Press Releases
Wyden Renews Call for Paper Ballots and Mandatory Audits, After DHS Secretary Says Paperless Voting Machines Pose “A National Security Concern”
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called for all states to adopt paper ballots and post-election audits, following a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on election security today. "Americans don't expect states, much less county officials, to fight America's wars," Wyden said. "The Russians have attacked our election infrastructure and leaving our defenses to states and local entities, in my view, is not an adequate response. Our country needs baseline, mandatory, federal election … Continue Reading
March 20, 2018
Wyden Presses Energy Secretary over Possible Hanford Cleanup Cover-up, Trump Administration Proposal to Privatize Bonneville Power
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today pressed Energy Secretary Rick Perry over new reports that an Energy Department project manager was transferred after raising concerns about the safety and viability of the steel used to build a plant meant to treat radioactive nuclear waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington State. The employee, Bill Hamel, had been the federal project director overseeing construction at the Waste Treatment Plant at Hanford until last week, when … Continue Reading
March 20, 2018
Wyden Introduces School Safety Bill
Washington - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today co-sponsored the Safe Schools Improvement Act, a bill that works to ensure that no child is afraid to go to school for fear of unchecked bullying and harassment. "Students and their parents should know their schools as safe and welcoming places to learn, with assurances there is a zero tolerance policy on bullying," Wyden said. "This legislation would ensure school districts across the country take every possible step to protect children from … Continue Reading
March 19, 2018
Wyden Questions Facebook on Misuse of Users’ Private Information
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked Facebook to detail the extent of misuse of its users' private information, in a letter to CEO Mark Zuckerberg sent today. His letter follows reporting by the New York Times and Facebook's own admission that about 50 million users' data was downloaded and subsequently used by Cambridge Analytica, a political advertising firm, without the affirmative knowledge or consent of those users. "The troubling reporting on the ease with which Cambridge … Continue Reading
March 15, 2018
Wyden, Paul Ask DOJ to Clarify Protection of Email Communications under Fourth Amendment
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., this week asked the Department of Justice to clarify whether they believe that an individual's emails are protected from warrantless government searches under the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment protects Americans against warrantless search and seizure by the government. The Department of Justice has long taken the position that these protections do not extend to electronic communications stored in the cloud, … Continue Reading
March 15, 2018
Wyden, Colleagues Call on Key Senate Committee to Take Action on Legislation to Fund Gun Violence Research at CDC
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and 25 other senators today called on leaders of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee to immediately act on legislation to fund gun violence prevention research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Wyden and his colleagues introduced legislation last year (S. 834) to provide $60 million for the CDC to conduct or support research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention. In today's letter, the … Continue Reading
March 15, 2018
Wyden, Merkley, Tester, Shaheen, Hassan Introduce Legislation to Push Back Against Nationwide Internet Sales Tax
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) are taking a stand against a nationwide online sales tax. The senators representing states without a sales tax introduced a resolution opposing a bill that would require businesses selling products or services over the internet to collect sales tax, even if the seller is located in a state without a sales tax. "Passage of the Marketplace Fairness … Continue Reading
March 14, 2018
Wyden Votes Against Anti-Consumer Senate Banking Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today voted against legislation that would cut protections for consumers Congress put in place after the 2008 financial crisis. The Senate banking bill weakens regulatory protections enacted after the 2008 financial crisis by substantially relaxing consumer protections and reducing the number of banks subject to heightened regulatory scrutiny. "After the Equifax security breach and Wells Fargo customer abuses, it's clear there's more work to be … Continue Reading
March 14, 2018
Wyden Co-sponsors Legislation to Fully Fund Special Education
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he is co-sponsoring a bill that would finally ensure Congress' commitment to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), decades-old legislation to ensure every child with a disability has access to educational opportunity. Wyden said the IDEA Full Funding Act introduced by Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., would fix Congress' failure to provide funding promised by the historic IDEA when it … Continue Reading
March 13, 2018
Wyden Response to Klamath Basin Drought Declaration
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement in response to today's drought declaration by Gov. Kate Brown for the Klamath Basin: "Ahead of what looks to be another devastating drought year facing the Klamath Basin, I heard one thing clearly last weekend at my Klamath Falls town hall and throughout Klamath County: everybody is hurting - the tribes, ranchers, farmers, small businesses, fishing families, conservationists, and we're going to have to work together … Continue Reading
March 13, 2018
Wyden Slams Zinke over Efforts to Gut the Land and Water Conservation Fund
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today slammed Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke over the Trump administration's budget that would gut funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). During today's Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing, Wyden noted that Zinke said nine times during his Senate confirmation hearing last year that he considered himself a Teddy Roosevelt Republican - one committed to preserving our country's national treasures. Wyden said Zinke's record in … Continue Reading
March 13, 2018
Wyden Opposes Nominations of Pompeo and Haspel
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued the following statement opposing the nominations of Mike Pompeo to serve as secretary of state, and Gina Haspel to serve as director of the Central Intelligence Agency "I oppose the nominations of both Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state and Gina Haspel to be CIA director. Before and after his confirmation as CIA director, Mike Pompeo has demonstrated a casual relationship to truth and … Continue Reading
March 08, 2018
Wyden, Hatch Introduce Legislation to Increase Access to Retirement Savings
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today introduced the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2018 (RESA), which aims to increase voluntary retirement savings and includes a provision to establish more flexible multiple employer plans. "Working Americans are struggling to set money aside for retirement," Wyden said. "This bipartisan bill gives employers incentives to make it easier for their employees to save. … Continue Reading
March 07, 2018
Wyden, Hood River Student Call on Congress to Act on Gun Safety
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today said at a hearing with Senate Democratic leadership that Congress can no longer do nothing in the face of gun violence ripping through schools and communities across America. Testifying at the hearing was 16-year-old Eva Jones, a sophomore at Hood River Valley High School, who Wyden invited to share her experience as a student working to prevent gun violence. "Mass shootings and school massacres have become disturbingly common in our country. … Continue Reading
March 07, 2018
Wyden Works to Boost Opportunities for Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses in Senate Banking Bill
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced a measure to expand access to business opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses. Wyden filed an amendment to legislation the Senate is considering this week would address the existing lending gap for women- and minority-owned businesses and encourage more lending to women and minorities trying to start or help grow their small business. It would require the enforcement of a rule created under the Dodd-Frank Act that … Continue Reading
March 07, 2018
Wyden, Merkley, Walden: Klamath Water Agreement is “Attainable”
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Rep. Greg Walden said today that a long-term water agreement in the Klamath Basin can be achieved with the continued help of the Interior Department. The three Oregon lawmakers said in their letter to Deputy Commissioner Alan Mikkelsen, senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, that they appreciated the assistance provided by the Interior Department. And they told Mikkelsen they stand ready to work with him and all … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Wyden, Bonamici Push for Lifeline Funding for Rural Counties in Must-Pass Government Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., along with a bipartisan group of members of Congress and county commissioners from across the country, today urged Congress to provide long-term, lifeline funding for rural counties in upcoming must-pass legislation. In a news conference next to the U.S. Capitol steps, Wyden, Bonamici and county commissioners including Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith called on Congress to reauthorize the Secure Rural … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Wyden Questions Voting Machine Manufacturer on Security Weakness Posed By Remote Access
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today asked the nation's largest voting machine manufacturer, ES&S, to explain whether it sells voting machines or other products with remote-access software, which could be exploited by hackers to compromise the machines. The New York Times Magazine reported last month that ES&S sold voting machines and other election-management products with pre-installed remote-access software. Allowing remote access significantly weakens the security of … Continue Reading
March 05, 2018
Wyden Sends Additional Questions to NRA Regarding Alexander Torshin and Foreign Funding
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today sent a series of additional questions to the National Rifle Association about whether it receives funding from foreign sources, including Russia. The letter follows on questions Sen. Wyden sent on Feb. 2, regarding reported financial ties between the NRA and Russia, which the NRA did not address in a response sent last month. Meanwhile, media reports have indicated close ties between the NRA and Russian oligarch Alexander Torshin. "I remain … Continue Reading
March 01, 2018
Wyden Hosts Three Town Halls Next Week
Portland - Senator Ron Wyden will hold town halls next week in Jefferson, Deschutes and Klamath counties. These upcoming three town halls will increase to 879 the number of town halls Wyden has held since promising when first elected to hold annual town halls in each of Oregon's 36 counties. "These open-to-all town halls represent the best of our state's proven tradition of participatory democracy, which depends on all Oregonians having the opportunity to ask any question of the people they … Continue Reading
