9th District

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art will receive a $52,460 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to assess its 10,000-object permanent collection in preparation for its relocation in 2025. The grant includes the services of consultants who will review and help digitize the collection for display on the museum's website.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today wrote to Democratic leaders negotiating the next round of coronavirus pandemic economic relief to urge them to prioritize the needs of small and minority businesses in the Paycheck Protection Program and to ensure there are proper levels of transparency in place.

MEMPHIS – Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Jim Cooper (TN-05) today wrote to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee expressing their concern that the state has placed obstacles in the way of families eligible for food assistance and other benefits available through the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) program, and potentially forfeiting $60 million in federal funds devoted to the program.

The letter reads in part:

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today applauded Trump's decision to fire Skip Thompson, Chair of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), over the TVA's outsourcing of jobs during the ongoing pandemic. He also agreed with Trump's criticism of the TVA CEO's $8 million per year salary, which Congressman Cohen has denounced for years.

WASHINGTON -- Monday, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) sent a letter to House leadership saying that the next COVID-19 stimulus package should mandate that lenders participating in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) prioritize minority-owned businesses and require the disclosure of loan recipients to ensure accountability and compliance.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) was saddened to learn of the death Friday of his friend, the Reverend Steve Montgomery, the beloved former pastor of Idlewild Presbyterian Church, who retired 15 months ago, and released the following statement:

"I've been dealing with the death of my friend Congressman John Lewis, and was shocked at the news of Steve Montgomery's death. There was a lot of John Lewis in Steve Montgomery: He was courageous, he was caring, he was forgiving, he was humble, and he was smart. His life was a blessing and his death is a great loss."

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the City of Memphis will receive a grant of $200,505 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Program.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

"This funding is especially welcome during this pandemic when local resources are stretched thin. The Memphis Fire Department is doing an excellent job under these trying circumstances and I'm pleased this grant will help."

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today introduced the Civil Rights Enhancement and Law Enforcement Accountability Improvement Act. The measure would explicitly provide that an employer of a law enforcement officer is vicariously liable for officers' acts or omissions committed within the scope of their employment that deprive people of their constitutional rights. Municipalities would be liable to the same extent as private employers under state law.