WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Paul D. Tonko today joined full Energy and Commerce Committee markup to advance several health-focused bills, including his Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant Act, Helping Experts Accelerate Rare Treatments (HEART) Act. Tonko also successfully called for the inclusion of his Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act, broadly-supported bipa... Read more »
WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Tonko announced today transformative investments delivered in H.R. 2471, bipartisan government funding legislation that will help working families with the cost of living, create American jobs, and support the vulnerable. “The historic investments advanced in our bipartisan omnibus package are a reflection of America’s deepest values,” Congressman Tonko said. “I’m proud ... Read more »
WASHINGTON, DC—Representatives Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) and Bill Huizenga (MI-2) introduced the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act today, bipartisan legislation that would improve care for millions of America’s seniors by permanently repealing the Medicare 190-day lifetime limit for inpatient psychiatric care. No such limit exists for any other Medicare inpatient health care service. “Too of... Read more »
WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Paul D. Tonko joined a press conference with the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force announcing their legislative agenda for this Congress, which includes four key bills championed by Tonko. This slate of Tonko-led bills includes: The Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act that would remove bureaucratic barriers blocking access to the safe, proven addiction ... Read more »
WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko cheered House passage today of major funding expansions for U.S. mental health and addiction programs that he has been pushing to secure as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 Federal Budget. Tonko provisions that advanced in the package include funding for opioid treatment programs, substance use prevention grants and research to examine the impact of the pandemic on... Read more »
WASHINGTON—U.S. Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and David Trone (D-MD) announced today that they have reintroduced the Medicaid Bump Act in the House, legislation that would increase the federal reimbursement rate for mental and behavioral health care services under Medicaid. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced identical legislation on the same day and are leading... Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Paul D. Tonko announced today that $170,566,276 in funding from the American Rescue Plan—COVID legislation backed by Tonko— has been awarded to New York State to support mental health and addiction services. Funding will be administered by the New York State Department of Health and the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and is part of the... Read more »
WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Paul D. Tonko addressed the top Biden Administration health official today during a Health Subcommittee hearing to push for the advance of two major, bipartisan addiction treatment bills he authored. Tonko called for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to support the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act and the Medicaid Reen... Read more »
WASHINGTON—Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and John Katko (R-NY) and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Timothy Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the COVID-19 Mental Health Research Act, legislation that would fund research to study the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has on the mental health of Americans, with an emphasis on its impact on children and health care providers. This bill introduction c... Read more »
WASHINGTON, DC—Representatives Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) and Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) introduced the Virtual Community Support Act to strengthen community-based and peer support services virtually both during and after the pandemic. Specifically, it would create a new program at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide training and development to increase the work... Read more »
