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Urging Health, Aviation and Airline officials to Require Face Masks on Flights

May 1, 2020
Enewsletters

Dear Friend,

This week, I urged top federal health and aviation officials to require the use of face masks on commercial flights to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Subsequently, JetBlue announced it would implement the policy. I congratulated the airline and urged the four largest airlines to follow JetBlue's lead. I also led a letter to Congressional leaders calling for the repeal of an undeserved tax credit for millionaires and billionaires, unrelated to the pandemic, buried in a coronavirus response bill; announced that Memphis International Airport will be receiving a grant for a centralized de-icing operation; wrote an opinion column on the need to increase funding for the Legal Services Corporation for people with Covid-19-related legal problems; wrote an op-ed on the need to consult scientific evidence in public policy making; held a telephone town hall meeting with State Senator Raumesh Akbari; announced a $12.1 million grant to the Shelby County Board of Education; announced a coronavirus-related grant to the Memphis Housing Authority; and offered a weekly health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (and visit my website Cohen.House.Gov) to see what I'm doing as it happens.

Urging Health, Aviation and Airline Officials to Require Face Masks on Flights
Calling for Repeal of $135 Billion Tax Break for Millionaires and Billionaires
Announcing De-Icing Pad Funding for Memphis International Airport
Writing Op-Ed on the Need for Increased Funding for the Legal Services Corporation
Writing Op-Ed on the Importance of Science-Based Policy
Holding Telephone Town Hall Meeting with State Senator Akbari
Zooming with Midtown Business Owners
Announcing $12.1 Million Head Start Grant to Shelby County Board of Education
Announcing $1 Million Covid-19-Related Grant to Memphis Housing Authority
Weekly Health Tip
Quote of the Week


Urging Health, Aviation and Airline Officials to Require Face Masks on Flights

On Monday, I wrote to the top officials at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, urging them to require face masks to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in air travel. See a release on that letter here. On Wednesday, after JetBlue Airways implemented a mask requirement for passengers and crews, I wrote to thank the airline and also wrote to the four largest airlines urging them to follow JetBlue's lead. On Thursday, Delta, American, and United Airlines all announced they would require passengers to wear masks on flights and Southwest Airlines joined them this morning. See that release here.

Calling for Repeal of $135 Billion Tax Break for Millionaires and Billionaires

For weeks, I have been calling for the repeal of a section of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that provides a huge tax break to millionaires and billionaires. This week, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and I led a letter with 64 other Members urging House and Senate leaders to repeal the section. See our release on the letter here.

Announcing De-Icing Pad Funding for Memphis International Airport

On Monday, I announced a $2.3 million grant for a centralized de-icing pad for Memphis International Airport. See that release here.

Writing Op-Ed on the Need for Increased Funding for the Legal Services Corporation

On Tuesday the newspaper The Hill ran an opinion column I wrote pointing to the need for increased spending for the Legal Services Corporation, which provides legal advice and representation to low-income people. See that column here.

Writing Op-Ed on the Importance of Science-Based Policy

On Thursday, The Commercial Appeal published my op-ed on the importance of science in making rational public policy. A week after the president appeared to endorse injecting people with disinfectants and employing light therapy to cure Covid-19, it seemed a timely reminder. See that column here.

Holding Telephone Town Hall Meeting with State Senator Akbari

On Tuesday, I joined State Senator Raumesh Akbari in a telephone town hall session with our constituents. I provided an update on the legislation I flew back to Washington to pass on April 23 and pointed out resources available on my Congressional web page, Cohen.House.Gov.

Zooming with Midtown Business Owners

On Wednesday, I had a video conversation with MidtownMemphis.org to talk about Small Business Administration (SBA) efforts to help their operations. I asked my Disrict Office staffer most familiar with these issues to join the call and I think we were able to provide useful guidance.

Announcing $12.1 Million Head Start Grant to Shelby County Board of Education

On Thursday, I announced a $12.1 million Head Start grant to the Shelby County Board of Education. See that release here.

Announcing $1 Million Covid-19-Related Grant to Memphis Housing Authority

This morning, I announced that the Memphis Housing Authority will receive a $1,097,308 grant related to the coronavirus response from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. See that release here.

Weekly Health Tip

As in previous weeks, I urge everyone to practice the social distancing guidelines provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention: stay home as much as possible; wear a face mask when out in public; and wash your hands frequently. We will get through this together.

Quote of the Week

"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth." – Physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955), letter to friend Jost Winteler, July 8, 1901


As always, I remain
Most sincerely,

Image removed.

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress