Congress returned to work in Washington last week after a 53-day recess -- the longest in modern history. Before we adjourned for the summer, I urged Speaker Paul Ryan to cancel recess so the House could stay in town and tackle the most pressing challenges facing our nation. My colleagues and I do important work back in our communities, but our to-do list grows longer by the day. From Zika to voting rights to sorely needed legislation that repairs our broken water systems, I cannot imagine anywhere else in our country where employees can ignore so many important tasks, and then leave the office for more than seven weeks.

Each time the House recesses, I use it as an opportunity to catch up on my work in the Capital Region and to meet with constituents, advocacy organizations, and small businesses in our communities. I'm happy to report this summer was no different than in years past. We rolled up our sleeves, got to work, listened to what others had to say and didn't take a single day off.

Rep. Tonko and the AMRI team during a regular business tour.

During the summer district work period, I attended more than 75 community events, held more than 25 official meetings with constituents and local organizations, and toured 14 businesses to discuss their needs and challenges. But that's not all. See below for a roundup of just some of my activities in the Capital Region this summer:

• Hosted direct conversations with groups of New Yorkers in public spaces, including a roundtable on drug free communities, a town hall on mental health issues, and my usual mobile office hours that I hold throughout the year.
• Conducted more than 25 official meetings with constituents and local advocacy organizations with stakeholders in the education, law enforcement, and health care communities, just to name a few.
• Took Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul on a tour of the City of Amsterdam to give the Cuomo Administration an inside look into the needs and potential of the Montgomery County economy.
• Provided keynote speeches at events that bring together our cutting edge engineering and manufacturing communities, including a workshop hosted by Facebook to boost the presence of local small business owners.
• Held 2 workshops for local fire departments to ensure our first responders have the tools they need to continue to serve our local communities.
• Toured 14 local businesses to learn about the needs and challenges of small business owners across the region. These tours are critical to my ability to represent and fight for our local economy in Washington, which is why I average about one business tour per week. This summer, I was able to double that average.
• Wrapped up the first stage in an ongoing initiative to boost economic development in Saratoga County.
• Attended and participated in more than 75 community events honoring and supporting our veterans, volunteers, local organizations, and causes.
• Held 4 press conferences to discuss critical challenges the House of Representatives must tackle this fall, including renewing the Voting Rights Act, providing Zika funding, preventing future gun violence, stopping the TPP and more.

Included in Rep. Tonko's recess activities in the Capital Region is more than 75 community events, 14 business tours, and more than 25 meetings with constituents and local advocacy organizations.

Overall, it was a busy but energizing seven weeks. Now that we are back in session, there is plenty of work to do. For 53 days, I heard from constituents who want action on Zika funding, gun violence prevention, jobs, the Voting Rights Act, passing an annual budget that reflects our values, and much more. And this is only a fraction of the number of tasks before us in Washington.

We’ve already scored a victory this week in passing bipartisan legislation I introduced with Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to protect consumers against online ticket scalpers, and I look forward to seeing this legislation pass the Senate and get signed into law by President Obama later this year. It is my hope the most pressing matters in front of us will receive the same level of attention from the House of Representatives. With only 11 more planned legislative days planned between now and Election Day on November 8, we have to roll up our sleeves and work overtime to get things done for the American people.

Mental health in Capital Region communities was just one of several topics of focus during Rep. Tonko's recess schedule this summer.

Thanks for reading. If my office can be of assistance to you or someone you know, please don’t hesitate to contact me. For more information on the services available to those living in New York’s 20th Congressional District, please visit my website at https://tonko.house.gov. My door is always open.