Judiciary
Congressman Cohen has repeatedly called for Judiciary Committee hearing on police reform and the use of deadly force against minorities
[WASHINGTON, DC] – At a hearing of the full House Judiciary Committee that Constitution and Civil Justice Subcommittee Ranking Member Steve Cohen (TN-09) requested repeatedly in the months following Michael Brown’s shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, Congressman Cohen called for greater police accountability and reforms to deadly force policies that in recent months have left several young, unarmed African-American men dead at the hands of police.
Cases involving police use of deadly force should be investigated by an independent prosecutor instead of local prosecuting attorneys who often work closely with law-enforcement officers and thus have a conflict of interest, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen said Wednesday.
Cohen, a Memphis Democrat, and U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-Mo., filed legislation that seeks to push state and local governments to require independent investigations and prosecutions into allegations of deadly police force. The lawmakers say the legislation would provide justice to victims of police violence.
Cases involving police use of deadly force should be investigated by an independent prosecutor instead of local prosecuting attorneys who often work closely with law-enforcement officers and thus have a conflict of interest, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen said Wednesday.
Cohen, a Memphis Democrat, and U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-Mo., filed legislation that seeks to push state and local governments to require independent investigations and prosecutions into allegations of deadly police force. The lawmakers say the legislation would provide justice to victims of police violence.
[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, has joined Congressman Lacy Clay (MO-01), who represents Ferguson, Missouri, to introduce the Police Training and Independent Review Act of 2015. The legislation would help encourage incidents of deadly force used by police to be investigated and, if need be, prosecuted, by an independent entity as well as provide improved training for police officers.
Congressman is also leading bipartisan bill with Senators Cory Booker and Rand Paul to recognize medicinal marijuana nationwide
[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, today commended Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) along with Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) for introducing the bipartisan Therapeutic Hemp Medical Access Act of 2015.
[WASHINGTON, DC] – At a hearing of the House Rules Committee this evening, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) spoke out against yet another effort from House Republicans to subvert the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision and undermine a woman’s constitutional right to make her own health care choices, H.R. 36.
[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, released the following statement regarding the Senate’s confirmation of Loretta Lynch to be the next Attorney General of the United States by a vote of 56-43:
[WASHINGTON, DC] – In the wake of a string of national tragedies related police-involved violence, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that he is an original cosponsor of the End Racial Profiling Act, legislation introduced in both the House and the Senate today to support a comprehensive federal commitment to healing the rift caused by racial profiling and to restore public confidence in our nation’s criminal justice system.