ALBANY, NY – Congressman Paul D. Tonko resorted to science and facts in his reaction to the Trump Administration today after its release of a proposed rule weakening clean energy standards allowing for more carbon pollution that could lead to as many as 1,400 more premature deaths in the U.S. every year. “This proposal not only ignores the clear and growing threat of climate change, it exposes countless New York families and communities to real dangers from air pollution,” said Tonko. “In New Yo... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul Tonko sent a letter to Amtrak today calling on the company to reconsider its decision to cancel the annual Marine Corps Toys for Tots train ahead of its 20th season. The company issued new guidelines for charter trains in March of this year and notified the Marine Corps last week that they plan to discontinue the Toys for Tots train as a result. Tonko was joined by Republican Reps. John Faso and Elise Stefanik in asking Amtrak to continue this charitable train servi... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko, the top Democrat on the Energy & Commerce Environment Subcommittee, issued a strong rebuke of the announcement this morning that the Trump Administration will roll back previously agreed-upon vehicle emissions standards for Model Year 2021-2026 light-duty vehicles. The new proposal would freeze standards at the 2020 levels through 2026 and seek to revoke California’s waiver, which allows California to avoid federal preemption and set its own vehicle standa... Read more

WASHINGTON – Tonight Congressman Paul D. Tonko capped his string of recent legislative victories as the U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously to adopt his bipartisan broadband reform bill, the ACCESS BROADBAND Act, a bill that improves coordination and community access to federal broadband resources. Tonight’s vote follows a string of signature bipartisan wins by Congressman Tonko over the past two months. “In these divided times, I am humbled to sponsor common-sense legislation that e... Read more

WASHINGTON – House Republicans voted today to reject a motion restoring $380 million to help state and local election officials upgrade outdated voting technology, counter cyberattacks and address other election vulnerabilities. The vote failed along strictly partisan lines, 182-232. Congressman Tonko issued the following statement in response: “With their vote today, Congressional Republicans put politics and allegiance to party over common sense and their duty to the American people. Our natio... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko, the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee, was selected today to serve as a conferee when the House and Senate work to resolve differences between their versions of H.R. 2, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the “Farm Bill.” “I am honored to have the opportunity to bring my voice to the table during negotiations of this essential bill,” said Tonko. “As we go to conference with the Senate, I vow to fight ag... Read more

WASHINGTON – This afternoon, Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Congressman Paul D. Tonko released a disturbing new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) showing just 43 percent of school districts nationwide tested for lead in their schools’ drinking water in 2016 and 2017, and of those that tested more than one-third (37 percent) found elevated lead levels. 41 percent of U.S. school districts did not test for lead at all, and 16 percent of school dist... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko added to his string of recent legislative achievements today as the Energy & Commerce Committee voted this afternoon to advance his broadband reform bill, the ACCESS BROADBAND Act, for consideration by the full House. “Broadband Internet access has become a necessity for Capital Region families, businesses and our regional economy, helping our students keep up with homework, job candidates build toward a new career, doctors read medical scans and entreprene... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko responded to President Trump’s announcement tonight that he will nominate ideologically conservative Brett Kavanaugh for a lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. “President Trump’s announcement tonight shows a clear intent to pack the court with extremists to support his hateful policies and to insulate himself from legal accountability in the process,” said Tonko. “Republicans stonewalled Merrick Garland’s Supreme Court nomination for more than a ... Read more

"Military records testify to the sacrifice and valor of each person who has served the U.S. armed forces," said Tonko. "Incorrect or incomplete military records can leave a service member, their family or their descendants without vital documentation or with an inaccurate or incomplete story of their loved one’s service. I am grateful to Roberta Reno for bringing to my attention this critical gap in how we correct and maintain our military records. Thanks to her tenacity and attention to historical detail, I am delighted to sponsor this legislation to help ensure critical errors and injustices like this one can begin to be corrected.” Read more