WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– With news that the winner of this week’s $259.8 million Powerball jackpot is a Tennessean, Congressman Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee), a strong advocate for making college affordable and the father of the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship program, has emphasized the benefits for Tennessee’s students provided by the lottery. The Congressman fought for many years as a Tennessee State Senator to overcome stiff opposition and create the Lottery Scholarship program, which has provided more than $3 billion in scholarships and other support to the state’s students since 2004.
“This jackpot is clearly great news for the winner, but it also good news for students throughout our state,” said Congressman Cohen. “I am proud of my decades of work as a State Senator to create the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship program, which has provided more than $3 billion to help Tennessee’s young adults attend college since 2004. As college costs skyrocket and college degrees become more important, it is critical that we do everything we can to keep college affordable for hard-working students and families. Every dollar spent on lottery tickets in Tennessee directly helps students and their families attend high-quality colleges, and that is good for our state and our economy.”
Making higher education more affordable for hard-working students and families is something that Congressman Cohen cares deeply about and has a decades-long record working to accomplish. In addition to leading the fight to the create the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship program, the Congressman is also working closely with Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren and several Congressmen to help provide struggling students and borrowers with more fairness in their student loans, both through administrative changes and legislation.
This Powerball jackpot prize is the largest largest won in Tennessee since the Tennessee Education Lottery’s inception in 2004. Should the winner, who has not yet come forward, choose to take a lump-sum payment, they will receive $153.5 million in cash.
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Preceding provided by Congressman Steve Cohen of Tennessee