Skip to main content

Visiting Expanded Vaccination Center at the Mid-South Fairgrounds

April 9, 2021
Enewsletters

April 9, 2021

Image removed.

Congressman Cohen visiting the Community Vaccination Center at the Pipkin Building Wednesday. (Photo provided by FEMA.)

Dear Friend,

This week, I toured the newly expanded Community Vaccination Center at the Pipkin Building at the old Mid-South Fairgrounds that is supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). I commended the Biden administration and federal, state, county and city officials who have stepped up to end this pandemic. I urged all my friends and constituents to avail themselves of the fast, free and efficient shots that are essential to returning us to normalcy. I also introduced the Ensuring the Safe Disposal of Coal Ash Act, which strengthens protections against coal ash contamination like the disaster being cleaned up at the Allen Fossil Plant in southwest Memphis. I also went on national television to speak candidly about the need to pass President Biden's American Jobs Plan to strengthen the nation's infrastructure with or without Republican support; announced two major grants to the University of Memphis and to Memphis and Shelby County for homelessness prevention; released a statement commemorating the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in our city; commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day; remembered my Congressional colleague Alcee Hastings of Florida; and offered a health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens.

Visiting Expanded Vaccination Center at the Mid-South Fairgrounds

Introducing the Ensuring the Safe Disposal of Coal Ash Act

Urging Passage of the American Jobs Act Infrastructure Bill

Announcing Grants to the University of Memphis

Announcing $15.1 Million in Homelessness Prevention Funding

Commemorating the Anniversary of the Assassination of Dr. King

Condemning Bigotry and Hatred on Holocaust Remembrance Day

Remembering Congressman Alcee Hastings

Weekly Health Tip

Quote of the Week


Visiting Expanded Vaccination Center at the Mid-South Fairgrounds

On Wednesday, I toured the FEMA-supported Community Vaccination Center set up outside the Pipkin Building at the old Mid-South Fairgrounds. This ambitious distribution and outreach effort by the Biden Administration is truly impressive and is a critical part of the plan to end this pandemic. This expanded resource can only do its job if people make appointments and head to the fairgrounds, or any of the other five sites in Shelby County, to get vaccinated. That's the only way we're going to get this pandemic behind us and return to normalcy. To make an appointment, go to https://covid19.memphistn.gov/ or call (901) 222-SHOT (7468). Doug McGowen, the City of Memphis' chief operating officer, said that walk-ins are now being welcomed. On Saturday and Sunday, the vaccination centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with appointments between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and walk-ins handled on a first come, first served basis. On Monday and the days following, the centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with appointments between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. and walk-ins welcome on a first come, first served basis after 2 p.m. Besides the Pipkin center, inoculations are being administered at Faith Baptist Church in Bartlett; Germantown Baptist Church in Germantown; Greater Imani Church in Raleigh; the inspection station at Appling Cove in Memphis; and at Southwest Tennessee Community College in Whitehaven.

Introducing the Ensuring the Safe Disposal of Coal Ash Act

On Thursday, I introduced the Ensuring the Safe Disposal of Coal Ash Act which would strengthen protections against coal ash contamination. I am acutely aware of the dangers of coal ash contamination and have repeatedly condemned the unacceptably slow clean up of the contaminated groundwater beneath coal ash pits at TVA's Allen Fossil Plant in southwest Memphis, now identified as one of the most-contaminated sites in the country. The measure will bring some accountability to the industry and transparency to clean up plants. See my release on the bill here.

Urging Passage of the American Jobs Act Infrastructure Bill

On Sunday, I went on MSNBC to enthusiastically endorse the American Jobs Plan, the Biden Administration's major initiative to invest in our nation's infrastructure. The measure – which includes building roads, bridges, pipelines, rail lines; expanding reliable internet access; modernizing airports and assuring access to clean water – is overwhelmingly popular but has encountered stiff resistance among Republicans. This measure is too important to be sidelined, and I urge its passage with or without bipartisan support.

Announcing Grants to the University of Memphis

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I announced major grants to the University of Memphis from the National Science Foundation and from the National Institutes of Health. See those releases here and here.

Announcing $15.1 Million in Homelessness-Prevention Funding

Late Thursday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced $15.1 million in homelessness-prevention funding to Memphis and Shelby County from the American Rescue Plan Act. See my release here.

Commemorating the Anniversary of the Assassination of Dr. King

Easter Sunday coincided with the 53rd anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was in our city to support striking sanitation workers when he was killed. See my statement on the occasion here.

Condemning Bigotry and Hatred on Holocaust Remembrance Day

Thursday was Holocaust Remembrance Day, an important occasion to condemn ethnic, religious and other forms of bigotry and hatred. See my statement here.

Remembering Congressman Alcee Hastings

On Tuesday, my Congressional colleague Alcee Hastings, with whom I served on the U.S. Helsinki Commission, passed. See my statement here.

Weekly Health Tip

We have a good strong wind in our sails now that the capacity for vaccinations has increased significantly in Memphis, so my advice to all my friends and constituents is to get vaccinated. Until we can reach a state of herd immunity, and until we fully understand the impact of the coronavirus variants circulating among us, we must remain vigilant and follow public safety protocols: wash hands, wear masks, and keep our distance. Again, to make a vaccination appointment, go to https://covid19.memphistn.gov/ or call (901) 222-SHOT (7468).

Quote of the Week

"We are American. We don't just fix for today, we build for tomorrow. Two hundred years ago, trains weren't traditional infrastructure either until America made a choice to lay down tracks across the country. Highways weren't traditional infrastructure until we allowed ourselves to imagine that roads could connect our nation across state lines. The idea of infrastructure has always evolved to meet the aspirations of American people and their needs, and it's evolving again today." -- President Joe Biden describing the American Jobs Plan on Wednesday.

As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,
Image removed.

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress