Defense

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today voted to support legislation that would repeal a ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the U.S. military. The measure now heads to the Senate for consideration.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today issued the following statement after the U.S. Air Force announced Memphis will not be the preferred base location for eight new C-17 aircraft:

Petty Officer Qi was 25 years old. He is survived by his mother, Zhihong Li, and father, Gang Qi, of Cordova.

To view the video of Congressman Cohen’s remarks click here. The text of his statement follows:

“I rise today to honor the sacrifice of Navy Hospital Petty Officer Second Class Xin Qi who died on January 23, 2010. He was assigned to Dallas, Texas when he volunteered to go to Afghanistan.

With today’s passage of the final 2010 Appropriations Bill, next year’s total funding for the 9th District is $27,762,375.

The Cohen Amendment addresses current law which limits who can be designated by a service member to oversee the disposition of remains to a spouse, blood relative, or adoptive parent. Cohen’s language would require the Pentagon to initiate a study to examine the effects of expanding the current statute to allow other people, including foster parents, friends or fellow soldiers to be designated.

H.R. 1478, the Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act of 2009, would overturn a Supreme Court ruling that excludes service members injured or killed as a result of military medical malpractice from seeking justice. In 1950, the Supreme Court ruled that active duty service members were excluded from the Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows persons to sue the federal government for damages. That decision established what is now known as the “Feres Doctrine.”

Current law, 10 U.S.C. 1482, limits who can be designated by a service member to oversee the disposition of remains to a spouse, blood relative, or adoptive parent. The Cohen Amendment would require the Pentagon to initiate a study to examine the effects of expanding the current statute to include other people, including foster parents, friends or fellow soldiers.