“Americans have consistently and overwhelmingly rejected the skyrocketing out-of-pocket costs and heartless gutting of coverage under Trumpcare. Now Republicans are at it again, this time pushing the most devastating version of Trumpcare we have seen yet. This time they propose to rip billions of dollars from funds that keep health care affordable for countless New York families. I stand on the side of our local communities, of seniors, women, people with pre-existing conditions and working families in this fight. I will do all I can to prevent the heavy cost increases and abject cruelty that would result from this misguided bill.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »
“When a person is going through a mental health or substance use crisis, getting immediate and effective treatment can be a matter of life and death. Today, many states today lack a reliable system for keeping track of which treatment facilities have space available, meaning vulnerable patients are left waiting while overburdened healthcare workers call each area hospital, one by one, in the hope that they can find an appropriate placement. Even at its best, this is an inefficient and time-consuming process. At its worst, the results are tragic. By streamlining the process of finding the appropriate treatment placement for patients in crisis, this program promises to save lives, increase system efficiency, and provide a higher standard of care for those who urgently need it.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »
“Opioid addiction is a deadly and painful epidemic that continues to spread across our nation. Thousands more of our family members, friends and neighbors fall victim to this disease every year, while just a fraction are finding their way to treatment. We must do more. This legislation addresses the epidemic head-on by empowering the healthcare professionals at the front lines of this crisis, locking in previous treatment expansions and granting more specialist nurses the ability to prescribe the medication-assisted treatment that we know gives patients their best chance to recover.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »
"A just nation does not take lightly the judgment of innocents. Let us not discard our friends and our neighbors for the sake of political theater, not when we can instead draw strength of heart and mind and treasure from their experience, their differences, and the many values we share in common." - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »
“We know all too well that our firefighters are the last line of defense against tragedy for families, businesses and communities all across New York. Our first line of defense has to be prevention, and that starts with public awareness. These worthy projects will help ensure New York seniors are living in homes with smoke alarms that will keep them safe, and we all benefit from greater awareness of other available fire prevention measures. I want to congratulate the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs for spearheading these worthy projects to keep our families, businesses and communities safe.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »
“If you take the time to listen to the stories of sick veterans who served at Fort McClellan, they will break your heart. These folks are patriots who signed up knowing their military service would come with very real risks, even beyond the battlefield, but that is no excuse for America to abandon them in their time of need. For too long, these veterans have been left, alone and forgotten by the nation they served, to suffer painful illness and indignity. It is long past time for these selfless warriors to get the answers they deserve.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »
"I have said many times: every life and every job depends on water. The advance of our drinking water bill today reflects a strong bipartisan commitment to scale up federal investments in America’s collapsing water systems. While I continue to believe much more will need to be done to help states and communities shore up these critical systems, this bill takes up the most urgent aspects of my AQUA Act, including updates to a drinking water program more than two decades out-of-date, along with significant measures to get lead and other dangerous substances out of our schools and communities.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »
“This competition will give our Capital Region students an exciting opportunity to showcase their creativity and develop valuable, technical skills that will empower them to pursue STEM careers and opportunities. No matter their level of coding or computer science experience, I want to encourage all of our students throughout the region to give this app challenge a try and begin to develop powerful, 21st century skills in the process.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »
"Our focus needs to be on improving on the foundation of the ACA, bringing down costs especially for our seniors and working families, increasing competition in the marketplace, and strengthening Medicare and Medicaid. We could be working on these priorities together on behalf of the American people, but instead Republican leaders seem ready to double down on one of their worst ideas in recent memory. I hope they change their minds before it's too late." - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »
“As representatives and lawmakers, we need to be able to trust the testimony of independent scientists that appear before us. This kind of testimony shapes the way we understand our nation, its people, its resources and our role in advancing the leading edge of human knowledge. Any effort to distort testimony or suppress expert accounts on these subjects before Congress is an attack on the soundness of our work. I support my colleagues’ call for an immediate investigation into this alleged political interference with one of America’s foremost scientific experts.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »
