Dear Friend,

This week, I reintroduced the Police Training and Independent Review Act, a measure to instill community confidence in police training and the credibility of police-involved deadly force investigations. I also congratulated this year’s winners of the National Civil Rights Museum’s Freedom Awards, was recognized for a lifetime of public service by the Black Chamber of Memphis, announced substantial Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Health and Human Services grant funding, and offered a health tip, a Friday Flashback and three Doonesbury cartoons. Keep reading and follow me on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens.

Introducing the Police Training and Independent Review Act

Congratulating National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award Winners

Being Honored by the Black Chamber of Memphis

Announcing $1.6 Million in FEMA Grants to Shelby County, the University of Memphis and Covington

Announcing $1.2 Million in Health and Human Services Grants

Weekly Health Tip

The Friday Flashback

Three Doonesbury Cartoons

Quotes of the Week

Introducing the Police Training and Independent Review Act

On Thursday, I reintroduced the Police Training and Independent Review Act, legislation that would help restore trust between law enforcement officials and the communities they serve by providing better training designed to prevent police-involved deaths and encouraging independent, impartial investigations into law enforcement officials’ use of deadly force. See my release on the measure here.

Congratulating National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award Winners

I congratulate National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award winners 93-year-old Fred Gray, a Montgomery, Alabama, Civil Rights lawyer who represented Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks; Shavon Arline-Bradley, a health equity advocate; Bakari Sellers, a lawyer and former South Carolina lawmaker; and Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBA Players Association. The 35^th annual Freedom Awards were presented at the Orpheum on Thursday evening.

Being Honored by the Black Chamber of Memphis

Earlier today, I was recognized for my lifetime of public service by the Black Chamber of Memphis at its “Building Wealth in Our Community Symposium.” The Chamber’s President Mark Yates noted my efforts in securing funding through the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide training, resources and technical assistance to entrepreneurs. Mayor Paul Young introduced me and talked about the projects we have worked on together, including the Interstate 55 Kings' Crossing Bridge over the Mississippi. He said he went to the Department of Transportation and was told you have to have Cohen. So he came to me and we got it. The Chamber announced it will create a perpetual Steve Cohen award with a financial endowment. In my remarks, I noted that I worked for years to bring a Minority Business Development Agency to Memphis in 2012, hosted several Federal Procurement Fairs to help minority businesses secure contracts with government agencies, and secured Community Project Funding for the Black Business Association and many other deserving minority-run enterprises. As I prepare to retire from Congress, I am particularly proud of the work I have done to strengthen the local economy and its Black businesses.

Announcing $1.6 Million in FEMA Grants to Shelby County, the University of Memphis and Covington

Last Friday, I announced four grants totaling $1,642,481, for Shelby County, the University of Memphis, and Covington from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). All four are for preparations for future disasters. See details in my release here.

Announcing $1.2 Million in Health and Human Services Grants

On Thursday, I announced $1,297,688 in grants from agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Camellia Foundation will receive $750,000 for its rural communities opioid response program. The University of Memphis will receive $297,688 for its Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. And Agape Child and Family Services will receive $249,998 for enhanced case management.

Weekly Health Tip

The Shelby County Health Department will host the Whitehaven Fall Festival on Saturday, October 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 4770 Elvis Presley Boulevard in the parking lot of Brown Baptist Church. The event will feature music, giveaways, health-related training sessions and information about the department’s resources. It will also give residents information on the plans for a new Whitehaven Public Health Clinic to be built at the festival site. See details here.

The Friday Flashback

This is a yard sign from my 1982 campaign for the state Senate. Note the Cohen for Congress sticker.

Three Doonesbury Cartoons

Some of my newsletter subscribers said they had difficulty reading the small print in the captions of Garry Trudeau’s “Doonesbury” cartoons the past two weeks. They are re-printed here along with a new one.

Quotes of the Week

“Unfortunately, President Donald Trump sent the opposite message on Sunday when he said he had told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to 'take it easy' on Russian refineries. Ukraine’s strikes are beginning to impose precisely the price that could challenge Moscow’s recklessness. A better message from Trump would be that the U.S. will allow Ukraine to do more if Russia doesn’t ease up.” – The Washington Post editorial “ ‘Take it easy’ on Russia? Trump’s words signal weakness” on Monday

"Never insult an alligator until after you have crossed the river.” -- U.S. Secretary of State, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Tennessee Congressman and Senator Cordell Hull (1871 – 1955), born on this day

As always, I remain

Sincerely,

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress