Press Releases
Wyden Urges Congress to Pass the Equality Act, Protect LGBTQ+ Americans Against Discrimination
Mr. President, I want to thank my colleagues for bringing us together on the Senate floor in a call to action for LGBTQ+ rights. I am proud to stand with all of them today to fight for the passage of the Equality Act - it is long, long, long overdue. We've come together in the middle of Pride Month, and in 2020 with a pandemic continuing to spread, Pride Month looks a little different than it has in the past. No parades, smaller celebrations. But this has still been an historic month when it … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Wyden, Colleagues Raise Concerns with Law Enforcement Tactics Increasing Spread of COVID-19 at Peaceful Protests
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today joined with colleagues in a letter raising serious concerns to the Trump administration about law enforcement tactics that may exacerbate the spread of COVID-19 and further worsen public health disparities as the nation continues battling this pandemic. "This is a critical moment for our nation. How our institutions respond will determine whether the coming weeks and months will lead to justice and unity, or discord and division," Wyden and 17 other … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Wyden, Merkley: Three Oregon Healthcare Providers to Get Federal Aid for Telehealth Work During COVID-19 Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that OHSU, NARA Indian Health Clinic in Portland and Northwest Human Services in Salem will receive $760,103 in federal funds to help provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic. "Technology tools like telehealth are proven assets that provide essential help to Oregon's health care heroes and the Oregonians they care for," Wyden said. "Because telehealth's importance is magnified during the COVID-19 … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Wyden statement on Supreme Court ruling Donald Trump's attempts to end DACA protections unlawful
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court ruling on DACA: "Dreamers in Oregon and nationwide -- and all of us who stand with them -- just collectively breathed a sigh of relief. These determined, inspiring, hard-working young people belong in America and deserve the protections promised to them by the U.S. government. "Today's victory is even more reason for Congress to permanently protect Dreamers from the threat of deportation. The … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Applaud Senate Passage of Great American Outdoors Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today welcomed Senate passage of the Great American Outdoors Act to provide mandatory permanent and full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The legislation also addresses the significant maintenance backlog in national parks and on federal lands. The legislation now advances to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration. "This watershed conservation legislation will protect Oregon's treasured places for … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Call for Investigation into Attorney General Barr’s Conduct in Suppressing Peaceful Protests in Lafayette Square
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with 19 of their colleagues, are requesting that Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz open an investigation into the conduct of Attorney General William Barr and the Department of Justice in directing the use of force against peaceful protestors around Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020. The senators also called on the Inspector General to probe the deployment of federal law enforcement to suppress … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Wyden Questions Intelligence Community Cybersecurity Following Damning CIA Report on Stolen Hacking Tools
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today asked Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to explain what steps he is taking to improve the cybersecurity of some of the nation's most sensitive secrets, held by federal intelligence agencies, after Wyden obtained a damning CIA report on cybersecurity failures that led to "the largest data loss in CIA history." Wyden, a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, obtained the unclassified, redacted excerpt of the CIA's … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce $2.3 Million to Help Josephine County Transit Through COVID-19 Crisis
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that Josephine County will receive a $2.3 million grant to help the county's public transit through the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The funding is authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed in March. "Transit continues to support essential workers and provide access to vital services as our communities are dealing with the coronavirus crisis," said … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Wyden Co-sponsors Legislation to Increase Transparency and Accountability of COVID-19 Small Business Relief Efforts
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he is co-sponsoring legislation that would provide additional transparency and accountability to the federal government's COVID-19 small business relief efforts. "Oregon is overwhelmingly a small business state, and it's essential those small businesses powering our state's economy get the help they need to weather the financial storm touched off by coronavirus," said Wyden, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee. "This legislation … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Wyden Will Hold Virtual Town Hall on June 22
Portland - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have a live on-line town hall on June 22 hosted by Town Hall Project for residents of Baker, Harney, Grant and Malheur counties. Anybody wanting to watch that virtual regional town hall beginning at 11 AM PT, noon MT on Monday, June 22 can go to this Facebook link. Video at that link is available as well to people who don't have a Facebook account. Residents of Baker, Harney, Grant and Malheur counties who would like to participate by … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Wyden Co-sponsors Legislation Ensuring Protection For Whistleblowers Who Expose Waste, Fraud, Abuse in Federal COVID-19 Relief Effort
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he is co-sponsoring legislation that would ensure whistleblower protections for people who expose misuse of government funds intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. "Whistleblowers play a key role in sounding the alarm whenever there's wrongdoing by scam artists and cheaters scheming to cover up their tracks," Wyden said. "This bill extends essential whistleblower protections to non-federal employees who report waste, fraud and abuse in … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Wyden: “If Congress and States Don’t Act Immediately, Our Country Could Face an Electoral Chernobyl This Fall”
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today urged Congress and state governments to act immediately to protect American elections and voters by expanding vote-by-mail and addressing COVID-19 related concerns ahead of the 2020 election this November. Wyden also highlighted the myriad issues that struck Georgia elections last week due to a lack of preparation by state officials and Republican obstruction in Congress and at the White House to expanding vote-by-mail nationwide. … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Wyden Will Hold Virtual Town Hall on June 19
Portland - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have a live on-line town hall on June 19 hosted by Town Hall Project for residents of Curry, Coos and Douglas counties. Anybody wanting to watch that virtual regional town hall beginning at 11 AM PT on Friday, June 19 can go to this Facebook link. Video at that link is available as well to people who don't have a Facebook account. Residents of Curry, Coos and Douglas counties who would like to participate by asking Wyden a question can … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce $273,000 Workforce Training Grant to Chemeketa Community College
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that Chemeketa Community College will receive a federal grant of over $273,000 to help support a hands-on workforce training initiative preparing students for jobs in the nurseries industry. While learning through hands-on experience, students will also conduct research and share results with local industry leaders, benefitting Oregon's nurseries businesses. The grant is funded by the U.S. Department of … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $2 Million for Light Rail Projects
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced nearly $2 million in grants to plan for development along new light rail corridors in the Portland metro area. Metro regional government received $1.2 million to plan for development along the proposed 12-mile Southwest Corridor Light Rail project, and TriMet received $700,000 to plan for development on the proposed 7.8-mile extension of the MAX Red Line. "Light rail provides sustainable, accessible public … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
Wyden, Merkley: Port of Morrow Barge Services Get $3.2 Million Federal Grant
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Tidewater Barge Lines, Inc. has earned a $3.2 million federal grant to support the expansion of barge services from the Port of Morrow in Boardman to Vancouver, Wash. "The Port of Morrow plays an essential part generating jobs in Boardman and throughout Eastern Oregon," Wyden said. "These federal resources expanding shipping opportunities will help Eastern Oregon's world-renowned agricultural products get to where … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
Oregon Delegation Pushes Trump Administration for Coronavirus Testing Supplies for Vulnerable Nursing Homes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today led members of Oregon's congressional delegation-including U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, and Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader-in pushing the Trump administration to help meet Oregon's urgent need for critical coronavirus testing supplies at long-term care facilities. In a letter to U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Demand Answers from Zoom After Company Deactivated Accounts of Pro-democracy Chinese Activists
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today demanded information from Zoom's CEO after the company admitted it deactivated the accounts of U.S-based, pro-democracy Chinese activists - at the request of the Chinese government - after they held a Zoom meeting on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. "We write with deep concern regarding reports that Zoom, a U.S.-based company, deactivated the accounts of two U.S.-based, pro-democracy Chinese activists after they … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Wyden Presses Trump Administration to Stop Weaponizing Facial Recognition Technology Against Protesters
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today pressed Trump administration officials to end federal law enforcement's weaponizing of facial recognition technology against peaceful protesters exercising their First Amendment rights to speak out about the police killing of George Floyd and other black Americans. In a letter with U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to Attorney General William Barr and Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, Wyden noted how … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Wyden, Merkley: Two Portland Groups to Get Federal Aid for Telehealth Work During COVID-19 Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Volunteers of America Oregon and Prism Health will receive $768,644 in federal funds to help provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic. "The value of telehealth for Oregonians and the hard-working medical providers who care for them takes on even greater importance when COVID-19 protocols include distancing," Wyden said. "I am glad these two Portland groups have earned these federal resources, and … Continue Reading
