April 14, 2023

Dear Friend, 

This week, I applauded the reinstatement of two state representatives who were expelled by the Tennessee General Assembly last week. While I am encouraged to see the unjustified removal of Representatives Justin Pearson and Justin Jones advance the cause of gun control, I believe we must ensure that their expulsion does not set a precedent.  It also prompted me to write Attorney General Merrick Garland to seek a Department of Justice review of the matter. Tennessee remains one of ten states that have so far declined to expand its Medicaid program and I continued to speak out and urge state lawmakers to avail the state of the federal funding that would alleviate unnecessary suffering for individuals and hospitals. I also reached out to my new constituents in Tipton County to offer my office’s help and useful resources to deal with recent storm damage, visited the Daniel Hanley House in Orange Mound, worked on the release of a Putin critic and journalist unlawfully detained in Russia, announced a National Science Foundation grant to the University of Memphis, was reminded that FedEx began its Memphis operations fifty years ago this Monday, April 17. I also offered a health tip about seasonal allergies. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens.

Applauding Reinstatement of Expelled Tennessee Lawmakers

Requesting Department of Justice Review of General Assembly’s Expulsions

Calling for Expanding Tennessee’s Medicaid Program – TennCare

Offering Assistance to Tipton County Residents Affected by Severe Weather

Visiting Daniel Hanley House in Orange Mound

Seeking Release of Putin Critic Journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza

Announcing National Science Foundation Grant to the University of Memphis

Commemorating FedEx’s 50 Years in Memphis

Weekly Health Tip

Quote of the Week

Applauding Reinstatement of Expelled Tennessee Lawmakers

On Wednesday afternoon, I was at the Shelby County Commission Chamber for the special meeting called to reappoint State Representative Justin J. Pearson, a former intern in my Congressional office, to the Tennessee House of Representatives. Tennessee has become the focus of national attention after Mr. Pearson and Representative Justin Jones were expelled from the General Assembly for breaking rules of decorum by speaking out against gun violence and Tennessee’s failure to address it. I was pleased efforts to remove Representative Gloria Johnson failed, and that Mr. Pearson and Mr. Jones have now been appointed to represent the districts they were elected to represent.

Requesting Department of Justice Review of General Assembly’s Expulsions

The expulsion of two young Black state Representatives was undemocratic, embarrassing for our state, and possibly unconstitutional.  I wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday asking for a Department of Justice review of this matter. See my release and the letter here.

Calling for Expanding Tennessee’s Medicaid Program – TennCare

On Thursday, I participated in a virtual press conference with my colleagues Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia and Representative Don Davis of North Carolina to talk about the need to expand Medicaid in the 10 states that have not yet done so. Tennesseans are being shortchanged, many in need of health care are missing out, and many hospitals are planning to reduce services or have already. Congressman Davis spoke about the benefits that will come to his state, as North Carolina state legislators recently agreed to expand its Medicaid program.

Offering Assistance to Tipton County Residents Affected by Severe Weather

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are just some of the entities helping residents of Tipton County affected by the storm. Several useful resources can be found on my website — click here to see FEMA’s guide for those affected by recent tornadoes, click here to review information on how to avoid scammers and con-artists, and click here to learn more about disaster loan assistance through the SBA.

Remembering Soldiers Lost at Fort Pillow

On Wednesday, I participated in a wreath laying ceremony at the Memphis National Cemetery where more than 100 Black U.S. soldiers killed in the infamous Fort Pillow Massacre at the end of the Civil War are buried. In February, I introduced the Fort Pillow National Battlefield Park Study Act directing the Department of the Interior to conduct a study of the Fort Pillow State Historic Park in Lauderdale County as a possible National Park Service site.

Visiting Daniel Hanley House in Orange Mound

Left to right: Douglas Wilkins, the homeowner, Congressman Cohen, and Cheryl Henderson of JUICE Orange Mound.

On Wednesday, I visited the Daniel Hanley House on Spottswood in Orange Mound to see the 1912 American foursquare home placed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 2021. I am always pleased to see Memphis landmarks preserved.

Seeking Release of Putin Critic Journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza

As Ranking Member of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, I joined the Commission’s Chairman, Joe Wilson of South Carolina, in asking Secretary of State Antony Blinken to use all the authorities under his control to free anti-Putin Washington Post journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, a courageous leader in the fight for democracy for Russia See our release and the letter here.

Announcing National Science Foundation Grant to the University of Memphis

The University of Memphis received a prestigious National Science Foundation grant to study bird metabolism this week. See my release here.

Commemorating FedEx’s 50 Years in Memphis

On Monday, Tennessee’s largest private employer will celebrate 50 years of operations in Memphis. I congratulate Fred Smith, Raj Subramaniam and the whole FedEx team on reaching this significant corporate milestone.

Weekly Health Tip

We have clearly entered the time of year when many of us suffer from seasonal allergies, often caused by high plant pollen counts. While I can’t help you avoid post-nasal drip or red, watery eyes, I can offer some guidance from the National Institutes of Health. See that here.

Quote of the Week

“This is a great day. We’ve restored democracy.” – This is part of what I said outside the Shelby County Commission Chamber on Wednesday.

As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress