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Welcoming the World to Memphis for the 50th Anniversary of Dr. King’s Last Visit

March 30, 2018
Enewsletters

Dear Friend,

This week, I began welcoming the world to Memphis for the anniversary of Dr. King's last visit. I also sought ways to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of the Trump campaign's ties to Russia, visited schools to talk with students about gun violence, talked with CNN's Wolf Blitzer about Trump's proposal for building a border wall, addressed the Rotary Club from historic Clayborn Temple and offered a health tip about Spring pollen and allergies. Keep reading to learn more about my week and follow me on Twitter and Facebook to see more updates as they happen.

Welcoming the World to Memphis for the 50th Anniversary of Dr. King's Last Visit
Seeking Ways to Protect Special Counsel Mueller's Investigation
Visiting Schools to Talk Gun Violence
Talking with CNN's Wolf Blitzer about a Border Wall with Mexico
Addressing the Rotary Club from Historic Clayborn Temple
Signing Up for "Congress On Your Corner," a Telephone Town Hall and this e-Newsletter
Weekly Health Tip
Quote of the Week


Welcoming the World to Memphis for the 50th Anniversary of Dr. King's Last Visit

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All week, people from all over the world have come to Memphis to pay their respects as the 50thanniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s last visit. I look forward to welcoming these visitors as we all pay our respects to the life and work of Dr. King.


Seeking Ways to Protect Special Counsel Mueller's Investigation

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I spent the week in Memphis concerned about growing indications that the investigation Special Counsel Robert Mueller is pursuing, which has now established ties between the Trump campaign and foreign agents, may be in jeopardy. I continue to call attention to the bipartisan Special Counsel Integrity Act (H.R. 4669) that I introduced in December, which sets certain conditions for firing special counsel. Before leaving Washington last week, I introduced a discharge petition demanding a floor vote on the bill once the required majority of House members signs on. Last week, it had 166 of the required 218 signatures.


Visiting Schools to Talk Gun Violence

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On Monday, I visited Mr. Tingley's class at Raleigh-Egypt High School and later talked with Muslim students of the Pleasant View School and Casey Wyatt and the 4th graders at Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal School just days after massive "March for Our Lives' marches around the country, including the one I participated in in Memphis. I was impressed with the students' knowledge on these issues as well as with their passion for civic engagement. It's always good for me to see the enthusiasm for the promise of democracy in our young people.


Talking with CNN's Wolf Blitzer about a Border Wall with Mexico

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On Wednesday, Wolf Blitzer of CNN asked me to come onto his show and talk about guns and about President Trump's proposal for using Defense Department funds to build a border wall with Mexico. I said the only national security rationale for such an unreasonable expenditure would be to keep the president psychologically in check. I also said he'd need congressional approval and that I doubted he'd get it.


Addressing the Rotary Club from Historic Clayborn Temple

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I was the keynote speaker Wednesday at the Rotary Club and reminded the audience of the role Clayborn Temple played in the Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike 50 years ago, and of my efforts in Washington to secure its place among America's most important historic places. I also discussed my recent vote against a $1.3 trillion spending measure, saying its defense spending level was out of line with the country's needs and would create huge deficits in combination with the recent tax scam. I also talked about House passage of my Stop, Observe, Ask and Respond (SOAR) bill aimed at detecting ongoing human trafficking activity.


Signing Up for "Congress On Your Corner," a Telephone Town Hall and this e-Newsletter

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I enjoy meeting regularly with constituents in the district and helping get answers for them to questions about dealing with federal agencies. If you are interested in attending one of my "Congress on Your Corner" events, you can sign up here to receive notification as soon as the next event is scheduled.

For those who haven't participated in a telephone town hall, it's easy to sign up for them by using this form.

If you would like to receive this weekly eNewsletter, or share it with others, you can do that withthis form.


Weekly Health Tip

With our tulip poplars, red buds and forsythias reminding us it's Spring, many are also aware that the pollen in the air can aggravate allergies. The Centers for Disease Control has this advice for the allergy sufferers.


Quote of the Week

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"We've got some difficult days ahead. But that doesn't really matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop." – Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Mason Temple, Memphis, April 3, 1968.

As we enter this week of historic commemoration, I'd like to share a moving video tribute with you, made by my friend Holly Peppe and her associates Liz Queler and Joey Farber: We Sing for Martin Luther King.

I hope you enjoy their artistic tribute to the legacy of Dr. King as much as I did.


For all those observing the holidays, I want to wish a Happy Easter or Good Passover as we celebrate the birth of new hope and freedom from oppression in the shadow of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. anniversary.


As always, I remain,

Most sincerely,

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Steve Cohen
Member of Congress

Issues:9th DistrictMemphisMillingtonShelby CountyTennessee