Dear Friend,

This week, I welcomed the New Year as the keynote speaker at the annual Lowery Family Prayer Breakfast, laying out my vision for the future and reviewing what I accomplished for you in Washington in 2025. I also wrote to Governor Bill Lee to urge him not to miss the deadline for applying for a children’s summer nutrition program that could aid 700,000 Tennessee children – as he did last year. I also announced $6.8 million in Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grants and funding for University of Memphis commercial trucking initiatives, flagged my comprehensive year-end review, and offered a Friday Flashback, a Bill Day 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.

Looking Forward to an Eventful 2026

Highlighting My Work at the Lowery New Year’s Day Prayer Breakfast

Urging Governor Lee to Participate in a Children’s Summer Nutrition Program

Announcing $6.8 Million in Safe Streets for All Grants

Welcoming Funding for University of Memphis Commercial Trucking Initiatives

Flagging My Comprehensive End-of-Year Newsletter

The Friday Flashback

A Bill Day Cartoon

Weekly Health Tip

Quotes of the Week

Looking Forward to an Eventful 2026

Here’s wishing everyone a Happy New Year and productive 2026. This year, I’ll be working in Washington and in Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District to undo the damaging chaos of Trump’s first year back in office and to prevent further harm. We have our work cut out for us, but I am more energized than ever. I welcome your input as we move toward the mid-term elections and a brighter future.

Highlighting My Work at the Lowery New Year’s Day Prayer Breakfast

On Thursday, I was the guest speaker at the 31^st Lowery New Year’s Day Prayer Breakfast, where I’ve had the honor of serving as keynote speaker for many years. I want to thank Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowery for continuing the tradition started by his Dad, my friend of nearly 50 years, Myron Lowery. I spoke about fighting to extend ACA health care subsidies that keep coverage affordable for everyone, delivering federal resources to Memphis, defending the rule of law and democracy, and calling out how Donald Trump continues to serve the interests of Vladimir Putin and the wealthy while working families are left behind and struggling to afford food, utilities, and housing. I highlighted what my long experience as a legislator has meant for Memphis and the entire 9^th Congressional District, and how I plan to keep fighting to deliver more results this year. Seniority has its benefits and being named the fifth most effective Democratic lawmaker in Congress last year by the prestigious Center for Effective Lawmaking made up of political science professors at the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt is an indication expert observers appreciate what I do and how I do it.

Urging Governor Lee to Participate in a Children’s Summer Nutrition Program

On Monday, I wrote to Governor Bill Lee urging him to apply for Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT, sometimes called “Sun Bucks”) funding for a Summer U.S. Department of Agriculture program that would help an estimated 700,000 children in Tennessee -- and not to fail to apply for it as he did last year. See my release and the letter here. 

Announcing $6.8 Million in Safe Streets for All Grants

Also Monday, I announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets for All (SS4A) invested two grants for $6,891,760 in the Memphis Fire Department and the MidSouth Development District. I have long supported SS4A and introduced legislation in September to extend and improve it. See my release on the grants here.

Welcoming Funding for University of Memphis Commercial Trucking Initiatives

Earlier today, I announced $3.2 million in Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration grants to the University of Memphis commercial trucking initiatives. See details on the grant funding here.

Flagging My Comprehensive End-of-Year Newsletter

Over the holidays, I sent constituents a comprehensive review of what I accomplished for the 9^th Congressional District in 2025, including the millions I secured through the appropriations process for Community Projects you asked for – from housing for our senior citizens and homeless veterans to renovations for facilities for at-risk youth and violence prevention programs to ambitious infrastructure improvements. See the end-of-year newsletter here. In 2025, my offices also received more than 102,000 messages from constituents and helped nearly 3,300 constituents with a range of problems, including with the IRS, Social Security and the Veterans Administration. I look forward to continuing to assist you throughout the year.

The Friday Flashback

This is me with my pal Warren Zevon at the Democratic National Convention in 2000. Tennessee Congressman Bart Gordon is to my right. Warren was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November. It was 22 years after he passed but better now than never and it's good for his kids and grandkids.

A Bill Day Cartoon -- "Played Like a Violin"

Weekly Health Tip

The Shelby County Health Department has scheduled two free flu vaccine events in January. The first on January 10 will be held at Centenary United Methodist Church, 584 East McLemore Avenue (38106), from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The second will be on January 24 at Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ, 369 GE Patterson Avenue (38126), from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information about vaccination benefits, see this guidance.

Quotes of the Week

“One of the striking contradictions of President Trump’s tariffs is the way his chorus claims their rousing success even as he carves out hundreds of exceptions. Rarely has a President worked so hard to cover the damage from his policies without admitting it.” – Wall Street Journal New Year’s Day editorial “Another Trump Tariff Retreat”

“The thuggishness extends far beyond the people who were directly involved in Jan. 6 cases. The legacy of that day has taught Mr. Trump how to use power more aggressively to advance his interests. In his second term, he has surrounded himself with officials who accede to his lawless demands.” – The New York Times editorial on Wednesday titled “Trump is the Jan. 6 President”

As always, I remain

Sincerely,

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress