Animal Welfare
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today applauded the inclusion of his Horse Transportation Safety Act in the markup of the five-year surface transportation bill. The measure was included as an amendment and prohibits transport of equines in double-deck trailers. The same amendment also prohibits transportation of equines for slaughter and human consumption.
Congressman Cohen has long championed the humane treatment of horses and was named the Humane Society of the United States’ Humane Horseman of the Year in 2022.
WASHINGTON – On Thursday, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) received a 96 percent on the League of Conservation Voters’ National Environmental Scorecard for his voting record on 28 measures in 2025 deemed important to the organization. The votes ranged from protections for endangered species to clean energy and sustainable treatment of federal lands. Congressman Cohen is the only member of the Tennessee Congressional delegation who scored higher than zero.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a longtime member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, has once again received a perfect 100 percent on the Humane World Action Fund and Humane World for Animals Scorecard, previously known as the scorecard of the Humane Society Legislative Fund and the Humane Society of the United States. He has consistently received the highest score on humane treatment of animals issues dating to his time in the Tennessee State Senate.
WASHINGTON – Representatives Steve Cohen (TN-9), Dina Titus (NV-01) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) today re-introduced the Horse Transportation Safety Act that would ban the transportation of horses across state lines in “double decker” trucks or trailers containing two or more levels on top of one another.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) and 16 cosponsors today reintroduced the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act to stop the practice of rewarding hunters for killing animals on public land in contests that serve no legitimate wildlife-management purpose.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a longtime opponent of the intentional injury to horse legs and feet called soring to create an exaggerated gait at walking horse shows, today applauded the release of U.S.
WASHINGTON – Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-9), Jerry Nadler (NY-12) and Jared Huffman (CA-2) were joined by eleven other Members of Congress on a letter they sent today to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland requesting that the Department of the Interior (DOI) prohibit the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service’s Wildlife Services Program from using body-gripping traps on all DOI lands.
MEMPHIS -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a longtime member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, has once again received a “100 +” on the Humane Society of the United States 2023 legislative scorecard. The recognition accounts for Congressman Cohen’s actions, including critical votes, advancing the humane treatment of animals.
WASHINGTON — Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus who was awarded the Humane Society’s Humane Horseman of the Year last year, and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-9) and Congressman Vern Buchanan (FL-16), today led 122 Congressional colleagues in a letter to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to quickly finalize and publish the rule proposed on August 21 to strengthen enforcement of the 1970 Horse Protection Act to crack
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) traveled to Dulles International Airport this morning for the ceremonial send-off for the giant pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and their youngest cub, Xiao Qi Ji. Afterward, he made the following statement: