Press Releases
Wyden Co-sponsors Bill to Stop Trump Raids of Defense Department Funds for His Border Wall
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he is co-sponsoring legislation that would reverse and restore the Trump administration's short-sighted and dangerous transfer of $3.8 billion to build part of Donald Trump's ineffective border wall. The Restoring Military Priorities Act of 2020 also would reduce the Trump administration's transfer authority so it cannot turn around and try to divert additional funding for Trump's border wall. Currently, there is no other process at … Continue Reading
February 26, 2020
Wyden, Merkley: Lane County to Get More Than $1.1 Million in FEMA Funds
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Lane County will get a federal emergency grant totaling more than $1.1 million to cover costs for severe storms from February 2019 that caused flooding, landslides, and mudslides. "When Oregonians get clobbered by destructive weather, it's vital that the federal government step up to help with recovery from these disasters," Wyden said. "I am gratified that our teamwork with Lane County officials to secure funds … Continue Reading
February 26, 2020
Wyden, Colleagues Push USDA to Expand Rural Broadband Access
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today led a bipartisan group of senators to urge the Trump administration to expand access to rural broadband by changing a requirement that prevents providers in rural communities across 19 states from even applying to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) ReConnect program, which funds rural broadband deployment. Since 2018, USDA has been authorized to make grants and loans of about $600 million per year to foster rural broadband … Continue Reading
February 25, 2020
Wyden Presses Forest Service on Backlog of Hazardous Fuels and Wildfire Prevention Projects in Oregon
Washington, D.C. - In a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., pressed the chief of the U.S. Forest Service for an update on implementation of the "fire borrowing" fix and the agency's plans to prioritize the 2.5 million acres backlog of hazardous fuels and wildfire prevention projects in Oregon. Congress in 2018 passed Wyden's Wildfire Disaster Funding Act to end the damaging budget practice of "fire borrowing," which for years … Continue Reading
February 21, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Push Trump Administration to Withdraw Rules Allowing for Taxpayer-Funded Discrimination
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley urged the Trump administration to withdraw proposed rules that would expand federally funded discrimination against members of the LGBTQIA+ community, women, non-religious people and religious minorities. Wyden, Merkley and other Senate Democrats sent three separate letters to the Departments of Education, Labor and Health and Human Services (HHS). Both rules would eliminate crucial protections that would leave eligible … Continue Reading
February 20, 2020
Wyden Demands DOE Improve Protections for Hanford Workers and Surrounding Communities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today requested the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) take additional steps to ensure the safety and protection of workers at the Hanford site and communities in the region following a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that finds significant problems with the way contaminated excess facilities at Hanford are evaluated, monitored and prioritized for remediation. In a letter to DOE Secretary Dan Brouillette, Wyden wrote, "Although … Continue Reading
February 20, 2020
Wyden Statement on Appointment of Richard Grenell as Acting DNI
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement on Donald Trump's appointment of Richard Grenell as acting Director of National Intelligence: "If there was any doubt that Donald Trump values unquestioning obedience over the safety of the American people, this appointment settles the question. The Director of National Intelligence's job requires expertise in intelligence, a clear-eyed understanding of the threats facing the country and the ability to … Continue Reading
February 19, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Urge FDA to Protect Kids, Hold the Vaping Industry Accountable
WASHINGTON, DC - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that they and a bipartisan group of 17 Senators are urging the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Stephen Hahn to comply with the agency's requirements to reject e-cigarette applications that do not protect the public health once the FDA's May 12 deadline for e-cigarette product review arrives. The Senators, in a letter to Commissioner Hahn, highlighted concerns with FDA's ongoing lax … Continue Reading
February 14, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Call for Attorney General Barr’s Resignation After “Corrupt” Intervention in Roger Stone Case
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined their Democratic colleagues in calling for U.S. Attorney General William Barr to resign immediately. In a letter addressed to Barr, the senators expressed alarm at, and opposition to, unethical political intervention of senior Department of Justice (DOJ) officials in the case of Roger Stone, a former campaign insider and adviser to Donald Trump. Mr. Stone was convicted of obstructing a congressional … Continue Reading
February 13, 2020
Oregon Lawmakers Ask U.S. Attorney to Investigate Whether Local Police Violated Black Man’s Civil Rights
Portland - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer today asked the U.S. Attorney's Office to investigate whether a black Portlander's civil rights were violated by local police departments. The Oregon lawmakers' letter to U.S. Attorney Billy Williams follows a report this week in The Oregonian detailing how former West Linn Police Chief Terry Timeus directed officers to conduct an unwarranted, racially motivated surveillance and arrest of Michael Fesser as a favor … Continue Reading
February 13, 2020
Wyden Votes to Hold Trump Back from Rushing U.S. to War with Iran
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on the U.S. Senate’s vote on the war powers resolution to prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran:“Donald Trump started the year racing our country toward war with Iran like it was his New Year’s resolution. With this vote, the Senate is exercising its constitutional role to check an unstable and dangerous executive. “My vote was informed by the late Senator Wayne Morse, the Oregonian whose seat I’m proud … Continue Reading
February 12, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Take Oregon’s Bottle Bill to National Stage
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced the introduction of a pair of bills that offer multiple pathways to tackling America's growing plastic pollution crisis, including a national version of Oregon's groundbreaking "bottle bill." The Original Recycling (OR) Bottle Act of 2020 would establish a federal "bottle bill" recycling program modeled after Oregon's. And the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2020-which comes amid growing concerns of … Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Wyden Introduces Legislation to Achieve Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the U.S. by No Later Than 2050
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced legislation that would put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050. The world's leading scientists have warned that humanity must limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. According to the United Nations annual Emissions Gap Report released last month, collective global efforts to reduce greenhouse … Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Wyden Pushes to Pass Election Security on the Senate Floor
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined his Democratic colleagues Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Mark Warner, D-Va., and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., to push for a package of election security bills on the Senate floor in a series of unanimous consent requests. "Despite all of the ways foreign hackers have already made it into our election infrastructure, Congress has refused to arm state and … Continue Reading
February 10, 2020
Wyden Statement on Trump Budget Slashing Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security and Proposal to Privatize BPA
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on the Trump budget: "For a president who makes himself out to be a champion of typical working Americans, Donald Trump has run the same old Republican playbook of giving tax handouts to the wealthy and slashing the safety net that supports everybody else. He started this con with his 2016 campaign promises not to touch Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and now he wants to cut them by more than $1.5 trillion. Bottom … Continue Reading
February 10, 2020
Wyden Statement on U.S. DOJ Charging Chinese Hackers With 2017 Equifax Data Breach
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on the U.S. Justice Department charging Chinese Military hackers in the 2017 Equifax data breach: "There's no separating privacy and national security. When companies like Equifax amass vast stores of sensitive personal information and then cut corners on security, they become irresistible targets for unfriendly regimes like China. Passing strong privacy legislation like my Mind Your Own Business Act is essential for our … Continue Reading
February 10, 2020
Wyden Receives More Than 15,000 Nominations for Wild-and-Scenic Rivers in Oregon
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he has received more than 15,000 nominations for more than 4,000 miles of rivers and streams in Oregon that enthusiasts believe deserve to be added to the national Wild and Scenic Rivers designation list. Those named rivers, streams, and portions of rivers and streams came from more than 2,200 Oregon waterway fans - many submitting more than one potential designation -- to Wyden's office. They will now be considered by the senator as he … Continue Reading
February 07, 2020
Wyden Welcomes Risk Management Programs for Hemp Farmers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said today the U.S. Agriculture Department announcement detailing two risk management programs protecting farmers' hemp crops from natural disasters takes a significant step to achieve a key piece of his hemp legalization bill. "Hemp farmers in Oregon and nationwide deserve the same certainty all farmers need of knowing solid insurance options exist if natural disaster strikes their crops," Wyden said. "I am gratified that predictability is now here, and … Continue Reading
February 06, 2020
Wyden Asks Oregon to Ban Insecure Mobile Voting Apps and Risky Internet Voting
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked Secretary of State Bev Clarno to warn Oregon counties about the security risks posed by mobile voting apps and other forms of internet voting, in a letter today. "We share a common goal of making it easier for Oregonians serving in the military or otherwise living overseas to vote. I look forward to working with you to explore ways to do so, including, if appropriate, introducing federal legislation to provide states with additional … Continue Reading
February 06, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Schrader Announce $1.2 Million Grant for New Pier at the Port of Newport
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, with Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR-05), today announced that the Port of Newport has received $1.2 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce for the construction of a new pier. The denigration of a decades-old wooden pier has forced the port to turn away new businesses and restrict pier access to halt further damage to the structure. "The Port of Newport has long been home to one of Oregon's largest … Continue Reading
