Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) will hold a telephone town hall next Tuesday, August 5th at 7:25 p.m. to highlight federal efforts at economic development and the work Congress still must complete to help put people back to work and boost small businesses in the Capital Region. Tonko will listen to ideas, answer questions, and receive input from local residents in the hour-long conference call Tuesday night.

LOUDONVILLE – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Paul Tonko today announced that Siena College will receive funding in the amount of $687,876 to support the Siena Plan for Attracting and Retaining Computer Scientists (SPARCS). The grant, awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), will boost local science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and continue the tradition of innovation and excellence in Capital Region communities.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) released the following statement today after the Obama administration announced its proposal to improve the safety of trains transporting crude oil and other hazardous materials. In the past year, Tonko has called for increased safety regulations and met with administration officials, including Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, urging them to expedite these new standards and phase out older, less-sturdy rail tank cars.

Washington, D.C.- U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Paul Tonko today announced that Albany International Airport will receive $3,978,545.00 in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for airport upgrades. The federal funding will be used to rehabilitate the existing Runway, the pavement of which is nearing the end of its useful life. This federally funded grant will be issued as a multi-year grant and dispensed with $1,248,827 in fiscal year 2014 funding. The remaining $2,729,718 will be added through amendments which are subject to future appropriations through fiscal year 2015.

WASHINGTON – This week, Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) co-introduced the Democracy for All Amendment with United States Representatives Ted Deutch (FL-21), Donna Edwards (MD-4), and Jim McGovern (MA-2). H.J. Res 119 is the House companion to S.J. Res 19, the constitutional amendment slated for a historic vote in the United States Senate this year. The Democracy is for All Constitutional Amendment will reverse highly controversial Supreme Court decisions like Citizens United v. FEC and McCutcheon v. FEC, which have given corporations and the nations' wealthiest individuals the right to buy unlimited influence in our elections.

ALBANY – Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) released the following statement after confirming with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that the federal government is no longer considering Kenwood Academy in Albany as a potential facility to house undocumented children. Tonko's office has also confirmed that Syracuse is the only location in the state of New York currently being considered by HHS.

WASHINGTON, DC– Today, U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Paul Tonko (D-NY) led 12 of their colleagues in calling for the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to stop using inaccurate data while making their case for future Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) released the following statement this week after negotiations involving the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership were made public and suggested the deal require the United States to lift its decades-long ban on crude oil exports.

TROY, NY – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Paul Tonko today announced a grant to the City of Troy Fire Department. The funding, applied for by the fire department and supported by Schumer, Gillibrand and Tonko will aidtraining and equipment needs for emergency responders in Rensselaer County. The grant, awarded in the amount of $415,359, is made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.