Tennessee
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today expressed his condolences over the loss of life and injuries in an explosion at a munitions plant near McEwen, Tennessee, earlier today and released the following statement:
“I express my profound condolences to the families and friends of the victims of this horrific incident. I will continue to monitor the situation and will work with Senators Blackburn and Hagerty, and Congressman Kustoff, and with local and state officials, as the investigation continues.”
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) is observing the beginning of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after more than two years of war, and made the following statement:
“I welcome the news that Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire framework. As part of the agreement, all remaining hostages in Gaza will be returned to their families. After two long years, the hostages and families can finally start their healing process.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, plans to introduce the End Racial and Religious Profiling Act on Friday.
In a statement, Congressman Cohen said:
“With the recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in Vasquez Perdoma v. Noem, the Supreme Court rubber-stamped racial profiling, a cornerstone of the Trump administration’s militarized policing strategy.
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) wrote to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought today seeking clarification on whether federal employees furloughed because of the government shutdown will receive back pay when their offices re-open.
A recent OMB memorandum suggested employees may not be guaranteed back pay, which “is inconsistent with both federal law and decades of bipartisan precent,” Congressman Cohen’s letter says.
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today released the following statement observing the second anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks and hostage taking in 2023 in Israel:
“On this solemn anniversary, there is reason to be hopeful that the war will soon end – perhaps this week – and that remaining hostages will be released to their families. It is past time for adequate levels of food and medical aid to flow into Gaza and for a semblance of peaceful co-existence to be restored.”
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) notified the Chief Administrative Officer of the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday that he will decline his congressional salary until the federal government shutdown ends.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth today saying that he learned of their visit to Memphis from the news media, not from their offices, and said he hopes to get answers about how the Memphis Safety Task Force will work.
The letter reads in part:
“If the real purpose of the Memphis Safety Task Force is public safety, we must be more collaborative.”
See the entire text of the letters here:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that Le Bonheur Community Health and Well-Being will receive grant of $730,000 and Agape Child and Family Services will receive a grant of $1,250,000 from the Office of Family Assistance Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) initiative. The program is operated by the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that the University of Memphis will receive a grant of $409,605 from the Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities Program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Congressman Cohen announced three Department of Education grants, totaling $922,311, to the University on Friday.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) has been asked by the news media and others about the deployment of the Tennessee National Guard to Memphis. In response, he provided the following statement:“Don’t give Donald Trump what he wants by instigating aggression toward the National Guard that could provoke a violent response. A majority of us don’t want them here, but consider that many Guardsmen don’t want to be here either.