Paul Tonko — Democrat Candidate for U.S. House in New York, 2026

Paul Tonko advocates for the total abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stating that the agency has lost public trust and imposes terror rather than enforcing laws. He has voted against appropriations funding for the Department of Homeland Security and actively opposes the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Tonko believes enforcement of immigration laws should be assigned to other agencies focused on actual criminal threats.

“ICE has destroyed the public’s trust. It must be abolished. ICE is not enforcing the law; it is imposing terror. Enforcement of our nation's immigration laws must be assigned to other agencies. - Congressman Paul D. Tonko, Albany, January 29, 2026”

Paul Tonko supports access to affordable healthcare, viewing it as crucial for quality of life and business competitiveness. He voted for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 1065) and the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R. 3755) to defend reproductive health freedom. He also sponsored the School-Based Health Centers Reauthorization Act of 2020 and the Health Care Workforce Protection Act, while opposing the FY24 NDAA due to provisions affecting servicemembers' healthcare.

“Improving Healthcare: Access to affordable health care is critical to quality of life in the Capital Region and to the success of American small businesses trying to compete in a global market that gets larger every day. The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, is far from a perfect law. That is why we have to respond to challenges in our health care system and fix the parts of the ACA that don’t work while moving forward with the provisions that do. — Paul Tonko, Ballotpedia”

Paul Tonko introduced H.R. 6918, the Climate Pollution Standard & Community Investment Act, to create a roadmap for a carbon-free economy, reduce energy costs, and support communities. He opposed bills designed to weaken public health and environmental protections, including the repeal of the EPA's endangerment finding. He argues that comprehensive climate policy provides cost-saving benefits and avoids economic and public health harms.

“Smart, comprehensive climate policy will have massive cost-saving benefits for our nation and communities, while also avoiding the worst economic and public health harms caused by climate change. That’s why I’ve introduced my Climate Pollution Standard and Community Investment Act. This legislation addresses climate pollution by establishing a framework that encourages the most cost-effective pathway to reducing emissions, while using the revenues generated to support working and middle class Americans. I’ll keep pushing for Congress to get serious about taking meaningful climate action while also lowering energy costs for consumers.” - Congressman Tonko, January 15, 2026, on the introduction of H.R. 6918 (Source: https://tonko.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4518)”

Congressman Paul Tonko voted for H.R. 8296 and H.R. 3755, the Women's Health Protection Act, to defend women's health freedom. He aimed to ensure Americans’ right to make their own health decisions and uphold access to reproductive health care nationwide, free from state restrictions. He also characterized the Supreme Court’s decision regarding Texas's abortion ban as an explicit attack on reproductive rights.

““When confronted with a dangerous abortion ban that goes against nearly 50 years of precedent established under Roe v. Wade, the partisan U.S. Supreme Court chose to rule under cover of darkness to uphold this explicit attack on reproductive…” - Congressman Paul D. Tonko, Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on Texas Reproductive Rights Case, tonko.house.gov”

Paul Tonko advocates for diplomacy as the primary approach to international relations, emphasizing that military action should be an absolute last resort. He supported the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to block Iran's nuclear weapon pathways and has condemned acts he views as illegal or reckless wars, such as President Trump's actions against Iran and Venezuela, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Tonko consistently prioritizes avoiding past foreign policy errors that result in high costs and casualties, earning an endorsement from Peace Action.

“About Iran, he said, “President Trump committed an illegal and unauthorized act of war against Iran, which will lead to untold consequences. The American people don’t want another war of choice in the Middle East. Congress must reconvene immediately and vote on the Iran War Powers Act resolution to contain the fallout and prevent further dangerous escalation.””

Congressman Paul Tonko has secured federal funding for educational institutions in his district, including $850,000 for Hudson Valley Community College's Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Lab and $1.5 million for the University at Albany's Cleanroom equipment upgrade. He also honored a student winner of the Congressional App Challenge, demonstrating support for STEM education. His office actively promotes federal grant opportunities for various educational programs to foster growth and sustainability within the community.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated local leaders who proposed and developed these initiatives, and I am eager to see how these federal dollars will help unleash our Capital Region’s untapped potential.”

Congressman Paul Tonko voted in favor of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act. He emphasized the need for stronger background checks and ending the Charleston Loophole. His stance aims to ensure individuals prohibited from gun possession cannot obtain firearms and to reduce gun violence in the U.S. He stated his pride in casting his vote for these landmark bills.

“Congressman Tonko said. "We are reminded of this after each mass shooting, and too easily forget that an average of 100 Americans die each day from gun violence. Time and again, Congress has ignored the millions of Americans calling for the very same reforms we are advancing today. I’m proud to cast my vote for these two landmark, bipartisan gun violence prevention bills. On behalf of my constituents and every gun violence victim, survivor and family, I will continue to push for strong, effective action to build on our progress today and help end the epidemic of gun violence in our communities. Enough is enough."”