Cohen, Stephen Rep chair

=<div>LCV 94/ 97</div><div>
</div><div><a href="https://scorecard.lcv.org/moc/steve-cohen">https://scorecard.lcv.org/moc/steve-cohen</a></div><div>=</div><div>Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) on Monday identified freshman Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) as the member of Congress who gave a "large tour" in the days before the January 6 Capitol insurrection."We saw Congressman Boebert taking a group of people for a tour sometime after the 3rd and before the 6th," Rep. Cohen told CNN late Monday morning, adding that "she had a large group with her."<div class="teadsNative" style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div id="story_page_incontent_p2_target">"She's not on the home team," Cohen said.<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ba50105874aab0e4283508338599692c" id="0a31b"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 550px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><blockquote class="twitter-custom-tweet twitter-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-lazy-tweet-id="1351202603858800651" data-twitter-tweet-id="1351202603858800651" data-twitter-extracted-i1610996185110611806="true" style="margin: 1em 40px 1em -5px; border-left: 4px solid rgb(11, 13, 101); line-height: 32px; padding: 10px 20px 10px 24px; width: 602.543px; background: rgb(245, 245, 245);"><div style="margin: 1em 0px;">"We saw congress[woman] Boebert taking a group of people for a tour sometime after the 3rd and before the 6th." --… https://t.co/Cov4VrrK0S</div>— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar)1610986779.0</blockquote></div>
Boebert, as many have noted, tweeted Speaker Pelosi's location – or, to be specific, removal – during the insurrection...</div></div></div></div><div>=
<div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen</a></div><div>
</div><div>Stephen Ira Cohen (born May 24, 1949) is an American politician serving as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" style="background: none; text-decoration-line: none;">U.S. Representative</a> from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee%27s_9th_congressional_district" title="Tennessee's 9th congressional district" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Tennessee's 9th congressional district</a>, since 2007. He is a member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party(United_States)" title="Democratic Party (United States)" style="background: none; text-decoration-line: none;">Democratic Party</a>. The district includes the western three-fourths of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,Tennessee" title="Memphis, Tennessee" style="background: none; text-decoration-line: none;">Memphis</a>. Cohen is Tennessee's first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews" title="Jews" style="text-decoration-line: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Jewish</a> congressman.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-1" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[1]</a><div class="toclimit-3" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div id="toc" class="toc" style="border: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250); padding: 7px; display: table;"><input type="checkbox" role="button" id="toctogglecheckbox" class="toctogglecheckbox" style="direction: ltr; position: absolute; opacity: 0; z-index: -1; display: none;" /><div class="toctitle" lang="en" dir="ltr" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">
</div><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none; list-style-type: none;"><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#Early_life,education,and_law_career" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">1Early life, education, and law career</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#Early_political_career" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">2Early political career</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#Tennessee_Senate" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">3Tennessee Senate</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#U.S.House_of_Representatives" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">4U.S. House of Representatives</a><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none; list-style-type: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#Elections" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">4.1Elections</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#Tenure" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">4.2Tenure</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-39" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#Media" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">4.3Media</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-40" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#Committee_assignments" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">4.4Committee assignments</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-41" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#Caucus_memberships" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">4.5Caucus memberships</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-42" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#See_also" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">5See also</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-43" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#References" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">6References</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-44" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#External_links" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">7External links</a></li></ul></div></div><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); line-height: 1.3;">Early life, education, and law career[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=1&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Early life, education, and law career" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>Cohen was born in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,Tennessee" title="Memphis, Tennessee" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Memphis, Tennessee</a>, on May 24, 1949, the son of Genevieve (née Goldsand) and pediatrician Morris David Cohen. He has two older brothers, Michael Corey and Martin D. Cohen.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-PVS-2" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[2]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Fiery-3" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[3]</a> He is a fourth-generation Memphian,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Cohencongress-4" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[4]</a> and is a grandson of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish" class="mw-redirect" title="Jewish" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Jewish</a> immigrants from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuania" title="Lithuania" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Lithuania</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland" title="Poland" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Poland</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-5" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[5]</a> His immigrant grandfather owned a newsstand.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-TNR-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[6]</a> Cohen contracted <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poliomyelitis" class="mw-redirect" title="Poliomyelitis" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">polio</a> when he was five, and the disease caused him to shift his attention from sports to politics at an early age.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Cohencongress-4" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[4]</a> When Cohen was eleven, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F.Kennedy" title="John F. Kennedy" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">John F. Kennedy</a> made a campaign stop in Memphis, and Cohen took a picture of Kennedy sitting on a convertible. Cohen describes Kennedy as his political hero; the picture still hangs in his office.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-TNR-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[6]</a>In 1961, Cohen's family moved to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_Gables,Florida" title="Coral Gables, Florida" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Coral Gables, Florida</a> where his father took a residency in psychiatry at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Miami" title="University of Miami" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">University of Miami</a>. From 1964 to 1966, the Cohen family resided in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasadena,California" title="Pasadena, California" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Pasadena, California</a> where Dr. Cohen completed a fellowship in pediatric psychiatry at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Southern_California" title="University of Southern California" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">University of Southern California</a>. Cohen, who had been attending <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytechnic_School" title="Polytechnic School" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Polytechnic School</a> in Pasadena, returned to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida" title="Florida" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Florida</a> in 1966 to graduate from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_Gables_High_School" class="mw-redirect" title="Coral Gables High School" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Coral Gables High School</a>, before returning to Memphis where his father had established his private psychiatry practice.Cohen graduated from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_University" title="Vanderbilt University" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Vanderbilt University</a> in 1971 with a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_of_Arts" title="Bachelor of Arts" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Bachelor of Arts</a> degree. While at Vanderbilt, he was a member of the Alpha Gamma chapter of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeta_Beta_Tau" title="Zeta Beta Tau" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Zeta Beta Tau</a> fraternity.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-7" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[7]</a> In 1973, he graduated from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Memphis_School_of_Law" class="mw-redirect" title="University of Memphis School of Law" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">University of Memphis School of Law</a> of Memphis State University (now the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Memphis" title="University of Memphis" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">University of Memphis</a>) with a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juris_Doctor" title="Juris Doctor" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Juris Doctor</a> degree.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-PVS-2" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[2]</a> From 1978–2006, Cohen was the sole practitioner of his own law firm, practicing civil and criminal law until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives.<h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); line-height: 1.3;">Early political career[</h2>While serving for three years as Legal Advisor for the Memphis Police Department, Cohen rose to political prominence when he was elected to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Tennessee#1977_convention_and_aftermath" title="Constitution of Tennessee" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Tennessee Constitutional Convention of 1977</a> at the age of 27. The Convention elected him its vice president.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Flyer-8" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[8]</a> Cohen was then elected to serve as a commissioner on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_County,Tennessee" title="Shelby County, Tennessee" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Shelby County</a> Commission, an office he held from 1978 to 1980.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-PVS-2" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[2]</a> During his time at the Commission, Cohen was instrumental in the creation of The Med, a community-funded regional hospital.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Flyer-8" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[8]</a> In 1980, Cohen served as an interim <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_County,Tennessee" title="Shelby County, Tennessee" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Shelby County</a> General Sessions Court judge.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-PVS-2" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[2]</a> He has also served as a delegate to the 1980, 1992, and 2004 through 2016 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_National_Convention" title="Democratic National Convention" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Democratic National Conventions</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-PVS-2" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[2]</a><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); line-height: 1.3;">Tennessee Senate[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=3&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Tennessee Senate" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>Cohen was elected to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Senate" title="Tennessee Senate" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Tennessee Senate</a> in 1982, representing District 30, which includes parts of Memphis. He held that position for 24 years.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-PVS-2" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[2]</a>For 18 years, Cohen strove to repeal the ban on lotteries in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_State_Constitution" class="mw-redirect" title="Tennessee State Constitution" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Tennessee State Constitution</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Flyer-8" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[8]</a> His efforts were successful in 2002, and a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Lottery" title="Tennessee Lottery" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">state lottery program</a> designed to provide college scholarships for Tennessee students was adopted the following year.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Flyer-8" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[8]</a> The lottery program is regarded as the most well-known accomplishment of Cohen's Senate career, having raised over $2 billion for scholarships, afterschool programs, pre-K, technical center grants, and energy saving capital programs in K-12 schools as of 2012.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Flyer-8" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[8]</a> Cohen also sponsored legislation relating to expansion of community access to healthcare, the protection of animal rights, the reinstatement of voting rights, graduated driver licenses, and funding for the arts during his career.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Flyer-8" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[8]</a> He sponsored the T-Bo law, the nation's first-ever statute providing for damages up to $5000 in cases of intentional or negligent acts resulting in the death of a companion dog or cat.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-9" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[9]</a> He has won six awards from the Humane Society as of 2011.He sponsored and passed legislation providing funding for the construction of the Autozone Park baseball stadium, creating the Holocaust Commission, and providing permanent funding for the arts with Tennesseans for the Arts license plates. He was awarded the Bill of Rights Award from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_Liberties_Union" title="American Civil Liberties Union" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">American Civil Liberties Union</a> and the Bird Dog Award for Ethics from Tennessee Common Cause in 1992.In 1994, Cohen ran for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Tennessee" title="Governor of Tennessee" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Governor of Tennessee</a>, but finished fifth in the primary to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Bredesen" title="Phil Bredesen" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Phil Bredesen</a> with 4.95% of the vote. Bredesen lost the general election to Congressman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Sundquist" title="Don Sundquist" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Don Sundquist</a>, but would go on to succeed Sundquist in 2003.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-10" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[10]</a>In March 2005, Cohen was one of three members of the Tennessee Senate to vote against the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Marriage_Protection_Amendment" title="Tennessee Marriage Protection Amendment" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Tennessee Marriage Protection Amendment</a>, which Tennessee voters approved via a referendum in November 2006.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-City1-11" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[11]</a> During the course of the debate on the amendment, Cohen offered several amendments to the amendment, all of which failed, including the proposed addition of an "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adultery" title="Adultery" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">adultery</a> clause," which said "Adultery is deemed to be a threat to the institution of marriage and contrary to public policy in Tennessee."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-City2-12" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[12]</a> Cohen won the Political Leadership Award from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Campaign" title="Human Rights Campaign" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Human Rights Campaign</a>.When elected in 1982, Cohen was the first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish" class="mw-redirect" title="Jewish" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Jewish</a> member to serve in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Senate" title="Tennessee Senate" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Tennessee Senate</a> since 1958.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-TNR-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[6]</a><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); line-height: 1.3;">U.S. House of Representatives[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=4&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: U.S. House of Representatives" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Elections[</h3><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">1996[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=6&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 1996" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In 1996, Cohen ran for election to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">United States House of Representatives</a> seat for the 9th District, which came open when 22-year incumbent and fellow Democrat <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Ford,Sr." class="mw-redirect" title="Harold Ford, Sr." style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Harold Ford, Sr.</a> announced his retirement. The then 26-year-old <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Ford,Jr." class="mw-redirect" title="Harold Ford, Jr." style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Harold Ford, Jr.</a>, the incumbent's son, was his opponent in the Democratic primary.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-TNR-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[6]</a> Reflecting on the race, Cohen said, "I'd spent fourteen years in the [state] Senate, had the experience, and didn't like the idea of [the seat] being handed down like an heirloom."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-TNR-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[6]</a>Cohen lost the primary to Ford by 25 points.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Flyer-8" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[8]</a> Noting that Ford, an African-American, did much better than Cohen in majority black precincts despite Ford's inexperience, Cohen said, "It is impossible for a person who is not African American to get a large vote in the African American community... against a substantial candidate. The fact is, I am white, and it doesn't seem to matter what you do."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-TNR-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[6]</a> Later, Cohen admitted that his statement was "impolitic" but also noted that "race is still an important factor in voting."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-TNR-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[6]</a>Cohen was able to return to the State Senate after the election. Tennessee state senators serve staggered four-year terms, and Cohen did not have to run for reelection to the Senate until 1998.<h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">2006[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=7&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2006" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In early April 2006, Cohen announced that he was again running for the 9th District seat; Ford, Jr. was not running for reelection. Cohen was the first candidate in the race with significant name recognition outside the Memphis area, but had fourteen opponents in the primary.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Flyer-8" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[8]</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Commercial_Appeal" title="The Commercial Appeal" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">The Commercial Appeal</a>, Memphis' daily <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newspaper" title="Newspaper" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">newspaper</a>, endorsed Cohen in the race.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-CA-13" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[13]</a> The crowded nature of the primary was largely due to the district's demographics. The 9th is a heavily Democrat, black-majority district, and it was considered very likely that whoever won the Democratic primary would be the district's next congressman.Cohen won the August 3 primary by a decisive 4,000-vote margin, despite being outspent 2 to 1 by the runner-up in the primary. In fact, six Democrats raised more money than he did.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-14" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[14]</a> He carried many of the district's predominantly black precincts by healthy margins. He faced <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Republican_Party" class="mw-redirect" title="United States Republican Party" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Republican</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_White(Tennessee_politician)" title="Mark White (Tennessee politician)" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Mark White</a> and independent Jake Ford (the younger brother of Harold Ford, Jr.) in the general election in November.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-CA_primary-15" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[15]</a>Though the Ninth District is heavily Democrat, Jake Ford was seen as a serious contender for the race because of his significant name recognition among Memphis's black voters.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-TNR-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[6]</a> Jake Ford had skipped the Democratic primary because he felt it was too crowded, but stated he would caucus with the Democrats if elected. The Ford family has been a significant force in Memphis' black community since the days of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.H.Crump" class="mw-redirect" title="E.H. Crump" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">E.H. Crump</a>. Indeed, it seemed that the real race was between Cohen and Jake Ford. White was not a serious factor, and would have faced nearly impossible odds even in a two-way race with Cohen.Cohen was endorsed by the mayor of Memphis, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W.W.Herenton" title="W. W. Herenton" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">W. W. Herenton</a>, and the mayor of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_County,Tennessee" title="Shelby County, Tennessee" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Shelby County</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.C.Wharton" class="mw-redirect" title="A.C. Wharton" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">A.C. Wharton</a>, both of whom are black and members of the Democratic Party.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-16" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[16]</a> He was also endorsed by many local Democratic activists who had long felt Harold Ford, Jr. was too moderate.However, many of the city's politically influential black pastors refused to support Cohen, and the area Black Ministers Association overwhelmingly voted to endorse Jake Ford. The Ford family itself was split. While Harold Ford, Jr. himself remained neutral (despite rumors of collusion between the two brothers' campaigns), their cousin Joe Ford, Jr., an entertainment lawyer, strongly endorsed Cohen after finishing third in the primary. However, Harold Ford, Sr. strongly supported his younger son.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-17" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[17]</a>On October 8, 2006, Cohen, Ford, and White participated in a televised debate in Memphis. Among other topics, issues discussed included Iraq, medical marijuana, education, and the Tennessee Marriage Protection Amendment.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-debate-18" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[18]</a> Ford attacked Cohen's record in the State Senate, including his opposition to the Marriage Protection Amendment, support for medical marijuana, and his voting attendance record.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-debate-18" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[18]</a> Cohen responded by standing by his public record, pointing out Ford's lack of experience in public office, and indicating that Ford had been to jail and had dropped out of high school.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-debate-18" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[18]</a>Cohen won the election by a decisive margin, winning 60% of the vote to Ford's 22% and White's 18%.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-19" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[19]</a> Sixty percent of the votes received by Cohen were from African-American voters.<h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">2008[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=8&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2008" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable" style="font-style: italic; padding-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">See also: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Tennessee#District_9" title="2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee § District 9</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Tennessee#District_9" title="2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee § District 9</a></div>Despite Cohen's strong performance in the black community, many of the city's politically active blacks felt chagrined at being represented by him. Besides some sentiment that the 9th should be represented by a black Democrat, his socially liberal views (see below) also gave them pause. For example, Cohen's support for a hate-crimes bill drew particularly strong opposition from most of the city's black ministers because it included a sexual orientation provision. Cohen contends that every member of the Congressional Black Caucus voted for the bill, and Harold Ford, Jr. had voted for it in the previous Congress. Still, many of the city's black ministers tried to rally behind a consensus black candidate to challenge Cohen in the Democratic primary.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-20" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[20]</a>Cohen faced four challengers in the August 7, 2008 Democratic primary for the 9th District. His major opponent was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nikki_Tinker&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Nikki Tinker (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Nikki Tinker</a>, a lawyer who had finished second to Cohen in the 2006 primary and had formerly been an aide to Harold Ford, Jr.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-21" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[21]</a> Tinker received the endorsement of the city's Black Ministerial Association.At a June 2008 campaign event, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi referred to Cohen as "the conscience of the freshman class", adding "He is a progressive and an important member of the Transportation Committee, which provides the infrastructure for jobs that will make America more competitive in the global economy."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-22" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[22]</a>The campaign quickly turned ugly, with Tinker putting together a raft of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_campaigning" title="Negative campaigning" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">negative ads</a>. One attacked Cohen for voting against a proposal that would have removed a statue and the remains of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Bedford_Forrest" title="Nathan Bedford Forrest" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Nathan Bedford Forrest</a>, a Confederate lieutenant-general who was involved in the founding of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan" title="Ku Klux Klan" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Ku Klux Klan</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-23" style="text-decoration-line: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[23]</a> from the Medical Center park. The ad falsely implied that Cohen had ties to the Klan by juxtaposing Cohen with a white-clad Klansman.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-24" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[24]</a> Another ad accused Cohen of "praying in our churches"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-25" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[25]</a> while voting against school prayer during his tenure in the State Senate. Tinker's campaign later removed the ads from its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube" title="YouTube" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">YouTube</a> account amid criticism from a number of sources.On the day the Primary was held, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Barack Obama</a> denounced Tinker's ads, saying they "have no place in our politics, and will do nothing to help the good people of Tennessee." Harold Ford, Jr. also denounced the ads.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-CAWin-26" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[26]</a>The primary had been marred by racial tensions for months prior to the August vote. In February 2008, Rev. George Brooks, a Tinker supporter, distributed literature in the district which stated that "Cohen and the Jews HATE Jesus" and urged the defeat of an "opponent of Christ and Christianity." Another minister, Rev. Robert Poindexter of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, said that he was supporting Tinker because Cohen "(is) not black, and he can't represent me, that's just the bottom line." <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-27" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[27]</a>Ultimately, Cohen won the primary in a rout, taking 79 percent of the vote to Tinker's 19 percent. In his victory speech, Cohen said his victory proved "Memphis has come a long, long way" from its racially divisive past.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-CAWin-26" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[26]</a> Cohen's primary win virtually assured him of a second term; no Republican even filed, and any Republican challenger would have faced nearly impossible odds in any case. He was reelected with 87.9 percent of the vote against three independent challengers, one of whom was Jake Ford (who won 4.8 percent of the vote).Cohen endorsed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Barack Obama</a> in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party(United_States)presidential_primaries,2008" class="mw-redirect" title="Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">2008 Democratic presidential primary</a> on February 4, 2008, the day before the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Tuesday,2008" title="Super Tuesday, 2008" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Super Tuesday</a> primaries.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-28" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[28]</a> On September 10, 2008, while speaking on the floor of the House, Cohen compared Obama's work as a community organizer to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus" title="Jesus" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Jesus</a>' work.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-29" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[29]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">2010[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=9&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2010" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Former Memphis Mayor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Herenton" class="mw-redirect" title="Willie Herenton" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Willie Herenton</a> announced that he would challenge Cohen in the 2010 Democratic primary for the seat. In a guest column in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Commercial_Appeal" class="mw-redirect" title="Memphis Commercial Appeal" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Memphis Commercial Appeal</a>, Herenton wrote that while he hoped the campaign would focus on issues rather than race or religion, that "it remains a fact that the 9th Congressional District provides the only real opportunity to elect a qualified African-American to the all-white 11-member delegation representing Tennessee in Washington." Herenton also denied having supported Cohen in his 2006 bid against Jake Ford, writing "I did not support Steve Cohen the individual for the 9th Congressional District. I supported an idea that was bigger than him as an individual. I supported the principle of fairness."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-30" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[30]</a> During the 2006 campaign, Herenton endorsed Cohen, saying "Steve Cohen is the best-qualified candidate for this leadership role".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-31" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[31]</a> While Cohen's commanding win in the 2008 primary suggested that he has won strong support among the district's African-American community, Herenton was easily his highest-profile opponent to date.In September 2009, Herenton drew controversy when he stated in a radio interview that Cohen "really does not think very much of African-Americans" and that "[Cohen]'s played the black community well." In addition, Herenton's campaign manager Sidney Chism told the New York Times that the Memphis-area congressional seat Cohen holds "was set aside for people who look like me. It wasn't set aside for a Jew or a Christian. It was set aside so that blacks could have representation." The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Jewish_Democratic_Council" title="National Jewish Democratic Council" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">National Jewish Democratic Council</a> (NJDC) criticized Herenton for these remarks, stating that he comments were "unacceptable in a Democratic primary or anywhere in our political discourse."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-32" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[32]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-33" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[33]</a>President Obama endorsed Congressman Cohen for re-election, saying "Congressman Cohen is a proven leader in the United States Congress and a strong voice for Tennessee. Together, we passed historic health care reform and together we're continuing the fight to renew our economy and bring jobs back to the American people. I am proud to stand with Steve and support his re-election to Congress."In the unofficial election results, Steve Cohen won 79% of the vote to Herenton's 21%. The vote marked the first time Herenton, 70, elected to a record five terms as mayor, lost a race for public office.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-34" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[34]</a> This all but assured Cohen of a third term. In the general election, Cohen defeated Republican challenger Charlotte Bergmann, taking 74 percent of the vote to Bergmann's 25 percent.<h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">2012[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=10&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2012" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen was challenged in the Democratic Primary by Tomeka Hart, a female African-American member of the Memphis School Board and Memphis Urban League President who was undefeated in elections up to that point. Cohen won the Democratic Primary with 89.2% of the vote on August 2, 2012<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-35" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[35]</a>—the highest vote total in the district in recent history and the highest percentage vote for a white candidate running for office in a majority African-American district in history.President Obama endorsed Cohen on April 5, 2012, saying "Congressman Steve Cohen has worked with me on jobs bills, health care, and other issues of importance to the middle class. He also never fails to pitch me on the city of Memphis, whether it's Booker T. Washington High School, Memphis basketball, or barbecue. I urge you to vote for Steve Cohen, a tireless advocate for the 9th District".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-36" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[36]</a> In the general election, Cohen defeated Republican businessman George Flinn, winning 75 percent of the vote.<h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">2014[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=11&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2014" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen was challenged in the Democratic Primary by prominent African American Attorney Ricky Wilkins. Cohen defeated Wilkins by a two-to-one margin, winning every precinct.<h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">2016[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=12&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2016" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen defeated his Republican opponent, Wayne Alberson, in the general election with 78.7% of the vote to Alberson's 18.9%.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-37" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[37]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">2018[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=13&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2018" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen won the Democratic Primary against two opponents with almost 91% of the vote. He went on to defeat his Republican opponent, Charlotte Bergmann as well as Independent candidate Leo AwGoWhat, in the general election with 80% of the vote to Bergmann's 19.2% and AwGoWhat's 0.8%.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-38" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[38]</a><h3 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Tenure[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=14&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Tenure" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>Cohen is far and away the most progressive member of the Tennessee delegation, and arguably one of the most progressive congressmen ever to represent the state. He has a lifetime rating of 4.3 from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Conservative_Union" title="American Conservative Union" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">American Conservative Union</a>; for most of his tenure he has had the lowest ACU rating of any lawmaker from Tennessee.He is the first Jew to represent Tennessee in Congress, as well as the first white Democrat to represent a significant portion of Memphis since freshman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W.Grider" title="George W. Grider" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">George Grider</a> was defeated by Republican <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Kuykendall" title="Dan Kuykendall" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Dan Kuykendall</a> in 1966, and the first Jew to represent a majority black district,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-TNR-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[6]</a> as well as one of the few white congressmen that has represented a black-majority district. Before being elected, Cohen told reporters that he would seek to become the first white member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Black_Caucus" title="Congressional Black Caucus" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Congressional Black Caucus</a>, but later decided against joining after members of the CBC (influenced by co-founder <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clay" title="Bill Clay" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Bill Clay</a>) indicated that they would not allow a non-black to join.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-TNR-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[6]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Budget[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=15&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Budget" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen voted against prioritizing spending in the event of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt_limit" title="Debt limit" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">debt limit</a> being reached.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a> He voted to create an $825 billion economic recovery package as well as an additional $192 billion anti-recession stimulus in 2009.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a> He has supported additional stimulus packages and bailouts, such as the GM and Chrysler bailout.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a>Cohen supports raising Senate salaries.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a> He also supports extending unemployment benefits from 39 weeks to 59 weeks.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a> He opposes any move to privatize social security.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Gun control[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=16&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Gun control" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen supports a ban on the gun show loophole and on 'fire sales' of firearms. However he does support citizen's rights to bear concealed firearms.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a> He supports educating children on gun safety through a school program.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a> Cohen was also one of 80 house members to sign a letter written to President Obama urging him to ban the importation of military-style semiautomatic firearms.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-40" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[40]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Energy[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=17&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Energy" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>To expand funds available for research and development of alternative energy sources, Cohen supports an excess profits tax on oil companies.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Oil-41" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[41]</a> He supports investments into solar, wind, and hybrid cars.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a> He supports offering tax credits and incentives to companies that adopt renewable and clean energy methods.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a> He supports the regulation of oil and gas prices and seeks to criminalize oil cartels like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEC" title="OPEC" style="background: none; text-decoration-line: none;">OPEC</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a> He opposes off-shore drilling and seeks to revoke tax incentives for exploration of oil and gas.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Environment[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=18&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Environment" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen is a member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Progressive_Caucus" title="Congressional Progressive Caucus" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Congressional Progressive Caucus</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-42" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[42]</a> He supports environmental conservation.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Environment-43" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[43]</a> He opposed a resolution that would bar the EPA from regulating emissions, and opposes allowing off-shore drilling.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a> In addition he supports the expansion of public transportation and train lines.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a>He believes there are several more animal species that should be classified as endangered and thus receive protection. He believes outdoor classroom experiences should be expanded through massive federal funding.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Healthcare[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=19&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Healthcare" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen believes adequate healthcare is a basic right and has opposed any cuts to healthcare funding.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Health_Care-44" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[44]</a> He has voted several times to extend healthcare coverage through federal funding.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a>On May 10, 2012, at a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">House</a> subcommittee hearing on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos" title="Asbestos" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">asbestos</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trust_law" title="Trust law" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">trust</a> transparency legislation, Cohen described plaintiff's attorneys who contacted him about the illness of his friend, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Zevon" title="Warren Zevon" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Warren Zevon</a> as "parasites." He said that Warren Zevon—who died from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos" title="Asbestos" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">asbestos</a> related <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer" title="Cancer" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">cancer</a>—did not seek a lawyer and did not want damages. In spite of Cohen's feelings against those plaintiff's attorneys, he spoke against the bill.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-LNL-45" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[45]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-ILR-46" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[46]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Cannabis[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=20&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Cannabis" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen has supported a number of efforts to legalize <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis(drug)" title="Cannabis (drug)" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">cannabis</a> in Congress. He cosponsored the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ending_Federal_Marijuana_Prohibition_Act" title="Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act</a> when it was first introduced in 2011 and every year that it has subsequently been introduced.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-47" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[47]</a> Other legislation he has cosponsored includes the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulate_Marijuana_Like_Alcohol_Act" class="mw-redirect" title="Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-48" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[48]</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana_Justice_Act" title="Marijuana Justice Act" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Marijuana Justice Act</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-49" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[49]</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana_Freedom_and_Opportunity_Act" title="Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-50" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[50]</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MORE_Act" class="mw-redirect" title="MORE Act" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-51" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[51]</a> Cohen has also introduced the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CARERS_Act" class="mw-redirect" title="CARERS Act" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">CARERS Act</a> in multiple years (2015, 2017, and 2019) to legalize the medical use of cannabis.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-52" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[52]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-53" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[53]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-54" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[54]</a> Cohen was the headline speaker at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana_Policy_Project" title="Marijuana Policy Project" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Marijuana Policy Project</a>'s annual gala in January 2010.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-55" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[55]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Government reform[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=21&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Government reform" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>He supports limiting campaign donations and disclosure of amounts coming from lobbyists.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a>During his first month in Congress, Cohen supported the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100-Hour_Plan" title="100-Hour Plan" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">100-Hour Plan</a>" in the House, which included raising the federal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage" title="Minimum wage" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">minimum wage</a>, requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare(United_States)" title="Medicare (United States)" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Medicare</a> prescription drug prices, and reducing interest rates for student borrowers. Cohen also cosponsored House <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concurrent_resolution" title="Concurrent resolution" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Concurrent Resolution</a> 23, which "[expresses] the sense of Congress that the President should not order an escalation in the total number of members of the United States Armed Forces serving in Iraq."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-56" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[56]</a>On February 27, 2007, Cohen introduced a resolution in the House that apologizes for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery_in_the_United_States" class="mw-redirect" title="History of slavery in the United States" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">African-American slavery</a> and the system of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Crow_laws" title="Jim Crow laws" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Jim Crow laws</a> that persisted for 100 years after the abolition of slavery. Cohen noted that no president has officially apologized for allowing slavery. The bill had 36 cosponsors.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-57" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[57]</a> The resolution passed on July 29, 2008, marking the first time a branch of the federal government had officially apologized for the institution of slavery and its aftermath.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-58" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[58]</a> Cohen was honored with the D. Emelio Castelar Work Recognition Award by the Vida Foundation in Madrid, Spain for his work on the slavery apology bill and served as the keynote speaker for their international symposium on the abolition of slavery and the slave trade.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-59" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[59]</a>Cohen supported the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Book_on_Equal_Access_to_Justice_Act(H.R.2919;113th_Congress)" class="mw-redirect" title="Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act (H.R. 2919; 113th Congress)" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act (H.R. 2919; 113th Congress)</a>, a bill that would require the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_Conference_of_the_United_States" title="Administrative Conference of the United States" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Administrative Conference of the United States</a> (ACUS) to prepare a report each year on the amount of fees and other expenses awarded by federal courts to nonfederal entities when they prevail in a case against the United States.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-cbo2919-60" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[60]</a> Cohen, an original co-sponsor of the bill, argued that "Americans have a right to know what their government is doing and their government has a duty to be as transparent as possible."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-LummisPRAug1-61" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[61]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Civil rights[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=22&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Civil rights" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen received the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bar_Association" title="American Bar Association" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">American Bar Association</a>'s Day Award along with Congressman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lewis(Georgia_politician)" class="mw-redirect" title="John Lewis (Georgia politician)" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">John Lewis</a> (GA-5), Senator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia_Snowe" title="Olympia Snowe" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Olympia Snowe</a> (ME) and Senator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lugar" title="Richard Lugar" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Richard Lugar</a> (IN). Cohen was recognized by the ABA for his efforts to improve access to the justice system by providing more funding for the Legal Services Corporation, which provides legal counsel for low income individuals and families. Cohen dedicated the award to Dr. Benjamin Hooks and Dr. Dorothy Height during his acceptance speech.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-62" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[62]</a>Cohen sponsored the SPEECH Act banning the practice of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libel_tourism" title="Libel tourism" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">libel tourism</a>, rendering <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libel" class="mw-redirect" title="Libel" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">libel</a> lawsuits unenforceable if the judgments were issued in a nation where the legal standard for libel is set lower than our own. The Senate Sponsor was Senator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Leahy" title="Patrick Leahy" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Patrick Leahy</a>. The bill passed both houses of Congress in July 2010 and was signed into law by President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Barack Obama</a> the following month.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-63" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[63]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Abortion[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=23&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Abortion" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen supports legal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion" title="Abortion" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">abortion</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Women-64" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[64]</a> He opposes the repeal of federally funded abortions and supports a focus on preventing pregnancies with the availability of emergency contraceptives if needed.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-issues-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[39]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Iraq War[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=24&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Iraq War" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In 2006, he opposed Republican policy regarding the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Iraq" class="mw-redirect" title="War in Iraq" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">War in Iraq</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Iraq-65" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[65]</a>Cohen made a trip to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq" title="Iraq" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Iraq</a> from October 4, 2007, to October 7, 2007, as part of a congressional fact-finding delegation. Cohen noted that his impression was that the country was "not in very good shape" and that its economy has been "ravaged." Cohen met with soldiers who complained that long deployments are causing divorces. When Cohen raised this concern with General <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Petraeus" title="David Petraeus" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">David Petraeus</a>, Petraeus told Cohen that the claims were being exaggerated. After meeting with Prime Minister <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouri_al-Maliki" title="Nouri al-Maliki" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Nouri al-Maliki</a>, Cohen described him as "overly optimistic," noting his "bizarre" statement that sectarian war in Iraq is over.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-66" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[66]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Afghanistan infrastructure[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=25&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Afghanistan infrastructure" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In 2012, Cohen sponsored the Cohen Amendment reducing infrastructure funding to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan" title="Afghanistan" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Afghanistan</a>. The Afghan Infrastructure Fund has been plagued with problems, with millions of taxpayer dollars disappearing. When another member of the House said the funding was essential to bringing our troops home, Cohen replied "The truth of the matter is that it has nothing to do with whether we can bring our troops home or not. The truth is that we cannot account for where this money is going, and it is likely going into the pockets of the top one-half of one percent in Afghanistan. The infrastructure holds up well enough there to deploy and redeploy our troops, so it's good enough to bring them home permanently." The Amendment passed 228–191 and is the first piece of legislation reducing funding to Afghanistan.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-67" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[67]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">National Guard & Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=26&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: National Guard & Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen sponsored and co-authored, along with Congressman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.Randy_Forbes" class="mw-redirect" title="J. Randy Forbes" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">J. Randy Forbes</a> (R-VA-4), Congressman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_Rohrabacher" title="Dana Rohrabacher" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Dana Rohrabacher</a> (R-CA-46), Congresswoman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Schakowsky" title="Jan Schakowsky" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Jan Schakowsky</a> (D-IL-9), and Congressman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerrold_Nadler" class="mw-redirect" title="Jerrold Nadler" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Jerrold Nadler</a> (D-NY-8) The National Guard & Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act, which allows qualifying members of the National Guard and reservists to bypass the often onerous means testing required under current bankruptcy law if their financial hardships were caused by deployment. The bill was signed into law by President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Barack Obama</a> in December 2011.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-68" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[68]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Judicial recommendations[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=27&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Judicial recommendations" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="Speaker of the United States House of Representatives" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">House Speaker</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Pelosi" title="Nancy Pelosi" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Nancy Pelosi</a> assigned Cohen to serve on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Committee_on_the_Judiciary" title="United States House Committee on the Judiciary" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">House Judiciary Committee</a>, which was Cohen's first choice for a committee assignment, as well as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Committee_on_Transportation_and_Infrastructure" title="United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-69" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[69]</a>As there are no Democratic U.S. Senators from Tennessee, President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Barack Obama</a> asked Cohen to recommend judicial nominees. Cohen recommended Judge Bernice Donald for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Court_of_Appeals" class="mw-redirect" title="United States Court of Appeals" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">United States Court of Appeals</a>, Sixth Circuit, Judge John Fowlkes and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheryl_H.Lipman" title="Sheryl H. Lipman" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Sheryl H. Lipman</a> for District Court Judge for the Western District of Tennessee. All three have been confirmed by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">United States Senate</a>. Cohen also recommended Ed Stanton III as District Court Judge for Western Tennessee.<h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">TVA Recommendations[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=28&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: TVA Recommendations" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen recommended Bishop William Graves, V. Lynn Evans, and Ron Walter for the Board of Directors at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Valley_Authority" title="Tennessee Valley Authority" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Tennessee Valley Authority</a>. All three were nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">United States Senate</a>. They are the only African-Americans on the TVA Board. Evans and Walter, both from Shelby County, represent the only time two residents of Shelby County have been on the TVA Board simultaneously.<h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">U.S. Attorney[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=29&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: U.S. Attorney" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen recommended Ed Stanton III to President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Barack Obama</a> as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Attorney" class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. Attorney" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">U.S. Attorney</a> for Tennessee's Western District. Stanton was confirmed in August 2010.<h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Votes[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=30&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Votes" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Steve Cohen has sponsored 16 bills since January 4, 2007, of which 13 haven't made it out of committee and 2 were successfully enacted. Cohen has co-sponsored 762 bills during the same time period.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-govtrack1-70" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[70]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Main Street to Main Street Multi-Modal Connector Project[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=31&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Main Street to Main Street Multi-Modal Connector Project" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen announced in 2012 that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,Tennessee" title="Memphis, Tennessee" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Memphis</a> is to be awarded a $15 million TIGER IV Grant for the Main Street to Main Street Multi-Modal Connector Project. The project will add a dedicated sidewalk to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harahan_Bridge" title="Harahan Bridge" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Harahan Bridge</a> connecting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee" title="Tennessee" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Tennessee</a> to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas" title="Arkansas" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Arkansas</a>, allowing people to walk, run, or bicycle over the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_River" title="Mississippi River" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Mississippi River</a>. The project has drawn praise from many in the business community, including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FedEx" title="FedEx" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">FedEx</a> founder <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_W.Smith" title="Frederick W. Smith" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Fred Smith</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-71" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[71]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Helsinki Commission[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=32&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Helsinki Commission" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Cohen was appointed to the Helsinki Commission by Democratic Leader <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Pelosi" title="Nancy Pelosi" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Nancy Pelosi</a> in 2011. "Congressman Steve Cohen is a leader in promoting civil rights and opportunity of all Americans, and he brings this same passion to the promotion of human rights and democracy around the world," Pelosi said. "The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_on_Security_and_Cooperation_in_Europe" title="Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Helsinki Commission</a> is a focal point for security and cooperation among nations and leaders, and Congressman Cohen's voice is sure to strengthen and advance the commission's work."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-72" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[72]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Armenian issues[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=33&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Armenian issues" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable" style="font-style: italic; padding-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">See also: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_Genocide_denial" title="Armenian Genocide denial" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Armenian Genocide denial</a></div>Although his family has no knowledge of any <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_people" title="Turkish people" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Turkish</a> heritage, Cohen's mother's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_certificate" title="Birth certificate" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">birth certificate</a> states his maternal grandfather was born in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Turkey</a> when it was part of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empire" title="Ottoman Empire" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Ottoman Empire</a>. He is a member of the Congressional Caucus on US Turkish Relations and Turkish Americans.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-73" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[73]</a> He has consistently opposed Congressional recognition of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_Genocide" title="Armenian Genocide" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Armenian Genocide</a> on pragmatic grounds, believing that recognizing it officially in Congress would damage relations with Turkey.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-74" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[74]</a>On August 6, 2008, one day before the August 7, 2008 Democratic Congressional Primary, a confrontation between California-based documentary filmmaker Peter Musurlian and Cohen erupted. During a press conference at Cohen's home, Musurlian was asked to leave by Cohen's staff and Cohen himself. Cohen then put both hands on Musurlian's arms and forced him out of the home after Musurlian refused to leave.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-75" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[75]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-76" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[76]</a>In October 2017, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aram_Hamparian" title="Aram Hamparian" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Aram Hamparian</a>, executive director of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_National_Committee_of_America" title="Armenian National Committee of America" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Armenian National Committee of America</a>, said that "Reps. Stivers, Cohen, and Sessions—in stripping out language about the Armenian Genocide from a bill about Turkish-Armenian relations—are, effectively, carrying Turkish President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recep_Tayyip_Erdo%C4%9Fan" title="Recep Tayyip Erdoğan" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Erdogan</a>’s water in Washington, advancing his shameful denial campaign even as he’s doubling down on his government’s anti-American actions and attitudes."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-77" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[77]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">2011 Nazi controversy[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=34&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2011 Nazi controversy" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In a speech on the House floor on January 18, 2011, Cohen said of the Republican effort to repeal the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Obama administration</a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act" title="Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">health care reform law</a>:<blockquote style="overflow: hidden; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 40px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">They say it's a government takeover of health care, a big lie just like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Goebbels" title="Joseph Goebbels" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Goebbels</a>. You say it enough, you repeat the lie, you repeat the lie, you repeat the lie and eventually, people believe it. Like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_libel" title="Blood libel" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">blood libel</a>. That's the same kind of thing. The Germans said enough about the Jews and the people believed it and you had the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust" class="mw-redirect" title="Holocaust" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Holocaust</a>. You tell a lie over and over again. And we've heard on this floor, government takeover of health care.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-78" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[78]</a></blockquote>According to Cohen's hometown paper, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Commercial_Appeal" class="mw-redirect" title="Memphis Commercial Appeal" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Memphis Commercial Appeal</a>, he was "accused of upsetting the newfound atmosphere of civility in the House" following the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Tucson_shooting" title="2011 Tucson shooting" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">assassination attempt</a> on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona" title="Arizona" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Arizona</a> Congresswoman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabrielle_Giffords" class="mw-redirect" title="Gabrielle Giffords" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Gabrielle Giffords</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Civility-79" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[79]</a> Republicans,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Sargent-80" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[80]</a> as well as many in the media and in the Jewish community, expressed outrage and demanded that Democrats condemn Cohen's comment. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Kampeas" title="Ron Kampeas" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Ron Kampeas</a> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Telegraphic_Agency" title="Jewish Telegraphic Agency" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Jewish Telegraphic Agency</a> wrote that "someone needs to carpet Cohen, pronto, for his rhetoric."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-JTA-81" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[81]</a> His remarks were also condemned by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Jewish_Democratic_Council" title="National Jewish Democratic Council" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">National Jewish Democratic Council</a>, which issued a statement saying that "invoking the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust" class="mw-redirect" title="Holocaust" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Holocaust</a> to make a political point is never acceptable—on either side of the aisle. Cohen's comments and similar comments made by others are not helpful as our leaders and citizens conduct a joint effort to advance civility in our political discourse. We implore Cohen and all our leaders to choose their words carefully as we move forward."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-JTA-81" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[81]</a>In response to the controversy, Cohen said "I said Goebbels lied about the Jews, and that led to the Holocaust. Not in any way whatsoever was I comparing Republicans to Nazis. I was saying lies are wrong."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-Sargent-80" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[80]</a>Cohen later expressed regret for his remarks:<blockquote style="overflow: hidden; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 40px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I would certainly never do anything to diminish the horror of the Nazi Holocaust as I revere and respect the history of my people. I sponsored legislation which created one of the first state Holocaust Commissions in America and actively served as a Commission member for over 20 years. I regret that anyone in the Jewish Community, my Republican colleagues or anyone else was offended by the portrayal of my comments. My comments were not directed toward any group or people but at the false message and, specifically, the method by which it has been delivered.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-JTA-81" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[81]</a></blockquote><h4 style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Boycott of Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress<span class="mw-editsection" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=35&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Boycott of Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In March 2015, Steve Cohen boycotted the speech of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Israel" title="Prime Minister of Israel" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Prime Minister of Israel</a> to Congress, writing: "While Americans and members of Congress may disagree on anything, even foreign policy, providing a forum of such immense prestige and power to the leader of another country who is opposing our nation's foreign policy is <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/beyond_the_pale" class="extiw" title="wikt:beyond the pale" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">beyond the pale</a>. It endangers the negotiations, insults the good faith of the other nations involved in the negotiations and emboldens Iran who may well view this schism in our government as an opportunity for advantage. While we can disagree with our President, we as a nation should be as one on our foreign policy and any disagreements should be presented in a respectful, appropriate and time-honored manner.""<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-82" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[82]</a>In response, Israeli journalist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Glick" title="Caroline Glick" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Caroline Glick</a> wrote in an opinion column in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_Post" class="mw-redirect" title="Jerusalem Post" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Jerusalem Post</a>: "Radical leftist representatives who happen to be Jewish, like Jan Schakowsky of suburban Chicago and Steve Cohen of Memphis, are joining Netanyahu's boycotters in order to give the patina of Jewish legitimacy to an administration whose central foreign policy threatens the viability of the Jewish state."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-83" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[83]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Articles of Impeachment[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=36&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Articles of Impeachment" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>On August 17, 2017, Cohen announced that he planned to bring forward articles of impeachment against President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump" title="Donald Trump" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Donald Trump</a> owing to the president's series of comments regarding a white nationalist rally in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlottesville,Virginia" title="Charlottesville, Virginia" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Unite the Right rally</a> on August 12. Cohen stated on his website,<blockquote style="overflow: hidden; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 40px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I believe the President should be impeached and removed from office. Instead of unequivocally condemning hateful actions by neo-Nazis, white nationalists and Klansmen following a national tragedy, the President said 'there were very fine people on both sides.' There are no good Nazis. There are no good Klansmen.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-84" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[84]</a></blockquote>On December 18, 2019, Cohen voted for both articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-85" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[85]</a><h4 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Holocaust distortion[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=37&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Holocaust distortion" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>On April 25, 2018, 57 members of the House of Representatives, including Cohen,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-holocaust-86" style="text-decoration-line: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[86]</a> released a condemnation of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust" class="mw-redirect" title="Holocaust" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Holocaust</a> distortion in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine" title="Ukraine" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Ukraine</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland" title="Poland" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Poland</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-87" style="text-decoration-line: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[87]</a> They criticized Poland's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_on_the_Institute_of_National_Remembrance" title="Act on the Institute of National Remembrance" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">new Holocaust law</a>, which would criminalize accusing Poles of complicity in the Holocaust,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-88" style="text-decoration-line: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[88]</a> and Ukraine's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_decommunization_laws" title="Ukrainian decommunization laws" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">2015 memory laws</a> glorifying <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_Insurgent_Army" title="Ukrainian Insurgent Army" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Ukrainian Insurgent Army</a> (UPA) and its pro-Nazi leaders, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Shukhevych" title="Roman Shukhevych" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Roman Shukhevych</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-holocaust-86" style="text-decoration-line: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[86]</a><h4 style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Russian meddling[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=38&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Russian meddling" style="text-decoration-line: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">edit</a>]</h4>In July 2018, Cohen stated that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_the_2016_United_States_elections" title="Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections</a> amounted to "an act of war", which the U.S. needed to counter with "cyber attacks against the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kremlin" class="mw-redirect" title="Kremlin" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Kremlin</a>". Speaking to Hill.TV's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Sexton" class="mw-redirect" title="Buck Sexton" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Buck Sexton</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krystal_Ball" title="Krystal Ball" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Krystal Ball</a>, he argued that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia" title="Russia" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">Russia</a> "invaded our country" by attacking free elections, and thus should be "crippled" by a retributory cyber attack that would have "made Russian society valueless".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-89" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">[89]</a><h3 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Media[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=39&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Media" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>Cohen has been interviewed on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Colbert_Report" title="The Colbert Report" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">The Colbert Report</a> and is a frequent guest on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSNBC" title="MSNBC" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">MSNBC</a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_with_Chris_Hayes" class="mw-redirect" title="Up with Chris Hayes" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Up with Chris Hayes</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_TV" title="Current TV" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Current TV</a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Young_Turks" title="The Young Turks" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">The Young Turks</a>. He has also appeared on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_Theory_with_Jesse_Ventura" title="Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura</a> in which he was confronted by Ventura for co-sponsoring H.R. 645 which directs the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretary_of_Homeland_Security" class="mw-redirect" title="Secretary of Homeland Security" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Secretary of Homeland Security</a> to establish national emergency centers, otherwise known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Emergency_Management_Agency" title="Federal Emergency Management Agency" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Federal Emergency Management Agency</a> camp facilities, on military installations.Cohen became the subject of media attention when during the 2013 State of the Union address he accidentally publicly tweeted at model Victoria Brink, "pleased u r watching. ilu," and then deleted the tweet.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-90" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[90]</a> He later explained to reporters that Brink was his daughter and that he had only learned of her three years prior. In July 2013, CNN facilitated a DNA test with Cohen, Brink, and the man who raised her, John Brink. The test revealed that John Brink was in fact the father of Victoria. Cohen said in a statement "I was stunned and dismayed."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-91" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[91]</a>During a 2018 open congressional hearing of FBI agent <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Strzok" title="Peter Strzok" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Peter Strzok</a>, Cohen said, "If I could give you a Purple Heart, I would... This has been an attack on you and a way to attack Mr. Mueller and the investigation that is to get at Russian collusion involved in our election."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-:0-92" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[92]</a> Veteran groups criticized his comment, as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Heart" title="Purple Heart" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Purple Heart</a> is given to wounded soldiers.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-:0-92" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[92]</a> Cohen apologized for his comments, saying "I regret mentioning the Purple Heart medal at yesterday's hearing. My intent was to speak metaphorically to make a broader point about attacks against the FBI and Special Counsel Mueller's investigation into a Russian attack on our country."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-:0-92" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[92]</a>Cohen became the subject of media attention when he branded Attorney General <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Barr" title="William Barr" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">William Barr</a> as "Chicken Barr" after Barr did not appear for a House Judiciary Committee hearing and then decided to eat from a bucket of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Fried_Chicken" class="mw-redirect" title="Kentucky Fried Chicken" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Kentucky Fried Chicken</a> during the hearing.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-93" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[93]</a><h3 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Committee assignments[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=40&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Committee assignments" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(" w="w" skins="skins" vector="Vector" images="images" bullet-icon.svg="bullet-icon.svg" f1="f1" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Committee_on_the_Judiciary" title="United States House Committee on the Judiciary" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Committee on the Judiciary</a><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(" w="w" skins="skins" vector="Vector" images="images" bullet-icon.svg="bullet-icon.svg" f1="f1"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Judiciary_Subcommittee_on_the_Constitution_and_Civil_Justice" class="mw-redirect" title="United States House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice</a> (Chair)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-94" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[94]</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Judiciary_Subcommittee_on_Courts,Intellectual_Property_and_the_Internet" title="United States House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet</a></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Committee_on_Transportation_and_Infrastructure" title="United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure</a><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(" w="w" skins="skins" vector="Vector" images="images" bullet-icon.svg="bullet-icon.svg" f1="f1"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Transportation_Subcommittee_on_Aviation" title="United States House Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Aviation</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Transportation_Subcommittee_on_Railroads,Pipelines,and_Hazardous_Materials" title="United States House Transportation Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials</a></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Committee_on_Science,Space,and_Technology" title="United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Committee on Science, Space, and Technology</a><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(" w="w" skins="skins" vector="Vector" images="images" bullet-icon.svg="bullet-icon.svg" f1="f1"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Science_Subcommittee_on_Investigations_and_Oversight" title="United States House Science Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Science_Subcommittee_on_Research_and_Technology" title="United States House Science Subcommittee on Research and Technology" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Research and Technology</a></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_on_Security_and_Cooperation_in_Europe" title="Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steering_and_Policy_Committees_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives#House_Democratic_Steering_and_Policy_Committee" title="Steering and Policy Committees of the United States House of Representatives" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee</a></li></ul><h3 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.6;">Caucus memberships[</h3><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(" w="w" skins="skins" vector="Vector" images="images" bullet-icon.svg="bullet-icon.svg" f1="f1" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Progressive_Caucus" title="Congressional Progressive Caucus" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Congressional Progressive Caucus</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congressional_International_Conservation_Caucus" title="United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-95" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[95]</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Arts_Caucus" title="Congressional Arts Caucus" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Congressional Arts Caucus</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-96" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[96]</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Baltic_Caucus" title="House Baltic Caucus" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">House Baltic Caucus</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-97" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[97]</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Freethought_Caucus" title="Congressional Freethought Caucus" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">Congressional Freethought Caucus</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-98" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[98]</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.-Japan_Caucus" title="U.S.-Japan Caucus" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">U.S.-Japan Caucus</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen#cite_note-99" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">[99]</a></li></ul><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); line-height: 1.3;">See also[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Cohen&action=edit&section=42&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: See also" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(" w="w" skins="skins" vector="Vector" images="images" bullet-icon.svg="bullet-icon.svg" f1="f1" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_members_of_the_United_States_Congress" title="List of Jewish members of the United States Congress" style="text-decoration-line: none; background: none;">List of Jewish members of the United States Congress</a></li></ul><div>
</div><div>=</div><div><a href="https://cohen.house.gov/">https://cohen.house.gov/</a></div><div>
</div><div><div class="panel-pane pane-node-created" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-right: 8px; display: inline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="pane-content" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">April 30, 2019 </div></div><div class="panel-pane pane-token pane-node-content-type" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="pane-content" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">Press Release</div></div><div class="panel-pane pane-entity-field pane-node-field-congress-subtitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="pane-content" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="field field-name-field-congress-subtitle field-type-text field-label-hidden" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em 0px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><div class="field-items" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"><div class="field-item even" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Judiciary Committee passes bipartisan measures</div></div></div></div></div><div class="panel-pane pane-entity-field pane-node-body" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="pane-content" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 10px;"><div class="field-items" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"><div class="field-item even" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) supported four bipartisan, commonsense measures to lower prescription drug costs by easing access to generic drugs and ensuring generic drug companies can compete with the huge brand-name companies.Congressman Cohen made the following statement:“Americans pay far too much for prescription drugs when cheaper and equally effective generics should be available to consumers. It’s time to end our country’s distinction of spending more on prescription drugs than any other country because big companies can use anti-competitive practices to prevent generic alternatives from entering the market. These changes are long-overdue, and this legislation will help give Americans greater access to life-saving medications.”The bills are:<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">H.R. 2375, the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">H.R. 2374, the Stop STALLING Act;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">H.R. 965, the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act; and</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">H.R. 2376, the Prescription Pricing for the People Act.</li></ul></div></div></div></div></div></div><div>===</div></div></div>