Paul Tonko

Tonko Visits Johnsonville Home Undergoing Weatherization Upgrades

Position: Congressman Tonko supports the Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act, which would increase federal funding for home weatherization programs to help low-income families reduce energy costs and improve home energy efficiency.

JOHNSONVILLE, NY — Today, Congressman Paul D. Tonko visited a Rensselaer County home undergoing weatherization improvements to view the ongoing progress, meet with the homeowner and local advocates, and discuss ways to help more families take advantage of the benefits provided by home weatherization. During the visit, Tonko highlighted his Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act, a bipartisan bill that would invest federal funding in home weatherization efforts to help low-income families save hundreds of dollars on their energy bills while making their homes safer, healthier, and more energy efficient. Tonko’s legislation was recently advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a unanimous vote of 50-0. “I was thrilled to visit this local home today to see firsthand how weatherization improvements can help families save on their energy bills and make their homes more energy efficient,” Congressman Tonko said. “With millions of American families facing rising utility costs thanks to Trump-caused inflation, the time is now for Congress to take action to help lower energy prices — and my Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act does just that. The Weatherization Assistance Program is already saving families hundreds each year on their home energy bills, and with my legislation, we can continue to improve upon this vital program and ensure that communities here in our Capital Region and beyond have the resources and support they need to carry these efforts forward.” Data shows that home weatherization efforts, or weatherproofing, reduces energy burdens by providing safe, cost-effective energy efficiency retrofit investments including sealing and insulating. Additionally, households receiving services from the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) save an average of $372 each year on their energy bills. The Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act would strengthen the WAP program by: · Reauthorizing the WAP through Fiscal Year 2030; and · Raising the statutory Average Cost Per Unit from $6,500 to $12,000, allowing households to receive more assistance and allowing WAP implementers to pay competitive wages and retain their workforces. Photos from today’s visit can be found on Congressman Tonko’s social media platforms at Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, or X (formerly Twitter).

Tonko Calls Out Farm Bill that Leaves Families and Farmers High and Dry

Position: Congressman Tonko opposes the Farm Bill, arguing it cuts SNAP benefits and conservation programs while failing to address tariff-driven economic hardship for farmers and working families.

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) released a statement following the House passage of the Farm Bill: "Republicans spent the last several years crafting a Farm Bill, and this is all they have to show for it: legislation that ignores the cost-of-living crisis that so many American families are shouldering in favor of cementing massive cuts to SNAP and to cost-saving conservation and energy programs, all the while greenlighting Trump’s illegal tariffs. "Over this past year, farmers have felt continued economic hardship from Trump’s reckless tariff scheme, and with his latest war of choice with Iran, costs from fuel to fertilizer continue to skyrocket, adding to the farm bankruptcy crisis gripping our nation. Further, this bill locks in the $187 billion cuts to food assistance made in Republicans’ One Big Ugly Bill last year — the largest cut to food assistance in history — all but ensuring our children, veterans, and seniors go hungry. This bill fails in the most basic obligations to support farmers and working families. That’s why I voted no."

Tonko, Balderson Champion Bipartisan Bill to Bolster Mental Health Care for Kids

WASHINGTON, DC — Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY-20) and Troy Balderson (R-OH-12) announced the introduction of bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the School-Based Health Centers (SBHC) program. The bill H.R. 8209, would amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the school-based health centers grant program. Students and their families rely on SBHCs to meet their needs for a full range of age-appropriate health care services. SBHCs primarily operate in underserved communities and play a crucial role in the provision of primary care services to school children, which also includes dental screenings and mental health services. There are more than 2,500 school-based health centers nationwide, serving more than 6.3 million K-12 students. “We in Congress should do everything in our power to ensure our future generation has the support and care they need to thrive,” Congressman Tonko said. “School-based health centers play a critical role in providing healthcare for students, including those struggling with mental health challenges or substance use disorders. I am proud to stand with my colleagues to push for this important measure that serves students and families across New York’s Capital Region and beyond.” “School-based health centers are crucial for ensuring students can access quality care where they spend most of their day—at school,” said Balderson. “By reaffirming and strengthening federal support for these centers, we are helping families access preventive services, improving student health outcomes, and giving children the foundation they need to succeed both in the classroom and in life. This program has been a tremendous success in Ohio, and I’m proud to help lead the effort to reauthorize it.” This bipartisan legislation was included in a recent Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, titled Healthier America: Legislative Proposals to Improve Public Health. Previously, Tonko supported the successful effort to reauthorize the SBHC program, which reauthorized the program through 2026.

Tonko Introduces Power for the People Act to Shield Consumers from Rising Energy Costs

Position: Congressman Tonko introduced legislation requiring data centers to bear responsibility for electricity costs they generate, rather than passing those costs to consumers through higher utility rates. The bill aims to balance data center development with consumer protection and grid reliability.

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) today introduced the Power for the People Act in the House, legislation that ensures data centers are held responsible for the high costs of their electricity demand. Senator Van Hollen (D- MD) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate. The rise of artificial intelligence models has resulted in data center development exploding in recent years. With data centers critical to national security, economic development, and job growth, their need will only increase. However, data centers are huge energy consumers, and their rapid growth and energy demand is placing increased strain on the electric grid. Recent reports have indicated that 55% of new energy demand in the US comes solely from data centers, and if load forecasts are correct, data centers will represent 15% of our national electricity consumption by 2030. Without proper backstops in place, new energy demand from data centers will continue to increase prices resulting in big profits for energy companies and big bills for electricity customers. “Families are already paying higher prices for everything from groceries to healthcare, to gas, to utilities — they shouldn’t be forced to also shoulder the costs for companies building data centers,” Congressman Tonko said. “Our Power for the People Act balances the need for data center development without pushing those costs onto consumers. I thank my colleagues for supporting this commonsense legislation that protects consumers and grid reliability while holding big technology companies accountable.” House Cosponsors include: Kathy Castor, Steve Cohen, Maxine Dexter, Sarah Elfreth, Valerie Foushee, John Garamendi, Dan Goldman, Eleanor Holmes-Norton, Glenn Ivey, Stephen Lynch, April McClain Delaney, Jennifer McClellan, Kweisi Mfume, Johnny Olszewski, Mike Quigley, Jan Schakowsky Senate Cosponsors include: Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CN), Cory Booker (D-NJ) Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT) Supporting organizations include: NRDC, Union of Concerned Scientists, Sierra Club, Evergreen, Consumer Federation of America, National Consumer Law Center, Public Citizen, Maryland People’s Counsel, Illinois Citizens Utility Board, New Jersey Division of the Rate Counsel, Oregon Citizens Utility Board, and Delaware Division of the Public Advocate The Power for the People Act will: A fact-sheet of the bill is attached HERE. A section by section is attached HERE.

Tonko Calls to Impeach Trump

Position: Congressman Tonko calls for the House to immediately vote to impeach President Trump, citing threats of violence and genocide against Iran and characterizing the President as unhinged and a threat to national values.

AMSTERDAM, NY — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) released a statement following the increasingly unhinged threats of violence from President Trump against the people of Iran: “The President of the United States is publicly threatening to commit genocide. “This is not hyperbole or wordsmithing, his exact words were “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” “I fear for our nation. This is not who we are. For generations, the United States has striven to be that shining city on a hill — advancing values of freedom, democracy, human rights and shared prosperity around the globe. Our greatest generation fought and died in the fields of Europe and across the vast Pacific to stem the tide of fascism and the genocidal dictators it enabled. When confronted with the abysmal horrors of the Holocaust, we vowed with one clear voice “never again.” “We cannot fall prey to indifference or apathy, believing that the President’s words are mere idle threats. He is the Commander in Chief of the most powerful military the world has ever seen. He has already launched an illegal war of choice against a country that posed no imminent military threat to the United States. “We must take his words at face value, and when we do, there is only one clear conclusion: this is genocidal talk from an unhinged madman President. “For love of country, for the freedoms we cherish and for the values we hold dear, the House must immediately reconvene and vote to impeach Donald Trump.”

Tonko, SEEC Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Introduce Energy Bills Relief Act

Position: The release advocates for the Energy Bills Relief Act, which aims to lower household energy bills through clean energy deployment while advancing clean energy infrastructure and economic growth.

| U.S. Representative Paul Tonko facebook twitter instagram bluesky Home About Constituent Services Academy Nominations Community Project Funding Congressional Art Competition Congressional App Challenge Congressional Commendation Event Invitation Grants Help with a Federal Agency Internships Know Your Rights: Immigration Request a Meeting Request Surplus Books Presidential Greeting Visit Washington D.C. Issues & Legislation Key Issues Legislative Accomplishments Voting Record News Press Releases Op-Eds Newsletters 20th District Contact Menu facebook twitter instagram bluesky search Submit X Open search form news Home | news | Press Releases Press Releases Tonko, SEEC Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Introduce Energy Bills Relief Act Legislation sets a roadmap to lower energy bills that have risen throughout the nation Share on Facebook Share on X Print this Page Share by Email Washington, March 18, 2026 Tags: Energy & the Environment WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) joined House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Co-Chairs U.S. Congressmen Sean Casten (IL-06) and Mike Levin (CA-49), along with more than 100 House Democrats today to introduce the Energy Bills Relief Act. This legislation takes a family- and consumer-focused approach to United States energy policy that ensures Americans have access to the most reliable and low-cost source of power available. “President Trump promised to cut energy bills in half in his first year in office; instead, household electric bills have spiked 13 percent,” Congressman Tonko, Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and SEEC co-chair said. “With necessities from utilities and gas to groceries and health care on the rise, it is imperative that Congress takes the needed steps to deliver real, immediate relief to families. Our Energy Bills Relief Act gets the job done. I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this bill that would drive down energy prices for Americans while advancing our 21st century clean energy infrastructure and creating a brighter future for our economy, planet, and children.” Text of the legislation can be found here. A section-by-section can be found here. A one-page summary can be found here. A three-page summary can be found here. Statements of support from key issues advocacy organizations and industry leaders can be found here. The Energy Bills Relief Act prioritizes consumers and ensures access to low-cost energy for our homes, businesses, and economy by: Reinstating tax credits for home and system-wide energy improvements that were ended by President Trump and congressional Republicans Incentivizing utility companies to save consumers’ money by rewarding them for making their systems more efficient, thereby lowering bills Providing financial assistance to American families to make sure their power isn’t shut off Cracking down on price gouging, so energy companies can’t take advantage of you to boost their profits Ensuring that facilities like data centers are paying for their own costs because it’s not fair for their expenses to be pushed onto your household if one opens in your area Giving a voice to the American people so they can benefit from energy projects in their community Related News Tonko Visits Johnsonville Home Undergoing Weatherization Upgrades May 7, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases Tonko Introduces Power for the People Act to Shield Consumers from Rising Energy Costs April 9, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases Tonko Sends Trump Letter Outlining Steps to Lower Energy Costs February 24, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases Tonko Statement on Repeal of EPA’s Endangerment Finding February 13, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases Stay Connected First Name Last Name Email Sign Up

Tonko Statement on Trump Strikes on Iran

Position: Congressman Tonko opposes the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, characterizing them as reckless and unjustified, and calls for Congress to vote on a War Powers Resolution to halt military action.

AMSTERDAM, NY — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) released a statement following an announcement from President Trump that the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran: "Trump is dragging our nation into another reckless, unjustified war in the Middle East. Americans don’t want another regime change war that costs trillions and sacrifices the lives of our nation’s troops. "Congress must reconvene at once to vote on a War Powers Resolution to put a stop to this."

Tonko Sends Trump Letter Outlining Steps to Lower Energy Costs

Position: The letter urges President Trump to reverse policies blocking clean energy projects and take immediate action to lower energy costs for American families and businesses, arguing that current administration policies have worsened energy affordability.

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) led a letter with more than 50 members of the House to Donald Trump ahead of his State of the Union address, calling for the president to take tangible and immediate actions that lower energy bills and provide relief to Americans while improving the long-term outlook on energy prices. “Despite your campaign promise of lowering energy bills by 50% in your first year in office, household electric bills have gone up 13% nationally and residential natural gas prices are up nearly 60% in the past year,” the letter reads. “This trend is expected to worsen in the years ahead.” The letter continues, “The American people are counting on us to address the rising cost of energy. Families should not have to choose between heating their homes and paying for other necessities. Businesses should not face uncompetitive energy costs that threaten jobs and economic growth. While no single action will solve the energy affordability crisis on its own, it is clear that your administration has embraced numerous policies that have worsened the situation.” The letter was signed by 53 House Democratic Members, including Reps. Barragán, Beyer, Bonamici, Boyle, Brownley, Carbajal, Casten, Castor, Chu, Clarke, Cleaver, Cohen, Davis, Dean, DeGette, DeSaulnier, Dexter, Doggett, Fletcher, Friedman, Garamendi, Goldman (NY), Huffman, Jacobs, Keating, Kennedy (NY), Lee (NV), Levin, Lieu, Lynch, Magaziner, Matsui, McBride, McClain Delaney, McCollum, McGarvey, Min, Morrison, Mullin, Nadler, Norton, Pingree, Quigley, Salinas, Schakowsky, Sorensen, Stanton, Suozzi, Thanedar, Titus, Tlaib, Tonko, and Velázquez. The full letter can be read HERE and below. President Donald J. Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20500 We write to urge you to take immediate action to address the energy affordability crisis facing American families and businesses. Despite your campaign promise of lowering energy bills by 50% in your first year in office, household electric bills have gone up 13% nationally and residential natural gas prices are up nearly 60% in the past year. This trend is expected to worsen in the years ahead. Energy affordability challenges are not a hoax. We are hearing directly from our constituents who are feeling the financial impacts of higher utility bills. Tens of millions of U.S. households have struggled to pay energy bills or reported other energy cost concerns. Your administration has taken numerous actions that have directly contributed to these rising costs that Americans are facing. As you prepare for the State of the Union, we urge you to use your address as an opportunity to change course and take the following immediate actions to lower energy costs and provide utility bill relief to Americans: End the blockade of clean energy projects at the Department of the Interior. Your administration has actively sought to block renewable energy projects, issuing stop-work orders for offshore wind and implementing burdensome, unclear, and inconsistent permitting practices for renewable energy projects across the board. Blocking or stalling these projects will lead to higher electricity costs for American families and is already threatening grid reliability. In December, the independent, non-partisan grid operator ISO-New England stated, “canceling or delaying [offshore wind] projects will increase costs and risks to reliability in our region. Beyond increasing risk to reliability, delays of new generating resources also will adversely affect New England’s economy and industrial growth.” The true costs of these decisions have largely not yet been reflected in utility bills, but households will see the consequences in the years ahead. Cancelling the five offshore wind projects already under construction could raise electricity costs for Americans an estimated $45 billion over the next decade. Call for re-enactment of energy cost savings tax credits. Last year, you signed into law a repeal of critical energy tax credits, which is expected to increase residential energy bills by over $100 annually in the near-term and as much as $400 annually by 2035. These credits reduce energy projects’ costs, and therefore their impacts on electricity customers. Longstanding consumer-facing credits helped directly reduce energy costs for consumers, allowing households to immediately cut their utility bills. There is bipartisan support for reinstating these credits, which drive investments in solar energy, wind energy, and energy efficiency upgrades to deploy new, low-cost energy resources and reduce energy consumption. Due to the loss of these incentives and uncertainty caused by your administration, nearly $35 billion in energy investments, along with 38,000 U.S. jobs, were cancelled last year. End or provide exemptions from tariffs on equipment, materials, and components needed for energy projects. Energy projects rely on complex, international supply chains. While we support efforts to increase domestic manufacturing of energy technologies and construction materials, your reckless tariff policy is creating investment uncertainty and directly increasing project costs that are ultimately passed on to Americans through higher electricity rates. Under one scenario, Wood Mackenzie estimated that most types of energy technologies will experience cost increases of 6% to 11%. End Department of Energy (DOE) orders forcing expensive, unnecessary coal-fired power plants to continue operating. In the past year, DOE has issued numerous “emergency” orders to require costly coal-fired power plants to postpone previously scheduled retirements and continue operating at great expense to ratepayers. These orders force Americans to subsidize expensive, polluting, and unneeded electricity generation when lower-cost alternatives are available, artificially inflating prices. The continued operation of one power plant in Michigan has cost people in that region an additional $80 million on their energy bills during just a four-month period last year. Release DOE funding to promote residential energy savings. Since January 2025, DOE has been withholding previously allocated and approved funding for the vast majority of states to implement energy efficiency and appliance rebate programs. These funds are intended to lower the costs of purchasing ultra-efficient appliances and retrofitting homes, which will result in considerable savings on utility bills. The home efficiency rebates can help qualifying homes save up to $8,000, while the appliance rebates can help qualifying homes save up to $14,000. Together, these programs would lower energy costs for consumers by up to $1 billion each year. DOE should immediately make this funding available to states whose programs have not yet launched and are simply awaiting DOE approval, so that our constituents can claim rebates to lower their bills through efficiency upgrades, weatherization improvements, and adoption of heat pumps. Reverse terminations of previously awarded energy grants. In the past year, your administration has terminated more than $30 billion of competitively awarded grants from DOE and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intended to deploy low-cost energy projects and upgrade the electric grid. These awards include EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which includes the National Clean Investment Fund, the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator, and the Solar For All program. These programs are estimated to result in $52 billion in energy cost savings over the next 20 years. EPA has the power to end its attack on these programs at any moment, which would allow funds to immediately start flowing to projects that lower energy costs across the country. Similarly, DOE’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program provided several billion dollars in grants to modernize and harden grid infrastructure. Without these federal funds, the full cost of these infrastructure projects will be fully paid by utility customers, resulting in higher bills to maintain reliable service in the face of increasing numbers of extreme weather events. Request additional funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2027 President’s Budget Request. These well-established programs provide a lifeline to struggling Americans. LIHEAP provides utility bill assistance to millions of Americans each year, but current LIHEAP funding levels are only sufficient to serve 1-in-5 eligible households. Through WAP, more than 35,000 households receive energy retrofits each year, resulting in an average of $372 in annual savings on their utility bills. These programs deserve more funding, and yet your past budget requests to Congress have sought to eliminate these essential, proven programs. You should reverse course and begin the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations cycle by calling upon Congress to provide significant increases to these programs. The American people are counting on us to address the rising cost of energy. Families should not have to choose between heating their homes and paying for other necessities. Businesses should not face uncompetitive energy costs that threaten jobs and economic growth. While no single action will solve the energy affordability crisis on its own, it is clear that your administration has embraced numerous policies that have worsened the situation. The actions we have outlined above are within your Administration's authority and can be implemented immediately to provide meaningful relief to Americans while improving the long-term outlook on energy prices. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Tonko Reacts to Trump’s State of the Union

Position: Rep. Tonko opposes the administration's proposed legislation that would increase ICE enforcement funding while reducing affordable healthcare coverage. He criticizes the president's response to the Epstein files disclosure and calls for action on cost-of-living challenges.

“The president’s rambling speech was less a State of the Union and more of a state of delusion. “While millions of Americans are struggling with rising health care, utility, and grocery costs, and people are living in fear that they and their neighbors will be carted away by masked agents — Trump patted himself on the back about his so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” that gives a $75 billion blank check to further weaponize ICE while gutting affordable health care by more than $1 trillion. “Yet, in over 100 minutes, amidst reports that the Justice Department redacted dozens of pages in the Epstein files that contain allegations involving Trump, and with survivors present in the room, the president completely ignored the victims and acted as if the Epstein files never existed. “The American people deserve better than this. They deserve real action to address the challenges facing our nation, not more blatant lies.”

Tonko Statement on Repeal of EPA’s Endangerment Finding

Position: Congressman Tonko opposes the Trump administration's repeal of the EPA's endangerment finding on greenhouse gases, arguing that the action prioritizes corporate profits over public health and climate protection.

AMSTERDAM, NY — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) released the following statement on yesterday’s repeal of the EPA’s “endangerment finding” — the long-standing, scientifically proven conclusion that greenhouse gas pollution warms the planet and harms public health — by the Trump administration: “The repeal of EPA’s endangerment finding is a giant step backward in our fight to secure a livable planet for future generations. With this action, Donald Trump and his administration have made climate denial the official policy of the United States by once again placing polluter profits ahead of the well-being of American families. While countless Americans suffer from the negative health effects of unchecked corporate pollution and millions more face the extreme weather, wildfires, and droughts it causes, Trump and Lee Zeldin are showing nothing but contempt for their struggles. This policy will only make big polluters richer — and American families will pay the price.”