Tennessee
As a fourth-generation Memphian, I have dedicated my life to public service in Memphis and Shelby County. My work has defined my life and affected the lives of people in Memphis, across Tennessee and now across America throughout my career in national, state and local politics.
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MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) expressed guarded optimism that rulings by federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will keep Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits flowing, at least in the short term. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had planned to withhold payments for the program, arguing it could no longer fund it because of the government shutdown, despite previously pointing to the available contingency funds as a way to maintain the program.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on Political Prisoners, and Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-2), Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, will introduce on Friday a House resolution supporting the designation of October 30 – today – as the International Day of Political Prisoners.
The resolution reads:
On the occasion of the International Day of Political Prisoners, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) General Rapporteur for political prisoners, Azadeh Rojhan (Sweden, SOC) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on Political Prisoners, Steve Cohen (United States), made the following statement:
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today wrote to Governor Bill Lee urging him to use state emergency reserve funds to extend benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) if they would otherwise lapse because of the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The letter reads:
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem urging them to discontinue targeting local law enforcement officers nationally, including those in Memphis, for recruitment to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The letter reads in part:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-) swiftly and forcefully condemned President Trump’s attacks on “Democrat programs” he is closing down as the government shutdown entered its third week. He also addressed press reports that young Republican state leaders used racist, antisemitic and homophobic language in thousands of a group chat messages earlier this year that have now been made public. He made the following statement:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today wrote to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent demanding answers after reports that the United States is bailing out Argentina and its Trump-supporting President Javier Milei. The letter reads in part:
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today expressed his condolences over the loss of life and injuries in an explosion at a munitions plant near McEwen, Tennessee, earlier today and released the following statement:
“I express my profound condolences to the families and friends of the victims of this horrific incident. I will continue to monitor the situation and will work with Senators Blackburn and Hagerty, and Congressman Kustoff, and with local and state officials, as the investigation continues.”
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) is observing the beginning of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after more than two years of war, and made the following statement:
“I welcome the news that Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire framework. As part of the agreement, all remaining hostages in Gaza will be returned to their families. After two long years, the hostages and families can finally start their healing process.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, plans to introduce the End Racial and Religious Profiling Act on Friday.
In a statement, Congressman Cohen said:
“With the recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in Vasquez Perdoma v. Noem, the Supreme Court rubber-stamped racial profiling, a cornerstone of the Trump administration’s militarized policing strategy.