news

U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-Amsterdam) voted Friday in favor of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which will provide significant relief for the Capital Region as part of a broader effort to save and create jobs and rebuild the economy. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 246-183.

Rep. Tonko, who is a member of the House Education and Labor and Science and Technology Committees, said this legislation will provide immediate relief to schools in the 21st Congressional District, which will see an increase in Title I and IDEA funds over two years to help low-income students and students with disabilities.  These funds amount to $53.6 billion, which will save jobs by staving off layoffs and harmful cuts to education. States could also use these funds to create new jobs by repairing, renovating and modernizing schools and colleges, providing students with clean, healthy, safe, energy-efficient and state-of-the-art learning classrooms and campuses.

The legislation also includes investments in transportation, energy and high technology that could have direct short and long-term benefits for the Capital Region, including $16 billion for transit and high speed rail projects, and $2 billion for research into advanced battery technologies.

"This legislation will provide a much needed jolt to the economy by putting people to work on projects crucial to our region -- repairing crumbling roads and bridges, upgrading water and sewer systems, providing much needed aid for schools," said Rep. Tonko.

"With this legislation we can also take a bold leap into the future. There are much needed investments and tax breaks into alternative energy, including $2 billion for research into advanced battery technologies, some of which is already taking place in the Capital Region. I fought to keep transit and high speed rail money part of the package and relevant to upstate New York. High speed rail has the potential to transform the upstate economy and revitalize communities along the rail lines in the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys . "

Rail and transit money could also be used to revive a project to add a second track along the rail corridor between Albany and Schenectady. Currently, freight and passenger trains have to share the same track, leading to frequent delays. A second track would alleviate this bottleneck and make rail travel more attractive.  

Rep. Tonko continued, "The Capital Region has the right mix of a thriving academic community, and public and private investment to take advantage of the forward thinking opportunities provided by the recovery package, and we now need to move aggressively to make these projects happen."
 

 ###