Press Releases
Wyden Pushes to Protect Public Lands, Boost Women-Owned Businesses in Senate Budget
Washington, D.C. - Ahead of a Thursday session to negotiate a Senate version of the congressional budget, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., filed two amendments this week to protect public lands and boost opportunities for women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. One of Wyden's amendments to the Senate budget bill this week would take the first step to allow Congress to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which is critical to protecting public lands and providing access … Continue Reading
October 04, 2017
Merkley, Wyden, Feinstein, Harris Urge NOAA to Declare Fisheries Disaster
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined with California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris to push the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to act quickly and support a catastrophic regional fishery disaster declaration requested by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and California Gov. Jerry Brown. The fishery disaster declarations have been pending since May, when the governors made a combined request after nearly 200 miles of coast in Oregon … Continue Reading
October 03, 2017
Wyden Questions Voting Machine Manufacturers on Security Measures
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked the top six U.S. voting machine manufacturers what steps they are taking to protect themselves from cyberattack, in a letter sent today. Wyden's letter follows repeated warnings from intelligence agencies that Russia and other foreign actors may try to target U.S. election infrastructure in upcoming elections, and comes after the Department of Homeland Security reported that Russian hackers targeted 21 states last year. "As our election systems … Continue Reading
October 03, 2017
Wyden, Bonamici Call for Strong Action to Protect Oregon Workers and Industry from Flood of Foreign Solar Panels
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici today called for a strong response to the surge of cheap solar panel imports that have devastated U.S. solar panel manufacturers. The Oregon lawmakers testified at the U.S. International Trade Commission on the need for U.S. action to stem the tide of overproduced, dumped and subsidized solar panels from China and other nations. That overproduction has forced more than 30 U.S. solar manufacturers out of business since 2010, … Continue Reading
September 29, 2017
Wyden Statement on Senate Budget Resolution
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement in response to the Senate Budget Committee's proposed 2018 budget resolution: "The Senate budget resolution released today would begin the process of providing lifeline funding for rural counties through Secure Rural Schools and the Payments in Lieu of Taxes programs. In addition, it makes room in the budget for necessary wildfire fighting funds," Wyden said. "But at the same time, Republicans are taking … Continue Reading
September 29, 2017
Wyden, Paul, Schatz Reintroduce Bill to Limit Transfer of Military Equipment to State and Local Law Enforcement
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii., this week reintroduced the Stop Militarizing Our Law Enforcement Act (S. 1856) to establish limitations and create greater transparency on the federal transfer of surplus military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies. "Oregonians respect local law enforcement but they don't expect patrols in our neighborhoods outfitted for war zones. Unfettered access to military equipment … Continue Reading
September 28, 2017
Wyden, Senators Slam Secretary DeVos for Decision to Undermine Rights of Campus Sexual Assault Survivors
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., demanded U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos reverse her direction to schools on investigations of sexual assault, saying it undermined the rights of sexual assault survivors and created chaos and confusion for schools. "Your action on Friday shows a clear lack of concern for the many requests of survivors of sexual assault and members of Congress who have asked you to leave the previous guidance in place," the senators wrote on Wednesday. … Continue Reading
September 28, 2017
Wyden Statement on Reports of Interior Department’s Intent to Reopen Sage Grouse Plans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement in response to press reports that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke intends to reopen federal land management plans for the Greater Sage-grouse to potentially allow more oil and gas development. Farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, and industry stakeholders spent years developing the current federal sage grouse habitat management plans to prevent an Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing of the Greater Sage-grouse. … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Wyden Announces Legislation to Spark Renewable Energy Development, Protect Power Grid from Natural Disasters
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced three new pieces of legislation that would make renewable energy more reliable and affordable for consumers by providing federal funding to states to update the power grid and encouraging research and development of new technologies. "America's energy grid is in need of an upgrade. These bills will promote a more flexible electricity grid that can respond to power disruptions from natural disasters and ensure reliable, low-cost … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Senate Passes Wyden’s CHRONIC Care Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said Wednesday he welcomed the Senate's unanimous passage this week of a bipartisan bill aimed at strengthening and improving health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries living with chronic conditions. The Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017 would help tens of thousands of Oregonian seniors and millions of Americans by coordinating their care so it's both more effective and … Continue Reading
September 26, 2017
Western Senators, Secretary of Agriculture Agree: Wildfire Funding Must be Fixed Now
Washington, D.C. - A bipartisan group of western senators pushing for their legislation to fix "fire borrowing" heard strong evidence from Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and fire experts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service that Congress should pass their bill to end fire borrowing. The Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, introduced by Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and five other bipartisan … Continue Reading
September 22, 2017
Wyden Announces Hold on Treasury Nominee over Agency’s Refusal to Provide Documents Related to Russia
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced he has placed a hold on the nomination of Isabel Patelunas, to serve as Assistant Secretary of Treasury. He issued the following statement: "I have placed a hold on the nominee because of the Treasury Department's refusal to provide the Senate Finance Committee with Treasury documents related to Russia," Wyden said. "The provision of these documents to the Committee is not only part of the oversight process, but is necessary if the … Continue Reading
September 21, 2017
Wyden, Merkley to Rail Officials: Halt Hazardous Materials Transport in Gorge While Wildfires Burn
Washington, DC - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today urged Burlington Northern Santa Fe to cease the rail transport of hazardous materials through the Columbia Gorge while wildfires there are active and the threat remains of flash flooding and rockslides. The Oregon lawmakers' letter to Burlington Northern Santa Fe CEO Matthew Rose comes as the Eagle Creek Fire and Archer Mountain Fire continue to burn and smolder in the Columbia River Gorge, near BNSF tracks. "These tragic events … Continue Reading
September 20, 2017
Wyden, Crapo, Bipartisan Senators to Congress: Permanent Wildfire Funding Fix Must be a Top Priority
Washington, D.C. - In the wake of historic wildfires in Oregon, Idaho, California, Washington and across the West, U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Jim Risch, R-Idaho, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., introduced an updated version of their bipartisan wildfire funding solution that would protect desperately needed funding for fire prevention and treat wildfires as … Continue Reading
September 18, 2017
Wyden Votes No on Massive Increase in Military Spending
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., voted 'no' on a bill today that allows a massive increase in military spending and undermines Buy America protections that create Made-in-the-USA jobs. The National Defense Authorization Act authorized $693 billion in military spending, a 9 percent increase over last year, at a time when spending on roads, bridges, education and other important priorities remains stagnant. "I can't sign off on another bill that OKs massive increases in military … Continue Reading
September 18, 2017
Wyden, Merkley Secure Their Provision in Defense Bill to Train National Guard Members to Fight Wildfires
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley tonight secured their provision in the Senate's defense bill that would provide federal funding to train members of the National Guard to fight wildfires. The Wyden-Merkley amendment would authorize federal funding to states to train their Guard members for wildfire response. It would give first preference to states with the most federal forest lands - states that have been hard-hit by this year's record-breaking wildfire season. … Continue Reading
September 18, 2017
Merkley, Wyden Respond to Trump Administration Assault on Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today responded to new reports that the Trump Administration will seek to shrink the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and diminish its protections. The Senators pointed out that the monument was expanded through an extensive public process, and that the Trump Administration's plans to shrink it disrespect the voice of the local community and rest on an unprecedented and legally dubious use of the Antiquities Act. The latest … Continue Reading
September 15, 2017
Wyden Applauds Senate’s Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Fight Human Trafficking
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues this week in applauding the passage of their anti-human trafficking legislation in the Senate. The Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017 would strengthen and reauthorize key programs that support survivors of human trafficking and provide resources to federal, state, and local law enforcement officials on the front lines of the fight against modern-day slavery. Additional cosponsors of the bill … Continue Reading
September 15, 2017
Wyden, Bipartisan Senators Introduce Bill to Address Workforce Shortages through Career and Technical Education
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., to introduce the bipartisan Middle School Technical Education Program (Middle STEP) Act, to give middle school students better access to career and technical education (CTE) programs focused on career exploration. The Middle STEP Act would establish a pilot program that allows middle schools to partner with colleges, other postsecondary institutions and local businesses to develop and … Continue Reading
September 15, 2017
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Amendment to Defense Bill to Train National Guard Members to Fight Wildfires
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week introduced an amendment to the Senate's defense bill that would help train additional members of the National Guard to fight wildfires. The Wyden-Merkley amendment would authorize federal funding to train Guard members for wildfire response. It would also give first preference to states with the most federal forest lands - states like Oregon that have been hard-hit by this year's record-breaking wildfire season. Their … Continue Reading
