Homeland Security
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) tonight voted for a seven-bill "minibus" that includes major increases in spending for SNAP, WIC, school nutrition programs, the Small Business Administration, consumer protection agencies, veterans affairs and veterans medical services, rental assistance, housing for the elderly and transit programs. It also includes funding for many of his highest priority community project requests:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today introduced the Transnational Repression Accountability and Prevention (TRAP) Act along with Ranking Member Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02). This bill is intended to end abuse of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) by autocrats misusing its detention mechanisms to pursue, harass, or persecute political opponents and dissidents with trumped up criminal charges.
WASHINGTON –Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced that his former Congressional aide, William T. Connor IV, will be the Senior House Staff Representative at the Commission.
Co-Chairman Cohen made the following statement:
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:
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), who has served on the Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) since March 2011, was named Co-Chairman of the Commission by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The CSCE is also known as the Helsinki Commission.
Speaker Pelosi made the announcement this morning:
WASHINGTON – Congress Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today applauded the approach being taken by the Biden-Harris Administration to address gun violence. The strategy implements preventative measures that are proven to reduce violent crime, and tackles the root causes – including by addressing the flow of firearms used to commit crimes. Memphis is one of 15 communities the administration identified that will use new American Rescue Plan funding to invest in proven community violence intervention programs.
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, today questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray about whether the agency is investigating former President Trump's role in inciting the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
In his exchange with the Director, Congressman Cohen said in part:
SANTA FE, New Mexico -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today addressed remotely a meeting of the European Union – United States Parliamentary Consultation on Human Rights. He said he was speaking following the recent "unfortunate close call with authoritarianism" in the United States, and expressed concerns about the human rights outlook in Hong Kong, Belarus and Ukraine.
In his remarks, Congressman Cohen said in part:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today commended the Biden Administration for its efforts to address the cracked span of the Hernando DeSoto Bridge and the resulting diversion of traffic to the Interstate 55 Tennessee-Arkansas Bridge in Memphis.