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Welcoming the Holiday Season

December 6, 2013
Enewsletters

Dear Friend,

I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying the holiday season. This week, Congress returned to Washington for the last weeks of the year. This current Congress has so far been the least productive in history, but I hope that after the shutdown battles of the last few months, we can all come together to deal with the issues before us. We should pass a budget that averts yet another shutdown early next year, roll back the cuts that are hurting the middle class, and extend unemployment benefits and the food stamp program so that the least among us can live with dignity. Keep reading to learn more about what went on this week.

Helping Memphians Get Covered
Remembering Nelson Mandela
Promoting Immigration Reform
Working for a Living Wage
Celebrating Hannukah
Promoting American Innovation and Ingenuity
Grants to Memphis
White House Internships
Grant Announcements

Helping Memphians Get Covered

All Memphians should have quality health coverage and the President’s landmark Affordable Care Act—also known as Obamacare—is making affordable, higher-quality coverage available to people who have not had access to it in the past. Luckily, many who have been unable to afford quality coverage in the past are now eligible to enroll in Tennessee’s Health Insurance Marketplace. If you do not have health insurance coverage, you may be eligible to save money on your health care premiums in the Marketplace.

On Monday evening, I hosted a telephone town hall with Anton Gunn, the Director of External Affairs for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to answer questions about the law and discuss the law’s benefits. During the hour-long town hall, more than 7,000 citizens of the Ninth District participated and I enjoyed the opportunity to speak with them.

If you are on Medicare or your employer is going to offer qualified health insurance next year that you will enroll in, you’re already covered and won’t need to enter the Marketplace for your health coverage. If you aren’t sure whether or not you will need to use the Marketplace to get insurance, call the Marketplace Hotline at1-800-318-2596or visit www.HealthCare.gov. You can also call my office or the Marketplace Hotline to find out if TennCare (Tennessee’s Medicaid program) is a coverage option for you. If you are one of the millions of Americans who need health insurance, you can sign up for coverage that will take effect January 1, 2014 until December 23, 2013. Enrollment in the marketplace will remain open until March 31, 2014 if you miss the deadline for coverage starting in January. Visit www.healthcare.gov today to look at out your options.

The Affordable Care Act is already working for families across the Ninth District and the recent government shutdown didn’t change that. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 147,000 individuals in the district now have health insurance that covers preventive services without co-pays, $3.1 million in insurance premiums have been returned to consumers, and more than 5,000 seniors on Medicare paid a total of $5.9 million less for their prescription medications as we continue to close the ‘donut hole.’ Also, health insurance companies can no longer discriminate against patients with pre-existing conditions and young adults up to age 26 can now stay on their parents’ insurance plan.

Many of the Marketplace website issues that have been in the news recently have been resolved. However, the Marketplace website is only one tool that you can use to sign up for coverage. If you are having trouble accessing the website, please do not hesitate to call the Marketplace Hotline at 1-800-318-2596 or visit Seedco Mid-South for in-person help. Seedco is located at 22 North Front Street (Suite 900), and they can be reached by phone at 901-528-8341. If you have any other questions, you should also feel free to call my office at 901-544-4131.

Remembering Nelson Mandela

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As a fighter for both human and civil rights, no one was greater than Nelson Mandela. Much like Martin Luther King Jr., President Mandela had a dream for his people that fundamentally changed society for the better. And much like Abraham Lincoln, President Mandela understood the virtue of reconciliation and the value of making peace with one’s enemies for the betterment of their country. This understanding helped unify a divided people and heal the wounds of apartheid.

Sadly, the world lost him yesterday. After hearing of his passing, I looked at the statue of President Mandela that sits on my Capitol Hill desk with great sadness, but with many fond memories of the humility, self-sacrifice, and enduring warmth shown by one of the world’s most revered and respected people. The loss that his passing represents to the world community can only be offset by his countless good deeds and the transformative example that he set for each of us.

In the 1980’s, I joined with my former Democratic colleagues in the Tennessee State Senate in voting for sanctions against the apartheid regime. As I reflect on Mandela’s passing, I am especially proud of that vote. He was such a great leader and I remain deeply affected by his steadfast moral rectitude. I also recall his visit to Memphis in 2000, where he was awarded the National Civil Rights Museum’s International Freedom Award. As President Obama eloquently said last night: “We have lost one of the most influential, courageous, and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth. He no longer belongs to us—he belongs to the ages.”

Promoting Immigration Reform

Today, I joined my friend Representative Keith Ellison from Minnesota in a fast to show our support for comprehensive immigration reform. Bend the Arc—a Jewish group—asked me to participate today and the Muslim Public Affairs Committee asked Congressman Ellison. You can read about our fast in today’s Commercial Appeal. Representative Ellison and I are both members of the 2006 freshman class in Congress, and we often work together to further the cause of justice. When we do, it reflects the racial progress this country has made: his Minnesota district is mostly white though he is not, and mine is mostly African American though I am not.

Since early November, a group of advocates for immigration reform have been on a hunger strike just steps away from the Capitol in Washington, but few on the other side of the aisle have been swayed. This issue is too important to families across our nation for Congress to ignore it any longer—and I hope that Speaker Boehner brings a comprehensive plan to the floor as soon as possible.

Working for a Living Wage

This week, the University of Tennessee announced that it will raise the minimum wage for its employees to $9.50 an hour. I commend the University and its leadership for setting this positive example.

Throughout my career, I have fought to raise the minimum wage to ensure that hard-working Americans can earn a living wage and won’t have to struggle to provide for themselves and their families. I was proud to vote for an increase in the federal minimum wage in 2007 and am honored to be a co-sponsor of H.R. 1010, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013, which would increase the federal minimum wage to $10.10.

I urge the Tennessee Board of Regents and my colleagues in the House of Representatives to follow the lead of the University of Tennessee and ten states across the nation that have raised the minimum wage this year. Raising the minimum wage would help thousands of Memphians and millions of Americans, reduce income inequality and strengthen American families.

Celebrating Hannukah

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Yesterday evening, I attended a Hannukah party hosted by President Obama at the White House. While there, I met Larry David (the head writer of Seinfeld and creator of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm). I mentioned to him that of all the events I’ve been to at the White House, I was struggling to think of a Jewish person that was as revered by the people attending the event—only Sandy Koufax came to mind. He told me that was the nicest compliment he’d ever received. I’ve long been a fan of his and it was very nice to meet him.

Promoting American Innovation and Ingenuity

Yesterday, I voted for the Innovation Act, a bipartisan jobs bill that will reform the patent system to unleash creativity and promote entrepreneurship in our country. I was glad to see the legislation receive the support of a majority of both Democrats and Republicans when it passed by a vote of 325-91. I also supported several amendments, which unfortunately failed, to further guarantee due process. Although it is not a perfect bill, it would help protect inventors from abusive litigation by so-called “patent trolls” and make other needed reforms to the patent system. As it moves through the legislative process, I hope it can be improved even further.

Our patent system helps keep the United States on the forefront of innovation and creativity. We must do everything we can to ensure that inventors can continue to forge breakthroughs that will lead to economic growth and jobs. I’m glad that Republicans and Democrats could work together on this important legislation that promotes innovation, just like we did with the America Invents Act in 2011, which was introduced in the House by then-Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Lamar Smith from Texas and passed in a bipartisan manner.

Grants to Memphis

This week, I announced almost $400,000 to help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital continue its important research. You can read more about the grant here.

White House Internships

The White House Internship Program is currently accepting applications from young people who are interested in government and devoted to public service. If you—or anyone you know— would like to spend some time working at the White House, gaining valuable professional experience and building leadership skills, I would like to take this opportunity to urge you to apply. The application deadline is January 5th, 2014. Click here for more information.

Grant Announcements

I regularly release a list of grant announcements from federal agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, and others. These federal funding opportunities are available to faith-based and neighborhood associations, nonprofits and other community organizations in the 9th District. The announcements are updated regularly on my website.

As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,

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Steve Cohen
Member of Congress

Issues:9th DistrictBudgetChildren and FamiliesForeign AffairsHealth CareMemphisShelby CountyTennessee