MARYVILLE, Tennessee, April 15 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement on COVID-19 testing: "Without more tests with quick results, it will be difficult to contain this disease and give Americans confidence to go back to work and back to school. "In the last month, Congress has given federal agencies up to $38 billion to develop tests, treatments, and vaccines. "Nothing is more important than  more

WASHINGTON, April 15 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report (GAO-20-378) is entitled "Preventing Drug Diversion: Disposal of Controlled Substances in Home Hospice Settings". The report was sent to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, chairman, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Rep. Frank  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, April 17 -- Rep. Stephen Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced $1,517,150 in U.S. Health and Human Services grants to support those affected by HIV and AIDS during the pandemic. The Tri-State Community Health Center will receive $916,275. Funding for Ryan White HIV Programs in response to the Covid-19 pandemic will also go to Shelby County ($430,956), Regional One Medical Center ($133,415) and Methodist LeBonheur Commun  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, April 15 -- Rep. Stephen Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) will receive a $345,338 grant from the National Institute on Aging for research on data-driven identification of costly multi-morbidity groupings. "I'm pleased that our medical school in Memphis can continue to conduct research on aging even as we endure this serious pandemic. "This funding wil  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, April 17 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release on April 16: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that Shelby County's Air Pollution Control Program will receive a $437,399 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Air pollution is a health hazard, especially for those with asthma and other compromised health conditions. "The funding I'm announcing today will protect our air resources by supporting a robust program admini  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, April 14 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that Porter-Leath's Early Head Start programs will receive a grant of $1,185,657 from the Administration for Children and Families' Office of Head Start. "I'm pleased that Porter-Leath will be receiving this funding to help ensure young children in our community are ready for kindergarten. "Early Head Start provides essential preparation for Shelby County ch  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, April 17 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) wrote to House Democratic leaders asking them to reverse some provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act relating to certain businesses' net operating losses and reversing restrictions imposed by the 2017 GOP tax bill that unfairly benefit high earners. The letter reads in part: "It is egregious that Republicans fought for additiona  more

WASHINGTON, April 15 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: In an effort to keep TN-09 constituents up to date on the coronavirus situation, I will share updates with important information. I hope you'll take some time to look at this information. As always, if you need to reach my office please call 901-544-4131 for the Memphis office and 202-225-3265 for the D.C. office. Updates will be posted on my website: Cohen.House.Gov.* Tennessee has 5,610 cases of corona  more

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee, April 14 -- Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement on tornadoes hitting the Chattanooga area: "Our area was just dealt a terrible blow, with many businesses and individuals already struggling to deal with the effects of COVID-19, we now have the added challenge of rebuilding after devastating tornadoes. "In the face of adversity, we always come together to help our neighbors, no one in this community is alone in their struggle. My staff and  more

WASHINGTON, April 14 -- Rep. Mark Green, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Rep. Green sent a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to include incentives for American companies to move back from China in any upcoming legislation Congress may consider to continue fighting COVID-19. Green said, "One of the big disincentives to American companies moving back to our soil is the cost. For many, it is too expensive and too risky to undertake an international move at a time of g  more

WASHINGTON, April 17 -- Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Rep. David Kustoff (TN-08), released the following statement following the news that funding for the Paycheck Protection Program has run out. The Paycheck Protection Program provides up to $10 million in forgivable loans to small businesses if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. "The Paycheck Protection Program has   more

WASHINGTON, April 18 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, ranking Republican member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on April 17 after the Veterans Affairs and Treasury departments announced that eligible veterans who do not file income taxes do not need to file a tax return in order to receive their stimulus check: "I am pleased to learn today that all eligible veterans will be able receive their stimulus check - regardless of whether or not they have filed a   more

WASHINGTON, April 17 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, issued the following column: Easter is when we celebrate the return of life, but this was an unusual Easter for families across America because of the coronavirus. Instead of joining our congregations in fellowship and celebration, many of us experienced services online in our homes or distanced from our friends in our cars. The good news is our collective efforts appear to be slowing the spread of the virus, so at Easter time many of us are a  more

WASHINGTON, April 18 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced they would send a letter to House and Senate leaders next week calling for repeal of a $170 billion tax break in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) for hedge fund owners and real estate developers. While most Americans will get a one-time economic impact payment of $1,200, the individuals eligib  more

WASHINGTON, April 16 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Following President Trump's false assertion that he has "total" authority to "reopen the economy" and to order States to relax social distancing measures, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Chairman Steve Cohen (D-TN) sent a letter to the Democratic Caucus outlining the president's actual legal and constitutional   more

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, April 16 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement after being appointed to President Trump's economic recovery initiative: "The way to contain this disease and get back to work and back to school is to put politics aside and work together as fast as we can on new tests, new treatments, and new vaccines. "Everyone I know wants this to happen as quickly as we responsibly can,  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 17 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement: President Donald Trump named Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) to his congressional task force to provide counsel on the re-opening of America in the wake of COVID-19. Senator Blackburn made the following statement on her selection: "Since the day COVID-19 reached our shores, President Trump's resolve to defeat it has not wavered. His Administration has worked day and night to identify the m  more

WASHINGTON, April 16 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release on April 15: Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) urged Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to address the mental health of servicemembers during social distancing. "We write today to encourage you to also reflect on the unintended consequences that social distancing me  more

WASHINGTON, April 15 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Representative to the United Nations Kelly Craft to address the crackdown of free speech in China and in countries across four continents, including Turkey, Bangladesh, Niger and Cambodia, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.   more