Dear Friend,

This week, I returned to Washington in hopes of resolving the issue of extending subsidies for Affordable Care Act health care policies and getting the federal government re-opened but found Republican leaders stubbornly unwilling to negotiate. I also expressed guarded optimism that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will continue flowing after some late Friday afternoon federal court rulings, demanded the release of political prisoners unlawfully imprisoned by their governments, reminded readers that open enrollment for Medicare is under way, offered U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars to constituents, was named a “Small Business Champion” by Goldman Sachs, and offered a Friday Flashback, a Garry Trudeau cartoon and a weekly health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens.

Returning to Washington to Find House Chamber Doors Locked

Expressing Relief at Court Rulings Temporarily Extending SNAP Benefits

Demanding Release of Foreign Political Prisoners

Reminding Readers that Open Enrollment for Medicare and the ACA Marketplace is Under Way

Offering U.S. Capitol Historical Society 2026 Calendars

The Friday Flashback

A Doonesbury Cartoon

Weekly Health Tip

Quote of the Week

Returning to Washington to Find House Chamber Doors Locked

I returned to Washington this week to work on getting the government re-opened after four weeks but encountered continued Republican intransigence on Democrats’ demands that subsidies for Affordable Care Act policies be restored-- a continued impasse and part of a persistent attack from the GOP to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. I went to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday and found the doors of the House Chamber locked. Speaker Mike Johnson won’t bring the House back into session. He won’t even swear in Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona because hers would be the 218th signature on a discharge petition for release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. We are essentially being held hostage to protect the release of information about pedophiles who could still be charged and prosecuted since there is no statute of limitations on these crimes. This is an intolerable situation and further proof, as if it were necessary, that the Republican leadership does not know how to govern.

Expressing Relief at Court Rulings Temporarily Extending SNAP Benefits

I am relieved that two federal judges have told the Trump administration that it must use available contingency and other funds to extend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) into November. The U.S. Department of Agriculture was planning to stop funding the program at midnight tonight but that deadline has been averted, at least temporarily. See my statement on the two federal judges’ ruling that came down late this afternoon here.

Demanding Release of Foreign Political Prisoners

Thursday was the International Day of Political Prisoners. As the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on Political Prisoners, I released a joint statement with my Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe counterpart demanding the release of all prisoners silenced by their governments, naming names. I also introduced a resolution to officially recognize October 30 as the International Day of Political Prisoners in the House with Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina.

Reminding Readers that Open Enrollment for Medicare and the ACA Marketplace is Under Way

Open enrollment for Medicare is under way and ends December 7. If you are a Medicare beneficiary, it is important to check your plan for next year even if you are satisfied with it, as some of the details may have changed. Log in to an existing account or register for one at Medicare.gov/plan-compare. See eligibility information and plan details here.

Enrollment for health insurance for 2026 through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace on https://www.healthcare.gov/ opens on November 1 and will run through December 15. Due largely to changes in the insurance market from Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, base insurance rates will go up by an average of 24 percent in Tennessee. If tax credits are not extended, the 350,000 Tennesseans who rely on them for affordable insurance will see their out-of-pocket costs rise even more dramatically.

Offering U.S. Capitol Historical Society 2026 Calendars

My office currently has a limited number of 2026 U.S. Capitol Historical Society calendars available. If you would like to receive a calendar, please complete this form. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee’s 9th District.

Being Named a Small Business Champion by Goldman Sachs

Thursday’s front page of The Washinton post contained an announcement from Goldman Sachs that I am one of its “Small Business Champions.” I am gratified that my work for small businesses is recognized and pledge to continue that work. It was great to have two Memphis small business owners in town this week to discuss the policies needed to help them grow.

The Friday Flashback

This is me with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker in April after he delivered his marathon 25-hour and five-minute speech condemning actions taken by Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

A Doonesbury Cartoon – Invoking the 25^th Amendment

Weekly Health Tip

Daylight savings time ends on Sunday, November 2, when you should remember to set your clocks to “fall back” one hour. The sun will rise earlier, making it easier to get started in the morning, but it means the sun will also set earlier. To help your body adjust, try to get extra exposure to sunlight in the morning. Read more tips from Vanderbilt University Medical Center here.

Also, see some tips for Halloween safety from the Tennessee Department of Health here.

Quote of the Week

“It’s all the same story — it’s the story of corruption. The cutting of people’s health care to fund tax cuts for billionaires is corruption. The destruction of free speech in this country is corruption…We are not on the verge of an authoritarian takeover. We are in the middle of an authoritarian takeover…It is up to us to save us.” – Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, quoted in The Washington Post on Wednesday.

As always, I remain…

Sincerely,

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress