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Tonko Questions Vaccine Makers at COVID Hearing

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko questioned COVID vaccine manufacturers at a Congressional hearing today on what limitations they are still facing in COVID vaccine production and what solutions they are considering to increase the supply and distribution of vaccinations across the United Sates. Today’s hearing was hosted by the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and…

Tonko, Pappas Introduce Bill to Expand Low-Income Seniors’ Access to Prescription Drugs

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON, DC—Representatives Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) introduced today the Advancing Enrollment and Reducing Drug Costs Act, legislation that would expand low-income seniors’ access to prescription drugs under the Medicare prescription drug benefit program, also known as Medicare Part D. Medicare Part D was created to help low-income seniors afford their…

Tonko Presses COVID Vaccine Makers Ahead of Congressional Hearing

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WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko sent a letter today to the CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna—ahead of an upcoming Oversight & Investigation Subcommittee hearing on expanding availability of COVID-19 vaccines next week—to formally request information and guidance on why emergency production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations are not moving faster and what Congress and the federal…

Tonko Offers Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Review of Rare Disease Treatments

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON—U.S. Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and David McKinley (R-WV) introduced their Helping Experts Accelerate Rare Treatments (HEART) Act today, widely-supported bipartisan legislation that strengthens the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review process for drugs that treat rare and ultra-rare diseases by directly involving scientists and doctors with expertise…

Tonko Announces $440 Million for Capital Region in Proposed Federal COVID Rescue

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko released local impact figures today under the Fiscal Year 2021 Reconciliation Act currently moving through the House and Senate. The rescue package would deliver an estimated $440 million in direct federal COVID-19 relief funding to counties, cities, towns, and villages in New York’s 20th Congressional District—which is represented by Tonko—to maintain…

Tonko Advances Bill to Expand Mental Health & Addiction Treatment

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko heralded the advance of his bipartisan Medicaid Reentry Act today as part of the COVID-19 relief budget reconciliation bill currently being debated by the full House Committee on Energy & Commerce. Tonko’s bill empowers states to restore Medicaid eligibility for incarcerated individuals up to 30 days before their release to ensure those…

Tonko Pushes COVID Rescue Priorities in First Markup

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WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko will be battling in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce today as the full committee marks up its budget reconciliation COVID rescue package. Rep. Tonko’s priorities for the package include vital provisions to empower states to use Medicaid to support vulnerable populations through his recently-introduced bipartisan Medicaid Reentry Act as well…

Tonko-Baldwin Medicaid Reentry Act Added to E&C Reconciliation

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WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko heralded news that his bipartisan Medicaid Reentry Act has been incorporated into the House Committee on Energy & Commerce budget reconciliation proposal. This legislation empowers states to restore access to addiction treatment through Medicaid for incarcerated individuals up to 30 days before their release and is sponsored by Senator Tammy…

Tonko Leads Bipartisan Call for White House to Back Addiction Treatment Bill

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON—Representatives Paul Tonko (D-NY), Antonio Delgado (D-NY), Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), Mike Turner (R-OH) and Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) sent a letter to the White House last night calling on President Biden and his administration to support the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act. This bipartisan bill would significantly expand access to…

Chairman Tonko Delivers Opening Statement for Climate Subcommittee Hearing

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Paul D. Tonko Chair of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change, delivered the following remarks during the subcommittee’s first hearing of the session, which focuses on reestablishing bold, federal climate leadership. Full text of his statement is enclosed: We began the 116th Congress with a hearing called “Time for Action.” It…

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