Steve Cohen, U.S. Congressman representing Tennessee’s 9th district and a longtime Memphis resident, addressed several national issues in a series of posts on January 8, 2026. Cohen’s statements covered health care policy, law enforcement practices, and gun violence.
On the evening of January 7, Cohen commented on recent developments regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. He stated, “I voted last night to force action on ACA tax credits after the GOP let them expire, raising health care costs with no plan to help Americans. 81,000 people in Memphis and TN-9 depend on these credits to afford coverage—I’ll keep pushing to finish the job, and to make them” (January 8, 2026).
Later that day, Cohen criticized federal authorities for their handling of a fatal shooting during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation. He wrote: “Calling this ‘domestic terrorism’ was a lie. An ICE operation ended with a woman shot and killed, and the President and his team immediately made things up to try and justify it. I taught police law. This shooting was unjustified. ICE’s training and tactics are reckless — this” (January 8, 2026).
In another post that evening from the House floor, Cohen reflected on efforts against gun violence alongside former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords: “On the House floor today, I stood with my friend Gabby Giffords on the anniversary of the 2011 shooting she survived. I’ve spent years working to curb gun violence — earning an F rating from the NRA, which I take as a great honor. Gabby’s courage is a constant reminder of why” (January 8, 2026).
Cohen has represented Tennessee’s 9th District in Congress since replacing Harold Ford Jr. in 2007; he previously served two decades in the Tennessee Senate from 1983 to 2003. Born in Memphis in 1949 and currently residing there at age seventy-three, Cohen holds degrees from Vanderbilt University (BA) and the University of Memphis (JD).
