Environment
Information regarding my stance on Environmental issues.
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a longtime member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, today led a letter to House Leadership requesting it retain his Interior and Environment appropriations amendment requiring the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to utilize $11 million in funding for humane, reversible fertility control for tens of thousands of wild horses and burros under the BLM's protection.
The letter reads in part:
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Shelby County a $117,000 grant for ongoing air pollution monitoring.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
"Air pollution is a health hazard, especially for those with compromised health conditions, like asthma. The funding I'm announcing today will protect our air resources by supporting a robust program monitoring air quality and enforcing clean-air regulations. This is money well-spent."
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) has received a perfect 100 percent on the Clean Water Action scorecard, the environmental group's assessment of 18 environmentally significant votes in the 116th Congress now drawing to a close. Those included a vote in opposition to leaving the Paris Climate Agreement in June 2019 and votes against oil drilling in sensitive areas later in 2019 to a July 2020 vote in support of $4.5 billion a year for replacement of harmful lead service lines.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN09), a senior member of the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today announced two grants totaling $31,160,550 to Memphis International Airport from the Federal Aviation Administration for ongoing construction of de-icing pads and associated facilities.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the University of Memphis has received a $329,655 grant from the National Science Foundation to study the transport of lead residue through plastic plumbing.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
"Lead exposure is a serious health hazard and eliminating it from our air and water is critical. I'm pleased the National Science Foundation is making this important investment into research efforts that will help improve health and save lives."
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today applauded the reversal by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) on its decision to outsource 108 Information Technology (I.T.) jobs. However, he expressed concern that TVA leadership only recognized the need to protect Tennessee jobs after Trump fired the Chair of the TVA on Tuesday.
Washington – Today, Congressman Steve Cohen voted to pass H.R. 1957, the Great American Outdoors Act, to provide permanent, full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and establish the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. This legislation, which passed the Senate last month, builds on the progress made by last year's John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act. The Great American Outdoors Act will now go to the President's desk for signature
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today applauded inclusion of his language transferring the operation and maintenance of the Memphis flood control system to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Water Resources Development Act during a markup Wednesday. The proposal is consistent with the Corps' Mississippi River and Tributaries Project management of other flood control systems in the lower Mississippi River Valley that protect communities from devastating flooding.
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today commended the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch for reducing plastic waste, including from plastic straws, and for including his report language request. That language encourages the elimination of all single-use plastic products including lightweight plastic carryout bags, food and drinkware from expanded polystyrene, plastic stirrers and plastic utensils. The House of Representatives is expected to consider this annual spending measure later this month.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today voted for the Moving Forward Act, a sweeping, $1.5 trillion five-year bill that will create jobs while rebuilding America's infrastructure including not only our roads, bridges, and transit systems, but also our schools, housing, broadband access, green energy, and water infrastructure.