night and get an extra hour's sleep when you "fall back."
As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress