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, the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, introduced an amendment today during a committee proceeding to obtain documents from the Department of Justice relating to foreign investments in businesses owned by President Trump, as well as those relating to efforts by Felix Sater, Michael Cohen and Ivanka Trump to expand Trump Organization's holdings in Russia during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, including efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. His amendment was offered to H Res.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, today introduced amendments to the annual Department of Defense spending bill for Fiscal Year 2019 to prohibit the federal government from spending money at businesses owned by President Trump.
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.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, today joined Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler and Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism Homeland Security and Investigations Ranking Member Sheila Jackson-Lee and other members of the House Judiciary Committee in introducing the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today welcomed rapidly increasing support for his discharge petition to force a vote on his bipartisan Special Counsel Integrity Act (H.R. 4669). Under House rules, if a majority of the House signs onto a discharge petition, the bill is automatically sent to the floor for a vote.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) has signed on to an effort to require the President to act on a law enacted last August to impose sanctions against high-level Russian officials for their roles in malicious cyber attacks on American democracy.
The Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act passed the House on a 419-3 vote and the Senate on a vote of 98-2 in July 2017 and became law on August 2, 2017. The law was intended to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his inner circle as the United States prepares for midterm elections this year.
WASHINGTON – Before leaving Washington for Memphis, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) reviewed the controversial Republican House Intelligence Committee memo ascribed to California Rep. Devin Nunes, as well as the Committee Democrats' response memo, and released the following statement:
"Because material in the Intelligence Committee memos remains classified, I can't say very much about them, but I can compare them in terms of persuasiveness, and by that measure, the Nunes memo is a dismal failure.
WASHINGTON - At a House Judiciary Committee Hearing today, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) spoke out against H.R. 3808, the Infrastructure Expansion Act, for its attacks on the protections of construction workers. He released the following statement: