Dear Friend, This week, we remember the terrible insurrection on January 6, 2021, when rioters assaulted our U.S. Capitol and threatened the peaceful transfer of power in our longstanding democratic tradition. I also continued to celebrate President Biden signing into law my bill renaming the downtown federal building exclusively for the late Judge Odell Horton; commended all those who contributed to realizing the soon-to-be-dedicated Memphis Suffrage Monument downtown; called again for the Senate to take up the House-passed John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and pass it by ending the filibuster, if necessary; noted that the pause in repaying student loans has been extended through May 1; announced a significant Early Head Start grant to Porter-Leath; congratulated the University of Memphis for a prestigious National Science Foundation grant; applauded a Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement to MLGW for expenses incurred during last April's ice storm; and offered a health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens. Remembering the January 6 Insurrection Celebrating Renaming of the Odell Horton Federal Building Commending All Responsible for the Memphis Suffrage Monument Downtown Calling on the Senate to Protect Voting Rights Extending Student Loan Repayment Freeze through May Announcing $1.25 Million Early Head Start Grant to Porter-Leath Congratulating University of Memphis on National Science Foundation Research Grant Applauding $1 Million in FEMA Funding to MLGW in Wake of Last Year's Ice Storm Weekly Health Tip Quote of the Week
Remembering the January 6 Insurrection 
On Thursday, our nation paused to remember last year's failed insurrection at the U.S. Capitol when Trump supporters attempted to subvert the will of the people and the Constitutional process designed for our nation's peaceful transfer of power. I was in the House Gallery on that fateful day, calling on my Republican colleagues to call off Trump's "Revolutionary Guard" as I feared for my life. Otis Sanford in The Daily Memphian wrote about my experience in his column this week. This was a watershed moment in our history, akin to Pearl Harbor, Bloody Sunday and the 9/11 Attacks, and we must find the will and the means to address it. A country where violence replaces reasoned dissent will not be a democratic republic for long. Celebrating Renaming of the Odell Horton Federal Building
Judge Odell Horton On December 21, 2021, President Biden signed into law my bill to rename the downtown Memphis federal building exclusively for the late Judge Odell Horton. This change is both a substantive and symbolic step forward. I was able to add Judge Horton's name to the building in the first bill I passed after coming to Congress in 2007. I look forward to celebrating with the entire Memphis community when we hold a dedication ceremony in the near future. See my announcement of the bill signing here. Commending All Responsible for Memphis Suffrage Monument Downtown
Photo by Andree LeQuire Finishing touches are being made, but the Memphis Suffrage Monument – "Equality Trailblazers" -- is now installed on the river side of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law downtown and can be seen from Interstate 40, the river and Riverside Drive. I want to commend Paula Casey and all those responsible for making the monument a reality. Among those honored in the monument are Maxine Smith, Minerva Johnican and Lois DeBerry with whom I served as a Shelby County Commissioner, state Senator and community activist. It also depicts the "100 Year March," the peaceful efforts to assure voting rights, and Tennessee being "The Perfect 36" – the 36th state ratifying the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution extending voting rights to women in 1920. See the Downtown Memphis Commission article on the monument, including my video tribute to those responsible, here. A dedication ceremony is tentatively scheduled for March during Women's History Month. Calling on the Senate to Protect Voting Rights The House of Representatives passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act last August, but the Senate has failed so far to consider the measure which aims to protect voting rights and prevent the kinds of voter suppression laws being passed by Republican-held state legislatures across the country. If ending the Senate's antiquated filibuster rule to pass this critical legislation is necessary, that is what must be done. Democratic representation itself is at stake. Extending Student Loan Repayment Freeze through May President Biden, in late December, wisely extended student loan relief for another 90 days. This action means there are no mandatory federal student loan payments, no new student loan interest accrual, and no collection of student loans in default through May 1, 2022. If you have a student loan, I encourage you to look into assistance available through the U.S. Department of Education including loan consolidation, repayment plans and student loan forgiveness. You can find information on these programs here. Announcing $1.25 Million Early Head Start Grant to Porter-Leath
On Monday, I announced that Porter-Leath would receive a $1.25 million grant for its Early Head Start programs from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Head Start. See my release on this important program for young children here. Congratulating University of Memphis on National Science Foundation Research Grant On Wednesday, I announced that the University of Memphis will be receiving a $700,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to undertake critical research in its Chemistry Department. See that release here. Applauding $1 Million in FEMA Funding to MLGW in Wake of Last Year's Ice Storm The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Monday that it will be reimbursing MLGW for the cost of replacing utility poles, transformers and related equipment after last April's ice storm. See that release here. Weekly Health Tip In her update on the Covid-19 situation on Thursday, Shelby County Health Department Director Michelle Taylor offered sobering statistics on the pandemic, including a new daily record of 2,259 cases, the worst since it began. The seven-day average, at 1,246, is 200 percent higher than it was on December 23, just two weeks ago. In other words, this disease is surging, and every precaution must be taken to address it. That's why it is especially important to get fully vaccinated and boosted, which appears to limit the dominant Omicron variant's severity. The Shelby County Health Department continues to offer vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11 accompanied by a parent or legal guardian on a walk-in basis at its immunization clinic at 814 Jefferson Avenue between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The accompanying parent or legal guardian must provide documentation of the child's birth date with either a birth certificate or shot record. In addition, adults already fully vaccinated are eligible for coronavirus booster shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends booster shots for adults who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago or people aged 12 or older who received their second dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech at least five months ago or people 18 or older who received their second dose of the Moderna vaccine at least six months ago. More information about the booster shots is available here. Vaccines are currently available for everyone 5 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 Shelby County Health Department at 814 Jefferson is also dispensing vaccines from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. No appointments are needed. To find the latest information about vaccination sites visit https://covid19.memphistn.gov/ The University of Tennessee Health Science Center's on-campus testing operation is now open at 3 North Dunlap Street. A listing of all local testing sites can be found here. If you have any concerns about getting vaccinated or boosted, please talk with your health care provider. Quote of the Week "We saw it with our own eyes. Rioters menaced these halls, threatening the life of the Speaker of the House, literally erecting gallows to hang the Vice President of the United States of America. But what did we not see? We didn't see a former president, who had just rallied the mob to attack — sitting in the private dining room off the Oval Office in the White House, watching it all on television and doing nothing for hours as police were assaulted, lives at risk, and the nation's capital under siege." – President Joe Biden, addressing the nation from Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol on the anniversary of the January 6 insurrection. As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress | 
