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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 has just been elected by his colleagues on the powerful House Energy & Commerce Committee to serve as Chair of the Subcommittee on the Environment and Climate Change. This subcommittee has exclusive jurisdiction over the Clean Air Act and will be at the forefront of tackling climate change and carbon pollution. Tonko has been developing a… Read more »

WASHINGTON – Today, on the 21st day of the historic Trump Shutdown and the first day when thousands of federal workers and their families will be denied a paycheck, Congressman Paul Tonko voted with fellow House Democrats to reopen several agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This would allow EPA to resume its critical public health and environmental… Read more »

“There should be no confusion that New Yorkers who file their taxes will get the tax refund they are entitled to, in full and on time, and to do that we must re-open the IRS" - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »

“Thousands of New Yorkers and countless Americans are paying the price for this administration’s failed approach. We need to stop the bleeding from this shutdown, reopen and strengthen the Department of Homeland Security, and get our government employees back to work. That’s what these bills would do. What they don’t do is ask taxpayers to fund an easily-defeated border wall, an 11th Century security solution to a modern day problem.” Read more »

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko issued sharp criticism of the President tonight for refusing to govern and failing to commit to a bipartisan agreement that includes border security funding, resulting in government shutdown that includes the Department of Homeland Security and other critical agencies: This shutdown achieves nothing. It could have been avoided if the President had… Read more »

“This bill promises to improve the lives of those suffering from Alzheimer’s and reduce the public health burden of this disease on our communities.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »

“This farm bill strikes the right balance, giving certainty to our farmers while protecting our most vulnerable by rejecting harsh food assistance cuts in the original House Republican bill,” said Rep. Tonko. “I am particularly pleased with provisions we were able to secure that will benefit New York’s dairy farmers and producers of specialty crops, and others that expand broadband access particularly to those that don’t have access to a high-speed connection. The final bill is far from perfect, but it is a major bipartisan step forward in areas of urgent need. I look forward to building on the progress we achieved here in the next Congress.” Read more »

“We have a duty to the victims of the Schoharie limousine crash to help ensure this deadly outcome cannot be repeated,” said Congressman Tonko. “Holding every vehicle of this kind to the same basic safety standards is not just common sense, it could save lives and restore public confidence in an industry shaken by this painful tragedy.” Read more »

“We are writing to you on behalf of communities we represent that are concerned about the presence of perfluorinated compounds in their drinking water... EPA has allowed many perfluorinated chemicals onto the market since the launch of the PFOA Stewardship Initiative… [including] nearly 900 perfluorinated compounds.” Read more »