Press Releases
Wyden, Udall Introduce Bill to End Sweetheart Deals for Coal Companies
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Tom Udall, D-N.M., today introduced legislation to ensure American taxpayers receive the full value of coal produced on public lands. The Coal Royalty Fairness Act would require the Interior Department to collect royalties for coal mined on federal lands based on the actual market value of coal. Currently, some private mining companies sell coal to their own affiliated companies at a lower cost than market value, and pay federal royalties … Continue Reading
July 28, 2015
Wyden Praises News Senate Likely to Delay Vote on Flawed Cyber Bill
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today praised news that the Senate will likely delay consideration of a flawed cybersecurity bill for at least a month, but warned that defenders of Americans' privacy must mobilize to prevent the bill from being revived this fall. "This is a temporary victory, but any delay is a good delay when it comes to a flawed bill that threatens Americans' privacy without making our personal information any safer. The grassroots and privacy advocates … Continue Reading
July 28, 2015
Wyden Blocks Intelligence Authorization Bill Over Flawed Provision Targeting Social Media Platforms
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today placed a hold on the 2016 Intelligence Authorization bill over a flawed provision that would require companies like Twitter and Facebook to make judgments about when users' speech constitutes "terrorist activity." The provision would require Internet and social media companies to report to the government any "terrorist activity" they are aware of on their platforms. After hearing concerns from a number of companies, Wyden warned this … Continue Reading
July 28, 2015
VIDEO: Wyden, Baldwin, Brewers: Pass Legislation to Boost Craft Beverage Businesses & American Economy
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., hosted a "Happy Half-Hour Hangout" on Google yesterday with craft brewers Gary Fish, owner of Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon, and Jeff Hamilton, President of Sprecher Brewing Co. in Glendale, Wisconsin. "From our discussion, it's clear our laws should be helping breweries and other craft beverage makers grow, not cut them off with redtape and taxes," Wyden said. "I look forward to working with Sen. Baldwin and … Continue Reading
July 22, 2015
Wyden, Senators Call on FCC To Apply Privacy Protections to Broadband
Washington, D.C. - In light of the recent Open Internet order, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently announced it will initiate a rulemaking to protect the privacy of consumers who use broadband. Today, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and seven other Senators to applaud the FCC's plan to initiate a rulemaking and urged it to adopt strong consumer privacy protections. The letter was signed by Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal … Continue Reading
July 16, 2015
Senate Holds Hearing on Wyden’s O&C Bill to Double Timber Harvests, Protect Oregon’s Treasures
Washington, D.C. - Only a balanced approach to managing Oregon's O&C lands can provide a lasting solution for Oregon's timber communities, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., emphasized in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing today. Wyden's O&C Lands Act of 2015, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley, would end the gridlock in Western Oregon forests by doubling the timber harvest on O&C lands over 50 years, while permanently protecting old-growth trees and clean … Continue Reading
July 14, 2015
Wyden Statement on Iran Agreement
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the agreement regarding Iran's nuclear program announced today: "My bottom line has always been that a nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable. That is why I fought to ensure that Congress had a strong voice in this process and the opportunity to thoroughly scrutinize any agreement. I said all along I was skeptical that Iran's leaders would agree to dismantle their nuclear weapons program and I have questions about … Continue Reading
July 14, 2015
Oregon Lawmakers Blast KBR’s Decision to Target Sick Oregon Veterans, Call on Pentagon to End Legal Purgatory
Washington, D.C. -Oregon lawmakers called on the Defense Department to quickly reach a fair settlement with 12 Oregon veterans who were sickened after being exposed to a toxic chemical in Iraq a decade ago. Those Oregon National Guard soldiers were stationed at the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant in Iraq, which was managed by the military contactor KBR. After a decade of legal wrangling, which included an $85 million award by a Portland jury, an unrelated Supreme Court case resulted in the … Continue Reading
July 13, 2015
Senators Ask Federal Agencies About Efforts to Facilitate Medical Marijuana Research
WASHINGTON, DC - A group of eight United States senators today sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requesting information about the agencies' efforts to facilitate and coordinate scientific research on medical marijuana. The letter was signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff … Continue Reading
July 09, 2015
Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduces Legislation to Provide Access to Banking Services for Legal Marijuana Businesses
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, a bipartisan group of senators, Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., introduced the Marijuana Businesses Access to Banking Act of 2015, legislation to ensure that legal marijuana businesses can access banking services. Currently, marijuana businesses operating under state laws that have legalized medicinal or recreational marijuana have been mostly denied access to the banking system because banks that … Continue Reading
July 09, 2015
Wyden Praises Increased Focus on Graduation Rates in Senate Education Reform Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today applauded the inclusion of his provision to help boost high school graduation rates in Oregon and across the country in a bill to reauthorize federal education funding that is currently being considered in the U.S. Senate. The Wyden-authored provision would make more low-income and low-performing middle and high schools eligible for federal funding that can be used to help schools enhance student achievement. The provision expands … Continue Reading
July 09, 2015
Senate Democrats Call for Equal Dignity in the Tax Code
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore. along with the full Senate Democratic Caucus today unveiled legislation providing equal dignity for all legal marriages in the tax code. The bill, the "Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act" sets new precedent by removing gender-specific references to marriage, enshrining dignity and recognition for LGBTQ Americans in the tax code. "It's about time that we update our tax law to reflect the institution of legal … Continue Reading
June 30, 2015
Wyden Blasts Unnecessary Resumption of NSA Phone Records Dragnet
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today criticized a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court decision allowing the NSA to resume collecting millions of Americans' phone records. The decision allows five more months of the NSA dragnet, before the phone records program is banned for good. "I see no reason for the Executive Branch to restart bulk collection, even for a few months. This illegal dragnet surveillance violated Americans' rights for fourteen years without making our … Continue Reading
June 29, 2015
Wyden to Visit All of Oregon’s Seven Wonders in Seven Days
Portland, OR - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden joined with Travel Oregon officials on Monday to kick off his weeklong tour of the state's 7 Wonders, spotlighting the huge economic role each natural icon plays in creating recreation and tourism jobs throughout Oregon. Wyden's news conference with Travel Oregon and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer was at KEEN, one of the many Oregon businesses that benefits from the economic spinoffs of the state's recreation economy. Wyden's trip through Fourth of July weekend … Continue Reading
June 26, 2015
Wyden Statement on Supreme Court Marriage Equality Decision
WASHINGTON - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of marriage equality in Obergefell v. Hodges: "The Supreme Court's decision is a wonderful leap forward along the arc toward justice Dr. King spoke of, in recognizing that all Americans should have the freedom to marry the person they love," Wyden said. "But the fight for equality does not end today. As lawmakers, we must … Continue Reading
June 25, 2015
Wyden: State Department Should Not OK Arms Sales to Bahrain
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today urged the State Department not to allow certain arms sales to Bahrain until the Persian Gulf nation makes major improvements on human rights. A Bloomberg View article last week reported that Secretary of State John Kerry had committed to resume arms sales to Bahrain, despite a long list of human rights violations detailed in the department's own Human Rights Report. In April, Amnesty International found the Bahrain government continues to … Continue Reading
June 24, 2015
Wyden, Markey, Franken, Blumenthal, Cantwell, Call on FCC to Boost Mobile Competition in Spectrum Auction
WASHINGTON - Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) today sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging it to craft spectrum auction rules for the upcoming incentive auction that increase competition, innovation and consumer choice in the mobile phone marketplace by ensuring that companies of all sizes have access to spectrum. With demand for data-driven wireless devices … Continue Reading
June 18, 2015
Wyden-Crapo Fire Funding Provision Included in Interior Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. Provisions to pay for the most extreme wildfires through federal disaster funding were included in the Fiscal Year 2016 Interior Appropriations Bill, which was passed by a Senate panel today. The funding method is similar to legislation introduced by Senators Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), who have been concerned that firefighting budgets in recent years have taken funding from other programs, including those that restore habitat and maintain jobs in national … Continue Reading
June 18, 2015
Following Action by Wyden, Brown and Merkley, VA Finalizes Rule to Extend Benefits to Reservists Exposed to Agent Orange Residue
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. today applauded news that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has released a final decision that qualifies reservists who served on Fairchild UC-123 Provider (C-123) aircraft, that were previously contaminated with Agent Orange, as veterans so they can receive proper healthcare and disability benefits. On June 10, the senators blocked the confirmation of Dr. David J. Shulkin, President Obama's … Continue Reading
June 17, 2015
Wyden, Heller Bill Requires Warrants For Aerial Surveillance
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., today introduced the Protecting Individuals From Mass Aerial Surveillance Act, which requires the federal government to obtain a warrant when it conducts aerial surveillance in the United States. As new technology like high-quality digital cameras, cellphone tracking equipment and low-cost unmanned aerial systems (UASs) have removed barriers to monitoring Americans from the air, this bipartisan legislation would create … Continue Reading
