Press Releases

[MEMPHIS, TN] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today introduced the Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act to help reduce veteran unemployment and train our nation’s heroes for the good-paying, high-demand jobs being created by innovative American small businesses. Congressman Cohen’s legislation would reauthorize the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), which helps train unemployed veterans for careers in high-demand occupations, through 2018.

Congressman will also introduce legislation requiring police shootings to be prosecuted by independent agency

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today reintroduced his National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act, which would close a loophole in federal law that prevents adequate collection of comprehensive national data regarding justified and unjustified fatal interactions with police.

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) supports President Obama’s intention to expand access to higher education, which the President plans to announce in Tennessee today. Congressman Cohen is pleased that many aspects of the President’s plan are similar to the Tennessee HOPE Education Lottery scholarship program that Congressman Cohen, as a Tennessee State Senator, led the 2-decade fight to create. The Tennessee Education Lottery has provided more than $3 billion in education funding to Tennessee students.

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today reintroduced the John Tanner Fairness and Independence in Redistricting (FAIR) Act to take the decennial congressional apportionment process, which often leads to partisan gerrymandering, out of the hands of politicians and give it to an independent redistricting commission. Congressman Cohen also introduced the FAIR Act in the 113^th Congress.

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) was sworn into the 114^th Congress by Speaker of the House John Boehner in the U.S. Capitol today. The swearing-in marks the official beginning of Congressman Cohen’s fifth term representing the Ninth District of Tennessee in Congress.

[MEMPHIS, TN] - Congressman Steve Cohen today made the following statement regarding the passing of former Memphis Police Director Walter Winfrey:

"I knew Walter Winfrey from my days as police attorney and we were friends ever since. He was a man of principle and a leader who commanded respect within his department as well as throughout the community. Memphis is better for his efforts that brought us several innovative programs including community-oriented policing. Walter Winfrey will be missed and my condolences go out to his wife Mona and his whole family."

[MEMPHIS, TN] - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today issued the following statement regarding President Obama's grant of clemency to 20 individuals, including Memphian Larry Nailor, whose life prison sentence for a non-violent drug conviction was commuted:

[MEMPHIS, TN] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today released the following statement regarding the Administration’s announcement that it would seek to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba: