Press Releases
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today announced that the U.S. Department of Education has provided a waiver to Tennessee and nine other states from the approaching mandates under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law’s targets for proficiency standards for reading and math. The decision came as a result of Tennessee agreeing to raise standards, improve accountability, and undertake essential reforms to improve teacher effectiveness on its own.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today introduced the Postmark Payment Act of 2012, a bill that would require that any payment of a bill or invoice, if sent by U.S. mail, be considered sent on the date its envelope was postmarked. The bill would exempt any payment where another method, such as electronic payment, is required by regulation, contract, or law.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today said the State Department’s Office of Inspector General report on the Keystone XL Pipeline – the “Special Review of the Keystone XL Pipeline Permit Process” – raises serious questions about the real impacts of the controversial $7-billion pipeline. The objective of the report – which was requested by Congressman Cohen, Sen.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded the University of Tennessee Health Science Center two federal grants totaling $428,549 for alcohol research programs. The new federal funds will be distributed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) today joined with Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) in sending a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder calling for an investigation into alleged fraudulent and criminal actions of the “Mo Money Taxes” operation in Memphis, Tennessee and Norfolk, Virginia. Congressman Cohen said there have been numerous complaints of alleged tax preparation scams and delayed tax refund returns in Memphis.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today issued the following statement on news that the University of Memphis will be joining the Big East:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today received a 91 percent on The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) 2011 National Environmental Scorecard. LCV works to turn environmental values into national priorities and the recent Scorecard reflects the most anti-environmental session of the U.S. House of Representatives in history, featuring unparalleled assaults on our nation’s bedrock environmental and public health safeguards.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) was named a Defender of Children by the First Focus Campaign for Children (FFCC). First Focus Campaign for Children is a national bipartisan children’s advocacy organization and the award is part of the group’s campaign to recognize the top 100 Members of Congress who advocate on behalf of children in policy and budget decisions.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today issued the following statement recognizing National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, which is marked today, February 7. Tennessee reported 14,021 AIDS cases to the Centers for Disease Control, cumulatively, from the beginning of the epidemic through December 2008. Tennessee ranked 18th highest among the 50 states in cumulative reported AIDS cases:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today issued the following statement on Black History Month, which is celebrated every February:
“Since its official establishment by Congress in 1986, some have questioned the value or wisdom of dedicating the month of February to the study of African American history. Some have asked if this means that we will ignore the contributions of African Americans for the other eleven months of the year. In that vein, the actor Morgan Freeman recently posed the question, ‘Why relegate my history to a single month?’