What Steve Cohen said, and what was done

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to note the end of a revered Memphis institution devoted to the education and well-being of my community's children. The Jessie Mahan Child Care Center, the first licensed Black child care center in Memphis, closed its doors for the final time on July 31 after serving generations of children and families for 68 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the substantial public service of my friend Pace Cooper, who is stepping down from the Board of the Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority after 14 years of service.”

“Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hegseth said we have spent $37 billion on an unnecessary--he didn't say an ``unnecessary'' war, but it is an unnecessary and failed war in Iran--$37 billion and lost 17 soldiers.”

“Mr. Speaker, my friend, Mr. Wilson, made some remarks about how everybody benefited from the big, beautiful bill. What he didn't tell you is that President Trump made a deal with himself when he sued the IRS for $1 billion for releasing his tax returns, along with thousands and thousands of other Americans.”

“Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, and Thursday, June 11, 2026, due to a Post Polio medical condition. Had I been present, I would have voted: Nay on Roll Call No. 222, condemning actors seeking to defraud the U.S.”

“Mr. Speaker, much has been said which I agree with on the Democratic side. This is a fight for supporting a country that is standing up to aggression from Russia; lies from Russia that they weren't going to invade Ukraine when they did it; and people who have killed innocent children, women, and civilians on a regular basis with missile attacks and drone attacks.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Stansbury for yielding, and I appreciate her mentioning me in her remarks. Mr. Speaker, I was the original sponsor of this bill, and I am happy that Mr.”

“Mr. Speaker: You got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run You never count your money When you're sitting at the table There'll be time enough for counting When the dealing's done.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my friend Henry Turley and specifically commend his dedication to Rhodes College, which is recognizing its 100th year in Memphis and showcasing Mr.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the pioneering children's cancer researcher Dr. James R. Downing, the President and CEO of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, who is stepping down from twelve years in that role to return to the laboratory.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the ``Black January'' killings, one of the most tragic events in Azerbaijan's history. On the night of January 20, 1990, nearly 26,000 Soviet troops stormed the capital city of Baku, deploying tanks and armored vehicles against the civilian population.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Don Bryant, Memphis' ``elder statesman of soul,'' the acclaimed singer and songwriter who passed last month at the age of 83.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise sadly today to remember one of my constituents, Breggie Lejuane Gilkey--a lifelong servant to the city of Memphis, a musician and the devoted father of my outstanding former staffer with a bright political future, Kyler Gilkey--who passed on December 13 at the age of 54.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to longtime Memphis society columnist and entertainment reporter Jane Sanderson, who passed on December 13, 2025, at the age of 100.”

“Mr. Speaker, at the end of last week, President Trump published his national security strategy. It could have been called his national insecurity strategy. To say it is bad is a misstatement, understatement.”

“Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the PERMIT Act. For over 50 years, the Clean Water Act has protected rivers, streams, and wetlands that our communities rely on.”

“Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity late last month to spend some time with a delegation of high-level officials from the leadership of Libya. Sent to Washington by the Libyan Prime Minister, the group presented solid evidence that a new Libya is in the making.”

“We disagree on a lot in this Chamber, but we should all agree that Americans should know what conduct is criminal before they are punished for it. The Count the Crimes to Cut Act forces the DOJ to produce a complete list of every Federal criminal statute with the specific legal elements, the authorized penalties, and the number of prosecutions for each offense over the last 15 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I got on this bill when it was first introduced, I think, last spring. Representative Roy and I have served on the Judiciary Committee for quite a while, and I respect his intellect.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am here to talk about two incidents that shame me as a Member of this House and as an American citizen. Today, President Trump signed the Epstein documents release bill.”

“Mr. Speaker, I had a community meeting this weekend and met with some folks in Memphis. The issues that they were most interested in were immigration, ICE. They were very concerned about the people from ICE with masks on their faces mistreating people.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the outstanding public service performed by Memphis' first female Fire Chief, Gina Sweat, who retired last month after more than 33 years with the department.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of a fine newspaperman, a title he cherished in his more than 57 years as a journalist in Memphis.”

“Mr. Speaker, we have talked at long length about the threat to democracy and the fear of an authoritarian leader in Washington. The time is now. The authoritarian leader in this administration has surfaced.”

“Mr. Speaker, today Representative Beyer, Senator Whitehouse, Senator Wyden, and I introduced a billionaires tax bill. Billionaires don't pay their fair share of taxes, and with the Trump tax program starting in 2017, they have increased their wealth tremendously.”

“Mr. Speaker, I plan to introduce the Billionaire Income Tax Act on Wednesday and will hold a press conference with the House cosponsor Congressman Don Beyer and the Senate bill sponsor Ron Wyden.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay my respects to Shelby County Sheriff William ``Bill'' Oldham, who passed on September 4 at the age of 75. A lifelong Memphian, Sheriff Oldham served for 27 years in the Memphis Police Department rising through the ranks from patrolman to Police Director.”

“Mr. Speaker, what Members of the Democratic Caucus are doing to my right is signing a discharge petition to release the Epstein files. They need to be released because the American public wants to see them.”

“Mr. Speaker, we are going to adjourn and not do the peoples' business because we have thus far gotten an ``F.'' An ``F'' for the work of the people in this Congress.”

“Madam Speaker, we are going to adjourn and not do the people's business because we, thus far, have gotten an ``F'', an ``F'' for the work for the people of this Congress.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Sue Ann McClellan, the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Assistant Dean for Admissions, who will be retiring on July 30 after 30 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, one of the things we did in the big, ugly bill that passed last week or the week before is that we put more money into ICE than we put into the FBI.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay a heartfelt tribute to Karanja Ajanaku, a respected reporter and editor in Memphis, who passed on Tuesday at the age of 70.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the life of Ms. Marzie Thomas. Ms. Thomas served as my district director in my Memphis office since 2013. She came to my office first in 2007.”

“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to appear here. In Memphis, one of our great leaders in the State of Tennessee, in the United States of America, and the world, in fact, was Frederick W.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Memphis' Interstate Bar-B-Que co-founder Barbara Neely who passed on June 16 at the age of 86. Mrs. Neely started the barbecue restaurant empire in 1979 with her husband, Jim, and was its public face, greeting customers from the front counter while her husband worked the pits in the kitchen.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solemn tribute to Frederick W. Smith, the founder of FedEx and a visionary business and civic leader who revolutionized global commerce. Mr.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay a profound tribute to my longtime and respected Congressional District Director, Marzie Thomas, who passed on June 12. Marzie, as she was known to her family and friends, was an extremely talented administrator who cared for her community.”

“Mr. Speaker, if there was fraud, there would be arrests. There is not fraud. There have not been arrests. They are depending on the word of Mr. Musk, who took out a chain saw from the President of Argentina and waved it around, a chain saw.”

“Mr. Speaker, my father was a physician. One of the main things he was taught in medical school--and I think it is part of the Hippocratic oath--is do no harm.”

“NIH that does the research to protect us from the diseases that kill us such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, heart disease, and diabetes. The NIH is our Department of Defense.”

“Mr. Speaker, my plane was delayed in arriving to Washington, D.C. on June 9, 2025, and I was unable to vote on H.R. 2035, the American Cargo for American Ships Act--Roll Call 157.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a wonderful artist, educator and delightful friend Veda Louise Reed, who passed on June 3rd at the age of 91.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Idlewild Elementary School Chess Team champions, and their coach Mark Beatty, on their impressive run of successes this year. The 15-member team won the 2025 Henry D.”

“Mr. Speaker, President Trump was offered this $400 million airplane. He said he thought it was a ``nice gesture.'' A nice gesture is when somebody passes the salt and pepper.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Memphis Central High School Jazz Band and Band Director Ollie Liddell for winning First Place Honors at the 30th Annual ``Essentially Ellington Competition and Festival'' at Lincoln Center in New York City on Sunday, May 11.”

“Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, Georgia has long been a great friend to the United States. I went to Georgia for their election when they elected the Georgian Dream ticket about 12 years ago, but the Georgian Dream party has turned into the Georgian nightmare.”

“Mr. Speaker, I was quarantining after testing positive for COVID-19 and was unable to vote on April 28 through May 1, 2025. Had I been present, I would have voted Nay on the following bills: Providing for consideration of the joint resolutions H.J.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Harold Jordan, a pioneering medical doctor and psychiatrist in my state of Tennessee who passed in December at the age of 87.”

“Madam Speaker, I just find it unbelievable that we have called up a bill today to require the President to have congressional approval to stop fracking when we don't ask the President to not impound funds that have been appropriated through Article I by Congress, which is how they are supposed to be appropriated, and when we don't ask the President to not fire the IGs when legislation requires him to give 30 days' notice to Congress before he does so and to give good reason for it when the IGs are there to find fraud, abuse, and waste of government moneys.”

“Mr. Speaker, in this House, Democrats and Republicans came together, as they appropriately should, to remember the victims of the plane crash last week. We should also come together and remind our President that we don't know what the cause of it was, and it certainly wasn't DEI.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the ``Black January'' killings, one of the most tragic events in Azerbaijan's history. On the night of January 20, 1990, approximately 26,000 Soviet troops stormed Azerbaijan's capital city of Baku in tanks and armored vehicles.”

“The United States was one of the first countries to recognize independence and fully established diplomatic relations on February 28, 1992. Today, the United States and Azerbaijan are still strategic allies and share common interests in the region and globally.”

“Mr. Speaker, I will say that the bill has been well explained. It is an important and a good bill. All that Representative Burchett said about his father, Dean Burchett, a rich Tennessean, and Mrs.”