Defending the Southern Poverty Law Center

June 12, 2026 Enewsletters Dear Friend, This week, I spoke in defense of the Southern Poverty Law Center as Republicans make spurious accusations about the venerable civil rights organization that identifies hate groups. I also introduced a bill that would inject the latest science and expertise into the evaluation of substances scheduled under the Controlled Substances Act, urged readers to make an official public comment objecting to Trump’s triumphal arch, wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opposing its proposal to weaken coal ash pollution regulations, dropped my lawsuit challenging the Republican gerrymander of Tennessee’s congressional districts but continued to support efforts by the ACLU and NAACP, welcomed new U.S. citizens, announced large investments in research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and offered a Friday Flashback, a Bill Day cartoon, and a seasonal health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Bluesky , Facebook and Instagram to see what I am doing as it happens. Defending the Southern Poverty Law Center Introducing the Controlled Substances Act Clarification in Sciences Act Offering Guidance on Objecting to Trump’s Triumphal Arch Opposing EPA’s Proposed Weakening of Coal Ash Pollution Regulations Dropping My Lawsuit over Illegal Redistricting but Supporting ACLU and NAACP Legal Challenges Welcoming New U.S. Citizens Announcing $1.8 Million in Grants to St. Jude The Friday Flashback A Bill Day Cartoon Weekly Health Tip Quote of the Week Defending the Southern Poverty Law Center Republicans on the Judiciary Committee are devoting valuable time that would be much better spent on real issues to trying to harm the reputation of the revered Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). On Tuesday, they held the third hearing in this misguided and offensive effort. During the hearing, I took the opportunity with SPLC’s President Bryan Fair, a hearing witness, to demonstrate the breadth of the organizations work, including against antisemitism. I also expressed grave concern about Trump’s pardons of treasonous January 6 rioters and support for right-wing thugs. The SPLC has a noble mandate and is doing important work exposing hate groups. Its first president, Julian Bond, was a good friend and a great civil rights leader. The SPLC is doing the work he intended it to do when he founded it in 1970 and that work is still necessary in a society in which race is still a major factor in so many decisions. See my release and extended remarks on the subject here . Introducing the Controlled Substances Act Clarification in Sciences Act On Monday, I introduced the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) Clarification in Sciences Act to provide an accurate and up-to-date scientific basis for the evaluation of substances reviewed for scheduling under the 1970 CSA statute. See my release and details about the measure here . Offering Guidance on Objecting to Trump’s Triumphal Arch Monday is the deadline to submit comments critical of Trump’s appalling triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery to the National Park Service (NPS). The idea of an arch obscuring views of both the Lincoln Memorial and the hallowed ground where 400,000 rest after serving their country just to boost Trump’s ego is offensive and must be opposed. You can do that by filling in this online form . You can read reasons to oppose it from the National Trust for Historic Preservation here . And read the overwhelmingly negative public comments to the National Capital Planning Commission here . Opposing EPA’s Proposed Weakening of Coal Ash Pollution Regulations On Wednesday, I led 32 of my Congressional colleagues in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin urging him to abandon plans to weaken coal ash pollution regulations. See my release and the letter here . Dropping My Lawsuit over Illegal Redistricting but Supporting ACLU and NAACP Legal Challenges I have decided not to continue pursuing a lawsuit against the gerrymandered Republican redistricting maps but vigorously support the efforts of the ACLU and the NAACP to contest them, which are based on different arguments and have different requests for relief. I firmly believe this was an illegal redistricting effort that is harmful to Memphis and the Black community by diluting their political representation. It is my hope that the remaining lawsuits will prevail and that the previous district maps will be restored. Welcoming New U.S. Citizens Forty immigrants from 19 countries took part in a naturalization ceremony in the Odell Horton Federal Building on Thursday. U.S. District Judge Mark Norris administered the oath by which they became U.S. citizens. According to my District Office staffer, Norris said: “This is a special day in so many ways. We are celebrating the 250 th anniversary of our nation’s birth and citizenship should be cherished.” I agree and welcome our new citizens and urge them to register to vote. Announcing $1.8 Million in Grants to St. Jude On Wednesday, I announced that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will receive three grants totaling $1,820,304 from three National Institutes of Health (NIH). See details in my release here . The Friday Flashback This is me with President Obama in August 2010 when he signed my SPEECH Act into law. The Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage (SPEECH) Act protects American authors, journalists and publishers from foreign defamation judgments that undermine the First Amendment. A Bill Day Cartoon – “Another WHOPPER” Weekly Health Tip It’s supposed to hit 91 degrees in Memphis on Saturday which prompts me to recommend considering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tips for avoiding heat stroke and other heat-related health problems, among them: drink more water than usual (and don’t wait until you’re thirsty), and wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothes and sunscreen. See all the guidance here . Quote of the Week “You can kill a man, but you can’t kill an idea.” – NAACP Mississippi field secretary Medgar Evers, assassinated on this day in 1963 “There are other important monuments to our best presidents in Washington. They were all constructed not at the direction of those great men, but after they had passed away, by our citizens, as a way of honoring them and keeping their memories alive. This current arch does not check any of those boxes.” – Vietnam veteran Shaun Byrnes, a plaintiff in a Public Citizen-led lawsuit against the triumphal arch, in an interview with NPR this week As always, I remain Sincerely, Steve Cohen Member of Congress