Press Releases
Wyden Statement on Overturning Veteran Pension Reductions
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement after voting to pass legislation that will protect current military retirees and servicemembers from the cost of living adjustment (COLA) reductions adopted late last year. The bill passed the Senate 95-3 and passed the House of Representatives earlier in the week. "Changing the rules in the middle of a game isn't right. Unfortunately, Congress did just that when it reduced the COLA for working-age military … Continue Reading
February 11, 2014
Oregon Senators Introduce Drought Relief Legislation
WASHINGTON - Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden this week teamed up with Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer (both D-CA) to introduce drought relief legislation to help farmers, businesses and communities suffering from historic drought conditions in Oregon and California. The legislation establishes emergency provisions to assist drought-affected areas, as well as $300 million in emergency assistance. "Even though the Willamette Valley was hit hard by snow over the weekend, … Continue Reading
February 06, 2014
Wyden O&C Bill Moves Forward in Energy Committee
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden's bill to create stable jobs, sustainable forestry and permanent conservation gains on Oregon's O&C Lands took a step forward today, when the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the bill. Wyden, D-Ore., is the chairman of the committee. Wyden said the bill offers a fresh approach to increasing timber harvests, while creating ironclad protections for clean drinking water, wildlife and old growth trees. By using the best science … Continue Reading
February 05, 2014
Pacific Northwest Research Station, OSU, Chosen to be Climate Change Research Hub
Washington, DC - Today, Oregon Representative Peter DeFazio and Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley applauded the Obama Administration's selection of Oregon State University to be one of seven Regional Hubs for Risk Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change. As announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the OSU Hub will address increasing risks due to climate change such as fires, invasive pests, devastating floods and crippling droughts in the Pacific … Continue Reading
February 04, 2014
Wyden Applauds Passage of Farm Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden applauded today's final passage of the 2014 Farm Bill and commended Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow for moving the legislation forward. "Chairwoman Stabenow did a remarkable job of showing how it's still possible to get things done in Washington," Wyden said. "The Farm Bill provides certainty and a strong safety net for the agricultural community for the next five years." The Agricultural Act of 2014, known … Continue Reading
January 31, 2014
Wyden Cosponsors Bill to Provide Justice to Servicemembers Discharged Over Sexual Orientation
WASHINGTON - More than two years after the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the military records of many servicemembers forced out of service due to their sexual orientation do not reflect an honorable discharge. After serving their country, these folks now carry a mark on their permanent record and are often unable to access veterans benefits they would otherwise receive. In the most extreme cases, they are even legally barred from calling themselves a veteran. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden … Continue Reading
January 29, 2014
Wyden Statement at Senate Intelligence Committee’s Open Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) delivered the following statement prior to questioning senior Intelligence Community officials during the Senate Intelligence Committee's open hearing. Wyden is a senior member of the Intelligence committee. "The men and women of America's intelligence agencies are overwhelmingly dedicated professionals and they deserve to have leadership that is trusted by the American people. Unfortunately, that trust has been seriously undermined by senior … Continue Reading
January 23, 2014
Wyden Statement on PCLOB Report on Bulk Collection
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement regarding the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board's report on bulk collection. Wyden is a senior member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. "The privacy board's findings closely mirror many of the criticisms made by surveillance reform advocates. The bulk collection program was built on a murky legal foundation that raises many constitutional questions and has been proven to be an ineffective tool … Continue Reading
January 17, 2014
Senators Wyden, Udall, Heinrich Statement on President’s Announcement on Surveillance Reform
Washington, D.C. - Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), members of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, reacted to today's speech by President Obama outlining his directive on reforming surveillance powers. The senators have been longtime advocates for reining in overbroad surveillance powers and protecting Americans' privacy. They issued the following statement: "After the long push to rein in overbroad surveillance powers, we are … Continue Reading
January 16, 2014
Wyden Announces Hearing on O&C Lands Bill
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced the Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the O&C Lands Act of 2013 on February 6. The bill will double the timber harvest on O&C Lands in 18 Oregon counties, giving mills and rural communities a predictable, sustainable source of timber from federal lands. And it uses proven science from two renowned Northwest foresters to design harvests in a way that mimics natural processes, without resorting to clear … Continue Reading
January 16, 2014
Wyden Begins 19th Year of Town Halls with 11 Meetings
Jefferson County Town Hall: Date: Time: Location: Saturday, January 18, 2014 10 a.m. Madras City Hall 125 SW "E" Street Madras Deschutes County Town Hall: Date: Time: Location: Saturday, January 18, 2014 1 p.m. Bend Senior Center 1600 SE Reed Market Road Bend Crook County Town Hall: Date: Time: Location: Saturday, January 18, 2014 4 p.m. Prineville Senior Center 180 NE Belknap Street Prineville Marion County … Continue Reading
January 15, 2014
Bipartisan, Bicameral Medicare Reforms Seek to Improve Care and Lower Costs
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and U.S. Representatives Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., and Peter Welch, D-Vt., today introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation aimed at providing better care at lower cost for the millions of Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions. The Better Care, Lower Cost Act seeks to improve care coordination for beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions, the most-expensive and fastest-growing portion of the … Continue Reading
January 14, 2014
Sens. Paul, Wyden and Gillibrand Introduce Bill to Repeal AUMF for Iraq
WASHINGTON - Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) today introduced S.1919, which would repeal the Authorization of Military Force (AUMF) for Iraq and officially bring the Iraq war to a close. This bipartisan effort is co-sponsored by Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Jon Tester (D- Mont.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). "Two years ago, President Obama declared the war in Iraq over. With the return of our troops and … Continue Reading
January 10, 2014
Udall, Wyden, Heinrich Press White House to Make Common-Sense, Constitutional Reforms to NSA Surveillance, Protect Privacy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) - all members of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence - in a letter pressed the White House today to take swift action to rein in the National Security Agency's pervasive and constitutionally flawed domestic surveillance activities and to adopt reforms that protect privacy while ensuring American security. The senators urged the president in their letter to adopt many of the … Continue Reading
December 20, 2013
Wyden Statement on Senator Baucus’ Nomination to be Ambassador to China
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement regarding Senator Baucus' nomination to be Ambassador to China: "I want to congratulate my friend and colleague Max Baucus on the next step in his career in public service. Like his personal mentor Mike Mansfield, he has served Montana and the nation with great distinction for decades and has left his mark on the Senate and the Finance Committee. Our diplomatic relationships in East Asia are some of the most … Continue Reading
December 19, 2013
Energy Committee Passes Wyden Eastside Forest Bill
Washington, D.C. - The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., that would boost timber harvests while protecting and restoring old growth forests in Oregon. "The eastern part of my state is down to only a small handful of surviving timber mills," Wyden said. "Yet without them, there's going to be no restoration of Oregon's eastside forests, and none of the jobs - none of the jobs - that they provide in rural … Continue Reading
December 19, 2013
Wyden, Crapo Introduce Bipartisan Wildfire Funding Reform Legislation
Washington, D.C. - Today Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, introduced a bill to reform federal wildfire policy, target more funding for fire prevention, and treat the largest wildfires as natural disasters. "This is about as common-sense as it gets: Congress needs to fund the biggest, most catastrophic wildfires like the natural disasters they are, and free up funding to break the destructive cycle that underfunds … Continue Reading
December 18, 2013
Wyden Statement on Report from the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement regarding today's report from the President's Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies. "I was particularly pleased with the Review Group's finding that the information collected by the NSA bulk phone records collection program 'was not essential to preventing attacks and could readily have been obtained in a timely manner using conventional section 215 orders.'* I have been arguing for two … Continue Reading
December 16, 2013
Wyden Statement on U.S. District Court Ruling on Bulk Collection of Phone Records
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement regarding the U.S. District Court's ruling on bulk collection of phone records. "Judge Leon's ruling hits the nail on the head. It makes clear that bulk phone records collection is intrusive digital surveillance and not simply inoffensive data collection as some have said. The court noted that this metadata can be used for 'repetitive, surreptitious surveillance of a citizen's private goings on,' that creates a … Continue Reading
December 12, 2013
Chaffetz, Wyden Ask Holder to Release Unredacted Geolocation Memos
WASHINGTON- Today, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder requesting the release of the two Department of Justice (DOJ) legal memoranda written in the wake of the 2012 Supreme Court case, United States v. Jones. In Jones, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that physically attaching a GPS device to a vehicle constituted a search under the 4th Amendment. However, the Court did not specify whether the government was required … Continue Reading
