Press Releases
Wyden, Heinrich, Reed Introduce Bill Requiring Public Report on Khashoggi Murder by Saudi Arabia
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., introduced legislation today requiring a public report on the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, following Donald Trump's announcement that his administration will not respond to Khashoggi's killing by Saudi officials. "Bowing to the Saudi government over the murder of a Washington Post columnist is unacceptable for any American president, let alone one who claims to put … Continue Reading
November 20, 2018
Wyden Statement In Response to Khashoggi Announcement
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement in response to Donald Trump's announcement today giving Saudi Arabia a pass for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi: "Donald Trump's statement makes clear that he does not care who ordered the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. "Putting America first does not include subservience to the leaders of an authoritarian and murderous monarchy. Under Donald Trump's reasoning, there is no atrocity Saudi … Continue Reading
November 19, 2018
Wyden, Crapo, Merkley, Risch Urge Re-authorization of Rural Resource Advisory Committees
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and James Risch (R-ID) today urged federal officials to reauthorize citizen committees that provide key advice for important natural resources work in national forests. The senators' bipartisan letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue seeks prompt reauthorization of the national Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) charter under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act … Continue Reading
November 19, 2018
Wyden Says Radioactive Waste Changes Need More Public Input
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today asked the federal Department of Energy (DOE) to extend the public comment period about its proposed new definition of high-level radioactive waste. Wyden said in a letter to DOE that its 60-day public comment period starting Oct. 10 is far too short given the magnitude of the proposed changes. "You recently received a request by more than six dozen organizations from across the country requesting that you extend the comment period in this … Continue Reading
November 16, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Press Private Prison Companies on Compliance with Federal Immigration Detention Standards
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today asked the country's two largest private immigration detention contractors for information about their compliance with federal immigration detention standards. The letters from Wyden, Merkley and nine other senators to contractors GEO Group and CoreCivic follows a troubling report by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) about unsafe conditions and mistreatment of immigrants at a number of … Continue Reading
November 16, 2018
Wyden, Crapo Introduce Secure Rural Schools Extension Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Mike Crapo today introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the Secure Rural Schools program by one year, through Fiscal Year 2019. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS) was first introduced in 2000 to assist counties containing tracts of federally-owned land that is tax-exempt. Critical services at the county level have historically been funded in part with a 25 percent share of timber receipts from federal Forest … Continue Reading
November 15, 2018
Wyden, Welch Introduce Legislation to Improve Child Nutrition
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Representative Peter Welch, D-Vt., today introduced the Local School Foods Expansion Act, legislation to improve child nutrition by expanding access to locally-grown, unprocessed fruits and vegetables for school meal programs. "No child should be hungry in school-it's devastating to their health and ability to learn. This bill will help address hunger and improve child nutrition in communities across America, all while supporting … Continue Reading
November 15, 2018
Wyden Opposes FERC Nominee Who Wants to Bailout Coal & Nuclear Corporations at the Expense of Everyday Americans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced that he will oppose the nomination of Bernard L. McNamee to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the FERC or the Commission). Wyden released the following statement: "It is clear that Mr. McNamee played a pivotal role in developing the U.S. Department of Energy policy that would have reached into American household budgets to pad the pockets of coal and nuclear corporations-a policy so outrageous that it … Continue Reading
November 15, 2018
Wyden, Markey, Blumenthal Query Mobile Carriers About Throttling Practices
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, Edward J. Markey and Richard Blumenthal today sent letters to AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile after a recent study revealed the companies were slowing down certain services on their networks. A study using data collected from an app called "Wehe" showed that each mobile carrier has been throttling at least one video streaming service. The research indicated that Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and NBC Sports have all been subject to … Continue Reading
November 15, 2018
Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio, Huffman Again Urge for Immediate Chetco River Protections
Washington, D.C. - Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Reps. Peter DeFazio and Jared Huffman today strongly urged federal officials to extend interim mineral withdrawal protections, which expired earlier this year, for the iconic Chetco River in southwest Oregon. In a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, the lawmakers wrote: "Given the unique and valuable resource values of the Chetco River, the immediate and serious threat they face, and the … Continue Reading
November 14, 2018
Wyden, Merkley & DeFazio Announce Additional Protections for Lifesaving Coast Guard Facility in Newport
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio today announced Senate passage of additional protections for the lifesaving Coast Guard air facility in Newport, Oregon that were included in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018. "This facility is critical to the Coast Guard's search-and-rescue operations. It can make the difference between life and death both for central Oregon Coast residents and visitors to our state's beaches," said Wyden. "Today's … Continue Reading
November 14, 2018
Wyden, Harris Introduce Legislation to Improve Resettlement Process for Unaccompanied Children, Protect Sponsors
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Kamala D. Harris today introduced legislation that would provide for the safety and welfare of unaccompanied children. The Families Not Facilities Act would prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using information gathered in resettling unaccompanied immigrant children to take civil enforcement actions against individuals in the homes of prospective sponsors, while shifting ICE enforcement funds to the needs of at-risk … Continue Reading
November 07, 2018
Wyden Statement on Trump’s Appointment of Matt Whitaker as Acting Attorney General to Protect Himself from Mueller Investigation
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., warned against any interference in Robert Mueller's investigation following the announcement that Matt Whitaker would be named acting attorney general. Last year, Whitaker speculated that Trump would fire Jeff Sessions and appoint a replacement to cut Mueller's budget and prevent Mueller from continuing a full investigation of Trump and his campaign's ties to Russia. He also asserted that any Mueller investigation into Trump's financial ties to Russia … Continue Reading
November 05, 2018
Wyden: Voting Machine Problems, Long Lines, Demonstrate Need for Paper Ballots and Vote By Mail
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., renewed his call for paper ballots and voting by mail, following reports of voting machine glitches in Georgia and Texas and long lines at early voting sites across the country. "This election has already put a spotlight on the fact that too many voters are stuck with glitchy, insecure voting machines that are hard to use and easy to hack. There's a better way: Paper ballots and voting at home give voters the convenience and security they want, … Continue Reading
November 05, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Announce Nearly $10 Million in Head Start Grants for Oregon
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Head Start programs in Multnomah, Jackson and Yamhill counties will receive more than $9.9 million in federal grants. "As a long-time supporter of Head Start, I know these investments in Oregonians at an early age produces lifetime dividends for them and their communities," Wyden said. "Providing preschool children with early educational opportunities increases their opportunity to move up America's economic ladder, … Continue Reading
November 02, 2018
Senators Call for Additional Funding to Ensure Effective Responses to Massive Wildfires
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, today led a bipartisan group of their colleagues in requesting funding to modernize firefighting assets so the U.S. Forest Service can more effectively respond, in a cost-effective manner, to devastating wildfires. The senators, in letters to Senate Committee on Appropriations leadership and the U.S. Forest Service, highlight the need for a modern, highly capable large air tanker and water-scooper fleet-proven to be … Continue Reading
November 01, 2018
Wyden Releases Discussion Draft of Legislation to Provide Real Protections for Americans’ Privacy
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released a discussion draft of sweeping new legislation that would empower consumers to control their personal information, create radical transparency into how corporations use and share their data, and impose harsh fines and prison terms for executives at corporations that misuse Americans' data. "Today's economy is a giant vacuum for your personal information - Everything you read, everywhere you go, everything you buy and everyone you talk to is … Continue Reading
October 31, 2018
Wyden Blasts Director of National Intelligence for Refusal to Publicly Answer Questions About Election Interference
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats refused to provide an unclassified answer to Senate questions about Donald Trump's claims regarding Chinese interference in US elections. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence provided only a classified response today. "You can't have it both ways. If the president is making public statements about intelligence issues, there's no excuse for the DNI to hide … Continue Reading
October 31, 2018
Wyden Joins Blumenthal & Warren to Demand Interior Secretary Zinke Reimburse Taxpayers for Personal Use of Public Resources
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., to demand Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke cease using taxpayer-funded activities for personal gain and reimburse the federal government for his private uses of public resources. Last week, the Department of the Interior's Inspector General issued a report showing that Zinke repeatedly skirted agency policy in order to allow family members, friends, and other special … Continue Reading
October 30, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Seek Answers from Interior on Public Land Advisory Group Vacancies & Nomination Process
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley requested that the Department of the Interior explain the high number of vacancies to advisory groups dedicated to ensuring critical community input in Oregon and nationally on public land management issues-and its failure to reappoint well-qualified, well-regarded and widely-supported volunteers. The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) are comprised of 10 to 15 members with diverse backgrounds and … Continue Reading
