Congressman Steve Cohen met with Illinois Senator and 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama to discuss crime legislation. “Senator Obama and I discussed the importance of the COPS reauthorization program which will put 50,000 police officers on the beat over the next six years,” Congressman Cohen said.
COPS was reauthorized by the House in May 2007, but the Senate has yet to take action on it. Congressman Cohen spoke on the House floor about the need for the Senate to take action in the wake of the Lester Street murders.
The two also discussed Congressman Charles Rangel’s Second Chance for Ex-Offenders bill, which would allow former offenders to have an offense expunged from their record to allow a more normal life under very strict guidelines. Congressman Cohen announced his endorsement of Senator Obama the day before Tennessee’s February 5th primary. He has since appeared on television and the print media defending Senator Obama from a smear campaign mounted by political opponents.