Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today questioned British Petroleum America Chief Executive Lamar McKay at a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing about the Gulf Coast oil spill.

Footage of Congressman Cohen’s comments and questions at the House Judiciary Committee hearing on the “Legal Liability Issues Surrounding the Gulf Coast Oil Disaster” can be viewed by selecting the following three links:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today called crush videos disturbing and urged that they be banned. Crush videos are a broad term for videos, photographs, and other visual depictions of small animals slowly being crushed to death.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law (CAL), today held a hearing on the “Protecting Employees and Retirees in Business Bankruptcies Act of 2010” (H.R. 4677) – a measure authored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI-14).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) recently voted to support the U.S.-Israel Rocket and Missile Defense Cooperation and Support Act (H.R. 5327) – legislation that authorizes the President’s request to provide American assistance to support the deployment of Israel’s Iron Dome Rocket and Missile Defense System. The Memphis Congressman issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today announced the National Center for Research Sources has awarded St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital $2,772,027 to purchase a state-of-the-art MRI scanner for research into catastrophic diseases. The federal funds were made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“This month we celebrate the many contributions and accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have helped make this a great country. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed so much to the development of our nation.

Whether through their work in the arts, public service, science and technology, law, medicine, business or the media, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made countless valuable contributions to the success of America.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law (CAL), chaired a bipartisan hearing today that featured testimony from Supreme Court Associate Justices Stephen Breyer and Antonin Scalia. The Justices were there to discuss the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) – a federal agency charged with improving administrative procedures. Paul Verkuil, the new ACUS Chairman, also appeared before the Subcommittee.

“Having such a tremendous rape kit backlog is unacceptable,” said Congressman Cohen. “Victims of sexual assault deserve justice. It is vital we find a way to ensure rape kit backlogs come to a quick end and today’s hearing provided us with the knowledge we need to help make that happen.”

The hearing – “Rape Kit Backlogs: Failing the Test of Providing Justice to Sexual Assault Survivors” – was held to explore why so many rape kits are not tested and what can be done to clear up the backlogs that exist across the country.