Children and Families
It is important to provide all children and families access to a quality, affordable education and healthcare to help them secure a prosperous future. As a member of Congress, I have championed for legislation that makes it easier for Americans to balance work and family responsibilities, expands support for foster youth care, and serves the needs of children with special behavioral health needs and/or medical disabilities. I also firmly believe that assisting families in their pursuit of higher education is critical for our nation’s growth and success.
More on Children and Families
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today wrote to Governor Bill Lee, commending his decision to recommend a statewide shelter-in-place for non-essential travel, but also urging him to make it mandatory in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic already evident throughout the Mid-South and to prevent a deluge of cases overwhelming Memphis medical facilities.
The letter reads in part:
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today wrote to the Governors of Mississippi and Arkansas, whose state lines are also City of Memphis city limits, urging them to issue mandatory shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic already evident throughout the Mid-South and prevent a deluge of cases overwhelming Memphis medical facilities.
The letter reads in part:
Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update for Thursday, March 26
WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced today that Christ Community Health Services Inc. will be receiving a grant of $4,442,578 from the Department of Health and Human Services for its ongoing work meeting the needs of the medically underserved.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
“This significant grant will help Christ Community Health Services meet the medical care necessities of Memphians most in need. I am pleased to see this funding go to support the dedicated people looking out for the underserved.”
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today led a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and the White House Coronavirus Task Force asking why the United States did not follow World Health Organization guidance, available since January 17, for manufacturing Covid-19 tests and instead relied on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) test, which was found to be inoperable on March 1. Workable test kits were not available in all 50 states until March 9.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) early this morning voted for, and the House passed, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The measure provides paid leave, establishes free testing, supports strong unemployment benefits, expands food assistance for vulnerable children and families, and increases funding for Medicaid programs across the country. It also contains tax credits for small and medium-sized businesses affected by the relief measures.
The vote on passage was 363 to 40. It now moves to the Senate for a vote.
WASHINGTON – With lead hazards lurking in about 3.6 million homes of families with young children nationwide, Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-09) and David McKinley (WV-01) today introduced the Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act – bipartisan legislation to help American families cover the cost of eliminating lead from their homes.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today moderated a briefing hosted by the newly re-constituted Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus to discuss issues of student athlete compensation, as well as the fairness and integrity of the games overseen by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Congressman Cohen founded the Collegiate Sports Caucus with former Texas Congressman Joe Barton in 2011.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today introduced the Diversity Advancements in Accelerated Academic Programs (D.A.A.A.P.) Act, aimed at improving diversity by creating equity offices in state education departments or local education agencies to encourage programs to improve diversity in Advanced Placement (AP) and Gifted and Talented (GT) academic programs.