Congressman Cohen Receives Perfect Rating From Humane Society

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a longtime champion for animal rights and welfare, received a perfect 100+ score from the Humane Society on its legislative scorecard for 2015. Congressman Cohen, who received the highest rating out of all members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation, was noted for being an original cosponsor of H.R. 3268, the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act. This legislation would crack down on cruel horse training practices in which trainers purposefully and deliberately inflict pain on the hooves and legs of horses to exaggerate their performance at horse shows.

“It is an honor to be recognized by the Humane Society for my work to protect animals from abuse,” said Congressman Cohen. “Our treatment of animals is a reflection of how we treat each other, and we should each do all we can to do better on both fronts. I will continue my efforts in Congress to ensure that animals are protected and treated humanely.”

Congressman Cohen has received the Humane Society’s “Humane Champion” award numerous times since being elected to Congress in recognition of his dedication toward animal rights causes. He has received more “Humane Champion” awards than any other member of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation. This year, he took the pro-animal position on all 9 bills scored, when no other member of the Tennessee delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives took the pro-animal position on more than 3 bills. His perfect score far exceeds the 17% average score of his fellow Tennesseans in the U.S. House.

As a State Senator, Congressman Cohen sponsored Tennessee’s T-Bo Law, named in honor of his beloved dog, who was killed by a neighbor’s larger dog. The T-Bo Law was the nation’s first-ever law allowing for victims to recoup damages beyond property valuation stemming from cases of intentional or negligent acts resulting in the death of a companion dog or cat.

The Humane Society’s Humane Scorecard is published annually to give Americans a snapshot of their legislator’s record on animal rights, animal welfare, and animal protection issues. The grades given are based on a Member’s sponsorship of pro-animal bills, key votes, and continued protection of major animal welfare laws. A copy of the scorecard can be found here.