Pursuing the Impeachment of Donald Trump
Dear Friend,
This week, I supported Speaker Pelosi's decision to pursue an impeachment inquiry into President Trump, following recent developments involving the President's efforts to pressure Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 Presidential Election. I also questioned law enforcement experts on how to best protect Americans from assault-style weapons and armor-piercing bullets; recommended passage of my Safer Streets Act in a hearing on how gun violence affects our communities; questioned the adequacy of the General Services Administration oversight of the Trump International Hotel lease; demanded to know why provisions of my Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act have not been implemented after becoming law almost a year ago; announced a significant grant to the Memphis airport; offered Capitol Historical Society calendars; and offered a seasonal health tip. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see more updates as they happen.
Pursuing the Impeachment of Donald Trump
Questioning Experts on Assault Weapons and Their Use on Our Streets
Addressing the Impact of Gun Violence with the Safer Streets Act
Questioning the Adequacy of GSA Oversight of Trump Hotel Lease
Demanding Answers on FAA Compliance with SEAT Act
Announcing $4.2 Million Grant to Memphis International Airport
Calling Attention to U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tip Line
Offering Capitol Historical Society Calendars
Weekly Health Tip
Quote of the Week
Pursuing the Impeachment of Donald Trump
On Tuesday, following a whistleblower complaint that the President pressured the President of Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 Presidential election, I joined Speaker Pelosi and the majority of House Democrats in support of a formal impeachment inquiry. I first called for the impeachment of the President in the fall of 2017 and am heartened that so many of my colleagues are now in agreement that we must swiftly proceed with an impeachment inquiry. I am very concerned by the seriousness of this most recent and extreme example of President Trump's impeachable conduct. See my release about this situation here and my House floor speech on Thursday here.
Questioning Experts on Assault Weapons and Their Use on Our Streets
On Wednesday, as a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, I questioned expert witnesses on assault weapons and armor-piercing bullets. Dr. RaShall Brackney, the Chief of Police in Charlottesville, Virginia, took exception to the flawed notion that a good person with a gun can stop a bad person with a gun. She said, "Actually, what stops a bad person with a gun is keeping a gun out of their hands to start with." I ended my questioning of witnesses with a statement: "I stand with the police and the sheriffs' departments, and not with the NRA." See my release and that testimony here.
Addressing Gun Violence with Safer Streets Act
On Thursday, I questioned witnesses at a hearing on "Community Responses to Gun Violence in Our Cities" held by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. During the hearing, I discussed my Safer Streets Act, which would direct grant funding to communities with at least twice the national rate of violent crime. See my release on the hearing here.
Questioning Adequacy of GSA Oversight of Trump Hotel Lease
Also Wednesday, I questioned why the General Services Administration (GSA) didn't consider the Constitution's emoluments clause when evaluating the Trump Organization's lease of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. I also asked about Trump's decision to forfeit the profits earned at the hotel from foreign governments and why they haven't been audited for accuracy or publicly revealed. See the wholly inadequate GSA responses to my questions here.
Demanding Answers on FAA Compliance with SEAT Act
On Thursday, the Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration appeared before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. I asked him why the Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act that I authored and was signed into law last year has not been fully implemented. See my release here.
Announcing $4.2 Million Grant to Memphis International Airport
On Tuesday, I announced a $4.2 million grant to Memphis International Airport for a deicing pad and associated facilities. See my release here.
Calling Attention to U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tip Line
Last month, I met with officials with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to talk about gun crime in Memphis and the creation of a strike force to address it. I also told the officials that I would call attention to the bureau's Gun Crimes Tip Line in my newsletter to constituents. Call (888) ATF-TIPS – (888) 283-8477 -- if you have a tip for these dedicated law enforcement specialists.
Offering U.S. Capitol Historical Society Calendars
My office will have a limited number of 2020 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.
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Weekly Health Tip
Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported more than 540 cases of infection by the West Nile Virus, including cases in Shelby and Gibson counties in West Tennessee and Craighead County in Eastern Arkansas. The CDC has good advice on how to prevent and repel mosquitoes. See statistics on the disease, means of preventing exposure and other information here.
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or anyone else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about anyone else." – Former President Theodore Roosevelt, syndicated column in The Kansas City Star, May 7, 1918.
Congratulations to the University of Memphis Tigers in their victory over Navy Thursday night. 4-0! Go Tigers!
As always, I remain
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress