Press Releases
Merkley, Wyden Call on Senate Leadership to Support Digital News Outlets
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with a dozen of their colleagues, are urging Senate leadership to include support for digital-native news outlets in future COVID-19 response legislation. During this pandemic, these outlets have provided information to Americans on health and safety measures and reopening protocols in communities across the country. Digital-native outlets rely primarily on advertising revenue, yet the pandemic has caused a severe drop … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Demand Immediate GAO Review of Safety of Rubber Bullets Being Used on Protesters
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden are requesting that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) immediately conduct a review to examine the safety of rubber bullets being used against protesters during civil rights protests. Merkley and Wyden's request comes on the heels of public reporting that indicates there have been serious injuries resulting from law enforcement's use of these projectiles to control and disperse protests occurring across the country … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Wyden, Lee, Booker and 13 House Members Question Juniper Networks Over Secret Government Backdoors
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Mike Lee, R-Utah, Cory Booker, D-N.J. and 13 members of the U.S. House asked Juniper Networks to explain how an NSA-designed algorithm, which leading cybersecurity experts believe contains an encryption backdoor, appeared in its products, and how the key to this backdoor was later changed by unknown parties. Juniper first revealed a security breach in late 2015 in which unauthorized code was added to its products. Cybersecurity experts … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Wyden Will Hold Virtual Southern Oregon Town Hall on June 15
Portland - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have a live on-line town hall on June 15 hosted by Town Hall Project for residents of Jackson, Josephine, Klamath and Lake counties. Anybody wanting to watch that virtual regional town hall beginning at 11 AM PT on Monday, June 15 can go to this Facebook link. Residents of Jackson, Josephine, Klamath and Lake counties who would like to participate by asking Wyden a question can fill out this form for consideration by Town Hall Project. A … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Wyden, Family Forward Oregon, Portland Mom, MomsRising Highlight Benefits of Supercharged Unemployment Insurance
Washington, D.C. - Ahead of the Senate Finance Committee hearing on the role of unemployment insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., hosted a press conference call with Family Forward Oregon executive director Andrea Paluso and workers such as Nicola Van Hoff of Portland to highlight the benefits of supercharged unemployment insurance for families nationwide. Excerpts from their remarks from before the June 9 hearing follow: Senate … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Wyden, Grijalva, Haaland Call for Investigation of Park Police's Use of Force Against Peaceful Protesters and Journalists in Lafayette Park
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva, D-Ariz., and Deb Haaland, D-N.M., this week requested that the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) investigate the U.S. Park Police's use of force against peaceful protesters and journalists in Lafayette Park to clear the way for a staged photo of Donald Trump in front of St. John's Episcopal Church. "We request that the [OIG] investigate whether the Park … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Wyden Gives Forest Service a Week to Explain Agency Actions to Protect Firefighters and Communities Amid Wildfire Season and COVID-19
Washington, D.C. - Following a U.S. Forest Service official's admission today that the agency could do more to protect the safety and well-being of firefighters and communities from COVID-19 during this wildfire season, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., demanded the agency provide its safety plan in writing within a week. During a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing, Wyden pressed the agency on the lack of coordination with on-the-ground officials: "I was recently briefed … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $68 Million in Federal Homeless Assistance Funding Headed to Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced over $68 million in funding to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus outbreaks among individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness in Oregon. This is the second allotment of the funding allocated to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, which Congress passed in March. "Right now-as … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce $1.5 Million in Federal Funding for Seal Rock Water District
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the Seal Rock Water District will receive $1.5 million in federal grants to assist with the construction of a storm-resilient and reliable water treatment plant. The funding is being allocated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program. "Access to reliable drinking water is essential to the health and economic vitality of our rural communities," … Continue Reading
June 08, 2020
Wyden Co-sponsors Justice in Policing Act of 2020
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today co-sponsored legislation that would hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement and build trust between law enforcement and our communities in Oregon and nationwide. Wyden said he supports the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 introduced by U.S. Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-CA), U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) because it's bold and … Continue Reading
June 08, 2020
Wyden Will Hold Virtual Town Hall on June 12
Portland - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have a live on-line town hall on June 12 hosted by Town Hall Project for residents of Hood River, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler and Wasco counties Anybody wanting to watch that virtual regional town hall beginning at 11 AM PT on Friday, June 12 can go to this Facebook link. Residents of Hood River, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler and Wasco counties who would like to participate by asking Wyden a question can fill out this form for consideration by … Continue Reading
June 08, 2020
Wyden, Foster Lead Bicameral Warning Against Trump Administration Resuming Explosive Nuclear Testing
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Representative Bill Foster, D-Ill., today led a bicameral group of 80 other colleagues in urging Donald Trump not to resume explosive nuclear testing after a 28-year hiatus. This letter comes in response to reports indicating the administration is considering taking this step. In a letter to Donald Trump, the legislators wrote, "We are deeply concerned by recent reports that you are considering a resumption of explosive nuclear … Continue Reading
June 04, 2020
Wyden, Merkley: Defense Department Must Refrain from Using U.S. Military to Suppress Nationwide Protests
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley voicing grave concerns over Donald Trump's threat to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to nationwide protests seeking justice for George Floyd and an end to systemic racism. "President Trump's behavior over the last three years has repeatedly politicized our Armed Forces and portrayed their mission not … Continue Reading
June 04, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Press For College Students in Need to Have Access to High-Speed Internet
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined with colleagues in urging congressional leadership to include funds in future legislation that ensures college and university students with the greatest financial need in Oregon and nationwide have access to high-speed internet during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Even before the pandemic, only 66 percent of black households, 61 percent of Hispanic households, and 63 percent of rural households had access to broadband, and one … Continue Reading
June 04, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Introduce $50 Billion Bill to Address Child Care Crisis
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., in introducing a bill that would address the child care crisis worsened by coronavirus in Oregon and across the country by creating a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund. The Child Care is Essential Act would provide grant funding to child care providers to stabilize the child care sector and support providers to safely reopen and operate. "Child care workers in Oregon and … Continue Reading
June 04, 2020
Wyden: Senate Passage of PPP Reforms Strengthens Lifeline that Small Business Needs During COVID-19
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden issued the following statement after the Senate approved legislation he sought to make urgently needed reforms for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that small business needs to get through the economic crisis touched off by COVID-19: "Extending the deadlines for small businesses in Oregon and nationwide to spend the PPP resources they need to pay their employees and bills during the economic fallout of this public health crisis was a common-sense … Continue Reading
June 04, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Urge DeVos to Rescind Harmful Title IX Rule and Focus on Student Safety
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined 35 Democratic senators in slamming Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' final Title IX rule, which will weaken protections for student survivors of sexual harassment and assault. In a letter to Secretary DeVos, the senators stressed that it was inappropriate to ask schools to implement this new rule within 100 days amid the COVID-19 crisis and urged her to rescind the rule and focus on school safety-whether the threat is … Continue Reading
June 03, 2020
Wyden Opposes FY 2021 Intelligence Authorization Act
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., voted against advancing the Fiscal Year 2021 Intelligence Authorization Act from the Senate Intelligence Committee today, because the legislation fails to reform a broken, costly declassification system. Years of official reports have documented how the flood of digital classification has overwhelmed the obsolete declassification system's ability to keep pace. Wyden and Sen. Jerry Moran have introduced bipartisan legislation to charge the Director … Continue Reading
June 02, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $100 Million in Federal Funding to Expand TriMet’s Light Rail
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced nearly $100 million in federal funding to finance a 7.8-mile extension of TriMet's MAX Red Line from Beaverton Transit Center to downtown Hillsboro. The funding will also increase the reliability of the light rail system between Portland International Airport and Beaverton Transit Center. "Public transportation is a vital service that countless Oregonians in the metro area rely on to commute to work, pick up their … Continue Reading
June 01, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce $1.2 Million in Grants for Tribal Housing Improvements
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that $1.2 million in grants will be distributed to the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians and the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde to boost critical housing improvement and repair projects. The funding is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), under the Indian Community Development Block Grant program. "This public health emergency has … Continue Reading
