Government Reform
In Congress, I have taken numerous steps to begin to change the way we do business in Washington and to restore accountability and transparency to government. I have voted for and passed legislation that banned gifts from lobbyists, prohibited the use of corporate jets, and required full disclosure of earmarks. Also I have passed legislation banning pensions for Members of Congress convicted of certain crimes; and strengthening the Freedom of Information Act to increase government transparency.
More on Government Reform

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, questioned witnesses today about police reform measures at a hearing on Police Practices and Law Enforcement Accountability.

Returns to Washington to Conduct Judiciary Committee Oversight
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, will return to Washington to participate in Wednesday's Judiciary oversight hearing on Policing Practices and Law Enforcement Accountability.

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MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, applauded introduction of the Justice in Policing Act. The bill incorporates his National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act (H.R. 119), the Police CAMERA Act (H.R. 120), and Police Training and Independent Review Act (H.R. 125). Congressman Cohen has championed these bills for several years.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

WASHINGTON -- On Wednesday, June 3, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time -- 9:00 a.m. Central time, Chairman Steve Cohen (TN-09) will preside at a House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties hearing on protecting the right to vote during the COVID-19 pandemic. The global health crisis poses an unprecedented challenge for administering free and fair elections and ensuring that every eligible citizen is able to vote this November.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) returned to Washington and voted this evening for a $3 trillion measure to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the national economy. The measure contains funding for state and local governments, hospitals, first responders, our health care workers, testing, another round of $1,200 economic impact payments and increased spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), among many other things.

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) will return to Washington Thursday and plans to vote Friday on a fifth bill in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Heroes Act, H.R.

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip James Clyburn asking them to prevent the privatization and outsourcing of federal jobs during the ongoing pandemic. Congressman Cohen cited a plan by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to outsource 108 Information Technology (I.T.) jobs to private contractors.
Congressman Cohen's letter reads in part:

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) returned to Washington and voted today for a $484 billion response to the coronavirus pandemic with aid concentrated on small businesses and hospitals. This is the fourth bill Congress has passed to address the crisis that devotes $60 billion for loans to small businesses, such as minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned enterprises. In addition, the bill provides $60 billion for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and $25 billion for testing.

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Aviation, today wrote Federal Aviation Administrator (FAA) Stephen Dickson and Deputy Administrator Daniel K. Elwell requesting that funding to airports provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act be suspended until an equitable funding formula can be found.