Congressman Steve Cohen

Representing the 9th District of Tennessee

Foreign Affairs

Congressman Cohen voted for the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (H.R. 1191), which passed the House and Senate and was signed into law by President Obama on May 22, 2015.  This bill gave Congress 60 days to review the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) before conducting a vote of disapproval.  The JCPOA is an historic agreement between the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, China and Iran to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.  After carefully reviewing the JCPOA and listening to constituents who oppose and support the agreement as well as speaking personally with President Obama and Secretary Kerry about the agreement, meeting with U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Dan Baer, attending classified briefings and meetings with officials at the Vienna headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency while on official travel, and speaking with Asian officials and diplomats, Congressman Cohen voted to approve the JCPOA as a diplomatic way to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and avoid possible military action.  

Congressman Cohen has long supported normalizing U.S. relations with Cuba.  Congressman Cohen supported President Obama’s steps to normalize relations with Cuba and has cosponsored the Promoting American Agricultural and Medical Exports to Cuba Act (H.R. 635), the Export Freedom to Cuba Act (H.R. 634) and the Free Trade With Cuba Act (H.R. 403).  These bills aim to lift restrictions on exports of agriculture and medical goods to Cuba, ease travel restrictions to and from Cuba for U.S. citizens or legal residents, and repeal the embargo on trade with Cuba, respectively.  Congressman Cohen has also written to the Cuban government in support of medical diplomacy with Memphis health institutions.

Congressman Cohen is a Commissioner of the Commission on Security & Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, which seeks to improve security by promoting human rights, democracy, and cooperation on economic, environmental and military issues in 57 countries.  As a Commissioner, Congressman Cohen has attended numerous hearings, briefings and meetings on these issues in Washington, DC, participated in the 2015 Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and has traveled to Helsinki member states on official travel to meet with foreign elected officials.

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January 6, 2017 Enewsletters

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December 21, 2016 Enewsletters

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October 18, 2016 Press Release

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, released the following statement today marking the 25th National Independence Day in Azerbaijan:

September 30, 2016 Enewsletters

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September 29, 2016 Press Release

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) will join President Barack Obama as part of the U.S delegation to Israel for the funeral of former Israeli President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

September 28, 2016 Press Release

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today released the following statement on the passing of former Israeli Prime Minister, President and Nobel laureate Shimon Peres:

August 19, 2016 Enewsletters

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June 17, 2016 Enewsletters

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