Millington

[Washington, D.C.] – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) today hailed Senate passage of legislation predominantly based upon the Enhancing Safety at Military Installations Act, a bill introduced by Cohen and Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) to allow members of the Armed Forces to protect themselves while on military bases and at recruitment facilities. The Congressmen introduced the bill in July following a deadly shooting at a Chattanooga, TN military recruitment facility. The bill was cosponsored by the entire Tennessee delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives.

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Following his lottery to select winners to watch today’s address by His Holiness Pope Francis to a Joint Session of Congress on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today welcomed dozens of Memphis winners to Capitol Hill for this historic event. Today’s speech was the first-ever such address to Congress by a Pope and provided the Memphians attending the opportunity to see the Pope in person as he appeared on the Capitol’s west balcony.

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressmen Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) and Steve Cohen (TN-09) today introduced their bipartisan Enhancing Safety at Military Installations Act with the support of the entire Tennessee House Delegation. This legislation would require the Department of Defense to issue a directive permitting members of the Armed Forces who have received firearms training and are authorized to use firearms to carry military-issued firearms on bases and recruitment facilities.

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-09), Danny Davis (IL-07) and Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today introduced legislation to restore fairness in student lending by treating privately issued student loans the same as other types of private debt in bankruptcy. Until 2005, this type of student loan debt was dischargeable in bankruptcy, but a change to the bankruptcy code made that year removed this consumer protection. Student loan debt now outstrips both auto loans and credit card debt as the largest form of non-mortgage consumer debt.

[MEMPHIS, TN] – In response Attorney General Eric Holder’s comments this week regarding marijuana at the National Press Club, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) called on Attorney General Eric Holder to use existing authority to reschedule marijuana.