Paul Tonko
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What these lines mean
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Previous profession lists the work the entry names outside public office, in the Directory’s own words. Public office here means an elected or appointed position, staff work for an elected official or a legislature, and party or campaign work.
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Years in public office counts elected and appointed positions only. Staff work and party work are left out. Each year counts once.
Since the current Congress began on January 3, 2025, Tonko has a recorded vote on 60 laws that passed, and 1 vote on a resolution that passed a law.
The tally counts votes on passage. 1 vote on a resolution that passed a law is listed apart.
This record covers laws that passed. Votes on bills that did not become law are not included yet.
The record in plain language
Of the 118 laws passed since January 3, 2025, 60 came to a recorded vote on passage in the House while Tonko is a member. On 1 more, the recorded House vote is on a resolution. Tonko votes No on H.Res. 590, the resolution that passed the Rescissions Act of 2025 in the House. The rest passed the House by voice vote or without objection, which records no individual votes.
Tonko votes Yes on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act and the Russia and Iran sanctions law.
On funding the government, Tonko votes Yes on the January 2026 funding law for science, energy, Interior and the EPA, and No on the March 2025 full-year funding law, the November 2025 law that ended the 43-day shutdown, the February 2026 funding law for a further group of agencies and the September 2026 funding extension.
Tonko votes No on the Laken Riley Act on immigration detention; the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the 2025 tax and spending law; the HALT Fentanyl Act; the GENIUS Act on stablecoins (digital tokens pegged to the dollar); the defense policy law for fiscal year 2026; and the Secure America Act, a 2026 budget law.
Congress cancelled 24 federal rules by recorded vote in the House in that time. Tonko votes to cancel 0 and against cancelling 24.
Tonko votes differently from most House Democrats on 6 of 59 Yes and No votes: Yes on the Russia and Iran sanctions law, No on the September 2026 funding extension, No on the law that extends again the surveillance authority that lets intelligence agencies collect the communications of foreigners abroad from U.S. providers without individual warrants, No on the defense policy law for fiscal year 2026, No on the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 and No on the HALT Fentanyl Act.
Tonko did not vote on the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge Act.
Votes on laws that passed
Authorizes and expands sanctions and tariffs on Russia and extends existing sanctions on Iran.
Requires the federal prison system to act on sexual harassment and assault of its staff by incarcerated people.
Adds College Station, Texas, and El Centro, California, to the places where federal court can sit.
Lets farmers and ranchers get emergency conservation money up front after a disaster, instead of paying first and waiting for reimbursement.
A package of housing measures intended to increase the supply of homes.
Allows phone emergency alerts to be sent when a shark attack happens nearby.
Protects Alaska Native artists' right to make and sell handicrafts from walrus ivory and other marine mammal materials.
Authorizes a major VA medical facility project in St. Louis, Missouri.
Gives certain licensed hydropower projects more time to start construction.
Sets deadlines for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to process mortgage paperwork for homes and businesses on tribal land.
Renews the federal programs that set aside research money for small businesses.
Full-year fiscal 2026 funding for the Commerce and Justice Departments, science agencies, energy and water programs, the Interior Department and the EPA.
Renews the Congressional Award program, which recognizes young people for service and achievement.
When the IRS postpones a tax deadline after a disaster, the time allowed to claim a refund is now extended to match.
Requires federal agencies to publish digital maps of the rules for boating and fishing on federal waterways.
Protects 40 acres at the Wounded Knee massacre site as land owned by the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes.
Restores federal payments to rural counties with national forest land, which pay for schools and roads.
Raises the special pension paid to Medal of Honor recipients.
Requires the Justice Department to publish its unclassified records on Jeffrey Epstein in a searchable form within 30 days.
Lets the IRS push back tax deadlines for people in areas where a governor has declared a disaster, without waiting for a federal declaration.
Renames the Salem Maritime site in Massachusetts a National Historical Park and orders a study of expanding its boundary.
Changes the rule that required Alaska Native village corporations to hand land to the State of Alaska to be kept for future cities.
Makes it a federal crime to publish intimate images of a person without consent, including AI-generated ones, and requires online platforms to remove them within 48 hours of a victim's request.
Votes on a resolution that passed a law
Cancels about $9 billion that Congress had already approved: roughly $8 billion in foreign aid and about $1 billion for public broadcasting.
What this member says about laws and orders
This section has two lists: statements in the official record, and excerpts from this member’s own press releases. Together they name 2 executive orders.
From the official record
Statements from the official record: Not checked yet. A statement appears here after a person reviews our account of the law or order it is about.
From this member’s press releases
From a secondary sourceThese are excerpts from press releases on this member’s official website that name a law or an executive order. We save a copy of each one.
3 excerpts
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Tonko Demands NSF Withdraw Proposal Politicizing Science
“Executive Order 14303 “Restoring Gold Standard Science” weakens scientific integrity policies, removes safeguards, and leaves our scientific enterprise more vulnerable to the ever-changing political whims of the White House. Scientific Integrity means protecting the independence of science from external manipulation.”
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Tonko Demands Trump Withdraw Executive Order Attacking Public Science
“WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Paul D. Tonko led more than 20 members in the House in a letter today calling President Trump to withdraw his Executive Order, Restoring Gold Standard Science. The lawmakers call out the hypocrisy of Trump’s claim to boost scientific standards while slashing federal science programs, attacking scientists and experts, and eroding trust in public science.”
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“On March 27, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14253, which would infringe on the independence of the Smithsonian Institution to carry out its core mission to provide Americans and the world with the tools and information we need to forge our shared future,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter to Smithsonian Inspector General Nicole Angarella. “The funding cuts and”
Member-requested spending
Congress printed 15 spending items this member requested, $14,093,000 in all, in the lists read for 4 laws.
Laws read: Public Law 119-37, Public Law 119-74, Public Law 119-75, Public Law 119-86.
| Recipient | Law | Purpose | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town of Milton | Public Law 119-37 | Facility ImprovementsRural Housing Service · Rural Community Facilities Program | NY | $500,000 |
| Mechanicville Area Community Services Center, Inc | Public Law 119-37 | Facility Construction and ImprovementsRural Housing Service · Rural Community Facilities Program | NY | $1,015,000 |
| Crossroads Center for Children, Inc | Public Law 119-37 | Property Acquisition and ImprovementsRural Housing Service · Rural Community Facilities Program | NY | $1,000,000 |
| Village of Voorheesville | Public Law 119-37 | Sewer Collection ImprovementsRural Utilities Service · Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program | NY | $300,000 |
| on STAG--Clean Water Stat Revolving Fund | Public Law 119-74 | e NY Village of Alt Wastewater Tr DisinfectionEnvironmentAgency · al Protecti | None printed | $1,092,000 |
| on STAG--Clean Water Stat Revolving Fund | Public Law 119-74 | e NY Village of Men End Neighborh System ImprovEnvironmentAgency · al Protecti | None printed | $1,092,000 |
| on STAG--Drinking Water S Revolving Fund | Public Law 119-74 | tate NY Town of Stillw Three Water M ReplacementsEnvironmentAgency · al Protecti | None printed | $1,092,000 |
| The Research Foundation for the State University of New York, on behalf of the University of Albany | Public Law 119-74 | UAlbany CNSE 200mm Wafer Cleanroom Equipment UpgradeDOC · NIST--STR S | None printed | $1,521,000 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Public Law 119-74 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Quantum Innovations in Computing Knowledge (QUICK)DOC · NIST--STR S | None printed | $1,031,000 |
| Hudson Valley Community College | Public Law 119-75 | Hudson Valley Community College Applied Technology Education Center (ATEC)Department of Housing and Urban Development · Community Development Fund | NY | $850,000 |
Show all 15
| Recipient | Law | Purpose | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troy Public Library | Public Law 119-75 | Troy Public Main Library Indoor Air Quality SystemsDepartment of Housing and Urban Development · Community Development Fund | NY | $2,000,000 |
| Glenville Hill Fire District No. 8 | Public Law 119-75 | Glenville Hill Fire District No. 8 Essential Building Repair and UpdateDepartment of Housing and Urban Development · Community Development Fund | NY | $1,000,000 |
| City of Albany | Public Law 119-75 | Lincoln Park Southwest Gateway ImprovementsDepartment of Housing and Urban Development · Community Development Fund | NY | $850,000 |
| Village of Scotia | Public Law 119-75 | Village of Scotia Community Park ImprovementsDepartment of Housing and Urban Development · Community Development Fund | NY | $500,000 |
| Village of Ballston Spa | Public Law 119-75 | Village of Ballston Spa ADA Transition Plan Sidewalk Improvement ImplementationDepartment of Housing and Urban Development · Community Development Fund | NY | $250,000 |
Read from the lists Congress printed for 4 laws. An item requested by several members appears under each of them, so sums across members count such an item more than once. A list the Congressional Record printed on two days is counted once, from the later printing. A requester is tied to a member only when exactly one member serving in that chamber on that day has the printed name.
Campaign promises
Promises kept: Not checked yet
Not checked yetA person has not reviewed this member’s campaign promises yet. This is what we hold so far.
- Campaign website, from the Federal Election Commission’s record: Not checked yet.Not checked yet
Online ads
No advertiser in the ad libraries we read is tied to this member by an FEC number or an exact name.
Read from Google Ads Transparency Center, its data file of October 7, 2026. Meta Ad Library: Not started. An ad counts when the library last shows it on or after January 3, 2025.
Campaign money
Campaign money:Not checked yet
No campaign money record is saved for this official yet.
Who funds this member
Not checked yetWho funds this member: Not checked yet.
Not started. This official's FEC lists are not saved yet.
Reported stock trades
Confirmed from the official recordThe Clerk's index for 2025 and 2026 lists no Periodic Transaction Report under this member's name and district.
Source: Periodic Transaction Reports filed with the Clerk of the House. The Clerk's index for 2025 and 2026 was saved October 8, 2026.
Where this comes from
We saved our own copy of each official House vote file listed here before writing this page. A code beside a file is its fingerprint, a short code that changes if the file's contents change.
