This Week: State Of The Union, Honoring Veterans, St. Jude And Bankruptcy Reform

Statement

This Week: State Of The Union, Honoring Veterans, St. Jude And Bankruptcy Reform

I regret that we had to postpone the 9th District Issues Meeting due to the weather today. I have rescheduled the meeting for Friday, February 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m in my District Office. I hope that you'll be able to attend.

Meeting with Mayors and Constituents

Before returning to Washington, on Monday, I met with Mayors AC Wharton and Joe Ford to discuss a number of issues facing the constituents of the 9th District, including funding for The Med, education, crime, infrastructure and federal funding. It was the first time that all three of us have been able to get together to discuss our shared priorities. I look forward to continuing this meeting with both Mayors on a monthly basis.

Also this week, I met with a number of constituents on issues ranging from health care reform, international trade and housing. On Tuesday, I was honored to replace missing military decorations to World War II, Korean War and Navy Veteran Joseph Johnson.

State of the Union Recap

President Obama's first State of the Union speech on Wednesday was both an historic event and a stirring reminder of the many challenges and opportunities we now have to make America better. The President's eloquent assessment of the state of our nation was wide-ranging, including job creation, economic development, helping families to make ends meet, health care reform, and national security.

http://cohen.congressnewsletter.net/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=2100053394.77922.599&gen=1&mailing_linkid=9059Before the start of the speech, I talked with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebellius about The MED, infant mortality legislation and health care reform.

I was honored to greet President Obama as he entered the House chamber for his speech, and had the chance to speak with him briefly about our shared interest in college basketball -- I told him to keep the Memphis Tigers on his radar screen. After the speech, I told the President that I thought he did a great job and looked forward to working with him.

To read more about my thoughts on the President's speech, please click here.

Telephone Town Hall Recap

Tuesday night, I held my first telephone town hall of the year. More than 7,200 constituents participated in the call which included questions from many constituents about health care reform, school safety and crime, home foreclosures, and the war in Afghanistan, to name a few of the topics covered. Telephone town halls are a great way for me to keep in touch with you and I'll be hosting another one very soon.

If you'd like to be part of our next telephone town hall, please call my District Office at (901) 544-4131 to be added to the list. Knowing your views on the issues facing our district and the nation helps me to better represent you in the Congress.

Conference Call with Agriculture Secretary

The 9th District is on the cutting edge of biofuels development which has the potential to make Memphis a leader in the "green economy." On Thursday, I arranged a conference call between Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Dr. Steven Bares, President and Executive Director of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation to bring to the Secretary's attention the groundbreaking work that is being done by Memphis Bioworks -- not just in biofuels development, but also in helping train workers to get "green energy" jobs.

Bankruptcy Judge Bill Passes Judiciary Committee

Last year, the number of personal bankruptcy claims increased 32 percent, in large measure because of the high unemployment rate and the housing crisis. Shelby County had the highest overall bankruptcy filing rate of any county in the nation last year and the state of Tennessee had the next to highest bankruptcy filing rate, second only to Nevada.

While the workload for bankruptcy courts is increasing, judicial resources are decreasing. Many current judgeships are authorized on a temporary basis and they are set to expire soon. For these reasons, as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, the panel that deals with our nation's bankruptcy laws, I authored H.R. 4506, the Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2010.

My legislation will create 13 new bankruptcy judges (including one for the court that hears cases from the 9th district), make 22 temporary judges permanent, and allow two temporary judgeships to continue an additional five years.

On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee passed my bill, and it will soon be debated by the full House of Representatives. To view my statement in the Judiciary Committee in support of this bill, please click here.

St. Jude Research Announcement

This week, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis announced they were entering into an groundbreaking partnership to help fight pediatric cancer. Research scientists at both institutions will use genome sequencing to better understand and treat pediatric cancer, the leading cause of death among children over the age of one. Genome sequencing is already being used to help better treat breast, lung, brain and ovarian cancers.

The research that St. Jude and Washington University will undertake will help to unlock the genetic mysteries surrounding cancer and to keep the 9th District on the front lines of cutting-edge medical research. I commend both institutions on their collaboration, which will make a tremendous difference in the lives of children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Helping Americans Returning from Haiti and Keeping Medicare Affordable

This week, as earthquake relief efforts continue in Haiti, I joined with my House colleagues to pass S. 2919, the Emergency Aid to American Survivors of Haiti Act.

Under the bill, funding for the U.S. Repatriation Program was increased to $25 million to help Americans who were in Haiti return to their families in the U.S. The program provides citizens with a short-term loan to help with the costs for flights, temporary lodging, food, and medical assistance. Repatriation assistance for American citizens is usually raised in response to large-scale evacuations, most recently in 2006 to help citizens leave Lebanon and in 1991 for the entirety of the First Gulf War.

In addition to funding repatriation of Americans from Haiti, S. 2919 also includes increased funding to help seniors pay for Medicare Part B premiums. The bill provides $65 million in additional funding for the Qualifying Individual Program, which helps to pay Medicare Part B premium costs for low-income seniors. Without this additional funding, the program would be unable to meet its obligations to America's seniors in 2010.

2010 Calendars Going Fast!

Just a reminder, there are a limited number of 2010 Congressional Calendars remaining. The demand has been high. If you've already requested a calendar, it should be arriving shortly -- if you would like one, please click here and we'll send calendars until the supply is depleted. If you'd like to be added to the list for the next calendar mailing, please click here.

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