[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 100 (Monday, June 15, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

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                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 15, 2026

  Mr. COHEN. 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. Government, and 
expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that government-
wide fraud and improper payment prevention reforms will meaningfully 
improve the financial prosperity of the U.S., and that Federal program 
eligibility should be verified before payment; Nay on Roll Call No. 
221, to amend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the authorities 
of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978: Nay 
on Roll Call No. 220, Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act; Yea on Roll 
Call No. 219, Motion to recommit the Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act; 
Nay on Roll Call No. 218, Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act; and 
Nay on Roll Call No. 217, No Aid for Ghost Students Act.
  I would like to further explain my vote on Roll Call No. 221, 
regarding H.R. 9238, I could not support this bill after President 
Trump nominated Bill Pulte to be the next Director of National 
Intelligence (DNI). The law requires the DNI nominee to have extensive 
background in intelligence and the man the President put forward has 
none. He has zero experience.

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