9th District

Congressmen Cohen Questions Experts on the Need for Diversity in the Aviation Workforce

July 20, 2021

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's Aviation Subcommittee, today questioned expert witnesses at a hearing on "Bridging the Gap: Improving Diversity and Inclusion in the U.S.

Issues:9th DistrictEconomy and JobsMemphisScience and TechnologyShelby CountyTennesseeTransportation

Congressmen Cohen Announces Grant to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

July 19, 2021

Press Release

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will receive a $448,649 grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for research "Exploiting Water Network Perturbations in Protein Binding Sites."Congressman Cohen made the following statement:"I am always pleased to see the National Institutes of Health investing in research undertaken at St. Jude. This funding will expand our knowledge in this area and will potentially save lives."###

Issues:9th DistrictHealth CareMemphisTennessee

Congressman Cohen Presides at Hearing on Implications of Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee and Potential Legislative Responses

July 16, 2021

Press Release

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, today presided at a hearing on the “Implications of Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee and Potential Legislative Responses.” The July 1 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court limits the applicability of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, making it harder to challenge discriminatory voting laws. In his opening statement, Chairman Cohen said in part: “More troubling than the outcome in the individual cases at issue in Brnovich was the reasoning underlying it and its potential impact in future cases alleging vote denial claims under Section 2. “In a brazen opinion, the Court in Brnovich created out of thin air five ‘guideposts’ that lower courts are to follow in assessing vote denial claims under Section 2. These guideposts are found nowhere in the VRA, directly contradict Section 2’s purpose, and potentially narrow its scope. As Justice Kagan wrote in dissent, the Court was operating in a ‘law-free zone.’ “Depending on how lower courts interpret and apply these “guideposts,” any one of them can become a giant loophole for states and localities to discriminate against minority citizens. Taken together, they can present a formidable obstacle for future Section 2 plaintiffs alleging vote denial claims.” See the entire opening statement here. See Chairman Cohen’s questioning of expert witnesses here. Witnesses at today’s hearing were: • Mr. Sean Morales-Doyle Acting Director, Voting Rights & Elections, Democracy, Brennan Center for Justice • Mr. Robert D. Popper Senior Attorney, Judicial Watch • Mr. Ezra Rosenberg Co-Director, Voting Rights Project, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law • Mr. Nicholas Stephanopoulos Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law, Harvard Law School ###

Issues:9th DistrictCivil RightsJudiciaryMemphisShelby CountyTennessee

Congressman Cohen Announces Grant to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

July 15, 2021

Press Release

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will receive a grant of $448,750 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for research related to neurological disorders.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

Issues:9th DistrictChildren and FamiliesHealth CareMemphisScience and TechnologyShelby CountyTennessee

Congressman Cohen Leads Letter to Leadership Promoting Complete Streets Principles in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework

July 14, 2021

Press Release

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, today led a letter with Senator Edward J. Markey and Representatives Adriano Espaillat, Ruben Gallego and Jake Auchincloss to House and Senate leaders requesting that "Complete Streets" principles be incorporated into the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework now being negotiated.

Issues:9th DistrictMemphisShelby CountyTennesseeTransportation

Congressman Cohen Introduces the Diversity Advancements in Accelerated Academic Programs Act

July 13, 2021

Press Release

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today reintroduced the Diversity Advancements in Accelerated Academic Programs Act, a measure authorizing the use of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) funding to create equity offices in state departments of education or local education agencies that would develop programs to improve diversity in Advanced Placement (AP) and Gifted and Talented (GT) programs.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

Issues:9th DistrictChildren and FamiliesEducationMemphisShelby CountyTennessee

Congressman Cohen Applauds Inclusion of Major Memphis Community Project Funding Requests in Annual Spending Bills

July 12, 2021

Press Release

MEMPHIS – Congressman Cohen (TN-09) today announced that all of his highest priority spending requests were included by subcommittees of the House Appropriations Committee in their Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bills. Among the approved requests is $3 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for improvements to Tom Lee Park along the Mississippi River waterfront, which is included in the Energy and Water appropriations bill.

Issues:9th DistrictChildren and FamiliesEconomy and JobsHealth CareHousingMemphisMillingtonSeniorsShelby CountySmall BusinessesTennesseeTransportation

Congressman Cohen Reiterates Support for Gun Violence Plan as Memphis Police Chief Davis Confers with President Biden

July 12, 2021

Press Release

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen, a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today expressed his support for the Biden Administration's gun violence strategy and its work with Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis. Davis was among several municipal officials who met with Biden at the White House on Monday to discuss use of $350 million in American Rescue Plan funding dedicated to implementing proven violence-prevention policies.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

Issues:9th DistrictCrimeCriminal Justice ReformEconomy and JobsEducationHomeland SecurityJudiciaryMemphisShelby CountyTennessee

Congressman Cohen Announces Grant to University of Tennessee Health Science Center

July 12, 2021

Press Release

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) will receive a $453,683 grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for a unified high-performance web service for systems genetics and precision medicine.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

"Integrating best practices and efficiencies into medical care delivery is critical for improving health outcomes. This grant will keep our Memphis medical school at the cutting edge of those efforts."

Issues:9th DistrictHealth CareMemphisShelby CountyTennessee

Congressman Cohen Expresses Concern about TennCare Block Grant to Public Forum

July 9, 2021

Press Release

MEMPHIS – Today, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) submitted his concerns about block granting Tennessee's Medicaid program at a public forum hosted by the state on "The Progress of the TennCare Demonstration." In his letter, Congressman Cohen asks the state to "undo this dangerous TennCare Demonstration," which would imperil care for elderly, disabled and low-income Tennesseans.

Issues:9th DistrictHealth Care