Press Releases
Wyden Statement on President’s Address to Joint Session of Congress
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the president's first address to a joint session of Congress: "At town halls all across Oregon last week, I heard from thousands of people who are hungry for real solutions. They believe in the Oregon Way, where it doesn't matter what your party is, it matters that you have good ideas, and the willingness to fight for them. Unfortunately, the president has not kept the promises he made to millions of … Continue Reading
February 27, 2017
Wyden Votes “Present” on Zinke Procedural Vote
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after voting "present" on a Senate procedural vote tonight that begins debate on the nomination of Rep. Ryan Zinke to be the next secretary of the Department of the Interior. "Congressman Zinke and I have had several discussions about forestry - especially about how to get the harvest up in a sustainable way, create jobs in rural America and protect our special places," Wyden said. "Yet so far, it has proven … Continue Reading
February 27, 2017
Wyden, Merkley, Blumenauer, Bonamici Invite Outdoor Retailers to “See all that Oregon has to Offer”
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici today touted Oregon's flourishing outdoor recreation industry and wide array of recreation opportunities to pitch outdoor retailers on moving their semiannual convention to the state. In a letter today to the Outdoor Retailer trade show, Wyden, Merkley, Blumenauer, and Bonamici called Oregon "the ideal showcase location for travelers from across the country and across the … Continue Reading
February 24, 2017
Wyden: Claims by White House Chief of Staff Require More Transparency from FBI
Washington, D.C. - Following recent claims made by White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today demanded more transparency from Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey about any investigations into Trump associates' ties to Russia. "Politicized assertions by White House Chief of Staff Priebus about what may or may not be the findings of an FBI investigation are exactly the wrong way for the public to hear about an issue that is of grave … Continue Reading
February 23, 2017
Wyden Statement on White House Comments Against Legal Marijuana
Medford, Ore. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer today made comments disparaging the decisions American voters have made to legalize recreational marijuana in eight states and Washington, D.C. "The federal government needs to respect the decisions of Oregon voters. Instead, the Trump Administration is threatening states' rights, including the rights of one in five Americans who live in a state where marijuana is legal," … Continue Reading
February 20, 2017
Wyden Questions Misguided Digital Border Searches
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today asked the Department of Homeland Security to explain reports of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents demanding access to Americans' locked phones and other digital devices when crossing the U.S. border. Wyden also asked about the department's plans to require visitors to the United States to turn over their private social medial passwords as a condition of entry. "These digital dragnet border search practices weaken our national and … Continue Reading
February 17, 2017
Wyden to Keep Pushing for Transparency to Protect Animals from Abuse
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today pledged to keep fighting to ensure transparency in animal welfare violations after the U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed to restore a small portion of public information to its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website. Earlier this week, Wyden and 17 of his Democratic Senate colleagues called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to again make publically available animal welfare inspection reports for regulated … Continue Reading
February 17, 2017
Wyden, Bonamici Lead Oregon Lawmakers, 76 Members of Congress in Push to Restore Critical Funding for Rural Counties
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in urging Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to include adequate funding for the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program in the president's budget for fiscal year 2018. Wyden and Bonamici were joined by Oregon lawmakers Sen. Jeff Merkley and Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Kurt Schrader and Peter DeFazio, along with 76 other members of Congress in a letter … Continue Reading
February 17, 2017
Wyden to Vote “No” on Scott Pruitt to Head the Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., will vote against confirming Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today. "Americans ought to have confidence that the head of the EPA recognizes what this job is all about - defending the health of families and communities, not the profits of energy companies or any other special interest. Yet Mr. Pruitt has given no such assurance. "The EPA is at the heart of maintaining clean air and clean water for every … Continue Reading
February 16, 2017
Wyden, Merkley Demand Scott Pruitt Recuse Himself from All Issues Related to Lawsuits He Brought Against the EPA to Overturn or Weaken Clean Air and Water Pollution Rules
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with 28 other senators today called on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator nominee Scott Pruitt to recuse himself from participating in any matter related to litigation that he pursued against the EPA as Oklahoma Attorney General. In a letter to Pruitt, the senators specifically called on Pruitt to recuse himself from decisions on how the EPA will defend itself against the lawsuits he brought for as … Continue Reading
February 16, 2017
Wyden Introduces Shortline and Regional Railroad Bill
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden today introduced bipartisan legislation that would make permanent a tax credit key to rehabilitating shortline and regional railroads in Oregon and nationwide. "These railroads play an essential role in creating good jobs throughout Oregon by providing a crucial link in the chain to move goods made and grown in our state to factories, grain elevators, mills, and other parts of the economy," said Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. "My … Continue Reading
February 15, 2017
Wyden, Chaffetz, Conyers Bill To Crack Down on Warrantless Tracking by the Government, Use of Cell-Site Technology
Washington, D.C. - As government agencies expand their use of cell-site simulators or "stingrays" and other digital tracking technology, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, and Rep. John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich., today introduced the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act, to create clear rules for when agencies can access and track an individual's geolocation information. "Outdated laws shouldn't be an excuse for open season on tracking Americans, and owning a smartphone or … Continue Reading
February 15, 2017
Wyden Introduces KOMBUCHA Act
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden today introduced bipartisan legislation that would modernize outdated federal alcohol taxes and regulations on kombucha companies in Oregon and nationwide. "The growth of kombucha production in our state and throughout the country creates jobs and a tasty beverage," Wyden said. "This legislation would update taxes and regulations so these small businesses can continue to build on their achievements creating good jobs and good flavor for kombucha's many … Continue Reading
February 14, 2017
Wyden Statement on Voting “No” on Linda McMahon to Lead the Small Business Administration
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement after voting against Linda McMahon's confirmation to be the head of the Small Business Administration: "Linda McMahon was the CEO of a wrestling company that made its fortune in part by denying its own workers basic safety protections and health benefits. The head of the Small Business Administration must be a champion of small businesses and employees - not someone who saves a buck by taking advantage … Continue Reading
February 14, 2017
Wyden Statement on the Resignation of Michael Flynn
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement today on the resignation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. "The resignation of Michael Flynn, while necessary and appropriate, must not be the end of tough questions about Trump associates' ties to Russia. It is more important than ever that there be a thorough and transparent investigation. The American people deserve the full truth about what has happened to their democracy," Wyden said. Wyden is a … Continue Reading
February 13, 2017
Wyden Presses Interior Department over Firefighting Hiring Concerns
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden today asked the Interior Department for a swift response to growing concerns in Oregon and nationwide about the impact of the unilateral White House action imposing a 90-day federal employee hiring freeze on rural communities' need to have enough seasonal workers to fight forest fires. "I joined my Oregon colleagues in a recent letter outlining our concerns about the federal hiring freeze and potential negative effects on wildland firefighting for the 2017 … Continue Reading
February 13, 2017
Wyden, Senators Demand Trump Administration Restores Transparency for USDA Records on Animal Cruelty, Puppy Mills
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and 17 of his Democratic Senate colleagues today called on the Trump Administration to immediately restore information on animal cruelty recently purged from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website. In order to create greater transparency, accountability and enforcement of animal cruelty laws, APHIS makes available to the public inspection reports for all regulated … Continue Reading
February 10, 2017
Wyden Statement on Reported Flynn Conversations With Russian Ambassador
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on press reports regarding conversations between National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak: "I have repeatedly pressed the executive branch and FBI Director Comey in particular to provide more information to the American people about Russian interference in our election and any investigations of links between the Russian government and Trump associates," Wyden said. "These latest … Continue Reading
February 10, 2017
Wyden Questions FBI Limits on Online FOIA Filings
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked the Federal Bureau of Investigations to explain limits for online Freedom of Information Act requests, which are reportedly set to take effect next month. "While it is admirable that the FBI has sought to make it easier to receive and process FOIA requests, there are a number of limitations with the online portal. These limitations may become serious problems if this system is to be the sole method through which the agency can receive digital … Continue Reading
February 08, 2017
Wyden and Other Senate, House Natural Resource Leaders Blast Dakota Access Pipeline Decision, Stand up for Tribal Sovereignty and Treaty Rights
Washington, D.C. - In a letter to the president, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined other members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the House Committee on Natural Resources to blast the administration's approval of a final easement to build the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and its failure to undertake meaningful consultation with Native American tribes. "This blatant disregard for federal law and our country's treaty and trust responsibilities to Native American tribes is … Continue Reading
