Steve Cohen

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a Memphis civic and business leader, environmental steward and Renaissance man, B. Lee Mallory, III, who passed at his home on October 15. Born Barton Lee Mallory, III, he was known as ``B. Lee.'' After graduating from Pomfret School and Yale University, where he played football, he served four years as an officer in the Navy. He returned to Memphis with his California bride, Susan, to join his family's logistics and distribution business where he worked for more than 40 years. He also received an MBA from the then-Memphis State University. He was also a very good friend and flew some of my friends to Washington for my swearing in in 2007. And he was a supporter while most of his pals at the country club, hunt club and polo club were not. He used to send me post cards, encouraging me to continue to fight against the status quo and speak the truth. The post cards were very anti-Washington- politician, but he was all for me. B. Lee served on many boards of directors, including as Chairman of the Memphis Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the International Warehouse Logistics Association, and Chair of the Tennessee Nature Conservancy. He also served on the boards of LeMoyne-Owen College, Agricenter International, the Overton Park Conservancy and Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. In 2004, he was appointed Honorary Consul of Canada for the Mid-South. An avid outdoorsman, B. Lee was a member of the Memphis Country Club, Five Lakes Outing Club, the Egyptians, and the Wolf River Society. His love for outdoor adventure--including fishing for trout, sailing, hiking and camping--was shared with his fellow residents of Memphis, Tenants Harbor, Maine, and Bozeman, Montana. His ashes will be scattered in the Yellowstone River. I extend my sincere condolences to Susan, his wife of 61 years; his daughters Emily Mallory and Shelby Herrod; Shelby's husband Coleman and their children Lucy and Wilkes; his brother Howie Mallory and sister-in-law Nora Berko; nephews Treat Macdonald and Linden Mallory; and nieces Mirte and Eliana Mallory. He was preceded in death by his sister Clare Macdonald, brother-in-law Blair Macdonald, and niece Verena Mallory. B. Lee led an exemplary life of service to his community and will be missed.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank and send appreciation to the political cartoonist Bill Day, who has permitted me to reprint his work in my weekly newsletter for the past several years. Bill is a particularly gifted artist and satirist with whom I became familiar with when he worked for my hometown newspaper, the Memphis Commercial Appeal. He is perhaps best known as an antagonist of the National Rifle Association, frequently rebuking it for preventing any form of sensible gun- ownership or gun-use restrictions. Bill won the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for editorial cartooning in 1985 and 2010 and the National Cartoonist Society award for the best editorial cartoon in 1996. I look forward to his prodigious work product each week, which often skewers the Trump Administration's aberrant gaffes with nuanced humor. I want to thank Bill Day publicly for allowing me to showcase his clever insights and wish him well as he continues his ingenious work publicly exposing the lunatic politics of our time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Anthony ``Amp'' Elmore for his work in cultural diplomacy through the creation of the Tom Mboya Legacy District in the historic Black Memphis community of Orange Mound, which will occur on October 24, 2026--the anniversary of the founding of the United Nations in 1945. Mboya was a Kenyan labor leader with ties to the American labor movement and major American Civil Rights leaders and was assassinated in 1969. Mr. Elmore, a karate kick-boxing champion and documentary film maker, has been involved in bridging American-Kenyan relations for decades and founded the African Cultural Embassy in Orange Mound. Mr. Mboya met with then-Senator John F. Kennedy during his campaign for the presidency in 1960. Mr. Mboya urged Kenndey to support efforts to bring hundreds of East African foreign exchange students to the United States, eventually including Barack Obama, Sr., the future president's father. Mr. Elmore notes in preparation for the founding of the Mboya Legacy District later this month that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his ``I Have a Dream'' speech in August of 1963, President Kennedy, a promoter of the African independence movement in Kenya, was assassinated in November of 1963, and the nation of Kenya was founded in December of 1963, linking historic elements of the United States-Kenya relationship. He says that the founding of Kenya was an extension of the American Civil Rights movement. Mr. Elmore was also instrumental in forging ties between Orange Mound's Cherokee Elementary School and the Arya Steve Cohen Center for Cultural Diplomacy founded in 2024 in Kisumu, Kenya. I have long admired Mr. Elmore's work bridging United States relations with Kenya and wish him well as he embarks on this new chapter.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, this is my first opportunity to serve as the dean of the Tennessee delegation, and it didn't come too soon. Time is running out. Dolly Parton was a phenomenal Tennessean, probably the best representative we ever had. She never looked down on anybody. She had a big heart. Whenever there was a tragedy or somebody in need, she came forward and wanted it to be anonymous. She was a good human being, and she had a beautiful voice. I had a friend who was involved in the music business in the early seventies in Laurel Canyon when the Eagles and others were getting together. He told me about Dolly being out there, and that is where she got to know Linda Ronstadt and others. He said she had such a beautiful voice, and she did. She will be remembered forever for all she did for humanity. Tennessee is proud to have her and will always love her.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Today, we celebrate 901 Day--a day to celebrate Memphis, Tennessee, and the people who make the city the great city that it is. Mr. Speaker, 901 is more than an area code. It represents people who have never been afraid to stand up and demand better. In 1968, AFSCME sanitation workers in Memphis marched for dignity, fair wages, and the basic right to be treated with respect. Dr. King came to Memphis to stand with those workers and tragically lost his life at that time. This history reminds us that progress has never simply been given to Memphis. We have fought for it. Now with the gerrymandered redistricting effort that took away the votes of Black voters and the large-scale ICE raid that was carried out this past weekend, we must fight harder. Yes, today we celebrate the history, music, culture, and barbecue; but, most importantly, we celebrate the people, the generation of Memphians who refused to accept that things had to stay the way they were. We carry that spirit forward. Happy 901 Day, Memphis.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to note the end of a revered Memphis institution devoted to the education and well-being of my community's children. The Jessie Mahan Child Care Center, the first licensed Black child care center in Memphis, closed its doors for the final time on July 31 after serving generations of children and families for 68 years. The Mahan Center served the Memphis community from the Dixie Homes housing development beginning on November 28, 1958, and relocated to its current facility at 70 North Bellevue in 2007, always providing early childhood education and learning experiences for children aged six weeks to 12 years old. It also served as a training site for future teachers and childcare professionals. Through its partnerships with Memphis City Schools and Head Start, the center played an important role in strengthening early childhood education in our community. Named for lifelong Memphian Jessie Hoyt Mahan, a well-known social worker and child advocate who passed in August of 1957 at the age of 62, it has served as a tribute to her memory as the director of the Information Bureau of the Health and Welfare Planning Council of Memphis and Shelby County and its Family and Child Welfare Division and service at Juvenile Court. I commend the leadership of the Jessie Mahan Child Care Center for its dedication to our community's children.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the substantial public service of my friend Pace Cooper, who is stepping down from the Board of the Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority after 14 years of service. Pace, the President and CEO of Cooper Hotels, a major hospitality development and management company, has been a pivotal figure in improvements to my city of Memphis. Pace has served as president or chairman of various organizations on both local and international levels. He was chairman of the Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority from 2015 to 2022 and served on the board since 2012. During his leadership, the airport, known as MEM, increased the number of non- stop flights, transformed the passenger experience with a new concourse and positioned the airport for long-term success. As the former Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have been a staunch supporter of our airport, sending millions of dollars for its improvement, knowing it would be well spent. In addition to his airport activities, Pace has served on the University of Memphis Board of Visitors and serves on the University Foundation Board of Trustees. He is a minority partner in our beloved Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Business School, Pace has been a national business leader and has been instrumental in transforming iconic hotels around the country, including in Nashville and Atlanta. He has also served for many years as the president of the Margolin Hebrew Academy and serves as chairman of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis. He had wonderful parents, Irby and Bernice. I wish him and his wife Aileen and their children all the best and thank him for his service.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hegseth said we have spent $37 billion on an unnecessary--he didn't say an ``unnecessary'' war, but it is an unnecessary and failed war in Iran--$37 billion and lost 17 soldiers. He says he is going to ask for another $70 billion to fight this unnecessary and failing war. We have resolved the fact that we can stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon when Barack Obama was President and negotiated a treaty. Right now, we don't know if they have moved the enriched uranium outside of the place where it was buried underneath a mountain or not. It is suspected they might have. It is a failed war. Mr. Speaker, I will be willing to vote for a bill that has $70 billion in it when President Trump pays his share by paying his taxes on the $2.2 billion he earned last year, mostly in crypto, which cost the people that bought crypto a billion dollars. That is what they lost. When Trump pays his share, I will pay my share and vote for it. I won't vote for it otherwise. President Trump, bring your chips to the table.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, my friend, Mr. Wilson, made some remarks about how everybody benefited from the big, beautiful bill. What he didn't tell you is that President Trump made a deal with himself when he sued the IRS for $1 billion for releasing his tax returns, along with thousands and thousands of other Americans. He settled the case with himself and the man he wants to make Attorney General with a clause, an agreement, that the IRS would not prosecute or even look at his tax returns, his family's tax returns, or any businesses they are involved with. That means that the $2.2 billion they made this year off of crypto and other questionable companies will be tax free. That means he is stealing from you and me, the American public. He doesn't want to spend money on his failed war in Iran or his failure with ICE, who are killing Americans every day. Our country is in trouble. We have a man who is out of control as our President. It scares me tremendously, and it should scare you, as well.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, and Thursday, June 11, 2026, due to a Post Polio medical condition. Had I been present, I would have voted: Nay on Roll Call No. 222, condemning actors seeking to defraud the U.S. Government, and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that government- wide fraud and improper payment prevention reforms will meaningfully improve the financial prosperity of the U.S., and that Federal program eligibility should be verified before payment; Nay on Roll Call No. 221, to amend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the authorities of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978: Nay on Roll Call No. 220, Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act; Yea on Roll Call No. 219, Motion to recommit the Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act; Nay on Roll Call No. 218, Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act; and Nay on Roll Call No. 217, No Aid for Ghost Students Act. I would like to further explain my vote on Roll Call No. 221, regarding H.R. 9238, I could not support this bill after President Trump nominated Bill Pulte to be the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The law requires the DNI nominee to have extensive background in intelligence and the man the President put forward has none. He has zero experience.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, much has been said which I agree with on the Democratic side. This is a fight for supporting a country that is standing up to aggression from Russia; lies from Russia that they weren't going to invade Ukraine when they did it; and people who have killed innocent children, women, and civilians on a regular basis with missile attacks and drone attacks. We need to stand with democracy, with freedom, and with courage and against authoritarianism and against Putin. I support this resolution, am proud to do it, and thank the Ukrainian people for their sacrifices and their valor.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Stansbury for yielding, and I appreciate her mentioning me in her remarks. Mr. Speaker, I was the original sponsor of this bill, and I am happy that Mr. Fleischmann, whose district is much closer to it and probably encompasses part of it, accepted the proud sponsorship that has got it to this point. The Benton MacKaye Trail is a beautiful and long trail. It is the longest trail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It overlaps the Appalachian Trail at six separate points and passes through three national forests. It would be a good idea for the Federal Government to make this a national trail, and this just sets up the study. It is good work on Mr. Fleischmann's part to get the study considered. Hopefully, the study will come up with the right answer, which is yes to the trail and take care of it. North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee all have parts in the trail, and a lot of residents from Chattanooga, Knoxville, Asheville, and Atlanta visit for camping and adventures. I am pleased to be a cosponsor and appreciate that.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker: You got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run You never count your money When you're sitting at the table There'll be time enough for counting When the dealing's done. If you recognize those words, which most Americans would, they are the words of ``The Gambler.'' ``The Gambler'' was performed successfully by Kenny Rogers, but it was written by Don Schlitz. Don Schlitz was 23 years old when he wrote that song. He was one of the greatest songwriters of our time. He passed away last Thursday night in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 73. He was a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and he won two Grammy Awards. He had three Country Music Association Awards for Song of the Year and was ASCAP's Country Songwriter of the Year for 4 consecutive years. What a career he had. Among his 25 hits that hit number one were, of course, ``The Gambler'' by Kenny Rogers; ``Forever and Ever, Amen'' by Randy Travis; ``When You Say Nothing At All'' performed by both Keith Whitley, who made a hit out of it, and so did Alison Krauss; ``Forty Hour Week'' by Alabama; ``One Promise Too Late'' by Reba McEntire; ``He Thinks He'll Keep Her'' by Mary Chapin Carpenter, who cowrote the song with Don; ``Strong Enough to Bend'' by Tanya Tucker; and ``On the Other Hand'' by Randy Travis. He had his first major hit with ``The Gambler'' in 1978. He was 23, and he had come to Nashville after going to Duke for a while. He wanted to be a songwriter, and he came to Nashville with $80 in his pocket. That was the first song he wrote that ever got recorded. Bobby Bare did it first. It didn't sell enough or well, and then finally Kenny Rogers got it, and it has become one of the greatest songs we know in history. That song would win him both the Song of the Year at the Country Music Awards and the Country Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards. He was also a friend of mine. He was a wonderful human being with a big heart. He used to call me his Congressman even though he lived in Nashville, and I was in Memphis. I was honored by that appellation, and I will take it for the rest of my life as a great honor. He served at the Room in the Inn helping people who were homeless. He just had a big heart. He leaves his wife, Stacey, who is a sweetheart; his daughter, Cory; his son, Pete, and a brother and a sister. He leaves behind a great legacy and a great history of country music and songs that move the spirit. May God bless my friend Don Schlitz.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my friend Henry Turley and specifically commend his dedication to Rhodes College, which is recognizing its 100th year in Memphis and showcasing Mr. Turley's commitment to its continued excellence. Henry and his late wife, Lynne, created the Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement, conceived in 2012 as a hub for the college's community outreach programs and formalized as the Lynne and Henry Turley Center in 2018. They recognized Rhodes' commitment to Memphis and its neighbors and wanted its students to be involved in Memphis and its ongoing progress. Rhodes is now recognized nationally as one of the finest examples of a college committed to its community. The center has also sponsored guest lectures with nationally recognized experts and hosted a series of community events. That work will be celebrated at an April 15th Lawn Party with friends, community partners and alumni. Henry Turley's remarkable contributions to his community are extraordinary and his work with Rhodes will be remembered for generations. I congratulate my friend for this much-deserved recognition and appreciate his continued support and thoughtfulness.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the pioneering children's cancer researcher Dr. James R. Downing, the President and CEO of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, who is stepping down from twelve years in that role to return to the laboratory. As CEO, he has led a $12.9 billion commitment to accelerate research and treatments of catastrophic pediatric diseases. His own laboratory research has focused on the genetic basis of cancers. As CEO, he was instrumental in creating the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project, a genetic sequencing effort to discover why childhood cancers arise, spread and resist treatment. As the leader of St. Jude, he has been a driving force behind improving survival rates of cancer and other catastrophic diseases internationally by creating a global alliance of over 400 health care institutions assuring children around the world have access to the best and most-advanced therapies and care. Overseeing the management of the St. Jude, Dr. Downing has been recognized for its outstanding workplace culture and for being a forward-thinking workplace for diversity and for women. Dr. Downing has received numerous honors, including election to the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as receiving the Memorial Sloan Kettering Prize, the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize from the American Society of Hematology, and the Pediatric Oncology Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Dr. Downing received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Michigan. He joined St. Jude in 1986 after training in anatomic pathology at Washington University in St. Louis and a fellowship in hematopathology at the University of Florida at Gainesville. In 2016, he was named to the Blue Ribbon Panel of then-Vice President Joe Biden's National Cancer Moonshot Initiative. In 2013, he was a finalist for Time magazine's list of the World's Most Influential People. He is a co-author on numerous medical journal articles on childhood cancers and treatment. While we await the naming of his successor as CEO this summer, I wish Dr. Downing well as he returns to the laboratory at St. Jude and hope that he continues to make significant progress in finding preventions, treatments, and cures for cancer, which will benefit millions of people around the world.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the ``Black January'' killings, one of the most tragic events in Azerbaijan's history. On the night of January 20, 1990, nearly 26,000 Soviet troops stormed the capital city of Baku, deploying tanks and armored vehicles against the civilian population. Soviet forces crushed innocent Azerbaijanis under heavy machinery and fired without restraint at peaceful demonstrators, including women and children. These brutal actions resulted in the deaths of 147 individuals, injuries to approximately 800 others, the arrest of 841 people, and the disappearance of five. The Human Rights Watch report ``Black January in Azerbaijan'' states that ``among the most heinous violations of human rights during the Baku incursion were the numerous attacks on medical personnel, ambulances, and even hospitals.'' I offer my thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims and to those who gave their lives to help their fellow citizens. The United States was one of the first countries to recognize independence and fully established diplomatic relations on February 28, 1992. Today, the United States and Azerbaijan are still strategic allies and share common interests in the region and globally. As the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, I urge my colleagues to recognize the sacrifices of the Azerbaijani people in their steps towards independence and encourage a recommitment to the democratic values for which many Azerbaijanis sacrificed their lives.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Don Bryant, Memphis' ``elder statesman of soul,'' the acclaimed singer and songwriter who passed last month at the age of 83. Probably best known for co-writing the top-40 hit ``I Can't Stand the Rain,'' with his wife Ann Peebles and Bernard Miller in 1973, Bryant was a staff songwriter at Willie Mitchell's Hi Records label in the 1960s and 1970s with 154 songs to his credit. He later wrote and sang for Fat Possum Records. Mr. Bryant and Ms. Peebles, a noted singer, married in 1974 and were both inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame (she in 2014 and he in 2019, the same year Steve Cropper and Tina Tuner were inducted). According to his obituary in The New York Times, the song's title came from an offhand remark made by Ms. Peebles as they prepared to go to a concert in a sudden cloudburst. The Beatles' John Lennon said ``I Can't Stand the Rain'' was ``the best song ever'' after hearing Peebles sing it at The Troubadour in Los Angles. Tina Turner later covered the song in on her album ``Private Dancer'' in 1984. Donald Maurice Bryant was born in Memphis in April 1942, the son of a gospel choir leader and, by 10, was singing in church choirs. In the 1960s, he was Hi Records leading singer with The Four Kings, performing on the local WLOK radio station, and released his first solo album, ``Precious Soul,'' in 1969. For decades, he sang mainly in church settings but returned to the studio in 2016 and produced ``Don't Give Up on Love'' with the Bo-Keys for Fat Possum, his first secular album in 48 years. In 2020, they produced ``You Make Me Feel,'' which was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Blues category. Mr. Bryant and Ms. Peebles toured the world, with Bryant largely working behind the scenes to advance his wife's work on stage until his late career comeback. Ms. Peebles, who stopped singing after a stroke in 2012, survives him. I extend my profound condolences to his family, friends, collaborators and his many fans and admirers. The elder statesman of soul sent his unique Memphis sound around the world and will be long remembered.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, today, I learned that the Kennedy Center board asked or said that the Kennedy Center would be renamed the Trump- Kennedy Center. That is a sacrilege to a martyred, heroic, historic American President whose name was attached to the Kennedy Center for his support for cultural excellence in America and because he was an assassinated President who we all mourned on November 22 through November 25 and thereafter because he gave his life for our country. The idea that Donald Trump would want his name to go before Kennedy's or even with Kennedy's is a sacrilege. It should not be changed ever, and it should go through this Congress, who named it the Kennedy Center, on a bill in this House and signed by President Lyndon Johnson. Stop this, Mr. Trump. If you have any sense of dignity and honor, you will renounce this. Don't say that you are honored. You should renounce it. John Kennedy's name stands before all others, and the Kennedy Center should not be renamed.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Memphis native, African cultural ambassador, and five-time world heavyweight karate- kickboxing champion Anthony ``Amp'' Elmore, a resident of the historic Orange Mound neighborhood in Memphis, which was the Nation's first subdivision planned specifically for African Americans. Mr. Elmore gave President Obama a custom-made African Mudcloth Tuxedo from Ghana for his inauguration in 2009. Mudcloth is a traditional handmade cotton fabric with geometric patterns made with dyes from fermented mud. I had the honor of delivering the suit to the White House at Mr. Elmore's request. The White House said at the time that the tuxedo would be displayed at the Obama Presidential Library on the South Side of Chicago when it opened, which is now scheduled for next year. In a note to Mr. Elmore dated July 14, 2009, President Obama thanked him for the gift. ``Your thoughtfulness and generosity are much appreciated,'' the president wrote. Earlier this month, Mr. Elmore learned that a digital picture of the tuxedo is now on display at the National Archives and Records Administration. Mr. Elmore traveled to Africa for the first time in 1998 and became familiar with its traditional clothing making. He now operates Elmore African Imports from Memphis, selling African artifacts and rugs. He is also known for ``The Contemporary Gladiator,'' a film about kick-boxing that Mr. Elmore wrote, directed, and starred in. I have long appreciated Mr. Elmore's efforts to bridge Africa and African Americans with commerce and made a speech from the House floor in 2009 praising those efforts. I have visited him at his home where African artifacts are on display. I plan to visit the Obama Presidential Library soon after it opens and look forward to being reacquainted with the historic Mudcloth Tuxedo.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise sadly today to remember one of my constituents, Breggie Lejuane Gilkey--a lifelong servant to the city of Memphis, a musician and the devoted father of my outstanding former staffer with a bright political future, Kyler Gilkey--who passed on December 13 at the age of 54. Mr. Gilkey was born September 24, 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Lilly R. Faulkner and Everett Gilkey. He attended Vollentine Elementary and Snowden School in Memphis, and graduated from Overton High School in 1989. He was a member of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church. On September 23, 1995, he married his high school sweetheart. Roniece N. Gilkey, and they were together for 36 years, raising five sons: my former staffer Kyler and his brothers Bryson, Carson, Conner, and Bre'dyn. For years, he served the City of Memphis as a skilled mechanic. He was someone friends could rely on, not just for his expertise, but for his honesty, generosity, and willingness to help anyone in need. Beyond his work, Breggie had a deep love for music and played a meaningful role in Memphis' rich musical heritage. He worked with such legendary artists as The Bar-Kays and Shirley Brown and was a vocalist for Unexpected and The Temprees, contributing quietly but significantly to the sound and soul of the city he loved. He was also a volunteer with the STAX Music Academy and his sons' education while being an influential father figure to other young students who affectionately called him ``Pops.'' Above all else, Breggie was a family man. He found his greatest joy in spending time with his loved ones and was known for his warmth, laughter, and calm presence. His compassion and love left an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know him. Breggie L. Gilkey leaves to cherish his memory, his loving and devoted wife Roniece; his five sons, Kyler Gilkey, Bryson Gilkey, Carson Gilkey, Conner Gilkey, and Bre'dyn Lovett; his parents, Lilly Gilkey, Everett Gilkey (Margree) and his siblings, Brandon Gilkey, Marvin Pride, Tinica Mitchell (Brandon), and Daphane Tyms (Eldon) and his many friends and colleagues. I extend my profound condolences to them all. Breggie Gilkey was a proud Memphian whose life was defined by hard work, creativity, and compassion. His was a life well lived.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to longtime Memphis society columnist and entertainment reporter Jane Sanderson, who passed on December 13, 2025, at the age of 100. Ms. Sanderson interviewed many of the biggest stars of the late 20th century as the society writer for The Commercial Appeal from 1950 to 1958, when she had her first daughter. She then worked for The Delta Review, covering Southern culture, then returned to newspaper journalism in 1971 as an entertainment and lifestyles reporter at The Memphis Press-Scimitar until it closed down in 1983. After that, she was the Memphis-Nashville entertainment writer for People magazine. Among the bold-face names she interviewed and wrote about were comedians Jack Benny, Phyllis Diller, and Lucille Ball; movie stars Ginger Rogers, Audrey Hepburn, Burt Reynolds and Jack Nicholson; and Memphis music giants Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Isaac Hayes. Ms. Sanderson went to Memphis public schools and graduated from Central High School before attending the University of Alabama and graduating with a journalism degree in 1947. She married Robert Wright Sanderson, a gallery owner, who passed in 1999. I extend my condolences to her daughters, Laura Sanderson Healy and Lisa Sanderson, her two grandchildren, and her many admirers. She lived her life in the limelight, and will be missed.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise and include in the Record a Proclamation congratulating my longtime Chief of Staff, Marilyn Dillihay, on her retirement: Whereas, on behalf of the citizens of the 9th Congressional District of Tennessee, I recognize and celebrate the extraordinary career and service of Marilyn Dillihay, who has dedicated more than forty years to public service in the Tennessee General Assembly, the United States House of Representatives, and a brief stint at the Tennessee Lottery; and, Whereas, forty years ago, on December 3, 1985, Marilyn began working for me in my Tennessee State Senate office, and I had little idea then how blessed I would be; she immediately became a valued staffer, a close friend, and an advisor on a multitude of subjects quickly proving indispensable not only to our work, but to me personally; and, Whereas, Marilyn was integral to the passage of the Tennessee Education Lottery, a landmark effort that took years of dedication, negotiation, and leadership; she was with me on that fight from the beginning, a partnership forever captured in our ``victory celebration and lottery headquarters'' hotel photo; and, Whereas, the lottery would later be recognized as one of the most meaningful legislative achievements in recent state history; and has provided over eight billion dollars in unprecedented educational opportunities for Tennessee students; and, Whereas, when I was elected to Congress, Marilyn came with me to Washington, established my congressional office from day one, and initially served as my Press Secretary and Legislative Director before becoming my Chief of Staff, a role in which she has done a marvelous job; and, Whereas, Marilyn has been the heart and soul of our operation mentoring generations of staff and cultivating an office culture defined by loyalty, kindness, and hard-work; her personality has attracted exceptional staff and colleagues over the years, enhancing our productivity, our reach, and the spirit of our team; and, Whereas, Marilyn possesses a knowledge of me and my career that exceeds anyone else's, a continuity and institutional memory that has been invaluable to me as a legislator; and her sound judgment, historical insight, and understanding of government have made her a trusted counselor that I have respected and relied upon; and I appreciated her tenacity and perseverance in securing us an office with a Capitol View; and, Whereas, Marilyn's sense of humor, her love of the arts, her passion for animal welfare and prohibiting the soring of horses, and her command of history and international affairs, have enriched not only our work but our friendship, reminding us daily that public service is not only serious business but also a labor of joy, humanity, and heart; she is one of the best things to come out of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky; and, Whereas, the 9th Congressional District is profoundly grateful for Marilyn's unwavering devotion to public service, to her colleagues, and to the people of Memphis, and we gather today in celebration of her achievements, her leadership, and her well-deserved retirement; and Now, therefore be it resolved that, I, Steve Cohen, Member of Congress, along with the citizens of the 9th Congressional District of Tennessee, do hereby honor Marilyn Dillihay, for her more than forty years of distinguished public service, express our deepest appreciation for her immeasurable contributions, and extend our warmest wishes for a joyful and fulfilling retirement.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, at the end of last week, President Trump published his national security strategy. It could have been called his national insecurity strategy. To say it is bad is a misstatement, understatement. It is disastrous. During Europe's largest land war since World War II, the strategy saves its harshest criticisms for our allies rather than Russia, with war criminal Putin, who started the war. The document elevates strongman leadership models over democratic values, something unheard of in America. It is focused on spheres of influence and suggests that the strongest person in the region gets to decide the rules. These are not American values. Previous national security strategies upheld America's commitment to democracy and human rights, strengthened our alliances, and countered powerful first adversaries like Russia and China. This strategy abandons that tradition in favor of a narrow transactional approach. Notably, the word ``corruption'' is absent from the entire strategy. It is well known that global corruption fuels instability, weakens governments, and its absence is extremely dangerous and allows bad actors to flourish. The national security strategy abandons our allies, our principles, and the values that have guided American leadership for decades.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the PERMIT Act. For over 50 years, the Clean Water Act has protected rivers, streams, and wetlands that our communities rely on. This bill undermines these protections by shielding polluters from responsibility for toxic waste like PFAS, lead, mercury, and arsenic, and by limiting Federal review and community input when drinking water is at risk. I filed three straightforward amendments to protect public health: One to require cumulative impacts and groundwater reviews for projects near community drinking water aquifers, like the one that supplies Memphis; a second one to restore oversight and public participation for nationwide permits, protections that would have prevented the Byhalia pipeline from being rushed through my district; and a third one to require the EPA to certify that this bill will not increase exposure to harmful contaminants. Unfortunately, none were made in order. Therefore, I oppose the bill and urge a ``no'' vote. Permitting reform should not come at the expense of children's and seniors' health, clean drinking water, or communities with a history of industrial exposure. I do this because of a commitment to the safety of the people. Looking at my dear friend, Mr. Graves, I hate to speak against one of his bills because he was such a good ally when I was on Transportation, and I have great respect for him, but nevertheless I am against the bill.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity late last month to spend some time with a delegation of high-level officials from the leadership of Libya. Sent to Washington by the Libyan Prime Minister, the group presented solid evidence that a new Libya is in the making. The new Libya is focused on creating circumstances that will make free and fair elections a reality. The new Libya is taking concrete steps to lessen long-standing tribal animosities that have divided the country. The new Libya is committed to a unified country without the internationally recognized transitional government in Tripoli being held hostage to a would-be regime in the east. These profound changes and commitments were well-reflected in an article from Newsweek published during the delegation's visit. I asked unanimous consent that the article be included in the Record: Libya Has a Deal for Trump That Could Reshape Africa and Europe: https:// www.newsweek.com/libya-deal-trump-could-reshape-africa-europe-11063123.