Press Releases

Congressman Cohen stated: “This Thanksgiving as we gather in our homes with our friends and families, let us not forget the hardships that our fellow citizens face with the mortgage crisis. Home ownership is an aspiration for all Americans, and I am dedicated to ensuring that this dream remains achievable and is not derailed by predatory lenders. In the Memphis metro area, 24 percent of all mortgages are subprime. That is the second highest level in the country according First American LoanPerformance, a leading research and data provider to the mortgage industry.

“I’ve known the Congressman for many years, and his actions locally and nationally on domestic issues have affected his constituents very positively,” said CBTU Founder and President William Lucy. Mr. Lucy, a native Memphian and one of the most revered and highest-ranking black labor leaders in the world, attended the presentation ceremony. “He is certainly a worthy recipient,” he continued.

“Congressmen Murtha and Obey stated that the Senate’s refusal to pass a war funding bill with withdrawal language would not compel them to consider legislation that would fund the war without restrictions,” explained Congressman Cohen. “Today, I join with my colleagues to say to the President: ‘Enough is enough.’”

Congressman Cohen said, “Staying the course in Iraq is no longer a viable option. Whatever your opinion of the war – its origins, the mismanagement, the performance of the Iraqi government – one thing is clear: we can not afford to sustain the deployment in Iraq.

“I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this legislation, which creates a Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System for residential mortgage loan originators and establishes a minimum standard requiring that borrowers have a reasonable ability to repay a loan,” stated Rep. Cohen. “The bill will also expand and enhance consumer protections for ‘high-cost loans’ as well as include protections for renters of foreclosed homes. Finally, the bill establishes an Office of Housing Counseling through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.”

According to the Justice Department, nearly two-thirds of all offenders that are released from prison end up back in jail within three years. “The days of releasing prisoners back into the community with a bus ticket and a meal voucher must come to an end,” explained Congressman Cohen. “Left without any resources, far too many ex-offenders fall back through the cracks into the criminal underworld.”

“I was proud to vote for this important legislation that cuts taxes for middle-income families and saves nearly 25,000 Memphis households from paying the Alternative Minimum Tax,” said Congressman Cohen. “Memphians have seen the cost of health care, gas and college education skyrocket while their homes have lost value. This was a very important bill to pass to give them a break, and it was done while adhering to the principles of fiscal responsibility and a pay-as-you-go budget.”

“Funding for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL) is vital and I’m extremely pleased with this victory for the Ninth District,” stated Congressman Cohen. “This project has been a legislative priority for me. This appropriation will provide funding for this worthy project that saves lives, creates jobs and gives Memphis a competitive advantage. A properly equipped RBL will serve as a magnet for bioscience business and industry.”