Government Reform
In Congress, Congressman Cohen has taken numerous steps to begin to change the way we do business in Washington and to restore accountability and transparency to government.
He has voted for and passed legislation that banned gifts from lobbyists, prohibited the use of corporate jets, and required full disclosure of earmarks. He has supported legislation banning pensions for Members of Congress convicted of certain crimes, and to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act by increasing government transparency.
Congressman Cohen has also taken the lead on important structural reforms, like non-partisan redistricting with the John Tanner and Jim Cooper Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act, and the rigorous, nonpartisan agency oversight with the Independent Acting Inspectors General Act.
More on Government Reform
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today went to the House floor to speak in favor of a resolution referring former Trump advisor Steve Bannon to the Department of Justice for possible criminal prosecution for contempt of Congress. Congressman Cohen then voted for the measure, which passed the House 229 to 202.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today went to the House floor to speak in favor of a resolution referring former Trump advisor Steve Bannon to the Department of Justice for possible criminal prosecution for contempt of Congress.
The House is expected to take up the resolution this afternoon.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, today presided at a hearing on "Oversight of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: The Current State of Integration of People with Disabilities."
In his opening statement, Chairman Cohen said:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today voted for, and the House passed, the Eliminating the Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law (EQUAL) Act, a sentencing reform measure that ends the disparity between crack and powder cocaine offenses.
The vote on passage was 361 to 66.
MEMPHIS – Representatives Steve Cohen (TN-09), Ed Case (HI-01), Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and Tim Ryan (OH-13) tonight wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin seeking information about the U.S.-supplied aircraft Afghan pilots flew to Uzbekistan as the Afghan military collapsed before the Taliban takeover of their country.
The letter reads in part:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, today spoke in support of passage for H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The historic measure, named for the late champion of civil rights, Georgia Congressman John Lewis, will protect voting rights by restoring important provisions of the Civil Rights Act that have been steadily eroded by U.S. Supreme Court rulings and restrictive state voter suppression laws.
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today asked the White House to extend the national eviction moratorium that ended Saturday and threatens and put 11.4 million people at risk of homelessness during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Congressman Cohen re-introduced the Emergency Eviction Enforcement Act in March to protect vulnerable tenants from evictions during a national emergency or public health crisis.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), who was in the House Chamber Gallery when the rioters invaded the U.S. Capitol on January 6, fully supports the efforts of the Select Committee looking into the attack.
WASHINGTON – Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-09), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), and Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today introduced the Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act. This legislation would restore fairness in student lending by treating privately issued student loans the same as other types of private debt are treated in bankruptcy. Until 2005, this type of student loan debt was dischargeable in bankruptcy, but a change to the bankruptcy code that year removed that consumer protection.