Congressman Steve Cohen

The HealthCare.gov insurance marketplace has opened for 2017 plan shopping and comparisons. The current shopping period runs until January 31, 2017. Make sure to see if you qualify for tax credits that will be applied as discounts on your monthly insurance premium. If you already have insurance coverage through the HealthCare.gov marketplace, your plan will be automatically renewed for 2017.

On Saturday, October 22, the Big River Crossing pedestrian/bike path across the Harahan Bridge opened to the public. In 2012, I was proud to work with then-U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to secure nearly $15 million in federal funding through the TIGER grant program for this project. Big River Crossing connects Shelby Farms by bike through downtown Memphis and into Arkansas, utilizing the historic Harahan Bridge to provide a crossing of the Mississippi River. It is the country’s longest active rail, bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Mississippi River.

I joined President Obama on an historic trip to Cuba. This was the first trip to Cuba by a United States President in 88 years. While there, I honored my friend and Cuban baseball legend Minnie Minoso by wearing my autographed Minnie Minoso hat and distributing hats to President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro. I also distributed pins and baseball cards, given to me by the Chicago White Sox, to various officials.

I was featured on CBS Evening News for my bill, the SEAT Act (H.R. 4490), to require the FAA to establish a minimum seat size on commercial airlines as well as a minimum distance between rows of seats to protect the safety and health of airline passengers.

Congressman Lacy Clay, who represents Ferguson, Missouri, and I introduced the Police Training and Independent Review Act. The legislation would help encourage incidents of deadly force used by police to be investigated and, if need be, prosecuted, by an independent entity as well as provide improved training for police officers. Their bill has been endorsed by the NAACP and the Chicago Tribune.