WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko issued sharp criticism of the President tonight for refusing to govern and failing to commit to a bipartisan agreement that includes border security funding, resulting in government shutdown that includes the Department of Homeland Security and other critical agencies: This shutdown achieves nothing. It could have been avoided if the President had been honest about his priorities or willing to put the country ahead of his own ego. The American people overwh... Read more

“This bill promises to improve the lives of those suffering from Alzheimer’s and reduce the public health burden of this disease on our communities.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more

“This farm bill strikes the right balance, giving certainty to our farmers while protecting our most vulnerable by rejecting harsh food assistance cuts in the original House Republican bill,” said Rep. Tonko. “I am particularly pleased with provisions we were able to secure that will benefit New York’s dairy farmers and producers of specialty crops, and others that expand broadband access particularly to those that don’t have access to a high-speed connection. The final bill is far from perfect, but it is a major bipartisan step forward in areas of urgent need. I look forward to building on the progress we achieved here in the next Congress.” Read more

“We have a duty to the victims of the Schoharie limousine crash to help ensure this deadly outcome cannot be repeated,” said Congressman Tonko. “Holding every vehicle of this kind to the same basic safety standards is not just common sense, it could save lives and restore public confidence in an industry shaken by this painful tragedy.” Read more

“We are writing to you on behalf of communities we represent that are concerned about the presence of perfluorinated compounds in their drinking water... EPA has allowed many perfluorinated chemicals onto the market since the launch of the PFOA Stewardship Initiative… [including] nearly 900 perfluorinated compounds.” Read more

“Growing our sustainable, competitive economy here in the Capital Region depends on exceptional STEM training and education,” said Rep. Tonko. “Our Congressional App Challenge winner this year is a visionary student at Burnt Hills Ballston Lake High School who embodies this focus on STEM, putting his passion for coding to work helping others build their own coding skills. Luigi’s submission stood out in an impressive field of apps from our district, and I look forward to seeing the many ways his work inspires others to share his passion in the coming year and beyond.” Read more

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, Congressmen Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), David McKinkley (R-WV), and Paul Tonko (D-NY) introduced H.R. 6949, the CHP Support Act, to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and reauthorize an existing Department of Energy (DOE) program, the Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnerships (CHP TAPs), from FY18 to FY22. This program encourages the use of energy efficient technologies by generating electricity and capturing heat (that would ... Read more

WASHINGTON – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, by a vote of 393-8. Four sections of the bill were written by Congressman Tonko, including an expansion of medication-assisted treatment, a multi-year priority that will help meaningfully combat the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. “Overdoses claimed more than 64,000 American lives in 2016, now the single greatest cause of death for Americans under 50, yet just 1 in 5 Americans ... Read more

WASHINGTON – Earlier today, the House of Representatives passed by voice vote, H.R. 6870, a bill to rename the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012 in honor of Representative Louise McIntosh Slaughter. The bill was introduced earlier this week by Representative Tonko, her dear friend and colleague. “Members of Congress should not use their elected position to enrich themselves,” said Congressman Tonko. “We are entrusted with access to information, federal agencies and inte... Read more

WASHINGTON – Last night, it was announced that Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Congressman Ben Ray Luján’s (D-NM) bipartisan addiction treatment bill, H.R. 3692: Addiction Treatment Access Improvement Act, was included in the final opioid package agreement that was negotiated between the House and Senate. In the Senate, companion legislation was led by Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Rand Paul (R-KY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Susan Collins (R-ME). “When an individual in the throes of addiction rea... Read more