Press Releases
Wyden Secures Bipartisan Senate Majority for Closing Tar Sands Tax Loophole
Washington, D.C. - Led by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., an overwhelming bipartisan majority of U.S. Senate, including dozens of Republicans, today voted to close a tax loophole that gives millions of dollars to tar sands oil producers and leaves American taxpayers on the hook if that oil spills. "It is very significant that more than 70 senators voted for a nonbinding resolution to close an outlandish tax loophole that favors Canadian tar sands producers over American oil and American … Continue Reading
January 22, 2015
Wyden, Chaffetz Stand Up for Privacy with GPS Act
Washington, D.C. - In order to create clear rules about when law enforcement agencies can access and track Americans' electronic location data Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, reintroduced the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act (GPS Act) today. The bipartisan, bicameral bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and in the House by Reps. Peter Welch, D-VT and Jon Conyers Jr., D-MI. "Buying a smartphone shouldn't be interpreted as giving the government a … Continue Reading
January 22, 2015
Wyden, Crapo: Reforming Wildfire Funding Needs Immediate Action to Protect Rural America
Washington, D.C.- Today Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, introduced their bipartisan bill to overhaul federal wildfire policy to boost funding for fire prevention and treat the largest wildfires as natural disasters. "Catastrophic wildfires threaten homes and lives across Oregon and the West year after year, and the money to fight those fires falls short nearly every time," Wyden said. "The federal government needs to make sure it can invest in fire prevention AND fight … Continue Reading
January 21, 2015
Wyden Statement on Covering up Torture Report and Panetta Review
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on efforts to cover up the facts about torture by returning the Panetta Review to the CIA and pulling back all copies of the Senate Intelligence Committee's torture report from the executive branch: "The President has said that he wants to make sure that torture never happens again, so I'm confident he is going to make sure that the full Senate torture report is read by policymakers and officials across the government. … Continue Reading
January 21, 2015
Supreme Court Reaffirms Federal Whistleblower Protections
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court today reinforced important protections for federal workers who call attention to failures or wrongdoing in the government. The Court ruled in a 7-2 decision in Department of Homeland Security v. MacLean that disclosures by federal whistleblowers are protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act unless the disclosure is specifically prohibited by law, not merely prohibited by agency rules. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary … Continue Reading
January 20, 2015
Wyden’s Response to the State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON - "Tonight the President set out a new test for sustained economic growth," Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said. "This Congress will be measured by how much it increases wages for middle-class and all working families and expands opportunities in education and housing. I'm glad the President spent so much of his speech walking us through his ideas for providing opportunity in pay, housing and education and providing help for middle-class and all … Continue Reading
January 16, 2015
Leading Senate Democrats Join Together To Support Consumers, Open Internet For All
WASHINGTON - Democratic Senators Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Al Franken (Minn.), and Cory Booker (N.J.) issued a joint comment Friday in response to proposed legislation released by Republican members of Congress. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will soon vote on updated open Internet rules that will affect millions of Americans, and Republicans recently unveiled proposed legislation intended to preempt the FCC from enacting new net neutrality rules. The Democratic … Continue Reading
January 14, 2015
Wyden Statement on CIA Accountability Board Report on Agency’s Secret Search of U.S. Senate Files
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the CIA Accountability Board's report on the agency's secret search of Senate Intelligence Committee files: "Both the CIA Inspector General and the review board appointed by Director Brennan have now concluded that the CIA's unauthorized search of Senate files was improper. It is incredible that no one at the CIA has been held accountable for this very clear violation of Constitutional principles. Director Brennan … Continue Reading
January 14, 2015
Oregon Receives $22 Million for Important Conservation Efforts
Washington, DC - Oregon Senator Ron Wyden today applauded the announcement of funding for six major conservation projects in the state. The six projects - all designed by local partners in Oregon - will receive help from a new program designed to support public-private partnerships and address complex conservation and natural resources projects. These funds will help projects in Oregon aimed at protecting sage grouse, restoring critical wildlife habitats, increasing water quality, improving … Continue Reading
January 13, 2015
Wyden Amendments to Keystone XL Pipeline Bill to End Taxpayer Subsidy for Tar Sands Cleanup, Reduce Wasted Natural Gas
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced two amendments to a Senate bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. Wyden's amendments would require foreign oil companies - not taxpayers - to be responsible for cleaning up oil spills and ensure taxpayers receive fair returns for energy produced on public lands, while minimizing environmental impacts. Wyden opposes the Keystone XL Pipeline, which poses major environmental concerns, and risks increasing gasoline prices in parts of … Continue Reading
January 13, 2015
Sens. Wyden, Cornyn, Kirk, Klobuchar Push To Crack Down On Human Traffickers
U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) today introduced the bipartisan Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which would empower law enforcement to further crack down on human traffickers in communities across the country while bringing about greater restitution and justice for victims. In addition to law enforcement provisions, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act helps victims rebuild their lives by using fines and penalties against … Continue Reading
January 13, 2015
Wyden Holds Three Town Halls This Weekend
Portland, OR - Senator Ron Wyden will hold town halls this weekend in three Oregon counties. Maintaining his commitment to hold town halls each year in each of Oregon's 36 counties, Senator Wyden will hold town halls on Saturday, Jan. 17 in Josephine and Klamath counties. On Sunday, Jan. 18 he will hold a town hall in Lincoln County. "I look forward to all of my annual town halls because Oregonians talk with me directly about their concerns and ask me any question," said Senator Wyden, who … Continue Reading
January 09, 2015
National Championship: The “Big Bet”
WASHINGTON, DC - The national championship game Monday night between Ohio State and Oregon has generated so much talk between the U.S. Senators from Oregon and Ohio that both sides have decided it's time to back it up by putting up "very personal" stakes. Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have settled on a bet with Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman that all parties have pledged to fulfill in public on the Capitol steps. If Oregon beats Ohio State on Jan. 12, Senators Brown … Continue Reading
January 08, 2015
Wyden and Brown Reintroduce “Gold Star Fathers” Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), today reintroduced the Gold Star Fathers Act, legislation that would extend the same federal hiring preference to fathers that is currently available to mothers of servicemembers killed in action or permanently and totally disabled. Parents whose children are killed in action are referred to as "Gold Star parents" because they traditionally display a Gold Star flag as a symbol for their loss and sacrifice. The federal … Continue Reading
January 08, 2015
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bills to Double Timber Harvest, Protect Oregon’s Treasures And Settle Water Disputes
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley reintroduced two bills today that renew their commitment to pass common-sense solutions for decades-old issues facing rural Oregon: creating new timber jobs, and ending long-running disputes over water supplies. "Oregonians are not going to settle for the status quo stalemate when it comes to timber and natural resources policy, and neither will I," Wyden said. "Rural Oregon communities need jobs, they need certainty and they need … Continue Reading
January 08, 2015
Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Roll Back Hemp Restrictions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., today introduced legislation that would allow American farmers to grow and profit from industrial hemp. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015 would remove federal restrictions on the domestic cultivation of industrial hemp. The bill would remove hemp from the Schedule I controlled substance list under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, and would define it as a non-drug so long as it contained less … Continue Reading
December 29, 2014
Wyden Kicks Off New Year With Seven Town Halls
Portland, OR - Continuing his pledge since 1996 to hold a town hall each year in each of Oregon's counties, Senator Ron Wyden will begin the new year with town halls this week in seven counties. Senator Wyden starts his 20th year of holding annual town halls in each of Oregon's 36 counties with his 710th town hall in Deschutes County on Jan. 2. He will hold six more town halls through Jan. 5 before traveling to Washington DC later next week for the start of the 114th Congress. "Even with … Continue Reading
December 19, 2014
Wyden: Coal Companies Must Stop Shortchanging Taxpayers
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., praised the Interior Department announcement that it will close loopholes that have allowed mining companies to dodge royalties when federal coal is exported overseas. Wyden called for an investigation of questionable royalty practice in January 2013, after a series of Reuters articles detailed how some companies were using financial arrangements - often selling coal to their own subsidiaries at a low price - to avoid paying full royalties on coal … Continue Reading
December 17, 2014
Wyden Statement on Policy Changes to Open Relations with Cuba
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today, praising President Obama's announcement of new steps to open up relations with the Cuban people: "I applaud the President for today's announcement and for taking these historic steps to normalize relations with Cuba. I have long believed that trade and engagement are liberalizing forces and I look forward to working with my colleagues and with our diplomats to bring about the progress in Cuba that we all want to see. I … Continue Reading
December 16, 2014
Wyden Demands Plan to Address Radioactive Waste Leaks at Hanford
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D- Ore., today asked the Energy Department to come up with a plan and a strict timeline to address storage tanks leaking radioactive nuclear waste at the Hanford Site in Southeast Washington. Wyden requested the plan in response to a Government Accountability Office report released today that describes the continuing deterioration of Hanford tanks. The GAO report found that both the older single-shell and newer double-shell tanks at Hanford are continuing to … Continue Reading
