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I first met Timothy O' Clair at a little league game in 2001. Timothy was a bright and energetic youngster with the whole world ahead of him. Unfortunately, Timothy also suffered from a debilitating mental illness. When Timothy's insurance would no longer cover his treatment, his parents were forced to disown him in order to get treatment. Unable to receive the appropriate care, at the age of 12, Timothy tragically completed suicide. Timothy's struggle to get the care he needed is what first led me down the path of working to improve the mental health system in America. Read more »

Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) released the following statement in reaction to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night: Read more »

So-called "dynamic scoring" completely invents a future where unlimited and unpaid-for tax cuts and loopholes for large corporations and the very wealthy create a more prosperous environment for us all – simply to circumvent the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that Republican and Democratic majorities in Congress have used since 1974. Read more »

Today, Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) applauded the passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act, H.R. 203, which was unanimously approved by the U.S. House of Representatives Monday night. The SAV Act was originally introduced and passed in the House in the 113th Congress, but was blocked by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) in the U.S. Senate and failed to become law. Read more »

Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) was confirmed this week as the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy for the 114th Congress. The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over all matters related to soil and water contamination; the regulation of solid, hazardous and nuclear wastes; emergency environmental response; industrial plant security; the regulation of drinking water; toxic substances; and noise. Tonko served as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee in the 113th Congress, and will continue his work with Environment and the Economy Chairman John Shimkus (R-IL). Both Chairman Shimkus and Ranking Member Tonko hold engineering degrees. Read more »

Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) this week cosponsored H.R. 154, the Close the Floodgates Act, which would undo last-minute provisions inserted into last year's end-of-the-year government funding bill – the so-called "Cromnibus" – that would allow wealthy donors to increase their contributions to political parties ten-fold. Rep. Tonko listed the campaign finance provision as well as language that reinstated taxpayer funded bailouts for big banks as reasons for voting against the Cromnibus in December. Read more »

Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) highlighted today in a federal funding bill major support for the Capital Region economy, the local growth of quality jobs, and language he introduced in the House to fight Alzheimer's. Announced late last night, legislation that funds the federal government through the end of the fiscal year includes: Read more »

Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) highlighted today the inclusion of $15.78 million in critical federal funds in the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 83), aimed at cleaning up the former Scotia Navy Depot in Glenville, New York. In April, Tonko joined Senator Schumer in urging both the House and Senate to fulfill the President's original funding request for this proposal, which Congress is expected to do with the passage of this omnibus bill. The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Thursday on H.R. 83, which is also known as the "CROmnibus" and would fund the federal government through the next fiscal year. Read more »

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (H.R. 3979), which includes language that allows the President to award Albany native Sgt. Henry Johnson the Medal of Honor for acts of incredible bravery demonstrated during World War I. Read more »

Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) will mark Small Business Saturday this year in Schenectady by visiting locally owned businesses and highlighting the economic potential of Capital Region shops. Small business leaders and local officials will join Tonko, where they will connect directly with employees and employers to discuss issues that contribute to their successes and failures, and to express support for their commitment to the community and economy. Read more »