Archive for March, 2008

On Monday, March 31, Congressman Steve Cohen officially handed in his signed petition to the Shelby County Election Commission, officially making him a candidate in the 9th District Congressional Primary.

“It is our hope to be able to have a very positive campaign on our record,” Congressman Cohen told the crowd on hand, noting the numerous positive scores from groups representing environmental, children’s, students’, animal welfare, poor and middle class concerns.

“There are two things today that are particularly outstanding in the city of Memphis,” Cohen continued. “The Memphis Tigers and the Cohen supporters. Go Tigers and Go Cohen!”

“It was 172 years ago that a great number of Tennesseeans went to San Antonio, Texas to the Alamo. They didn’t do very well. Among them was my predecessor, the Congressman from the Western District of Tennessee, Davy Crockett. Well, we’re going to San Antonio this time, and Tennesseeans are coming back with a crown,” he said, taking pride in the championship caliber of basketball being played by his alma mater.

“We’re in the race, and we’re in to win,” Cohen said as he handed the petition over to the Election Commission.

Cohen will appear on the ballot in the August 7th Democratic Congressional Primary.

The Sargent Shriver Poverty Law Center has issued its annual Score Card rating the members of the United States Congress on their voting records. Congressman Steve Cohen led the Tennessee Congressional Delegation with a perfect score.

The Shriver Center rated the members of Congress based on their votes on issues such as affordable housing, health care, education, labor, and tax policy.

“Thirty seven million Americans live in the State of Poverty, the largest state in the nation,” said John Bouman, President of the Shriver Center. “This number can only be substantially reduced if our nation’s political leadership–the President and Congress–take aggressive action to address the complex, structural causes of poverty.”

“Sargent Shriver believed that the law could elevate the poor out of poverty,” Congressman Cohen said. “I’ve spent my legislative career working to end poverty as we know it, and that’s how I’ll spend the rest of my days. I’m proud to have been recognized by the Shriver Center, and I hope that this is merely the first of the perfect scores I’ll receive from them.”

Congressman Steve Cohen met with Illinois Senator and 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama to discuss crime legislation.

Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9) and Sen. Barack Obama (IL)

“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.

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)has announced its endorsement of Congressman Steve Cohen for the Democratic Congressional Primary this August.

“I’m proud to have the endorsement of an organization as influential with Democratic voters as the AFL-CIO,” Congressman Cohen said.  “I’ve always done my best to serve working families, and I am thankful for the recognition they’ve given me.”

“Congressman Cohen has an outstanding record of voting to support working families issues, both in his first term in the 110th Congress, and during his tenure in the Tennessee General Assembly,” The AFL-CIO said in a press release.

“We will put forth our maximum effort to re-elect our proven friend to Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District,” AFL-CIO of Tennessee President Jerry Lee said.

The AFL-CIO represents 54 labor unions and 10 million workers in the United States alone.

Click here to see the AFL-CIO press release endorsing Congressman Cohen.

The League of Conservation Voters issued its annual Congressional Scorecard. Congressman Steve Cohen led the Tennessee Congressional Delegation with a 95% score.

The League of Conservation Voters is an independent, nonpartisan environmental group founded to “advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will adopt and implement such policies.” Its 2007 Scorecard reflects the voting record of every member of the United States Congress on such legislation as ending subsidies for building logging roads in Alaska’s Tongass Rainforest, preventing reckless oil shale development on public lands, emissions reductions, and renewable energy.

Congressman Cohen’s 95% made him the clear leader in a Tennessee Congressional Delegation that averaged only 45% even with the high scores assigned to himself and Rep. Jim Cooper.

“I’m truly honored to be recognized by the League of Conservation Voters,” Congressman Cohen said. “I look forward to working with them in the future so that all of us may stand together and create a safer world for the children of tomorrow.”

Click here to read Congressman Cohen’s Scorecard.

The American Association of University Women, an organization that since 1881 has worked to advance equity for women through advocacy, education, and research, has awarded Congressman Cohen with a perfect score for his voting record in 2007. Read the rest of this entry »

Rep. Carnahan, Rep. Cohen, and Rep. Ellison are honored by the Drum Major Institute

Congressman Steve Cohen was among a handful of lawmakers honored by the Drum Major Institute on March 13, 2008. He received an A+ on their TheMiddleClass.org 2007 Congressional Scorecard for his flawless voting record on middle class legislation in the House of Representatives.

The Drum Major Institute is a progressive think tank based in Washington, DC that focuses on issues affecting the working class of America. Its 2007 Scorecard grades legislators based on their voting records on issues such as middle class tax cuts, the College Affordability Act, health insurance for children, and the minimum wage increase.

“Middle and low-income voters are feeling the brunt of the effects of the oncoming recession and the credit crunch, and that is why I am fighting to change the policies that have negatively affected these groups under the current administration,” said Congressman Cohen. “I am very grateful for the recognition by the Drum Major Institute and for the tireless leadership of its leaders like Martin Luther King, III, and former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. told a congregation in 1968 to say that he was a “drum major” for justice, peace and righteousness; and DMI embodies that spirit of activism in their advocacy for the middle-class.”

Click here to read the Drum Major Institute’s report on Congressman Cohen.

The Humane Society of the United States has given Congressman Cohen a 100% score for his votes on animal rights issues in the 2007 session of Congress. Read the rest of this entry »

DarfurScores.org, a website operated by the Genocide Intervention Network, has rated Congressman Cohen “A+” for his voting record on legislation designed to bring an end to the massacre in Darfur. Read the rest of this entry »

The Children’s Defense Fund, founded in 1973 by legendary activist Marian Wright Edelman, has issued its 2007 Congressional Scorecard, grading all members of Congress based on their voting records as it relates to issues affecting children such as expanded health coverage for children, caps on student loan interest rates, and a budget bill that restored many cuts to worthwhile children’s programs that had been made by the Bush Administration. Read the rest of this entry »