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WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Paul D. Tonko today announced that Mark Emanatian, Director of the Capital District Area Labor Federation (CDALF), will join him at the 2023 State of the Union address as his guest. 

CDALF serves an estimated 120,000 individuals in more than 40 affiliated unions. For years Tonko has worked alongside CDALF, speaking at their annual meetings and working in partnership to strengthen and support the Capital Region’s diverse and expansive workforce. 

“We are currently experiencing the best economy for American workers in decades, with more people getting higher wages, better benefits, and better jobs across the board,” Congressman Tonko said. “This boom for workers was only possible thanks to our nation’s unions. President Biden and House Democrats understand this acutely, and we are working every day to strengthen the unions that form the backbone of our nation. In that work, I’m so grateful to have incredible partners in Mark and CDALF, who are each day proving the necessity and the power of unions to protect all workers and ensure Americans are provided with a living wage, retirement security, and health benefits. I thank Mark for joining me in Washington for this year’s State of the Union, and I look forward to continuing our push to empower workers to unionize and have dignity at work.” 

“I am deeply honored to be Congressman Paul Tonko’s guest at the State of the Union,” said Mark Emanatian, Executive Director of CDALF. “Our union federation has been doing excellent charitable work with the food bank and food pantries and I am looking forward to the President’s speech. Unions, working people and the poor need urgent help from the government.” 

Rep. Tonko is a vocal supporter of unions. Last Congress, he voted to advance the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which ensures that workers can decide for themselves whether to exercise their right to form a union. 

In addition to the PRO Act, Democrats have passed critical pieces of legislation directly investing in and benefiting American workers. This includes legislation ensuring workers were supported through the COVID crisis with the American Rescue Plan, strengthening our nation’s critical infrastructure with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and driving forward good-paying clean energy jobs with the Inflation Reduction Act.