Voting for The Heroes Act to Address Coronavirus Pandemic
Dear Friend,
This week, I returned to Washington to vote on a fifth Congressional response to the coronavirus pandemic. I also wrote to Congressional leaders asking them to prevent the privatization of federal jobs in the midst of a pandemic; remembered the late City Council member and Orange Mound community leader Fred Davis; celebrated the life of the late Little Richard; invited high school students in the 9th Congressional District to participate in this year's Congressional Arts Competition; announced major grants to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and the University of Memphis; and offered a health tip. Keep reading and follow my Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages to see what I'm doing as it happens.
Voting for The Heroes Act to Address Coronavirus Pandemic
Writing House Leaders to Prevent Privatization of Federal Jobs
Remembering Former City Council Member Fred Davis
Celebrating the Life of Little Richard
Speaking with the Press and Constituents
Inviting Student Contributions to the Congressional Art Competition
Announcing Research Grants to UTHSC and University of Memphis
Weekly Health Tip
Quote of the Week
Voting for The Heroes Act to Address Coronavirus Pandemic
This week, I flew back to Washington to vote for a fifth Congressional response to the coronavirus pandemic. The measure contains funding for state and local governments, hospitals, first responders, health care workers, testing, another round of $1,200 economic impact payments and increased spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), among many other things. The measure also incorporates provisions I have been calling for to improve previous bills addressing the pandemic, including the repeal of a tax break for millionaire and billionaire real estate developers and hedge fund managers. It also provides increased Medicaid disproportionate share funding for Tennessee hospitals, increased funding for the Legal Service Corporation to provide assistance to those facing legal problems as a result of the crisis and requires passengers and crews on commercial airlines to wear masks, a policy proposal I have been championing for weeks with the Federal Aviation Administration, the CDC and the airlines. See my assessment of the bill in this release and my release on Friday's vote, including speeches I made from the House floor, here.
Writing House Leaders to Prevent Privatization of Federal Jobs
On Tuesday, after learning of the Tennessee Valley Authority's incomprehensibly mistaken plan to privatize and outsource 108 information technology (IT) jobs in the midst of the ongoing pandemic, I wrote to House leaders asking them to include language prohibiting this practice at TVA and all federal agencies during this crisis. See my release and the letter here.
Remembering Former City Council Member Fred Davis
Also Tuesday, I mourned the passing of former City Council member and community leader Fred Davis. I had known Mr. Davis for 50 years and considered him a gentleman always able to bring people together. See my statement reflecting on his life here.
Celebrating the Life of Little Richard
America lost a pioneer of Rock 'n' Roll last Saturday with the death of Little Richard. The legendary showman often brought his act to Memphis, including an appearance at the Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival in 2012. See my celebration of his life and music here.
Speaking with the Press and Constituents
In addition to my weekly press conference on Tuesday, I spoke with groups of constituents and journalists, including members of the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church's on their "The Turntable" broadcast, The Tennessee Holler's editor Justin Kanew; a group of Walmart executives; documentary producers of "Pandemic on the Ground;" University of Memphis political rhetoric professor Antonio de Velasco; and others.
Inviting Student Contributions to the Congressional Art Competition
Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students in the 9th District. The winning artwork of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will include the winning artwork from all participating districts from around the country. The winning artwork is also featured on the House's Congressional Art Competition page. Learn more on my website: Cohen.House.Gov.
How to apply: Send an image of your artwork (jpeg format) and a completed student release form (found on the House's Congressional Art Competition page) to CohenArtCompetition@mail.house.gov by May 28th, 2020.
Congressional Art Competition rules: Artwork entered in the contest may be up to 28 inches by 28 inches, may be up to 4 inches in-depth, and not weigh more than 15 pounds. Please visit the House's Congressional Art Competition for a complete list of rules.
More details are available on my website: Cohen.House.Gov
Announcing Research Grants to UTHSC and University of Memphis
This week the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and the University of Memphis were awarded significant research grants. See my releases about them here and here.
Weekly Health Tip
As I have for the past several weeks, I am urging my friends and constituents to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols to avoid catching or spreading the coronavirus: keeping a safe social distance from others of at least six feet; washing hands frequently for at least 25 seconds; staying home as much as possible; and wearing face masks when you're out in public. We'll get through this together.
Quote of the Week
"What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country." – The late Senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Indianapolis, April 4, 1968, informing the crowd of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. earlier that day.
As always, I remain
Most sincerely,
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress