Press Releases
Washington, DC -- In a full committee meeting of the House Committee on the Judiciary today, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) asked questions of panel witnesses and constitutional experts in direct response to President Bush's commutation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence. The hearing on Presidential Clemency and misuses of power was part of an ongoing oversight investigation into repeated instances of executive branch misdoings.
Washington, DC -- Earlier today, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee amended the Federal Aviation reauthorization bill, making it easier for non-airline FedEx Express to unionize. The bill as amended would adversely affect FedEx Express, the largest employer in Memphis, as well as the national and world economies. The amendment would allow FedEx Express workers to organize under the National Labor Relations Act instead of the Railway Labor Act. Currently, only FedEx pilots are unionized.
Washington, DC -- Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1281, the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007. Congressman Steve Cohen, co-sponsor of the bill, stated, "This bill protects every American citizen’s right to vote by making voter deception a crime. There is no more sacred right of American citizens than to participate in the democratic process of electing their governmental representatives. It is a right which must be vigorously protected against those who would abuse it for their own nefarious purposes."
Washington, DC -- Today Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced the award of a U.S. Department of Education grant in the amount of $1,285,107 to LeMoyne-Owen College for the period of 10/01/2007 through 09/30/2008. The funding is from the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)-Institutional Aid Program. According to the Department of Education, it is anticipated that the program will be for a total of 5 years.
Washington, DC -- Today Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced the award of an Economic Development Administration grant in the amount of $1.5 million to partially finance the development of the Towne Center at Soulsville (TCS) USA.Specifically, the proposed EDA investment will facilitate the new construction of a three-story mixed building totaling 51,081 square feet of retail, commercial and office functions that will stimulate additional jobs and private investment.
Washington, DC -- Today Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced the Federal Aviation grant award in the amount of $7,277,015.00 to the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority for construction of a deicing containment facility, construction of a taxiway, improvements to the terminal building, runway rehabilitation, taxiway rehabilitation, and updating the Airport Master Plan Study. Specifically,
Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) joined Reps. Artur Davis (AL-7), Rodney Alexander (LA-5) and a bipartisan group of House Members in introducing H.R. 2578, the Empowerment Zone and Renewal Community Enhancement Act of 2007.
Washington, DC -- Today, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) voted to give hope to 100 million Americans by greatly expanding scientists’ access to embryonic stem cell lines – when he voted for S. 5, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.
The House passed this critical bill this afternoon by a strong bipartisan vote of 247 to 176.
Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) has asked constituents across Tennessee's 9th Congressional District to participate in an online survey soliciting their opinions on key issues impacting Memphis and Shelby County. Congressman Cohen's survey can be accessed here:
Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) - Spring 2007 Federal Issues Survey
Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) is pleased to announce a recent $449,000 National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) grant awarded to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by the National Institute of Health (NIH). The highly competitive grant will fund the purchase of a mass spectrometer to be used for biomedical research. Under the guidance of St. Jude faculty member Dr. Clive Slaughter, the Ultraflex II Mass Spectrometer will expand the research capabilities of St. Jude’s Hartwell Center for Bioinformatics and Biotechnology.