Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley Announce Legislation to Help Students Seeking Higher Education
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced new bipartisan legislation that would address an injustice for some students wanting to use the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) for higher education. The AOTC is the primary tax credit available to students seeking a higher education; however, students with a prior felony drug conviction are permanently ineligible from using the credit. This backwards requirement makes it more difficult to ensure … Continue Reading
September 26, 2019
Wyden, Merkley Announce Nearly $2 Million Investment at Astoria, John Day Airports
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced nearly $2 million in federal grant funding that will help Astoria Regional Airport and Grant County Regional Airport make critical infrastructure improvements, in order to continue safely serving Clatsop and Grant county residents and businesses. "Oregonians relying on smaller regional airports deserve safe infrastructure that provides the dependable links their communities need for economic growth and medical … Continue Reading
September 25, 2019
Wyden Statement on Trump Soliciting Dirt On a Political Rival From Ukrainian President
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued the following statement today in response to the summary of Donald Trump's call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: "The summary of this call includes outrageous conduct by Donald Trump that represents a clear threat to American democracy and national security. It remains the legal obligation of the Director of National Intelligence to turn over the full whistleblower's complaint to Congress, so we … Continue Reading
September 25, 2019
Wyden Energy Storage, Hydro-Power Legislation Advances
Washington, D.C. - The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today passed a comprehensive energy storage package that includes provisions from U.S. Senator Ron Wyden's Reducing the Cost of Energy Storage Act to promote the research and development of ways to lower the cost of energy storage technologies to make it possible for renewable energy to be used on a more reliable and affordable basis. The Committee also advanced Wyden's Marine Energy Research and Development Act, which would … Continue Reading
September 25, 2019
Wyden, Merkley, Markey Reintroduce Legislation to Ban U.S. Oil Exports
Washington, D.C. - Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), have reintroduced legislation to reinstate the ban on sending American crude oil abroad. “The math simply doesn’t add up here. America shouldn’t be both importing and exporting millions of barrels of oil a day, wasting precious resources and time while furthering America’s dependence on oil,” Wyden said. “It’s time to stop propping up Big Oil and pivot, instead, to making a full-fledged … Continue Reading
September 24, 2019
Wyden Floor Remarks in Remembrance of Mary Gautreaux
Madam President, scores and scores of my friends and neighbors at home in Oregon have been grieving since they learned the sad news about the passing of a remarkable woman, Mary Gautreaux, who died at her home this weekend. Mary Gautreaux was an astounding bundle of energy and passion. She had an incandescent smile, a huge heart for people who didn't have any power or clout, and the ability to make just about everybody she met more optimistic about the policies and opportunities for the days … Continue Reading
September 24, 2019
Wyden Floor Remarks on the Nomination of Daniel Jorjani as Interior Solicitor General
Mr. President, there's a job opening at the Interior Department, and that can mean only one thing. Another Trump nominee who's already under investigation for misconduct - even before his official first day on the job. This time it's Daniel Jorjani, a long-serving Trump Interior official who's up for a powerful role as the department's Solicitor General. Already under investigation by the department's Inspector General. Already on a fast-track to the Interior Department corruption hall of … Continue Reading
September 24, 2019
Wyden, Merkley, Senate Democrats Press USDA to Justify Critical Honeybee Data Gaps
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined 21 Senate Democrats in writing to Sonny Perdue, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), expressing concerns over this summer's move by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to suspend the collection of honeybee data across the nation. While NASS recently reversed course under pressure, the decision-making that led up to that suspension remains a source of concern. "In July NASS announced … Continue Reading
September 19, 2019
Wyden Urges FCC to Reject Plans that Imperil the Universal Service Fund
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to discard its proposed cap on the Universal Service Fund (USF), which protects rural broadband funding and other programs key to moving the country toward the goal of universal connectivity. In May, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would set an overall budget cap for four USF-funded communications programs - E-Rate, Lifeline, the Rural Health Care Program and the … Continue Reading
September 19, 2019
Wyden, Merkley Reintroduce Resolution to Protect Ambitious National Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., this week to reintroduce a resolution in response to the Trump administration's efforts to roll back federal fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards designed to fight climate change and protect Americans' access to clean air. The senators, along with 31 of their colleagues, reintroduced the resolution in advance of the administration's expected move to formally revoke California's … Continue Reading
September 18, 2019
Wyden Co-sponsors School Mental Health Services Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he is co-sponsoring legislation that would help schools provide the mental health counseling needed by so many students. "Students, teachers and counselors across Oregon tell me just how much young people facing challenges at home and in the classroom need better access to mental health care in schools," Wyden said of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act. "This bill would provide that access by supporting schools' efforts … Continue Reading
September 17, 2019
Wyden, Merkley Back Bill to Stop Use of Taxpayer Dollars at Trump Properties
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week co-sponsored legislation that would immediately stop the federal government from spending taxpayer dollars at properties owned by the president, vice president and Cabinet officials. The Heightened Oversight of Travel, Eating, and Lodging (HOTEL) Act introduced by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) aims to prevent potential conflicts of interest and abuse of taxpayer dollars by making clear that all three branches of government … Continue Reading
September 17, 2019
Wyden, 26 Senate Democrats Introduce Legislation to Block Implementation of Trump Administration’s So-Called “Public Charge” Rule
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, to introduce legislation that would prohibit the Trump administration from using federal funding to implement its so-called "public charge" rule. Scheduled to go into effect in less than a month on October 15, 2019, the "public charge" rule aims to prevent immigrants from coming to or staying in the United States based on factors such as their wealth, family size, age, skills, level of education, … Continue Reading
September 17, 2019
Wyden Remarks at “In Defense of American Democracy” on Election Security and Vote-By-Mail
Thank you so much to the Shanker Institute for inviting me to speak today. You have a real all-star squad of civic activists and public servants here, between Secretary Clinton, Leah Greenberg of Indivisible, Randi Weingarten, Attorney General Holder. That's what my dad would call running with the right crowd. The topic is perhaps the most urgent, timely topic facing our country - Defending American Democracy. I'm going to start by telling you a little bit about how I spent my summer … Continue Reading
September 16, 2019
Wyden, Rubio, Murphy Urge Trump to Press Bahrain on Human Rights Violations
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., last week wrote to Donald Trump urging him to press Bahrain on serious human rights concerns. The president met with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa today. The senators specifically requested Trump to press the Bahraini government to release prisoners of conscience. "Bahrain is a strategic ally in an important region and, critically, Bahrain hosts the United States Fifth … Continue Reading
September 16, 2019
Bipartisan Group of Western Senators Introduce Legislation to Provide Financial Certainty for Rural Counties
Washington, D.C. - A bipartisan group of Western senators today introduced legislation to provide long-term financial security for rural counties. The legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Jim Risch, R-Idaho, Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Cory Gardner, R-Colo., would reauthorize the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for ten years. The program provides critical resources to nearly 1,900 counties across 49 states. Counties … Continue Reading
September 16, 2019
Wyden, Merkley, Walden Press Feds on Large Air Tankers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Greg Walden today pressed the Forest Service to explain why it has failed to award any "call when needed" (CWN) contracts to providers of wildfire-fighting large air tankers (LAT). The Oregon lawmakers noted in a letter to Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen that the "call when needed" solicitation was originally issued in July 2018 and closed several months ago in April 2019. "As you are aware, CWN awards allow the … Continue Reading
September 13, 2019
Wyden Leads Resolution to Designate September as National Voting Rights Month
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., reintroduced a resolution with Congressman Marc Veasey, D-Texas, this week to designate this month as "National Voting Rights Month." The resolution seeks to end voter suppression by bringing awareness to existing voter suppression laws, educating Americans on their rights as voters and urging Congress to pass critical voting rights legislation. The resolution urges Congress to pass S. 949 and H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2019, S. 561 … Continue Reading
September 12, 2019
Merkley, Wyden Announce Funding for Rural Communities Hit by Severe Winter Storms
Portland, OR - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that $150 million is now available to help rural communities recover from substantial damages and losses caused by severe winter storms earlier this year, which closed roads and left countless families without power for weeks. Nine Oregon counties-Coos, Curry, Douglas, Grant, Jefferson, Lane, Linn, Umatilla, and Wheeler-are eligible to apply for the grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which were … Continue Reading
September 11, 2019
Merkley, Wyden Announce Emergency Relief for Wine and Hazelnut Growers Now Available
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that millions of dollars appropriated in the bipartisan disaster relief package this summer is now available for Oregon wine and hazelnut growers. "When disaster strikes, the communities who've been hit need a direct line in DC to the folks who can help them. One of the reasons I wanted to be on the Senate Appropriations Committee was to make sure that Oregon's interests were represented in Congress, and this … Continue Reading
