WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Paul D. Tonko cheered the advance of his bipartisan ACCESS BROADBAND Act (H.R. 1328) in the House last night as part of the omnibus federal spending bill H.R. 133, which also passed the Senate and is expected to be signed into law quickly by the President. Tonko’s coordination bill would make it easier for businesses and local leaders to bring federal funding to… Read more »
WASHINGTON, DC—After leading a bipartisan and bicameral effort in Congress to demand that New York State be considered eligible for federal rural broadband funds, Congressman Paul D. Tonko announced today that $99,891,715 has been allocated to a new service provider in New York to deliver broadband access to parts of the Capital Region that are currently unserved. The funding will… Read more »
WASHINGTON—Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Ajit Pai sent a letter to Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) today responding to Tonko’s direct outreach to the agency in recent days following reports that FCC planned to rule New York State ineligible for $16 billion in federal Phase I Rural Digital Opportunity Fund grants. Pai promised in his letter to reverse the policy targeting… Read more »
WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) announced today that the U.S. Senate has voted to approve his legislation to stiffen the penalty for illegal ‘pirate’ radio broadcast signals that interfere with first responders, air traffic controllers and legitimate broadcasts.
“Clear and safe public airwaves are easy to take for granted, but they are critical for the countless… Read more »
WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko cheered House passage of appropriations legislation this week that funds many of his Capital Region and national priorities, which Tonko fought to protect or expand for Fiscal Year 2020:
“These funding bills deliver on the values and needs of the American people, including significant wins for our New York Capital Region communities.… Read more »
WASHINGTON – Representatives Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Susan W. Brooks (R-IN) heralded passage of H.R. 1328: the ACCESS BROADBAND Act in the House by a unanimous voice vote today. This bipartisan legislation would help expand broadband access in underserved areas and create a simpler process for small businesses and local economic developers to access federal broadband resources.
“Reliable… Read more »
WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko officially reintroduced the PIRATE ACT today with Republican co-sponsor Congressman Gus Bilirakis of Florida. This legislation would increase penalties for anyone caught engaging in unlawful broadcasting, sometimes referred to as ‘pirate radio.’ Pirate signals can pose a significant threat to public safety, oftentimes disrupting Federal Aviation… 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… Read more »
CAPITAL REGION – On the 10th annual Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day, Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) urged taxpayers to check their eligibility to take advantage of the EITC. In New York’s 20th Congressional District, almost 50,000 individuals saved more than $105 million using the credit in tax year 2013. Taxpayers can check their EITC eligibility with the IRS’s EITC Assistant. Read more »
For four months, House Republican Leadership shuttered the Export-Import Bank, a federal agency that supports American exports and levels the playing field for U.S. manufacturers overseas. This ‘politics-over-people’ move led by the extreme wing of the House GOP caucus has already put hard working Americans out of work, including more than 200 in Schenectady, New York, in the district I… Read more »
