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Congressman Steve Cohen is a fourth-generation Memphian who has dedicated his life to public service. As a child, he was stricken with polio, but through hard work, he was able to beat this debilitating disease. The challenges of living with polio as a youngster taught him early in life how to overcome obstacles through persistence and determination, values which would shape his career as a legislator. Filing to run for office on the same day he first registered to vote, Congressman Cohen stepped onto the path that has defined his life and affected the lives of people in Memphis, across Tennessee and now across America throughout his career in national, state and local politics. During his term as a Shelby County Commissioner, Congressman Cohen cast one of the essential votes for the creation of The MED. This would be the first in a long line of votes during his career that would define his legislative philosophy: fighting to ensure the basic human rights of every American, such as access to health care. During his 24 years in the Tennessee State Senate, Congressman Cohen amassed a strong record of passionate, honest and unselfish service. He consistently spurned special interests to stand up for the people’s interests. On issues ranging from women's rights to animal welfare, Congressman Cohen was a relentless advocate in the Tennessee State Senate even in the face of overwhelming opposition. Before he was elected to Congress, he became known throughout the state as the “Father of the Tennessee Lottery,” after leading the referendum effort that instituted arguably the most successful education initiative in Tennessee history. Since the inception of the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship program in 2004, over $1.5 billion has gone to students continuing their education at the college level. As a State Senator, Congressman Cohen fought for nearly twenty years before the State Lottery was established. Countless students have benefited from Congressman Cohen's tireless efforts to provide Tennesseans with access to affordable, quality, post-secondary education. Upon election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, Congressman Cohen immediately distinguished himself on the Hill for his thoughtful legislation and quick wit. His pointed questioning of Bush Administration officials like Alberto Gonzalez, David Addington, Monica Goodling and Michael Mukasey in the highly influential Judiciary Committee quickly earned Congressman Cohen the reputation as a champion of government accountability and a fierce interrogator. Speaker Nancy Pelosi even referred to him as the “conscience of the freshman class” in 2008. In August of 2008, he was instrumental in passing H.Res.194, a House resolution apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African Americans. This historic legislation marked the first time the United States government has ever apologized for these past injustices. He has remained a steadfast leader on issues of importance to the people of the 9th District, leading the policy debate on issues like infant mortality, universal health care, the economy, crime and criminal rehabilitation, transportation and infrastructure, and of course, education. Congressman Cohen has also dedicated himself to providing outstanding constituent service to the citizens of Memphis. The doors of his District Office in the Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building are always open for constituents, and Congressman Cohen held more than a dozen town halls around the city which often included visiting leaders such as Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (MI-14) and singer/activist Harry Belafonte. He has never faltered in fighting for those who do not have the power bestowed by wealth and advantage, and his goal is as it has always been: to ensure that everyone – regardless of race, class or creed – has the opportunity to achieve their American dream. 111th CongressCongressman Cohen will serve in the 111th Session of the U.S. House of Representatives in the following leadership roles and committees:
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Honors2010: NFL Gridiron Greats Award for his work on reducing head injuries in football. 2010: Tennessee Equal Justice 2010 Legislative Leadership Award from Memphis Area Legal Services for his work to increase funding for the Legal Services Corporation and for working to address racial and ethnic disparities in the federal criminal justice system.
2010: American Bar Association Day Award for his work to promote equal access to justice. 2010: Trinity Community Coalition Outreach Appreciation Award for his work to help combat drug and alcohol abuse, recidivism and homelessness. 2009: America Hero Award from ProtectingAmerica.org; 14th Annual Stone Award Politician of the Year; Exhoodus Council’s first annual Urban Peace and Courage Award; “Candle on the Bluff Award” presented by the Memphis Chapter of Morehouse College Alumni and New Olivet Baptist Church; Humane Society "Humane Champion" award.
2008: The Vida Foundation's D. Emelio Castelar Work Recognition Award (International Humanitarian Award presented in Madrid, Spain); Memphis Flyer "Best of Memphis" Reader's Poll: Best Memphian; Selected as one of the Forward 50 by The Forward, America's largest Jewish newspaper, recognizing the most influential Jewish Americans of the year; 13th Annual Stone Awards Recipient: Most Outstanding Politician; Tennessee Communication Association's Communicator of the Year; Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) Award of Excellence for Public Service; Tennessee Principals Association "Friend of Education Award;" Alpha Kappa Alpha Beta Epsilon Omega Chapter AKAward For Outstanding Public Service in the Area of the Economic Keys to Success; Honorary Degree from LeMoyne-Owen College Legislative Accomplishments in the House of Representatives:111th Congress (2009/2010)H.R. 2765, the Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage (SPEECH) Act. The measure was signed into law by President Obama in August 2010. The law protects American authors, journalists and publishers from foreign defamation judgments that undermine the First Amendment and American due process standards. H. Res 18, Honoring the life, achievements, and contributions of Paul Newman, Passed the House on 2/24/2009. H.R. 2247, the Congressional Review Act Improvement Act. Eliminates a requirement that federal agencies must submit specified information about a rule to both Houses of Congress before such rule can take effect (thus requiring that the information be submitted to only the Comptroller General).
H. Res 476, Celebrating the 30th anniversary of June as "Black Music Month" H. Res 260, Supporting efforts to reduce infant mortality in the United StatesExpresses support for efforts to: (1) lower the rate of infant mortality in the United States; and (2) correct the racial disparities in prenatal care to lower that rate. H.R. 3470, the NEWBORN Act. Included in H.R. 3249, Healthcare Reform bill which passed the House on 11/7/09. Also passed the House on 9/22/10. Addresses the United States’ high rate of infant mortality through the creation of pilot programs across the nation. These programs would be established in the cities and localities with the highest rates of infant mortality and would be financed through grants given by the Department of Health and Human Services. Each program will focus on providing at-risk mothers pre-natal care, community outreach, and education about pregnancy and infant mortality. 110th Congress (2007/2008)H.Res. 194 , An Apology for the Enslavement and Racial Segregation of African Americans. On July 29, 2008, the House of Representatives unanimously passed H.Res.194, apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African-Americans. Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) introduced the resolution on February 22, 2007. This is the first time that the federal government has ever formally apologized for slavery or racial segregation in United States history. Congressman Cohen's statement on the passage of H.Res. 194: I am very proud that my colleagues in the House of Representatives passed our resolution apologizing for slavery and Jim Crow in the United States. This is a historic moment in the ongoing struggle for civil rights in this country, and I hope that this legislation can serve to open the dialogue on race and equality for all. Apologies are not empty gestures, but are a necessary first step towards any sort of reconciliation between people. I thank Congressman John Conyers (MI-10), whose assistance in moving this resolution forward was indispensible, for his strong support for this bill.
Watch Congressman Cohen's speech in support of this historic legislation by clicking on the picture above. H.R. 6146 , Libel Tourism Bill Congressman Cohen wrote and introduced this legislation to amend U.S. code to prohibit recognition and enforcement of foreign defamation judgments. On September 26, 2008, the House passed the bill unanimously. The New York Times wrote an editorial in support of the bill which can be found HERE. TIH AmendmentIn March 2007, Congressman Cohen ammended the Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007. The amendment would establish a program to coordinate with state and local governments to minimize the need for toxic inhalation hazardous materials to be routed through our communities. The amendment passed the House by a comfortable margin. Local officials who were concerned about the transportation of hazardous materials through District 9 approached Congressman Cohen earlier that year. He heard their concerns and worked to find a bill which would appropriately carry the language needed to guard against potential toxic spill incidents.
H.R. 6986 , the Individual Depositor and Community Bank Protection Act H.RES. 162 , Negro Baseball Leagues Resolution This resolution introduced by Congressman Cohen recognizes the contributions of the Negro Baseball Leagues and their players. It passed the House of Representatives unanimously. H.R. 3385 , Homelessness Task Force Bill Congressman Cohen introduced this legislation which calls on Congress to establish a bipartisan task force to examine homelessness in the United States and make recommendations to alleviate its causes and effects. With 27 cosponsors, it has been referred to committee and will be taken up in the 111th Congress. H.R. 4158 , the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System Act Congressman Cohen introduced this legislation which would consolidate the authorization of the National Urban Search and Rescue program and place its authority in one section of the Stafford Act. This will help ensure that the Urban Search and Rescue can competently and proficiently respond to a wide range of natural disasters. Further, the bill would ensure Urban Search and Rescue Task Force members are given secure uniform workers compensation and tort liability protection under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which currently provides such protections to activated National Guard and reserve members. The bill was referred to committee and will be taken up in the 111th Congress. H.R. 2 , the Fair Minimum Wage Act This landmark legislation raised the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour as one of the first acts of the 110th Congress. It had been 10 years since the previous increase in the minimum wage, and this was one of the first acts of the 110th Congress. Congressman Cohen was an original cosponsor of this bill. H.R. 6 , the Energy Independence and Security Act Among its provisions, this legislation increases research, development, and deployment of clean renewable energy and efficiency technologies. This legislation also included a landmark increase in corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards. Congressman Cohen was a lead cosponsor of this legislation, and it became law on December 19, 2007. H.R. 2578 , the Empowerment Zone and Renewal Community Enhancement Act Congressman Cohen was a lead cosponsor on this legislation introduced by Congressman Artur Davis (AL-07). It extends and expands the benefits for businesses operating in empowerment zones, enterprise communities and renewal communities, and promotes housing choice for low-income families through the HOPE VI grant program which revitalizes severely distressed public housing. H.R. 2881 , the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act Congressman Cohen was an original cosponsor of this legislation, which authorizes appropriations for the Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal years 2008 through 2011, to improve aviation safety and capacity, provide stable funding for the national aviation system. The bill also includes provisions for consumer rights, noise abatement, safety issues, flight attendant, air traffic controller and pilot work conditions (passed the House Nov. 20, 2007). H.R. 5524 , the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act of 2008 Congressman Cohen was an original cosponsor on this bill which revises requirements for services provided under grants from the Secretary of Health and Human Services for centers for runaway and homeless youth and their families. The President signed this into law on October 8, 2008. H.R. 6658 , the Disaster Response, Recovery, and Mitigation Enhancement Act of 2008 This billl requires the president to award financial assistance under the pre-disaster hazard mitigation program on a competitive basis and authorize continuing appropriations for this program through Fiscal Year 2011. Congressman Cohen was one of the lead cosponsors of this legislation. H.R. 753 , a bill which redesignates the federal building at 167 North Main Street in Memphis as the "Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building." Congressman Cohen wrote this legislation and introduced it in the House of Representatives on January 31, 2007. It passed unanimously and was signed by the President on May 2, 2007. Odell Horton was appointed to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee by President Jimmy Carter on May 12, 1980, the first black federal judge appointed since Reconstruction. Judge Horton served as chief judge of the district from January 1, 1987 until December 31, 1993. H.R. 2587 , a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 555 South 3rd Street Lobby in Memphis, Tennessee, as the "Kenneth T. Whalum, Sr. Post Office Building." Congressman Cohen wrote this legislation and introduced it in the House of Representatives on June 6, 2007. It passed unanimously and was signed by the President on October 24, 2007. Kenneth Whalum died on October 22, 2007, two days before this legislation passed. He worked for years in the U.S. Postal Service as director of personnel and served two terms on the City Council. He was best known, however, as the founder and long time pastor of the Olivet Baptist Church, one of the largest congregations in Memphis. Other AccomplishmentsHIDTA, Congressman Cohen helped secure designation for Shelby County as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). This federal designation -- which was made in August 2010 -- will further the development of joint drug control efforts by federal, state, and local law enforcement officers in the region and allow them to benefit from ongoing initiatives. Congressman Cohen issued a letter to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in April 2010. U.S. Attorney, Congressman Cohen recommended lifelong Memphian Ed Stanton to President Obama, who then nominated Stanton as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. Ed Stanton was confirmed by the Senate in August 2010.
The MED, Congressman Cohen advocated for a provision that addresses Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments to Tennessee that will ensure the state receives federal funding for hospitals like The MED that provide uncompensated care – a battle which dates back to inception of the TennCare program in 1993. FDIC, Congressman Cohen authored legislation in 2008 to raise the maximum federal deposit insurance coverage from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) from $100,000 to $200,000. His idea was used and increased to $250,000, and included in the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which became law. CHIP, Congressman Cohen voted in favor of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in 2009, a bill that not only provided health insurance to many of our nation’s needy children, but also included provisions that help The MED. Youth PROMISE Act, Congressman Cohen authored this bill to bring together various stakeholders in the community to address the problem of gang violence. Everyone from law enforcement and the legal system to schools, faith-based organizations, and mental health organizations would develop a comprehensive strategy for diverting young people who are at risk of joining a gang. High Speed Rail, Congressman Cohen proposed building a high-speed rail corridor from Little Rock to Memphis that would be a major economic catalyst that has the potential to create jobs, reduce congestion on our roads and bridges, curb our reliance on fossil fuels, and improve our environment. He worked to amend the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act to include a feasibility study on the South Central High-Speed Rail Corridor expansion.
NIH, Congressman Cohen authored an amendment in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to give the National Institutes of Health (NIH) an additional $10 billion to help fund hospitals like Memphis' St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The measure was incorporated into the Recovery Package through an amendment put forth by Senator Tom Harkin. NIH is the primary source of funding for treatments to diseases like cancer, AIDS, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Most Significant State Legislative Accomplishments
2006: Lottery-funded after-school programs, Lottery scholarship awards increased, Felon voting right reform, Coretta Scott King Memorial Highway, Teen DUI death initiative Primary budget proponent for state funding for: The Pyramid, the Memphis Zoo, the Brooks Museum of Art, the Memphis Food Bank, the Orange Mound Senior Care Home, Orange Mound Concerned Citizens Headquarters, Aloyious House, Friends for Life, the Memphis College of Art's Burton Callicott Auditorium, Overton Park/Ted Rust lawn sculpture, the Brannon-McCulloch Primary Health Center, The Blues Foundation, the Center for Southern Folklore, the Blues City Cultural Center and the state student ticket subsidy program for the arts, sponsored legislation which created the environmental license plates and suggested the iris design. Charter form of county government, Hall Income Tax exemptions for elderly and low income, and citations in lieu of arrest for misdemeanants and a plethora of laws facilitating the enjoyment of wine while dining. Other Political Positions
1980,1992, 2004 & 2008: Delegate to Democratic National Convention; Platform Committee 2000 |
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