Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley: DOT Selects Boutique Air to Continue Providing Essential Air Service at Pendleton Airport
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the U.S. Department of Transportation has selected Boutique Air to continue providing Essential Air Service between Pendleton and Portland with 21 nonstop round trips a week between the two cities. “Regular air service is critical for rural communities to give local businesses the opportunity to tap into national and international economies, and provide a vital connection for Eastern Oregonians to travel and to have … Continue Reading
May 03, 2024
Wyden Applauds Final Approval of the REPORT Act; Wyden Provision Requires Big Tech to Secure Digital Evidence of Crimes Against Children
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today praised the House passage of the REPORT Act this week, and President Biden’s expected signature of the bill today. The REPORT Act, by Sens. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., will modernize the U.S. system for reporting digital child sexual abuse material to improve investigation and prosecution of heinous crimes against children. “Senators Blackburn and Ossoff worked closely with me to require that tech companies meet … Continue Reading
May 03, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Co-sponsor Bill to Restore Voting Rights for Qualifying Formerly Incarcerated Individuals
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are co-sponsoring the Next Step Home Act, a crucial piece of legislation aimed at restoring voting rights for people with felony convictions who have been released under the First Step Act and successfully reentered society. “Making voting easy and accessible shouldn’t be a Democratic or Republican issue. It’s an American democracy issue,” Wyden said. “By restoring the voting rights of these formerly incarcerated … Continue Reading
May 02, 2024
Wyden Applauds Haaland for Commitments to Oregon: Implement Legislation in Malheur County as Written, Improve Services at Crater Lake
Video HERE of Wyden exchange with Secretary Haaland at Hearing on President Biden’s Budget Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Secretary Deb Haaland committed to U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., that if his Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act becomes law, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will implement it as enacted. “Back east people call the Owyhee Oregon’s version of the Grand Canyon. We call it home - and it supports the … Continue Reading
May 02, 2024
Wyden, Hickenlooper, Lummis Introduce Bills to Extend Drought Relief, Water Monitoring Programs
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., introduced two bipartisan bills that would extend existing programs to continue important water management programs and address long-term drought in the West. The Drought Preparedness Act and the Water Data Improvement Act would reauthorize current programs managed by the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Geological Survey to help secure water infrastructure, prepare drought … Continue Reading
May 02, 2024
Wyden Demands Intuit Help Oregonians Whose Use of TurboTax Misled Them into Overpaying State Taxes
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today demanded that Intuit make whole all Oregon taxpayers whose recent use of the company’s TurboTax product incorrectly led them to overpay their state tax. In a letter to Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi, Wyden cited a recent report that a TurboTax software error opted Oregon taxpayers into claiming the standard deduction on their state taxes when itemizing would have produced a larger refund. Wyden noted the Oregon Department of Revenue notified Intuit … Continue Reading
May 01, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Luján, Heinrich Introduce Bill to Help Identify and Address Water and Sanitation Needs of Underserved Communities
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., today introduced the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Access Data Collection Act of 2024 (WASH Access Data Collection Act) to make sure the United States has the comprehensive data it needs to address the water and sanitation needs of rural, Tribal and other underserved communities. In addition to improving national data collection, the bill would also expand interagency … Continue Reading
May 01, 2024
Merkley, Wyden, 20+ Western Colleagues Push Biden Administration to Support American West Amid Historic Drought
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.) and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) alongside 26 Senate and House colleagues representing Western states - including U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) - called on the Biden administration to make further investments to address long-term drought caused by climate change. “Drought remains a severe risk for American farmers and ranchers and … Continue Reading
April 30, 2024
Wyden, Markey Reveal Automakers Provide Detailed Location Information to Law Enforcement Without a Warrant, Rarely Notify Car Owners; Request FTC Investigate Broken Promises to Protect Drivers’ Privacy
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., requested the Federal Trade Commission investigate major automakers for breaking a pledge to protect their customers’ location data, in a letter to Chair Lina Khan sent today. The automakers had deceptively pledged that they would insist on warrants or other court orders before turning over location data from their customers’ connected automobiles to law enforcement agencies. The letter comes in response to an inquiry … Continue Reading
April 29, 2024
Wyden Praises FCC Fines on Wireless Carriers in Response to His Investigation into Abuse of Location Data
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today praised the Federal Communications Commission for voting today to approve fines against AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint, for selling customers’ detailed location data to shady data brokers in violation of federal law. Wyden originally revealed the practice in 2018 and called on the FCC to investigate wireless carriers for betraying their customers’ privacy and security. Wyden revealed that one government contractor that purchased … Continue Reading
April 29, 2024
Wyden, Peters, Paul, and Crapo Press DHS on Use of Authority to Download Personal Device Data at Borders
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today that he has joined U.S. Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Rand Paul R-Ky., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho to press the Department of Homeland Security about its use of border search authority on electronic devices, including details on what data is retained from these searches, how it is stored, and who has access. The senators’ letter inquired about how U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement … Continue Reading
April 29, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $345,000 for Klamath Falls Recycled Water Supply
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week announced that Klamath Falls will receive $345,000 in federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to help conserve groundwater and increase supply of recycled potable water. “Rural communities in Oregon depend on water for everything from taking showers at home to sustaining their entire economies,” Wyden said. “I’m glad this funding from the legislation I fought to pass is … Continue Reading
April 26, 2024
Wyden Joins Markey, Colleagues in Urging Affordable Connectivity Program Providers to Support Households in May with Additional Funding
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. today joined U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and colleagues in a letter to NCTA - The Internet & Television Association, and the CTIA, urging their member companies to ensure their Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) subscribers receive the full $30 benefit in May. The Federal Communications Commission recently announced it only has enough funding to provide ACP subscribers with a $14 benefit in May, rather than the full $30. In … Continue Reading
April 26, 2024
Wyden, Markey Celebrate FCC’s Approval of Net Neutrality Rule
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., today issued the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to approve its rule reclassifying broadband as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act and reinstating net neutrality protections: “Net neutrality is simple; it’s about nondiscrimination. Net neutrality ensures that anyone can use the internet without being blocked or obstructed by … Continue Reading
April 26, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Introduce Bill to Fund Agriculture Research in Oregon, Support its Industry
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced the introduction of the Oregon Research Bounty Act, legislation to authorize funding for 11 research projects that benefit Oregon’s agriculture and forest product sectors. As the former top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee that writes our nation’s agriculture funding bill, Merkley used his position to create and fund several of the programs included in this bill. The Oregon Research Bounty Act … Continue Reading
April 24, 2024
Wyden Statement on Aid to Israel and Ukraine, Crackdown on Fentanyl Trafficking and TikTok Divestment Legislation
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today applauded the passage of legislation to provide Ukraine, Israel, and America’s Indo-Pacific partners with $95 billion in security assistance to support their national defense, including $9.15 billion in lifesaving humanitarian aid, and to stem the flow of fentanyl into the United States. “It is shameful that House Republicans slow-walked vital aid to America’s allies and partners and humanitarian relief for worsening conflicts, but I’m … Continue Reading
April 24, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $6.9 Million for Oregon Coastal Resilience and Ecosystem Recovery
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week announced that Oregon will receive more than $6.9 million in federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to support coastal ecosystem restoration and resilience. “The worsening damage from the climate crisis slams our coastal communities with ecosystems absorbing some of the harshest effects such as rising sea levels,” Wyden said. “I’m glad this federal investment from legislation … Continue Reading
April 23, 2024
Wyden Joins Colleagues in Calling Out Postal Leadership for Unsustainable Price Hikes and Poor Service
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As more and more Oregonians grow dissatisfied with the United States Postal Service for its price hikes coupled with inefficiency under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden joined his Senate colleagues in pushing for change to protect the jobs, businesses, and Americans who rely on the service. In a letter to the USPS Board of Governors, the senators noted DeJoy’s tenure has produced higher prices and poor service. USPS announced earlier this month that … Continue Reading
April 23, 2024
Wyden Releases Draft Legislation to End Federal Dependence on Insecure, Proprietary Software In Response to Repeated Damaging Breaches of Government Systems
Washington, D.C. - Following a new report about how shambolic cybersecurity practices by a federal technology contractor enabled a massive hack of the U.S. government systems, Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released draft legislation today to set mandatory cybersecurity standards, save taxpayers money, and break the anti-competitive lock-in effect caused by proprietary, walled-garden software. Multiple disastrous hacks of U.S. government systems have been enabled by poor cybersecurity practices … Continue Reading
April 22, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues Urge Department of Agriculture to Update Management of Old-Growth Forests, Incorporate Historic Indigenous Practices
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today led Senate colleagues in encouraging federal officials to prioritize a Forest Service amendment that would update the management of old-growth forests, and incorporate modern science and historic Indigenous practices that would protect forests from the effects of climate change, including wildfires and biodiversity loss. With more than two centuries of logging, over a century of fire suppression, and decades of increasing effects from … Continue Reading
