Press Releases
Wyden Calls for Investigation of Bernhardt’s Role in Blocking Scientific Report on Toxic Pesticides
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today called on the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of the Interior to investigate allegations that Acting Secretary David Bernhardt interfered with the scientific process or the scientific conclusions of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) assessment of toxic pesticides' effect on several endangered species. Wyden on Thursday questioned Bernhardt directly about his role in blocking the USFWS analysis when Bernhardt … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Wyden, Paul, Amash and Lofgren Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Permanently End Mass NSA Surveillance of Phone Records
Washington, D.C. - Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Reps. Justin Amash, R-Mich., and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., today introduced the Ending Mass Collection of Americans' Phone Records Act in the Senate and House to permanently end the National Security Agency's scandal-plagued program to surveil Americans' phone records. "The NSA's sprawling phone records dragnet was born in secrecy, defended with lies and never stopped a single terrorist attack. Even after Congress acted in … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Wyden, Blumenauer, Walden Reintroduce KOMBUCHA Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Greg Walden today reintroduced legislation that would update antiquated federal alcohol taxes and regulations on kombucha companies in Oregon and nationwide. "Kombucha's growth in Oregon generates jobs and small business growth throughout our state while creating fans everywhere of this tasty beverage," Wyden said. "Modernizing outdated taxes and regulations on kombucha is a must so this industry can continue to build … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Wyden, Merkley Reintroduce Bill to Require the President and Vice President to Fully Divest Their Financial Conflicts of Interests
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have joined 29 Senate colleagues to reintroduce the Presidential Conflicts of Interest Act, a bill that would require the President and Vice President to disclose and divest any potential financial conflicts of interest. It also would require presidential appointees to recuse themselves from any specific matters involving the president's financial conflicts of interest that come before their agencies. "The U.S. presidency was … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Wyden, Merkley Secured $2.1 Million in Federal Disaster Recovery for Oregon Fisheries
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week secured $2.1 million in funding to help Oregon fisheries. The funds were finally allocated after a nearly two-year protracted battle with the Trump administration to approve Gov. Kate Brown's request for fishery disaster declaration in May 2017. "Hard-working Oregon fishermen gearing up for their spring returns have now received a $2.1 million lifeline that will help them support their families and contribute to the … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Wyden on Interior Secretary Nominee: “You sound like just another corrupt official”
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced his opposition to the nomination of David Bernhardt as Secretary of the Department of the Interior. Wyden pressed Bernhardt on his questionable ethics and conflicts of interest during his nomination hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Wyden, a senior member of the Committee, raised concerns over evidence recently made public that Bernhardt meddled with science and blocked the release of a … Continue Reading
March 27, 2019
Wyden, Cotton Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Personal Devices and Accounts of Senators and Staff from Cyber Threats
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. and members of the Senate Intelligence Committee Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., today introduced a bipartisan bill to protect the personal electronic devices and accounts of senators and their staff from cyber threats. The Senate Cybersecurity Protection Act, S. 890, would permit the Senate Sergeant at Arms (SAA) to provide voluntary cybersecurity assistance to senators and certain Senate staff to secure their personal devices and accounts. Russia's … Continue Reading
March 26, 2019
Wyden on Green New Deal Vote: “This is a sham debate.”
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today on the Senate floor called Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's political stunt on the Green New Deal a "sham debate," and urged Congress to take meaningful, immediate action on climate. "This is a political game, and I don't believe anybody should take part in it. Climate change is the biggest long-term threat this country faces. The longer Congress waits to address climate change, the more damage it's going to do," said Wyden. "Years … Continue Reading
March 25, 2019
Wyden Statement on Attorney General Barr’s Letter to Congress
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued the following statement in response to the letter that Attorney General William Barr released Sunday afternoon: "Attorney General Barr's letter appears to be little more than a public relations strategy to get positive headlines for the president, while concealing from the American people Robert Mueller's actual report. No one should be surprised. Barr told Trump he didn't have to worry … Continue Reading
March 21, 2019
Wyden, Paul, Leahy, Daines Question DOJ Over Government Surveillance of Americans’ Location Information
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mt., today asked the Department of Justice a series of questions about when and how the government can collect information about Americans' location, in a bipartisan letter to Attorney General William Barr. The senators asked Attorney General Barr how the Supreme Court's decision in Carpenter v. United States, that the government must get a warrant to obtain location … Continue Reading
March 19, 2019
Wyden Statement on Calls to Regulate Speech Online and Repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement in reaction to new calls to regulate speech online and repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act: "Tech companies certainly need to continue to be far more vigorous about identifying, fingerprinting and blocking content and individuals who incite hate and violence. If politicians want to restrict the First Amendment or eliminate the tools with which much of the world communicates in real … Continue Reading
March 19, 2019
Wyden Calls on Saudi Arabia to Release Political Prisoners
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden joined with eight other senators today to call on the King of Saudi Arabia to immediately and unconditionally release a number of prisoners held by the Saudi government, many of them on dubious charges related to their activism. "The brutality of the Khashoggi killing and Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, as well as the continued detention of political prisoners threaten not only Saudi Arabia's regional role but also the future of the U.S.-Saudi … Continue Reading
March 18, 2019
Merkley, Wyden Announce $2.5 Million for Offshore Wind Energy Research
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced a major, $2.5 million grant for Oregon State University to develop monitoring systems for offshore wind turbines, advancing the renewable energy technology with cutting-edge research. "If we want to curb climate chaos and remain an economic force in the world, we must invest in research and development for the most cutting-edge energy technology," said Merkley, who uses his seat on the Senate Appropriations … Continue Reading
March 14, 2019
Merkley, Wyden, Walden Introduce Bill to Nullify Fraudulent Tribal Treaty
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, with Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR 2), today introduced the 1865 Treaty Nullification Act to formally and finally nullify a fraudulent treaty with the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, and clearly validate an 1855 treaty that establishes the tribes' reservation and preserves certain hunting, gathering and fishing rights. The Warm Springs Tribes in 1855 entered into a treaty with the United States, defining the … Continue Reading
March 13, 2019
Wyden, Cotton Urge Senate: Take Cyber Threats Seriously
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., today urged the Senate to take the cyber threats to congressional computers and cell phones seriously by providing an annual report on the number of successful hacks of Senate devices. In a letter addressed to the Senate Sargent of Arms (SAA), Michael Stenger, the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee members wrote: "During the last decade, hackers have successfully infiltrated U.S. government agencies including the … Continue Reading
March 12, 2019
Wyden Joins Colleagues to Introduce Legislation Ensuring Equal Access to Reproductive Health Care
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. today joined colleagues to introduce legislation protecting every woman's constitutionally-guaranteed right to reproductive health care and helping ensure access to care for each woman, regardless of income, race or where in the country they may live. The Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Woman Act would lift the federal prohibition in current law preventing women who receive their health coverage through … Continue Reading
March 12, 2019
Wyden Welcomes Public Lands Bill Becoming Law
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said today's signing into law of bipartisan public lands legislation takes several major and permanent steps forward to protect Oregon's natural treasures for future generations to enjoy. "Conserving our state's iconic Devil's Staircase, adding hundreds of miles of wild-and-scenic rivers, increasing wildfire protections and more totals up to a big win for Oregon's recreation economy," Wyden said after the White House signing ceremony. "This is the … Continue Reading
March 11, 2019
Wyden: Trump’s ‘MAGAnomics’ Budget Promises to Leave Seniors and American Families Behind
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on the Trump administration's budget proposal to Congress: "Trump's 'MAGAnomics' budget means deep cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and other essential resources for seniors and American families-all to free up money for his wall, windfalls for defense contractors, and tax cuts for huge corporations and billionaires. "Not only that, the Trump administration is again pushing its misguided scheme to drive up the … Continue Reading
March 08, 2019
Wyden Urges State Department to Tell Turkey its Retribution Against Enes Kanter is Unacceptable
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to tell his Turkish counterparts that their retribution against Enes Kanter for his criticism of their autocratic rule is unacceptable for a U.S. ally. Kanter, a Turkish national recently acquired by the Portland Trail Blazers from the New York Knicks, has “eloquently and powerfully exercised his freedom of conscience to criticize Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyipp Erdogan,” Wyden wrote in his letter to Pompeo. … Continue Reading
March 08, 2019
Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio & Blumenauer File Court Brief Supporting Youth Climate Lawsuit
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Earl Blumenauer have filed a brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals supporting the Juliana v. United States youth plaintiffs in their landmark climate lawsuit and urging the Court to allow the pending case to proceed to trial. "From the present flooding and arctic temperatures in the East to the wildfires and droughts in the West, climate change is not just an impending threat that risks the … Continue Reading
