Government Reform

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), joined by Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), today introduced the Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act that would prohibit debt collectors from collecting or attempting to collect debt from consumers after a statute of limitation has expired.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today voted for, and the House passed, the Dream and Promise Act, providing a path to citizenship for young people brought to this country as children. Before the vote, Congressman Cohen spoke from the House floor during debate on the measure.

In those remarks, he said, in part:

"These Dreamers are trained in America. They've been educated in America. They're talented. They're smart.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today applauded that elements of his Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers (POST) Act were included in the American Recovery Plan Act that President Biden signed into law last week. Introduced with Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the measure will help put an end to the for-profit college industry's aggressive recruiting of veterans, service members, and their families.

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) tonight listened to President Biden's first prime time address from the East Room and commended the President for his historic efforts to address the pandemic and its economic fallout.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

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.

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today voted for and the House passed H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act, to clarify and strengthen firearms transfer laws.

H.R. 8 requires a background check for every gun sale or transfer. The bill provides some specific commonsense exceptions such as allowing a person to give a gun as a gift to a family member; loaning a gun for hunting or target shooting; or temporarily transferring a gun for self-defense.