Paul Tonko

“I oppose the Trump administration's cuts to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The administration has canceled 1,500 science grants, mostly because they mention DEI. These cuts hurt programs that help women and minorities study science, like one at the University at Albany. The administration is also removing displays about slavery from national parks and museums. We need these programs so everyone has a fair chance to succeed and our full history is told.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois, Representative Jackson, for bringing us together for a discussion and dialogue on what is an essential wrongdoing of late by this administration: denying the opportunity, the concept, of DEI. Across our great country, we are witnessing an onslaught of dangerous policies, executive actions, hateful legislation, and vile rhetoric, all designed to strip away rights, sow fear, and erase hard-fought progress. The Trump administration has engaged in a calculated and relentless assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion across the Federal Government and beyond. These harmful policies would eradicate programs that address persistent inequalities in American life. They would worsen systemic disparities in access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. They would restrict the right for Americans to exist as they are. Our STEM education workforce has suffered because of sweeping cuts to DEI initiatives. Since January 2025, the Trump administration has made dramatic cuts to NSF programs, many aimed at broadening opportunity for underrepresented students in STEM education. Of the 1,500 grants that NSF has canceled, nearly 90 percent had references to DEI. One of those terminated grants was an NSF award at the University at Albany, which I represent in the 20th Congressional District of New York. Called Striving to Achieve Gender Equity in STEM, this program is essential. It aims to increase the number of women in STEM fields. Just last month, the Department of Justice declared three Federal educational programs aimed at diversifying STEM as unconstitutional. University at Albany has done great work with funding from the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation programming to develop inclusive teaching practices and increase participation by underrepresented students in STEM. Terminating programs like this sends a clear signal by this administration of who is allowed to participate in science. Upholding scientific integrity means protecting the independence of science and the civil rights of our scientific workforce. Beyond attacks on our scientific education system, we have seen attacks on our historical institutions and museums in the name of anti- wokeness: from policing content at national parks and monuments, to removing artwork and displays referencing slavery, to attacking the independence of the Smithsonian and how stories are told. This manipulation of history serves to consolidate political power by erasing marginalized voices and experiences and limiting whose humanity is considered valid. DEI is not radical, wasteful, and certainly is not just an acronym or a policy. It means our histories, our stories, no matter how uncomfortable and challenging, continue to be shared. It means first- generation college students can join programs that connect them to research and open doors to new career paths. Mr. Speaker, it is a commitment to removing barriers and expanding opportunity so that every person can succeed. It is a commitment we must continue to fight for, making certain that there is equity, inclusion, and diversity that brings the great diversity of this Nation into a celebratory moment, one that speaks to fairness and justice, to opportunity, to make certain that all people, no matter what their background, have a chance to succeed and share their talent with the American experience. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for bringing us together this evening. He is an awesome voice for fairness.”

“I am honoring Bishop McKinley B. Johnson, who died last week. He served the Albany community for 70 years as a religious leader and fought for civil rights.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and the legacy of Bishop McKinley B. Johnson, who passed away last week after seven decades of service to the Albany community as a faith leader and a powerful moral conscience. As his family said last week, Bishop Johnson always believed that ``the work of the Gospel and the work of justice were never separate errands.’’ Through every step of his long and transformative career, Bishop Johnson personified these powerful ideals of justice and faith. From the pulpit of the Greater Saint Johns Church of God in Christ in Albany’s South End, Bishop Johnson never hesitated to speak truth to power. Time after time, he and his wife, Sue, advocated fiercely for their beloved community and stood at the forefront of decades of struggles for civil rights and equality. While I join Bishop Johnson’s many loved ones in mourning this tremendous loss for our community, I also know that his legacy will live on forever in the battles he fought, the changes he spurred, and the people he inspired. May his memory continue to be a blessing.”

“I want the House to vote against this budget. It funds a war with Iran and makes voting harder. It does nothing to lower the costs of healthcare, food, or energy.”

“Mr. Chair, Republican leadership has claimed that this proposal will address our Nation’s most immediate priorities. That could not be further from the truth. This budget gives this administration a blank check to continue their war of choice with Iran. It makes it harder for Americans to exercise their fundamental right to vote. Most importantly, it fails to meaningfully improve the lives of everyday Americans. Those are certainly not the priorities my constituents have asked me to fight for. My constituents worry about their ability to go to their doctor, yet this budget doesn’t have a dime for healthcare. They worry about their ability to put food on the table, yet this budget will do nothing to lower the cost of groceries. They worry about their utility costs and how much it might cost to fill up their car with gas, yet this budget makes no effort to lower energy costs and will keep gas costs high by continuing President Trump’s senseless war with Iran. They worry about Presidential overreach, yet there is nothing to rein in this lawless administration. This budget does not have anything for the people of New York’s 20th Congressional District, so I urge my colleagues to vote ``no’’ on this farce of a budget. Let’s stop the pain. Let’s stop the consequence. Let’s go forward with progress. Defeat this resolution.”

“I support this bill. It keeps funding research on Down syndrome and related health issues to improve the lives of people with the condition.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Colorado for yielding. I rise in strong support of the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act and applaud my colleagues, Representative Diana DeGette and Richard Hudson, for championing this critical piece of legislation. The DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act will help ensure the NIH INCLUDE Project continues advancing research that improves health outcomes, expands scientific understanding, and enhances quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. This legislation builds upon one of our Nation’s most successful investments in Down syndrome research. Already, these investments have led to major breakthroughs in how Down syndrome interacts with other health conditions that have a high incidence in the community, such as immune system disorders, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and more. Every one of these breakthroughs carries the hope for a brighter tomorrow for individuals living with Down syndrome. I would also like to recognize that this progress doesn’t happen without sustained advocacy. In particular, I would like to highlight the role of the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award and its founder, Michelle Sie Whitten, for their tireless advocacy to make this happen today. I again thank our co-leads, Representatives DeGette and Hudson, for their outstanding leadership. I look forward to supporting this measure on the House floor.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It helps train doctors and nurses to use new tools to find and treat Alzheimer's and dementia earlier.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the AADAPT Act, legislation I am proud to be co-leading along with my good friends and colleagues Representatives Troy Balderson, Nanette Barragan, and Darin LaHood. Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that impacts nearly 427,000 individuals in New York State alone. I would imagine that everyone in this room has been impacted in some form by Alzheimer’s at some point. It is, first and foremost, a human crisis, but it is also a Federal budget crisis. That is why I have been proud to be a champion of Alzheimer’s-related issues during my time in Congress and why I feel so strongly about advancing the AADAPT Act today. The AADAPT Act represents an investment in our provider workforce as we enter a new era of dementia care, with emerging tools like blood- based biomarker tests making earlier, more accessible diagnosis possible and increasingly shifting diagnosis into primary care. This legislation is designed to close the gaps in dementia training by ensuring providers are prepared to responsibly adopt and apply these innovations in everyday practice. One proven way to address this issue is with the Project ECHO training model. In my district, in the capital regional of New York, health systems like St. Peter’s Health Partners in Albany County are already using the ECHO model and working to improve dementia care. Mr. Speaker, I am indeed proud to have worked on the AADAPT Act and urge all of my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation that addresses advancements in this field of dementia care.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It funds research and helps local health agencies fight diseases spread by ticks, like Lyme disease. These illnesses are a growing problem, especially as warmer weather expands tick populations.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Kay Hagan Tick Act legislation that I am leading along with my colleagues, Representatives Chris Smith, Lloyd Doggett, and Tom Kean. The Kay Hagan Tick Act would reauthorize key programs at the CDC that fund both research and support for local public health agencies to address tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease. Tick-borne diseases are a large and growing problem in New York, with more than 18,000 cases of Lyme disease reported in New York State in 2024. Lyme can cause serious health consequences, and for some, long- term complications persist after treatment. With a warming climate, tick populations and ranges are on the rise, leading to fears that tick-borne diseases will continue to increase in frequency in the years to come. Already, warning signs are blaring that 2026 could be the worst year for tick exposures since 2017, based on CDC tracking data. In this backdrop, research investments and public health resources are more vital than ever. That is what the Kay Hagan Tick Act will deliver. I am proud to have worked on this commonsense bipartisan bill, and I would urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.”