Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today recalled the good done by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as a leader of the anti-apartheid movement while her husband, Nelson, was imprisoned. Ms. Madikizela-Mandala has died at 81.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

"During the 27 years her husband endured imprisonment for his anti-apartheid stand, Winnie Madizikela-Mandela was a powerful force championing his cause, and was imprisoned herself.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, welcomed a Maryland federal judge's ruling today allowing a lawsuit alleging violations of the U.S. Constitution's emoluments clauses against President Trump to go forward.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) expressed dismay that the Tennessee state Senate Education Committee failed on Wednesday to advance a bill to provide in-state tuition to students currently protected by the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs, effectively killing the effort, and made the following statement.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today recalled the important role Linda Brown played in the unanimous landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that declared state laws creating separate schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional. Brown died Sunday at 75.

Congressman Cohen made the following remarks:

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) voted today against a massive $1.3 trillion spending bill, noting it contained the wrong priorities while leaving critical issues unaddressed.

The measure passed 256-167.

Congressman Cohen noted that the 2,232-page measure was rushed through without adequate time for review. What was clear from the hurry-up effort was that a provision to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller from firing was not in the bill while a massive, unnecessary and budget-busting Defense spending increase was included.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today filed a discharge petition to require House Speaker Paul Ryan to call for a floor vote on the Special Counsel Integrity Act (H.R. 4669), a bill he and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) introduced in December to create procedural protections for independent special prosecutors. The bill would prohibit a special prosecutor from being fired without appropriate cause, and allow a special prosecutor who has been removed to seek judicial review of such removal.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) held a Telephone Town Hall from his Washington office tonight, reaching more than four thousand constituents and responding to their questions and comments.