Memphis

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-09), Danny Davis (IL-07) and Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today introduced legislation to restore fairness in student lending by treating privately issued student loans the same as other types of private debt in bankruptcy. Until 2005, this type of student loan debt was dischargeable in bankruptcy, but a change to the bankruptcy code made that year removed this consumer protection. Student loan debt now outstrips both auto loans and credit card debt as the largest form of non-mortgage consumer debt.

Newly-agreed compromise guarantees disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments for Tennessee through 2025

[WASHINGTON, DC] – With the April 15^th federal tax filing deadline approaching, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today reintroduced his Tax Return Preparer Accountability Act to protect consumers from unscrupulous tax preparation businesses like Mo’ Money Taxes.

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Don Young (AK-AL) have introduced H.R. 1538, the bipartisan House companion to the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act that Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced in the Senate this month.

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Matt Cartwright (PA-17) today reintroduced the Protecting Consumers from Unreasonable Credit Rates Act, which would cap fees and interest rates that predatory lenders charge on payday loans and other consumer credit products like car title loans that can sometimes reach 300%. The bill, which Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) also introduced in the Senate today, would limit interest rates and fees at 36% for all consumer credit transactions, the same rate cap that is already protecting military personnel and their families.

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), founding member of the Congressional State Medicaid Expansion Caucus, issued the following statement regarding a 3-2 vote in a Tennessee State Senate subcommittee to recommend a resolution to give Governor Bill Haslam the authority to expand TennCare, the state’s Medicaid system:

[MEMPHIS, TN] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today joined lead sponsors Rep. John Lewis (GA-05), House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (SC-06), Rep. John Conyers (MI-13), Rep. Robert Brady (PA-01) and more than 170 Democrats in reintroducing the Voter Empowerment Act (VEA) in the House of Representatives. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York will introduce a companion version in the Senate.