Judiciary

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today introduced Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Bernice B. Donald of Memphis and questioned her at a hearing of the Subcommittee on the Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet on "The Importance of a Diverse Federal Judiciary."

In his introduction of Judge Donald, Congressman Cohen referred to her as "one of the most distinguished jurists in the United States of America." See that introduction here.

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, today presided at a hearing on "the Need to Expand Eligibility Under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act." The hearing explored the impact of downwind and other radiation exposure from nuclear bomb testing and uranium mining and other uranium workers during the Second World War and during the Cold War, and the need to compensate the many victims not currently eligible under RECA.

During his opening statement, Congressman Cohen said:

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, applauds the Committee for passing his bill, H.R. 390, to redesignate the Federal Building located at 167 North Main Street in Memphis as the "Odell Horton Federal Building," . The bill was passed by a voice vote and is now eligible for consideration by the full House of Representatives.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, today presided at a hearing on "Discrimination and Violence Against Asian Americans," less than two days after the killing of six Asian American women in the Atlanta suburbs.

The hearing focused on both historic systemic racism and the alarming increase in anti-Asian racist rhetoric and violence related to the coronavirus pandemic.

In his opening statement, Chairman Cohen said:

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties today voted for, and the House passed, an extension of the deadline to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. Congressman Cohen presided at the first hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment in 36 years in May of 2019, and he has been a longtime and consistent supporter of gender equality.

In a floor speech today before the votes, Congressman Cohen said:

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, today responded to increasingly bellicose misstatements about the way he conducted a hearing on "The Constitutional Framework for Congress's Ability to Uphold Standards of Member Conduct" on Thursday. The occasionally contentious hearing was intended as an academic examination of the history of member discipline and expulsion and the procedures available to the U.S. House of Representatives in reviewing its members' conduct.

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today participated in a Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security hearing on "Controlled Substances: Federal Policies and Enforcement." Congressman Cohen, a longtime member of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, was an original cosponsor and voted for the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, which passed the House in December.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Kelly Armstrong (ND-At Large) today introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act of 2021. The legislation would end the unjust practice of judges increasing sentences based on conduct for which a defendant has been acquitted by a jury.

Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois and Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa introduced the measure in the Senate last Thursday.