Washington, D.C. – When FBI Director Kash Patel met with me earlier this year ahead of his confirmation vote, I had one urgent plea: Help us end the crime crisis in Memphis. Although he was familiar with the city’s recent struggles with crime, the statistics I shared shocked him.
In 2024, Memphis posted the highest crime rate in the country. Although disturbing, these statistics fail to capture just how badly violence mars daily life for Memphians. For years, Memphians have demanded government action to tackle the gang violence that has held the city back for far too long.
Yet, time and again, Democrats have enacted soft-on-crime policies that keep criminals on the streets and innocent residents in danger. To Make Memphis Safe Again, President Trump established a “Memphis Safe Task Force” and is sending the National Guard to the city to work with the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Drug Enforcement Agency, and other federal agencies to crack down on violent crime.
It was an honor to join the President at the White House for this announcement last week. By sending federal support to Memphis, President Donald J. Trump is delivering on his promise to make American cities safe again and ensuring that Memphians can reclaim their city from violent criminals.
Memphis is a wonderful city and, with President Trump’s help, I firmly believe its best days are ahead. Read more about this in my weekly column published in the Commercial Appeal here.
Weekly Rundown
It was a pleasure to join Fox News’ My View with Lara Trump to discuss President Trump’s crime crackdown in Memphis, the urgent need to pass my Kids Online Safety Act, and the political assassination of Charlie Kirk. Watch the full interview here.
Hearing loss and tinnitus are the most common service-connected disabilities among veterans, but only a fraction of veterans with hearing loss seek care due to the complexity. Providing access to over the counter (OTC) hearing aids would reduce costs for the VA health care system and improve veterans’ quality of life. That’s why I sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins supporting expanded access to OTC hearing aids for veterans. Congress is also working on legislation to assess the fiscal impact and clinical effectiveness of OTC hearing aids. Read more here.
Undersea cables are a critical component in our digital economy and protecting America’s national security. To safeguard the United States’ submarine cable infrastructure, I introduced the Undersea Cable Protection Act. This would ensure that undersea cables can be built and preserved without duplicative, burdensome, and unnecessary federal regulations. Read more here.
One year ago, Hurricane Helene devastated communities in Tennessee, leaving families without homes, businesses destroyed, and lives forever changed. In the year since Helene, everyone from first responders to neighbors to church groups have stepped up in remarkable ways to help our communities rebuild.The Volunteer Spirit has brought people in Upper East Tennessee together despite this awful tragedy, and I will continue to fight to ensure Tennesseans have every resource they need to recover from the disaster. Read more here.
Marsha’s Roundup
ICYMI
Last week, I sent a letter to Giorgi Gobronidze, the CEO of PimEyes, regarding the use of the company’s artificial intelligence facial recognition technology by leftist activists to dox ICE agents and expose them to threats by criminal gangs like MS-13 and Tren De Aragua. Congress must pass my Protecting Law Enforcement from Doxxing Act to protect law enforcement officers from these serious threats. Read more here.
Despite public promises to improve safety, Match Group’s practices and algorithmic design raise serious concerns about whether it’s truly protecting users. I reached out to the company’s CEO urging him to provide documents about its policies and procedures related to romance scams on its platforms. Read more here.
