news

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… 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… Read more »

AMSTERDAM, NY—Congressman Paul D. Tonko joined a bipartisan coalition to introduce H.Res.364, a resolution recognizing the contributions of America’s addiction professionals workforce, which represents more than 100,000 counselors, educators, and other addiction-focused health care professionals who specialize in prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery support and education. The… Read more »

AMSTERDAM, NY—Congressman Paul D. Tonko cheered news today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will release new practice guidelines that scale back the so-called “x-waiver” and allow practitioners to more easily prescribe buprenorphine—a proven effective opioid addiction treatment—to patients. Tonko has long fought to remove this outdated barrier and expand access… Read more »

WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko made a strong case for Congress to advance two key pieces of addiction treatment legislation today during a Congressional hearing in the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health confronting the nation’s opioid epidemic. Tonko’s bills include the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, which removes pointless barriers preventing medical… Read more »

WASHINGTON—Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and Michael Turner (R-OH) and Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced the reintroduction of their Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, legislation that would vastly increase access to life-saving addiction medicine by eliminating a duplicative bureaucratic hurdle—colloquially known as the… Read more »

WASHINGTON—As millions of American struggle with mental health and substance use disorder challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and David Trone (D-MD) along with Representatives Tom Emmer (R-MN), Doris Matsui (D-CA), and Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) announced today that they introduced the Behavioral Health Coordination and Communication Act of 2021,… Read more »

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… Read more »

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… Read more »

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… Read more »