news

This month, Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) coauthored a letter with seven of his colleagues from Upstate New York, urging the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Michael Botticelli to host a community forum in Upstate New York with the aim of advancing the state’s efforts to fight overdoses, particularly those resulting from heroin and prescription drug use. Read more »

In recent years, we have witnessed the increasing pain and suffering inflicted by heroin and opioid addiction in communities in our districts and across the country. We, like many of our constituents, have seen firsthand how this tragic epidemic has affected our own friends and loved ones, and by sharing their stories we hope to put a face to the addiction crisis. The statistics… Read more »

We too often forget that those struggling with mental illness are constantly forced to fight a battle on two fronts. Not only do they have to grapple with themselves  --  with their own thoughts and mind  --  but they also have to contend with the negative assumptions made about those with mental illness, which are pervasive in our society. Those stereotypes, though, are hardly a… Read more »