Congressman Tonko has a long-standing commitment to the public safety of Capital Region residents and all Americans. The Congressman has worked to deliver legislation to keep his constituents safe, from passing a law to bolster safety at chemical facilities to championing a transformative package of limousine safety reforms in the wake of the 2018 Schoharie limousine disaster.
Jason’s Law
A bill to improve truck stop conditions and provide greater safety for truckers by providing $120 million in grants for local governments and private companies to address the shortage of parking for commercial vehicles on the National Highway System. The bill gives priority to applicants who demonstrate a severe shortage of truck parking capacity and whose projects will have positive effects on highway safety, traffic congestion, or air quality.
Community Fire Safety Act
A bill to save local municipalities millions by exempting fire hydrants from EPA drinking water regulations that could otherwise force municipalities to replace non-compliant hydrants at a heavy cost to taxpayers. This commonsense legislation protects public safety by ensuring that legal hydrants will be readily available for installation and replacement, while still maintaining high standards for drinking water safety.
Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Program Extension Act
A bill to extend the CFATS chemical facility security program by 15 months. This program applies enhanced security standards to facilities holding chemicals at certain concentrations deemed dangerous by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
SAFE Limos Act
A bill to establish a broad array of limousine safety reforms including safety belt requirements and inspection history disclosure requirements. Inspired by the horrific 2018 Schoharie limousine crash that killed 20 people, this bill was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The bill also funds research on making limousines safer in the event of a crash and establishes a first-ever federal definition of “limousine” so that these new safety reforms can be closely followed throughout the U.S.
Take Unsafe Limos Off the Road Act
A bill to provide states with funding to keep unsafe limos that fail inspections off the road by impounding or immobilizing them. This legislation was included as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
End the Limo Loophole Act
A bill to require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to carry out mandatory annual inspections to ensure that all limousines follow federal safety standards. This legislation was included as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
