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President Barack Obama signs Congressman Steve Cohen's SPEECH Act into law on August 10, 2010

President Barack Obama will sign the SPEECH Act, sponsored by Congressman Steve Cohen, into law today at 12:10 PM CST.

The SPEECH Act puts an end to “libel tourism”, the practice of exploiting plaintiff-friendly defamation laws in foreign countries in an attempt to silence or intimidate American journalists, authors and publishers.

“Libel tourism threatens to undermine free speech in the U.S. because, with the rise of the internet and foreign courts’ liberal exercise of personal jurisdiction over Americans, foreign defamation law that lacks the constitutionally mandated speech-protective measures of U.S. law can be applied to publications that are substantially or entirely distributed in the U.S.,” said Congressman Cohen during his floor speech.

Supporters of the SPEECH Act include the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the Vermont Library Association, the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, the American Civil Liberties Union, First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams, former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, and former CIA Director James Woolsey.

“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.

-          President Barack Obama

Congressman Steve Cohen’s Response:

“I am grateful to have the support for my re-election from President Barack Obama. I look forward to continue working closely with the President and his administration during the 112^th session of the United States Congress. I was inspired by President John F. Kennedy to enter into politics to make a difference in my community and my country. Like President Kennedy, President Barack Obama inspires a new generation to do the same. It is my hope to continue to build on my 31 years of public service to make the promise of America, the practice of America.”

-          Congressman Steve Cohen

From WREG:

WMC-TV:

From The Commercial Appeal:
President Obama praised U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Wednesday for voting in favor of the war supplemental spending bill Tuesday after Cohen was savaged all day in the progressive and anti-war blogosphere.

“Congressman Cohen is a leader in the United States Congress and a strong voice for the people of Tennessee,” Obama said in a statement.

“His vote to ensure our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to protect our country while supporting ongoing diplomatic efforts around the world will enable us to provide necessary funding for our troops and prepare our country if H1N1 poses a severe threat.”

The vote was 226 to 206, with Cohen, John Tanner, D-Tenn, and Bennie G. Thompson and Travis W. Childers, both D-Miss., voting for it, and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., against. Cohen is a member of the Out of Iraq and Progressive caucuses in the House.

Cohen said he did not ask for the statement but was “honored” to see it.

“Maybe he just wanted to respond to people who helped him,” he said. “Yes, I was surprised but I’ve been in the president’s corner on several occasions and it’s good to have him in my corner.”
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