A native Memphian with roots stretching back four generations, Congressman Steve Cohen has represented Tennessee’s 9th District since his election in 2006, dedicating his career to public service. His childhood experience overcoming polio instilled in him a profound understanding of perseverance and determination, principles that have guided his work as a lawmaker. Congressman Cohen’s entry into public life was immediate; he filed to run for office on the very day he registered to vote, just past his 21st birthday, setting him on a path that has significantly influenced Memphis, Tennessee, and the nation through his contributions at local, state, and federal levels.
During his 24 years serving in the Tennessee State Senate, Congressman Cohen built a substantial record characterized by passionate, upright, and selfless dedication. He consistently prioritized the interests of the populace over those of special interest groups. A significant early achievement was his 1984 drafting and passage of a resolution that established one of America’s first state-level Holocaust Commissions, aimed at education and commemoration. Whether advocating for civil rights, gender equality, arts funding, or animal welfare, Congressman Cohen was a persistent voice in the Tennessee State Senate, often championing these causes against considerable resistance.
His tenacity is perhaps best illustrated by his nearly two-decade-long successful campaign to establish the Tennessee State Lottery. His leadership in the referendum that launched what is widely considered one of Tennessee’s most impactful educational initiatives earned him the moniker “Father of the Tennessee Lottery.” Since the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship program began in 2004, it has directed over $6.5 billion to students attending technical schools, colleges, and universities across Tennessee. This funding, a testament to Congressman Cohen’s unwavering efforts, has benefited hundreds of thousands of students by making quality post-secondary education more affordable and accessible.
Upon his 2006 election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Cohen quickly made his mark on Capitol Hill with thoughtful legislative proposals and sharp intellect. He gained recognition as a defender of civil rights and justice while serving on the powerful Judiciary Committee. In 2008, Speaker Nancy Pelosi lauded him as the “conscience of the freshman class.” That year, he was central to the passage of an unprecedented House resolution apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African Americans. In 2019, Congressman Cohen was appointed Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. In this role, he oversaw the first hearing on reparations for African Americans due to slavery and Jim Crow laws. He also chaired landmark hearings on critical issues such as the Voting Rights Act, the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion access, reparations, and presidential pardon powers. Addressing racial injustice and police brutality, Congressman Cohen introduced several key pieces of legislation: the Police Training and Independent Review Act, mandating independent investigations and prosecutions of police-involved deaths or injuries; the National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act, to compel law enforcement agencies to report data on deadly force incidents to the Department of Justice; and the CAMERA Act, a grant program to expand the use of body cameras by state and local law enforcement. All three were incorporated into the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which passed the House in 2020 and again in 2021.
Congressman Cohen has consistently championed issues vital to the 9th District, collaborating closely with Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden to shape policy on education, infant mortality, the economy, criminal justice reform, veterans’ affairs, transportation, infrastructure, and healthcare. His efforts have secured significant federal funding, including $76 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Memphis Area Transit Authority’s new maintenance facility and electric buses; a $30 million Choice Neighborhood grant to redevelop the Foote Homes area; a $15 million TIGER grant for the Main Street to Main Street Connector Project, enhancing the Main Street corridor and linking West Memphis to the Big River Crossing; an additional $9 million in the federal budget and a $2 million federal grant to Memphis to help clear the backlog of untested sexual assault kits. He also led congressional efforts to secure Tennessee a guaranteed disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotment exceeding $530 million over ten years, aiding state hospitals and community health centers in recovering costs from treating uninsured patients.
Congressman Cohen’s dedication to expanding healthcare access dates back to his tenure as a Shelby County Commissioner, where his decisive vote led to the creation of The MED. Today, as Regional One Health, it boasts a premier trauma care and burn center and serves as Memphis and Shelby County’s public hospital. In 2010, he proudly voted for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which extended healthcare coverage to 21 million Americans. He has since staunchly defended the ACA against partisan challenges and worked to enhance this historic healthcare expansion, remaining a strong advocate for universal healthcare, Medicaid expansion, and the strengthening of Medicare, Social Security, and Disability programs.
In November 2015, Congressman Cohen was appointed to the Highway Bill Conference Committee, contributing to the first bipartisan, long-term surface transportation bill in a decade aimed at improving national infrastructure. As a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, he was instrumental in the House passage of the Moving Forward Act of 2020. In 2021, he supported the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the first major infrastructure law in decades, signed by President Biden. This act included provisions drafted by Congressman Cohen to prevent deadly truck underride accidents, reduce impaired driving, promote regional passenger rail, and enhance road safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. Under President Biden, Congressman Cohen twice hosted Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in Memphis to evaluate damage to the Hernando de Soto Bridge, initiate improvements at Memphis International Airport, and advocate for further investment in Memphis as a global logistics center.
In May 2016, Congressman Cohen was selected for the Opioids Package Conference Committee to help combat the U.S. opioid crisis. In January 2017, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi appointed him to the influential House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, tasked with shaping the Democratic policy agenda and nominating Democratic members for committee roles. In February 2017, Leader Pelosi also appointed him to the House Ethics Committee. Several of Congressman Cohen’s recommendations for federal positions, including Judges Andre Mathis, John Fowlkes, Sheryl Lipman, and Bernice Donald; U.S. Attorneys Kevin Ritz and Edward Stanton III; and TVA Board Members V. Lynn Evans, Ron Walter, and Bishop William Graves, have been nominated by Presidents Obama and Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Speaker Pelosi named Congressman Cohen Co-Chair of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) in 2021. Following this appointment, Margareta Cederfelt, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, appointed him as the first OSCE PA Special Representative on Political Prisoners.
As Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, Congressman Cohen has been a leading voice against global kleptocracy. Multiple bills he authored to curb the influence of foreign oligarchs have been signed into law by President Biden or have passed the House. He has also been at the forefront of efforts to combat fraud and political corruption domestically. He was the first member of Congress to file comprehensive articles of impeachment against Donald Trump in 2017 and voted for impeachment four times—twice in committee and twice on the House floor. Congressman Cohen co-sponsored legislation designed to hold the President to the same ethical standards as other federal officials, require major party nominees to release three years of tax returns, and mandate an investigation into foreign interference in the 2016 election. He remained a prominent figure in the movement to impeach President Donald Trump, culminating in Trump’s second impeachment on the House Floor in early 2021.
In the 118th Congress, Congressman Cohen was appointed Ranking Member of the House Aviation Subcommittee. He continues his service as a senior member on both the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Judiciary Committee.
Congressman Cohen is deeply committed to providing exceptional constituent services to the residents of Memphis and Shelby County. His District Office in the Odell Horton Federal Building remains accessible, and he has organized hundreds of community events throughout the district. He is dedicated to bettering the lives of his constituents, consistently advocating for millions in federal funding for local projects related to healthcare, infrastructure, transportation, housing, homelessness, education, public safety, and community revitalization. He has steadfastly championed those lacking the power that comes with wealth and privilege, with the enduring goal of ensuring that everyone, irrespective of race, class, or creed, has the chance to pursue their American dream.