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Steve Cohen's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Key

Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

Steve Cohen did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2024 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2024.

  • "The radical Supreme Court overturned Roe which empowered women to make decisions about their own lives and bodies. Women will march and march and vote and vote—and all who believe in the equality and self-determination of women won't stop fighting until these rights are restored." (x.com)
  • Do you generally support Pro-Choice or Pro-Life legislation? "Pro-Choice" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by NARAL Pro-Choice America in 2021 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by Planned Parenthood Action Fund -24 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "It is broadly popular to cut taxes for the middle class, lower the cost of health care, and raise taxes on the superrich. That is what the #BuildBackBetter Act would do and every Republican opposes it." (x.com)
  • In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? "Yes" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by FreedomWorks -24 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 15% by National Taxpayers Union (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "A nation as wealthy as ours has no excuse to grant opportunity to so few. It's a policy choice, and we can change it by providing quality education, healthcare & more to all. And we can pay for it by making the wealthy pay their fair share—starting by repealing the Trump Tax cuts" (x.com)
  • "It is broadly popular to cut taxes for the middle class, lower the cost of health care, and raise taxes on the superrich. That is what the #BuildBackBetter Act would do and every Republican opposes it." (x.com)
  • Rated 100% by FreedomWorks -24 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 6% by The Club for Growth (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Qualified immunity & unfair standards have made it difficult for victims of #PoliceBrutality to get justice. @HouseDemocrats are fighting to ensure police are accountable to the communities & all Americans are treated equally before the law." (x.com)
  • Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct? "No" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by National Association of Police Organizations (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1280 "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "We can't keep writing blank checks for the Pentagon notorious for its wasteful spending on obsolete, unnecessary programs. I voted against the $858 billion defense bill because it is just too much when we have so many unmet domestic needs. We need to reset our priorities." (x.com)
  • Do you support increasing defense spending? "No" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 2670 "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 7900 "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? "Yes" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 5% by Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR. 5376 "Build Back Better Act" in 2021 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Otto von Bismarck called politics the "art of the possible." That's what the Build Back Better Act will be. It'll be good for America, create jobs and help middle class Americans who haven’t been helped in the past and who were left out of Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy." (x.com)
  • "A bloated defense budget comes at the expense of our security. Housing, nutrition, health care, childcare and other domestic programs are vital to the security of American families and should be our priority." (x.com)
  • "We have to do more to help people experiencing #homelessness, and I was pleased to deliver over $4M in 22/23 to #Memphis nonprofits that care for people and families without stable #housing—like @HHubMemphis" (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 3701 "Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 8294 "Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The Inflation Reduction Act is a victory for the people over special interests: cracks down on Big Pharma price gouging, combats pollution and makes the wealthiest corporations and individuals pay their fair share." (x.com)
  • Rated 5% by Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5421 "America COMPETES Act of 2022" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR. 5376 "Build Back Better Act" in 2021 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "I’m standing w/ @POTUS as we work to cancel student debt for millions of Americans." (x.com)
  • "Working people of all ages would benefit from #studentloanforgiveness." (x.com)
  • Rated 100% by National Education Association -24 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2547 "Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act" in 2021 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "John Lewis was my friend, and one of my heroes. I'm pleased to see him remembered through tributes like statues and stamps, but the best way to honor his legacy is to carry on his work to protect #VotingRights. Proud to cosponsor the #JohnLewis Voting Rights Advancement Act." (x.com)
  • Rated 100% by Public Citizen -2020 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 89% by Common Cause (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 4 "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "We’ve watched Putin’s invasion with horror, but the fossil fuel saw an opportunity to turn violence and bloodshed into oil and gas profits, pushing a narrative that the U.S. needs a drilling free-for-all on public lands." (x.com)
  • Rated 5% by Independent Petroleum Association of America (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 91% by League of Conservation Voters (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1146 "Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "I support #MedicareForAll — I always have, and I always will." (x.com)
  • "Voted for the ACA. Defend the ACA. Support strong Medicaid and Medicare guarantees." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? "No" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1425 "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Build Back Better is not everything we asked for but it’s a great plan and fully paid for. It will lift millions of children out of poverty, expand home care, provide universal paid family leave, and make unbelievable investments in the future of our planet. Bring it home!!" (x.com)
  • "If the United States guaranteed paid sick leave to all workers like every other industrialized country, then American rail workers wouldn’t even be in this situation." (x.com)
  • "Putting Americans to work requires ensuring that people have everything they need to show up for a job. That includes affordable child care and paid family leave. No infrastructure plan is complete without them." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6201 "Families First Coronavirus Response Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Millions of Americans are struggling to keep up with the rapidly rising cost of prescription drugs. This is absolutely unacceptable. Tonight @HouseDemocrats will pass legislation to lower drugs prices & protect people with pre-existing conditions. #ProtectOurCare" (x.com)
  • "The #BuildBackBetter Act will lower the cost of prescription drugs and cap the price of insulin." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 3 "Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6833 "The Affordable Insulin Now Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Yesterday, I voted no on the DHS funding bill because I refuse to support Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda or his pointless and wasteful border wall. #NoBorderWall" (x.com)
  • Rated 0% by Federation for American Immigration Reform (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 13% by NumbersUSA -24 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 2 "Secure the Border Act of 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "For many #Dreamers, this is the only home they’ve ever known. They are part of the fabric of America & deserve to be treated with dignity. Yesterday’s #SCOTUS decision is a victory. Now the Senate needs to pass #HR6, which gives #DACA recipients a path to citizenship. #HomeIsHere" (x.com)
  • Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? "No" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by Federation for American Immigration Reform (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 13% by NumbersUSA -24 (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "We must have further and SWIFT sanctions,more weapons, and support for refugees." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5692 "Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6968 "Suspending Energy Imports from Russia Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7108 "Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Honored to meet w/ President #Zelensky today. We reinforced our full support for #Ukraine, and he appreciated I asked about their need for more defensive aid." (x.com)
  • "Helping Ukraine is helping USA!" (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5692 "Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S 3522 "Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Dear Big Tech: Your companies are fanning the flames of the war in Ukraine by spreading Kremlin-backed disinformation through your various platforms." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7521 "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.
Pro-choice Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
Pro pro choice.Endorsed by Panned parenthood political arm.100% over 38 years in office
Yes In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
Yes Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
Should raise taxable threshold to at least 171,000$
Yes Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
Not sure what indirect involves but likely yes
No Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
I supported and voted for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in Congress, which eliminated qualified immunity for law enforcement officers.
No Do you support increasing defense spending?
Need to prioritize domestic needs. Plenty of waste to be saved also
Yes Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
No Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
But we do need to make sure they have been negatively impacted. Treasury did not do a good job on this gave money to a lot of corporations that didn't need it and we're making money especially security firms hedge fund firms. And law firms.
Yes Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
Education is a national priority
Yes Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
Yes Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
Need to get back in the Paris climate accord. Did you except science and the fact that climate change is caused by fossil omissions and the time is close for damage to earth they cannot be reversed.
Yes Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
Endorse By every town political arm.
No Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
Yes Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
Voted for the ACA. Defend the ACA. Support strong Medicaid and Medicare guarantees.
No Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
No Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
Have a strong record on immigration reform. Support DACA kids
Yes Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
No Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
First question is depending on how immature the threat is it would depend on the intelligence that we were offered
Yes Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
Seeing to it that we get back in the Paris accords regarding climate change that we work to get the Iran agreement renewed or re-established.Seeing that the rule of law is respected.Renewing the Voting Rights Act.Passing the George Floyd act which unfortunately the Senate will probably not pass this year.Pass a meaningful infrastructure bill with inner city broadband.

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