Paul Tonko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Tonko
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Official Portrait, 2024
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Michael McNulty |
| Constituency | 21st district (2009–2013) 20th district (2013–present) |
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 105th district |
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| In office April 1983 – June 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Gail S. Shaffer |
| Succeeded by | George A. Amedore Jr. |
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| Born | June 18, 1949 Amsterdam, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Clarkson University (BS) |
| Website | |
Paul David Tonko (born June 18, 1949) is an American politician who serves as a U.S. representative for New York. He has represented New York's 20th congressional district since 2013. Before that, he represented the 21st congressional district from 2009 to 2013. Paul Tonko is a member of the Democratic Party. He is known for his progressive views, which means he supports social and economic reforms. His district includes parts of Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Rensselaer Counties in New York.
From 1983 to 2007, Tonko was a member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 105th district. He also served as the president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority from 2007 to 2008. After leaving that role, he decided to run for Congress and was elected in November 2008.
Currently, Tonko is a top-ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment. This committee helps make rules and checks on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which works to protect our environment.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Paul Tonko grew up in Amsterdam, New York, which is near Schenectady. His family is mainly of Polish background. He finished high school in 1967 and then went to Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. In 1971, he earned a degree in mechanical and industrial engineering.
After college, Tonko worked as an engineer for the New York Public Service Commission. In the early 1970s, he became involved in local politics. He was elected to the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors and served there from 1976 to 1983. He was also the chairman of the board from 1981 to 1983, becoming the youngest person ever to hold that position in the county.
Serving in the New York State Assembly (1983–2007)
In January 1983, a politician named Gail S. Shaffer left her seat in the New York State Assembly. Paul Tonko was chosen by the Democratic Party to run for her spot. He won the special election and served in the Assembly until 2007, being re-elected 13 times.
While in the Assembly, Tonko led the Energy Committee from 1992 until he left. He also worked on committees for Agriculture, Transportation, and Education. He was a key supporter of the College Tuition Savings Program, which became law in 1997. This program helps families save money for college.
Tonko also supported "Timothy's Law" in 2006. This law requires health insurance companies to cover mental health treatment, making it easier for people to get help. He left his Assembly seat in June 2007 to lead the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
Working in the U.S. House of Representatives (2009–present)
Becoming a Representative
On April 25, 2008, Paul Tonko stepped down from his role at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. This happened after Michael McNulty, who had been a Congressman for a long time, announced he was retiring. Tonko then decided to run for McNulty's seat in the 21st district. He won the Democratic primary election in September, beating four other candidates.
In the main election on November 4, Tonko won against James Buhrmaster, a Republican. People knew Tonko well, and his past achievements, like helping pass the mental health law, helped him win. The 21st district was a strong Democratic area, so his win in the primary election pretty much guaranteed him a spot in Congress.
Re-election Campaigns
Paul Tonko has run for re-election many times and has won each time.
- In 2010, he ran against Ted Danz and won.
- After his district was renumbered to the 20th district, he continued to win.
- He defeated Bob Dieterich in 2012.
- He won against Jim Fischer in 2014.
- He beat Joe Vitollo in 2016 and 2018.
- He won against Liz Joy in 2020 and 2022.
- He also won against Kevin Waltz in 2024.
Key Work and Focus Areas
When Paul Tonko first joined Congress, he said he wanted to focus on energy policy, which he knew a lot about. He supported a plan to create a large research program for wind energy technologies. He also wanted to improve how efficient gas turbines are, which are used to make electricity.
In 2010, after a big oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Tonko helped pass a part of a bill to prevent future spills and help small businesses involved in spill research. In 2011, he supported a change to protect the Environmental Protection Agency's power to control carbon pollution.
Tonko has often talked about the importance of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers in his region. After a big flood from Hurricane Irene, he worked to create a plan to prevent future floods and help the economy. In 2012, he introduced the Hudson-Mohawk Basin Act to help with this.
In 2015, Tonko was against a trade agreement called the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). He was concerned about trade deficits and reports of child labor in some countries that were part of the agreement.
In January 2019, Tonko became the leader (chair) of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on the Environment and Climate Change. This shows his continued focus on environmental issues.
In 2020, Tonko spoke out about the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, supporting the Armenian people and criticizing the actions of Azerbaijan and Turkey.
In 2022, Tonko played an important role in passing parts of the CHIPS and Science Act. This law helps boost the production of computer chips and supports scientific research in the United States.
In 2023, Tonko was one of the members of Congress who voted to ask President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.
Committee Work
Paul Tonko is part of important committees in the House of Representatives:
- Committee on Energy and Commerce
- Subcommittee on Environment (He is the top-ranking member here)
- Subcommittee on Energy
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
- Committee on the Budget
Groups He Belongs To
Paul Tonko is a member of many different groups in the House of Representatives, called caucuses. These groups focus on specific topics. Here are a few he belongs to:
- Congressional Progressive Caucus (focuses on progressive policies)
- Congressional Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus (helps with addiction issues)
- Congressional Safe Climate Caucus (works on climate change solutions)
- Congressional Solar Caucus (supports solar energy)
- Congressional Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Equality Caucus (supports LGBTQ+ rights)
- Medicare for All Caucus (supports universal healthcare)
- Rare Disease Caucus (helps people with rare diseases)
