Steve Cohen

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on Monday March 11, 2024 due to a Helsinki Commission meeting. Earlier in the day I managed the floor time for both bills and advocated in support of them. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: Yea on Roll Call No. 79 (H.R. 1752), and Yea on Roll Call No. 80 (H.R. 886).

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, we must ensure that FEMA is complying with the law and providing Americans with disabilities equal access to Federal disaster assistance. This legislation will do that. I compliment Ms. Titus and Mr. Molinaro for bringing this bipartisan legislation to us. I support it, and I urge my colleagues to do so. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6294, a bipartisan bill to help people and individuals with disabilities before and after disasters. As was well stated by Mr. Molinaro, all Americans must have equal access to disaster recovery resources, and people with disabilities might need a little more. Census data released in 2023 concluded that individuals with disabilities are far more likely to face major hardships, including displacement from their homes, after a disaster. Such outcomes are unacceptable, and the Federal Government must work with urgency to eliminate that disparity. This legislation will equip Congress with the knowledge required to improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities. The bill requires FEMA and the GAO to review and report on the assistance available to individuals with disabilities before and after disasters. This is much-needed information as approximately 13 percent of Americans, Mr. Speaker, 42.5 million people live with a disability, and the Americans with Disabilities Act requires the Federal Government to provide these individuals with equal access to disaster-related programs. I am also pleased that this legislation places a particular emphasis on individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities since their needs have been overlooked in existing Federal disaster guidance documents. I support this bill. I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this Public Buildings Accountability Act of 2023, H.R. 6254, which directs the GAO to review the administration and management of GSA's real estate programs, activities, funding, and staffing. Information and data are essential for Congress to conduct proper oversight of the agencies under its jurisdiction. Having GAO do an independent analysis of the efficacy of the GSA's operations will help the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee better evaluate GSA authorization requests. However, GAO must work with the Department of Homeland Security's Interagency Security Committee to ensure that security concerns for the employees and buildings are addressed. I recommend that GAO, as they are drafting the parameters of the study, ensure that information that could impact the security of Federal employees and Federal facilities is protected. Madam Speaker, I support the legislation, I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. COHEN. Do you think this could be expanded in some way to show the effects of the Capitals and the Wizards moving to Virginia and the effect that will have on properties in downtown D.C., and the opportunities to have good restaurants and good commerce in downtown Washington?

Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, in closing, we support the bill. Information and data are essential for Congress to conduct proper oversight of the agencies under its jurisdiction, even those peripheral to its jurisdiction like the Capital One Arena. Madam Speaker, this bill will provide Congress with information needed in its oversight of the General Services Administration. I support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I also support this legislation. Just about anything Jimmy Carter did, he did right. This imprimatur about Mr. Murphy's serving on the bench was obviously a good one. He spent those 45 years there. He was the son of a farmer and a schoolteacher. He attended the University of Mississippi and the University of Georgia School of Law. He was the youngest member elected to the Georgia House of Representatives, serving five terms there before he was appointed a superior court judge by then-Governor Jimmy Carter. After Mr. Carter was elected President, he nominated Judge Murphy to serve as the Northern District Federal judge. Judge Murphy remained on the bench until 2017 when he took senior status. Judge Murphy remained an active senior judge until his death at the age of 95. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation. I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, Judge Murphy showed that people can rise to certain levels and do things where he was recognized by Alabama State University, an HBCU, by naming their graduate school for him, and I guess it related to that particular case where he got the case by interchange. Moreover, going almost to 95 years old speaks to the fact that somebody can be even older than 81 and can still do their job for the Federal Government in a good way. Otherwise, I support the bill greatly, I appreciate Ms. Greene bringing it, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of S. 1858. This bipartisan and bicameral effort was led by Senators Peters and Paul in the Senate and Representative Neguse and Congresswoman Gonzalez-Colon in the House. This legislation aligns the deadlines to apply for FEMA Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Individual Assistance programs. The application process for Federal disaster assistance can be cumbersome and often makes it difficult for survivors to get that critical aid. The Federal Government must take every possible step to simplify and streamline this process. We want to do that with disaster survivors quickly because they need help. Navigating the disaster recovery application process should not be an added stressor. Having to keep track of separate deadlines for Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Individual Assistance is unnecessary, complex, and confusing for disaster survivors. This legislation helps alleviate the burden to keep track of multiple deadlines. Mr. Speaker, I support the bill. I ask everyone else to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise in support of S. 1278 introduced by Ms. Stabenow, which will designate this Federal building to be named for Rosa Parks. Ms. Parks is famous in civil rights history for refusing to give up her seat on the bus in Montgomery, leading to the Montgomery bus boycott. She also, after that great, heroic incident--which was memorialized in a song by the Neville Brothers called ``Sister Rosa''-- moved to Detroit, Michigan. When she moved to Detroit she was employed by the United States Congressman John Conyers in his office. John Conyers was a great hero of mine and a great star who served in this body for many, many years. He hired Ms. Parks, and he was responsible for Dr. King's birthday becoming a Federal holiday. I am sure he would have been very proud to be here today to see this courthouse named for Rosa Parks for her work in the civil rights movement, as well as in his office and just being an outstanding citizen at large. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996, the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999, and she was the first woman to ever lie in state in the United States Capitol rotunda. A statue of her is present in our Statuary Hall, as well. I am pleased to honor her memory by supporting this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would again indicate that I support this bill, and I urge everyone else to support it. I think so fondly upon John Conyers, who was my mentor when I came to Congress, and how much he would have appreciated this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1752, as well, the E-BRIDGE Act, which creates high-speed broadband opportunities at the Economic Development Administration and for the public, both in rural areas and in inner city, underserved areas. It makes public-private partnerships and consortiums eligible for grant awards. Without having access to broadband, you can't keep up economically or socially. Access to reliable high-speed internet is a vital tool for participation in today's workforce and economy. Despite a clear commitment to broadband access across Federal agencies, E-BRIDGE is still necessary. While the EDA can fund the deployment of broadband infrastructure in communities most in need of assistance, many communities lack the financial and technical resources necessary to apply for these funds. By clarifying that public-private partnerships and consortiums are eligible, the E-BRIDGE Act enables communities to leverage private sector expertise without disqualifying them from receiving EDA assistance. The bill provides grant applications with additional flexibility in financing broadband infrastructure projects by clarifying that EDA funds can be combined with other Federal resources and allowing real or personal property to count toward the non-Federal share of a project's costs. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Graves has introduced this legislation in the 116th and 117th Congresses. In the 117th Congress, the bill passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 410-16. I support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I thank Mr. Graves for pursuing this legislation again, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, as has been discussed, this bill would help close the digital divide and help communities across the country connect to reliable high-speed vital for participation in today's workforce and economy. In Mr. Graves' own State of Missouri, it would allow people in the bootheel of Missouri to connect so much closer to the city of Memphis, where they will want to come and hear music, eat barbecue, and watch the Cardinals' farm team play baseball. Mr. Speaker, I support the legislation and urge all my colleagues to do the same, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation. It is very close to my heart. I have worked on plastic pollution for many years. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici), the author of this bill.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Bonamici for bringing this legislation, and I also want to reflect on a group that I am familiar with called the Plastic Pollution Coalition that is headed up by Ms. Dianna Cohen and her sister, no relation to me. They have done great work on plastic and bringing the public's attention to the dangers of plastic in our environment. Mr. Speaker, I support the legislation and urge all others to support it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Graves for his help with this legislation. I rise in support of H.R. 4693, bipartisan legislation to promote additional transparency over the management structure of the TVA. I thank my dear friend and colleague from days in Tennessee and days up here, Representative Burchett, for his tireless work on this issue and for partnering with me on this act. The Tennessee Valley Authority, or the TVA, is better known as the Nation's largest government-owned wholesale power producer, supplying power to ten million people across the States of Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky. The legislation corrects a change enacted in 1995 that removed a requirement to disclose the management structure and salaries of TVA executives as part of the legislation to eliminate antiquated Federal agency reporting requirements. Well, this wasn't an antiquated portion that was deleted. This was something the public needs to see and know. This bill reflects a fair compromise between our legitimate congressional oversight responsibilities over TVA and the need of TVA to retain and maintain a pool of talented, diverse, and effective management staff, executives, and board members. It would ensure that Congress has the ability to provide effective oversight of the TVA and its management and executives. I have asked TVA for salary transparency time and time again but have been refused information beyond that of the five highest-paid employees included in their annual SEC disclosure, which does indicate that the head of TVA makes $10 million. That is, in my opinion, too much for a public employee, even if it is a quasi-public employee. The fact is, when this gentleman, who is a good gentleman, was working in Canada when we hired him, he was earning $2 million managing a utility. When he came to Tennessee, he followed in the footsteps of his predecessor, and his salary crept up to $10 million. Congress should have oversight, and the public should know what people are being paid. There are quite a few people being paid multimillions of dollars, not what F.D.R. envisioned when he helped pass the TVA bill back in the days of F.D.R.'s administration. TVA's mission to make life better for the people in the Tennessee Valley is still there. We strayed from it in some ways. Hopefully, this bill is a vote for a more transparent and more accountable, better TVA. It is going to give TVA a new deal, the New Deal they were originally passed under. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 4693, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, first, I would have to say in the spirit of Elvis: ``Thank you, thank you very much.'' That is nice company to be put into, with Stax, Al Green, and barbecue. I thank Mr. Burchett for his work. In fact, this morning, Mr. Burchett's picture was in The Commercial Appeal looking up at the solar eclipse. He had glasses on, though; that was a good thing. This is a good bill. I appreciate all the help we have had to get it to this point. The public deserves to see what the salaries are of the people serving in the public sector of the TVA. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the massacre of hundreds of people in the town of Khojaly, Azerbaijan. On February 26, 1992, Armenian armed forces massacred over 600 unarmed people--including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly people--and left less than 2,000 survivors. Hundreds more became disabled due to their injuries. More than 100 children lost a parent and 25 children lost both parents. At least 8 families were entirely killed. This was the largest killing of ethnic Azerbaijani civilians during the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict Although a cease-fire was negotiated in 1994, it is my hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan can come together and find peace. Long-term peace, security, and regional cooperation would greatly benefit the region and the world. As Azerbaijanis throughout the world commemorate the massacre and continue to grieve the loss of loved ones, I hope they can find peace amidst this tragedy.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, this House is in danger of helping Vladimir Putin take over Ukraine and attack other countries in Europe. We have supported Ukraine in their two-year battle against Russia to remain a democratic country and a sovereign nation. They need our help. They need our arms. The Senate passed, in a bipartisan manner, a bill to help Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as humanitarian aid in Gaza and Ukraine for victims of war. We need to pass that, but Donald Trump doesn't want it on the floor, and the Speaker of the House will not put it on the floor for a vote, meaning there will be attacks on Ukrainians and carnage unknown. It occurred when Russia first tried to get to Kyiv and went into Ukraine, and they raped, and they murdered, and they pillaged. We must stand with our friends in Ukraine, support their fight for freedom, or we will have to fight as part of NATO to defend Europe.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this extension of the FAA. We need to pass this reauthorization. To do so, we need a little more time. This will be the third extension we have asked for, and it is necessary to have this extension for 2 months to be able to reconcile the House and Senate bills. The Senate wasn't as expeditious as the House was in getting their bill passed, but they finally did and got it out of committee. We still have to reconcile some provisions. I think everybody has read about the near tragedies and near contacts of airplanes flying at airports. That is because the air traffic controllers need more help. They need more air traffic controllers. They need a more diverse group of folks that will give them more people to choose from and to be trained. We need to have more air traffic controllers, we need to pay them more money, and we need to have some improvements at airports and air traffic towers. That will only happen if we can get this FAA reauthorization bill passed. There are consumer issues that are important and are included in the bill and disability issues which are in the bill, and we just attended a press announcement where Secretary Buttigieg is implementing many of the mobility issues by executive order and rulemaking. The rulemaking is going to take place soon. There are a lot of improvements in air traffic and air safety, but without the reauthorization bill passing, they won't happen. We need to have this extension. It is unfortunate, but the Senate took a long time. We will work it out and get it done. I appreciate Ranking Member Larsen and Chairman Graves on the full committee and Chairman Garret Graves on the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate Black History Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the contributions of African Americans to the rich tapestry of American history. This month serves as an opportunity to reflect on the achievements, struggles, and enduring resilience of the Black community. One noteworthy aspect of Black history that deserves recognition is the profound impact of African Americans on the world of music, particularly in the realm of jazz. Jazz, born from the African American experience, has become a universal language, transcending borders and connecting people from diverse backgrounds. It is a powerful expression of creativity, resilience, and cultural richness. In this context, I'd like to emphasize the significant partnership of the Turkish Embassy and the Ertegun brothers. Sons of Turkey's first ambassador to the United States, Ahmet and Nesuhi believed in the power of music to bring people together. Beginning in 1940, musicians such as Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, ``Lead Belly,'' Teddy Wilson, Lester Young, and members of the Benny Goodman, Ellington and Count Basie orchestras performed at the Turkish Embassy. Their father insisted that in the embassy, all, regardless of color, be treated with dignity and respect. As co-founders of Atlantic Records, the Ertegun brothers were instrumental in bringing together artists from different backgrounds, breaking down racial and cultural barriers in the world of music. Ahmet traveled to New Orleans and Harlem to sign the greatest black musicians of the time, including Stick McGhee, The Harlemaires, and The Drifters. In the 1960s, Atlantic Records, often in partnerships with local labels like Stax Records in Memphis, helped to develop the growth of soul music, with artists such as Ben E. King, Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin, and Wilson Pickett. The Turkish Embassy's commitment to hosting these jam sessions exemplifies the importance of cultural diplomacy and the unifying power of music. Through these events, artists of diverse backgrounds, including African American musicians, have had the opportunity to showcase their talents, bridging cultural gaps and promoting understanding. As we commemorate Black History Month, let us go beyond celebrating the achievements of the past but also recognize the importance of continued collaboration and dialogue to build a more harmonious future. The blending of Black history and jazz, coupled with the dedicated endeavors of entities such as the Turkish Embassy and the Ertegun brothers, stands as a powerful tribute to the transformative potential of cultural interchange and the unifying power of music. I encourage my colleagues to join me in acknowledging the significance of Black History Month, celebrating the contributions of African Americans to the arts and culture, and recognizing the positive impact of initiatives like the Turkish Embassy-hosted jam sessions in fostering unity and understanding.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, the skullduggery of the Speaker of the House was on display today. He has no real interest in helping Israel. He has interest in scoring political points with Donald Trump. He used Israel to do that today, and he did it a month ago. A month ago or so, he said he would support aid to Israel if it was set off with $13 million or $14 million in cuts to the IRS, which would have only benefited the wealthiest tax cheats in our country. To condition aid to Israel on helping out rich tax cheats is despicable, and the skullduggery today was to separate Israel from Ukraine, a country similar to Israel that is being invaded by Russia to try to deny its territorial integrity and to commit a genocide, just as Hamas has tried to commit a genocide in Israel. I support Israel. I also support helping with humanitarian aid the people in Gaza who have been hurt, injured, or killed. I also support helping Ukraine for having Russia do the same thing. I also support Taiwan. I do not support the Speaker. He is a man without good faith.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am pleased to join you because this is such an important topic and a topic that I have been talking about for a long time. The income inequality in our country has grown and grown, and the tax cuts of Donald Trump, which I voted against, contributed to it greatly--tax cuts that gave the wealthy much more money, corporations and individuals, and did not help the poor and didn't really help the middle class much. My district is in Memphis, Shelby County and Tipton County, just north of Memphis. Because of that, I am no stranger to high levels of poverty and inequality. According to the 2023 Poverty Fact Sheet by the University of Memphis, 21.4 percent of Memphians live in poverty. The overall poverty rate for Black and Latino Memphians is almost double that of White and Caucasian residents; roughly 27 percent for Black and Latino residents, compared to 10 percent of Whites. The child poverty rate is 32.7, a number that has been declining in recent years due to the child tax credits, but still far too high, and we don't know how much the child tax credits will be available to people this coming year. In 2022, the child poverty rate in African-American and Latino communities was three times that of White families, 30 percent to 10. What hope does that give young African-American and Latino children? The root causes of poverty often come down to access and opportunity. Childhood poverty is directly related to the financial status of the children's parents. Many young adults in Memphis have parents and grandparents who are prohibited from buying houses in certain areas, redlining, which is still a practice in Memphis, and has been highlighted recently when one of the banks in Memphis was charged with such and pled guilty to such, I believe. That has restricted access to home loans and mortgage protections, as well. Because of redlining, many families did not have the opportunity to buy desirable houses. These policies were legal until 1968, so it is not ancient history. The impact of redlining continues as many families were unable to build generational wealth. Now, poor families need access to services like citywide internet, subsidized childcare, and supportive mortgage rates. And we tried to do some of those things, but unfortunately, it has not been a bipartisan effort. It has mostly been an effort by Democrats. Tennessee is nationally ranked as a low-tax State, but that is not the case for the poorest families. The taxes are regressive. It is a sales tax-dependent State that taxes the poor in the most regressive manner. The poorest 20 percent of Tennessee residents pay a significantly higher percentage of their income in State and local taxes than any other group in the State. Low-income families are paying high amounts of taxes, while at the same time receiving lower levels of access to services and opportunities for economic mobility. Tennessee remains one of the 10 remaining States that have not expanded Medicaid. That is truly sorrowful and immoral. If Tennessee were to expand, as 40 other States and the District of Columbia have, lower earning workers would have access to affordable healthcare, and their families would worry less about the impacts of seeking treatment for an illness. A billion-plus dollars a year have been turned down by our State legislature because they don't care about taking care of the poor. Matthew 25 talks about healing. I saw people that were naked, and I clothed them. I saw people that were hungry, and I fed them. I saw people who were sick, and I healed them. Some people say they live by the Bible. If you want to know where my politics are just look to the Bible. Well, some of those people who speak it the most don't know Matthew 25. Measures combating childhood poverty and closing the income/wealth gap among diverse groups are vital in my district, enough to make more progress on the issue. I will continue advocating for the child tax credit, which Ms. DeLauro has championed, encouraging Tennessee to expand Medicaid, seeking additional funds for education and job training, and supporting other policies to help those in need. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. DeSaulnier for having the moral courage and the will to bring this Special Order to the people that are watching. It is an important issue, and it pains me to see our country becoming more and more divided.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained for parts of the day on September 14, 2023 and October 26, 2023. On September 14th, had I been present, I would have voted: Nay on Roll Call No. 391, H.R. 1435--Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, and Yea on Roll Call No. 390, H.R. 1435--Motion to Recommit. On October 26th, had I been present, I would have voted Nay on the following bills: Roll Call No. 558, H.R. 4394--Energy and Water Appropriations Final Passage; Roll Call No. 556, H.R. 4394--Rosendale of Montana Part B Amendment No. 60; Roll Call No. 555, H.R. 4394-- Rosendale of Montana Part B Amendment No. 59; Roll Call No. 554, H.R. 4394--Rosendale of Montana Part B Amendment No. 58; Roll Call No. 553, H.R. 4394--Pfluger of Texas Part B Amendment No. 57; Roll Call No. 552, H.R. 4394--Pfluger of Texas Part B Amendment No. 56; Roll Call No. 551, H.R. 4394--Norman of South Carolina Part B Amendment No. 51; Roll Call No. 550, H.R. 4394--Norman of South Carolina Part B Amendment No. 50; Roll Call No. 549, H.R. 4394--Norman of South Carolina Part B Amendment No. 50; Roll Call No. 548, H.R. 4394--Norman of South Carolina Part B Amendment No. 47; Roll Call No. 547, H.R. 4394--Luna of Florida Part B Amendment No. 43; and Yea on Roll Call No. 557, H.R. 4394--Motion to Recommit.