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
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, wrote to Attorney General Jeff Sessions today urging the Justice Department to continue monitoring the Shelby County Juvenile Court in compliance with a 2012 Memorandum of Understanding. See the letter here.
Shelby County and the Juvenile Court have sought to terminate the agreement.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) condemned as heartless bad policy U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson's proposed 25 percent rent increase for low-income residents touted at the American Conservative Union's Foundation for Conservative Political Action Conference in Memphis earlier this week, and made the following statement:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, said today's predictable 5-4 ruling against the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) will have the effect of diminishing wages for working- and middle-class Americans, furthering income inequality, and is a direct result of the failure of the U.S. Senate to confirm President Obama's Supreme Court nominee. He made the following statement:
Cohen Announces Nearly Half a Million Dollars in St. Jude Funding
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) has awarded $493,625 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for research regarding schizophrenia.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today introduced legislation to address America's unacceptably high infant mortality rate with concrete measures in the Nationally Enhancing the Wellbeing of Babies through Outreach and Research Now (NEWBORN) Act.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) urged Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to honor today's request from several airlines not to use their services to transport immigrant children separated from their parents as a result of the Trump Administration's "Zero Tolerance" policy. He made the following statement:
"The desire by American Airlines and other airlines to avoid being parties to a Trump Administration policy decision separating children from their parents on the border is an example of good corporate citizenship.
WASHNGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) condemned the Trump Administration policy change that has separated nearly 2,000 children from their parents along the Mexican border in recent weeks. He made the following statement:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) today introduced the DUI Reporting Act to address the loophole in our nation's drunken-driving laws that enables repeat DUI offenders to be charged and tried as first-time offenders because of inconsistent reporting.
I am deeply concerned about Governor Haslam's decision to reintroduce work requirements for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in most Tennessee counties.
Those in Memphis who benefit from SNAP, many of whom are African American, rely on its financial assistance to feed themselves and their families. The governor's announced change in policy will turn back time for Shelby County and make it harder to prevent some of our most vulnerable citizens from going hungry.