Enewsletter: My Plan to End Police Excessive Force

Statement

Dear Friend,

This week, Congressman Lacy Clay (who represents Ferguson, Missouri) and I introduced a plan to end the use of excessive force by police officers, I defended a woman's right to choose from House Republicans' unconstitutional effort to ban abortions, and Memphis lost former state Senator Kathryn Bowers and the world lost legendary musician B.B. King. Keep reading to learn more about what happened this week, or if you'd like to receive the updates in this eNewsletter (and more) as they happen, simply "like" my Facebook page. Be sure to check it regularly, as it will be updated often with news, pictures, and videos.

My Plan to End Police Excessive Force

America received a sobering wake-up call last year in Ferguson, followed by other tragic events in Staten Island, Cleveland, North Charleston, and more recently in Baltimore. The need for reform is as clear as it is urgent. Read about the plan Congressman Lacy Clay--who represents Ferguson--and I proposed this week to help end excessive force by police here.

The recent excessive force tragedies are not just instances of police brutality. The problem is deeper than that. We also have a flawed criminal justice system urgently in need of reform. Click here to read my op-ed in Blue Nation Review on what we can do to help address the root problems.

Improving Our Nation's Decaying Infrastructure

This New York Times editorial gets it right. Our transportation infrastructure is decaying and I am very disappointed that just hours after this week's deadly train derailment, which could have been prevented by an already-installed safety system that hadn't been turned on because of funding and other issues, House Republicans voted to slash Amtrak's budget.

We should support our nation's infrastructure, not starve it of needed funding that could help save lives--not only on Amtrak, but on our highways and bridges too. The Highway Trust Fund expires in just 4 legislative days, as Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx reminded us during this week's visit to Memphis, but Republican leaders still haven't proposed a plan to reauthorize it.

Remembering B.B. King and Kathryn Bowers

I was saddened to learn this morning that B.B. King has passed away. He was from the Delta, but his career started at WDIA Radio in Memphis as the Beale Street Blues Boy disk jockey. B.B. was a legendary musician and gifted guitarist, but more than that he was simply a very, very, very nice man. He will be missed all over the world, especially in Memphis on Beale Street. You can watch the eulogy I gave commemorating his life on the House Floor this morning here.

We also lost Kathryn Bowers, who was a great warrior for justice and fairness and for Memphis, this week. She served more than a decade in the Tennessee General Assembly as a state representative and state senator and was always right on the issues. She was a tireless advocate for women, the poor and underserved, and those not represented by powerful interest groups. She was not afraid to speak truth to power. Kathryn was a friend who will be missed by many.

Protecting a Woman's Right to Choose

This week, the House passed an unconstitutional assault on a woman's right to choose under the guise of protecting fetuses from pain. But, as a Republican colleague of mine admitted, their bill isn't about fetal pain at all; it's about making an end run around the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling and ending abortion. Republicans couldn't name a single group in the medical community that supports their bill. Women should the right to make decisions with advice from those she trusts. Medical experts, not politics, should help women with these difficult decisions. Watch me speak out against this attack on women's rights here.

Welcoming Memphians to Capitol Hill

This week I was pleased to welcome several groups of Memphians to Capitol Hill. Two groups of students met with me on the steps of the United States Capitol: Whitney Achievement Elementary School's 5th grade class arrived with questions about working in Congress and the daily schedule of a Congressman, and St. Francis of Assisi School's 8th grade class spoke with me about issues including college affordability and improving collegiality in Washington.

I also met with film and television actor David Winston. David was in Washington along with representatives from the Delta Leadership Institute to discuss their efforts in the economic development of the Delta region. I was pleased to have the opportunity to learn more about the work of the Delta Leadership Institute, and am thankful for their efforts to improve our home of Memphis, and the state of Tennessee.

Finally, I also enjoyed meeting Anita Curry-Jackson, Leslie Jackson, Pamela Mitchell and Memphis Vietnam veterans Adrian Kilgore and Roy Jackson in the Capitol's Rayburn Room, where I thanked them for their service and talked about their trip to Washington as well as shared memories of the late B.B. King. Mr. Kilgore was my postman years back, and he recalled B.B. King's first show on WDIA radio as well as sang the Pepticon ditty that B.B. was known for in his first WDIA stint. As always, it was my pleasure to welcome Memphians to Washington.

Helping Children like 3-Year-Old Memphian Chloe Grauer

Three-year-old Chloe Grauer suffered from debilitating seizures that could have been alleviated by cannabidiol (CBD), but the treatment was denied to her because of out-of-touch state and federal drug laws. CBD does not contain enough THC to produce a high, and it has been shown to work for similar medical conditions. I am pleased that a healthcare issue like this is becoming more bipartisan by the day, and I commend Senators Gardner, Wyden, Isakson, Merkley, Hatch, and Bennet for introducing a bipartisan bill in the Senate to help children like Chloe, who passed away late last year, have access to this vital treatment. Read more about their billhere.

Grants for Memphis

The Memphis Health Center provides important health services and high-quality, affordable care to citizens throughout the Ninth District. I was pleased to announce more than $3.7 million in federal funding for the Health Center today which will help it reduce health inequalities and disparities in Shelby County. Read more about the funding here.

Go Grizzlies!

As always, I remain.
Most sincerely,

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress

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