Thank you M. Speaker.M. Speaker – I think President Obama was right yesterday when he called our friends on the other side of the aisle “out of touch.”In my hometown of Amsterdam, NY my neighbors are hurting. In some instances, this recession has eliminated nearly half of their retirement savings. Others have lost their homes.Despite this downturn and Wall Street’s recklessness, Republicans STILL... Read more »
Congressman Paul D. TonkoRemarks in support of H.R. 4247, Keeping All Students Safe ActMarch 3, 2010 Thank you Mr. Chairman. I rise today in support of H.R. 4247, the Keeping All Students Safe Act. This bill is aimed at restricting some of the most abusive practices still employed in certain schools around the country – negligent restraint and abusive seclusion. Last spring, the Education & Labor ... Read more »
Testimony of Congressman Paul D. Tonko House Committee on Budget March 3, 2010 Chairman Spratt, Ranking member Ryan, respected members of the committee, I want to sincerely thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak here today. I represent the twenty first congressional district of New York, also known as the Capital Region. The area is home to many towns which saw a boom during the first i... Read more »
Thank you M. Speaker. I am here to speak in support of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, one of the most important pieces of legislation this body has considered since the passage of Medicare in 1965 and Social Security in 1935. M. Speaker, every member of this body has been listening to her or his constituents, and they are saying that they are ready for health insurance reform; they ne... Read more »
Thank you, M. Speaker. On Tuesday, Speaker Pelosi announced an important new addition to our health insurance reform package – young adults will be able to remain on their parents’ health insurance plans until their 27th birthday.Young adults make up one third of the entire uninsured population, numbering 13.7 million. Only 53 percent of young adults are even eligible for employer-based insurance ... Read more »
Thank you M. Speaker.M. Speaker, the House will be taking up H.R. 2920 this week, the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2009, otherwise known as PAYGO.This bill, sponsored by the Majority Leader, the gentleman from Maryland, will renew our commitment to fiscal responsibility and protect core democratic values.As the President said less than two months ago: “The ‘pay as you go’ rule is very simple.” C... Read more »
Mr. BLUMENAUER.We have been joined by my colleague from New York, Congressman Tonko from Albany who, in a prior life, as I recall, was CEO of the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority. You have got some practical applications, both in your private sector experience and your work for years in the New York State Assembly. We will welcome thoughts and observations that you would ha... Read more »
This amendment establishes the Social Innovation Fund, which would support our nation’s social entrepreneurs. As we heard last month in our hearing on national service, Cheryl Dorsey of Echoing Green explained that social entrepreneurs, “identify and take responsibility for an innovative and untested idea for positive social change, and then usher that idea from concept to reality.Social entrepren... Read more »
I rise to recognize the importance of the National School Breakfast Program and to express my support for the resolution by the Gentlelady from Wisconsin that we passed this evening.School breakfast programs, particularly where breakfast is served in the classroom, have shown to increase student attentiveness, academic performance and decrease tardiness and disciplinary referrals.Classroom breakfa... Read more »
