Press Releases
Wyden Statement on President Obama’s Afghanistan Speech
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has issued the following statement on President Obama's speech on Afghanistan. "While I am pleased that the President is starting to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, as I have long been saying, I would like to see our forces transition from a broad counterinsurgency strategy to a more focused - and more sustainable - counterterrorism strategy. By that I mean that American troops should continue conducting operations against al-Qaida - which still … Continue Reading
June 21, 2011
Wyden Statement on Confirmation of Judge Simon to U.S. District Court
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement congratulating Judge Michael Simon on his confirmation as a U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Oregon. Simon was confirmed by the Senate this afternoon by a vote of 64 to 35: "It was my pleasure to propose Judge Simon for the District Court seat he will now hold and I am grateful that the U.S. Senate agreed with my assessment of Judge Simon's impeccable attributes. Over the years, Judge Simon has … Continue Reading
June 15, 2011
Wyden, Murkowski Introduce Bill To Reform CCF for Fishermen
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today introduced a bill that gives commercial fishermen - in Alaska, Oregon and nationwide - added flexibility when it comes to funds they've set aside for renovations or new construction of their fishing boats. "There was a time when CCF accounts were an integral part of building the modern and efficient fleet of fishing vessels the U.S. needed to compete with foreign fishing outfits," Wyden said. "But the … Continue Reading
June 15, 2011
Wyden, Chaffetz Introduce GPS Act
Washington, D.C. - New technologies - like cell phones, smart phones, laptops and navigation devices - are making it increasingly easy to track and log the location of individual Americans, yet federal laws have not kept pace with the technology. The lack of legal clarity surrounding the use of electronically-obtained location data, also known as geolocation information, means that there are no clear rules for how this data can be used, accessed or sold by law enforcement, commercial entities … Continue Reading
June 10, 2011
Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio Applaud FEMA Grant for Brookings
WASHINGTON, DC- Congressman Peter DeFazio and Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced the Port of Brookings Harbor will receive $1.2 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to replace docks destroyed by the March 11th tsunami. "Brookings-Harbor Port Director Ted Fitzgerald and his team have done an incredible job of getting the Port cleaned up after the disaster in March," said Wyden, who visited the Port in April and toured the damage facilities. "The channel is … Continue Reading
June 08, 2011
Geothermal Energy Bill To Help Legitimate Producers Develop Geothermal “Hot Spots” More Efficiently
Washington, D.C. - With one of the biggest barriers to geothermal energy production being the risky and inefficient process of searching for "hot spots" capable of producing recoverable energy, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators have introduced legislation to make it easier for developers to lease federal land adjacent to proven geothermal "hot spots." Geothermal energy is a sustainable energy resource that captures natural heat from the Earth to create electricity. Sponsored by U.S. … Continue Reading
June 07, 2011
Bipartisan Senate Group Introduces Legislation to Help U.S. Soda Ash Producers Compete with Foreign Suppliers
Washington, D.C. - As foreign governments continue to provide unfair subsidies and benefits to give a leg up to their domestic producers of soda ash - a key industrial material in the manufacturing of glass and other products and one of the largest exports out of the Port of Portland - a bipartisan group of Senators have introduced legislation to maintain low Federal royalties on the mineral so that U.S. manufacturers can compete. The Soda Ash Competition Act - introduced by Senators Ron Wyden … Continue Reading
May 27, 2011
Wyden, Chief Reese Visit Anti-Gang G.R.E.A.T. Program Graduates at Parkrose Middle School on Wednesday, June 1
Who: Senator Ron Wyden; Portland Police Chief Michael Reese; Parkrose School Superintendent Dr. Karen Fischer Gray; City of Portland officials What: Meet with 270 6th graders who graduated from the G.R.E.A.T program When: 10 a.m., Wednesday, June 1, 2011. Where: Parkrose Middle School 11800 NE Shaver Portland Portland, OR - The Gangs … Continue Reading
May 27, 2011
Bipartisan Coalition Introduces Bill to Give Customs the Discipline to Combat Trade Cheats
Washington, D.C. -As evidence mounts about the extent to which foreign exporters have been eager and willing to circumvent U.S. trade laws continues, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators have introduced legislation to create the discipline necessary at Customs and Border Protection to combat trade cheats and provide a fair playing field for U.S. manufacturers. The bill has been introduced by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) the chair of the Senate Finance Committee's subcommittee on Trade, … Continue Reading
May 26, 2011
In Speech, Wyden Says Official Interpretations of Patriot Act Must be Made Public
Washington, D.C. - Speaking on the floor of the U.S Senate during the truncated debate on the reauthorization of the PATRIOT ACT for another four years, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) - a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence -- warned his colleagues that a vote to extend the bill without amendments that would ban any Administration's ability to keep internal interpretations of the Patriot Act classified will eventually cause public outrage. Known as Secret Law, the official … Continue Reading
May 26, 2011
Wyden Will Visit Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles on June 3
Portland, OR - Oregon Senator Ron Wyden will tour the Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles on Friday June 3. Ground was broken last fall for a 9,000-square-foot community center, named for Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Stan Adams and his wife, Jean. The community center should be finished this summer. Who: Senator Ron Wyden What: Tour of Oregon Veterans Home … Continue Reading
May 26, 2011
Wyden Places Hold on Protect IP Act
Washington, D.C. - Continuing his opposition to legislation that aims to protect intellectual property at the expense of free speech, technological innovation and the very foundations of the Internet, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has issued the following statement announcing a hold on the motion to proceed to the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act (PROTECT IP): "Consistent with Senate Standing Orders and my policy of publishing in the … Continue Reading
May 26, 2011
Wyden to Attend Memorial Day Ceremonies in Terrebonne, Redmond and Bend on Monday
Portland, OR - Oregon Senator Ron Wyden will attend Memorial Day services in three Central Oregon cities on Monday. The events honor fallen veterans will take place in Terrebonne, Redmond and Bend. Terrebonne: Date: Monday, May 30, 2011 Time: 9 a.m. Location: Pioneer Cemetery Smith Rock Way Terrebonne Redmond: Date: Monday, May 30, 2011 … Continue Reading
May 26, 2011
Wyden on the Road Again for Five Town Halls in Eastern Oregon
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host his annual town hall meetings in the Gilliam County city of Condon and the Morrow County city of Heppner on Friday, June 3, 2011. On June 4, 2011, he will hold town halls in the Wallowa County city of Wallowa, the Union County city of Elgin and the Umatilla County city of Milton-Freewater. These will be town halls number 591 to 595. Gilliam County Town Hall Meeting Date: Friday, June 3, … Continue Reading
May 25, 2011
Amendment Requires Government to End Practice of Secretly Interpreting Law
Washington, D.C. - As the Senate prepares to approve a four-year extension of the Patriot Act without public debate about how the executive branch actually interprets controversial provisions in the ten-year-old surveillance law, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mark Udall (D-Co.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced an amendment to the Patriot Act reauthorization legislation to require the U.S. Attorney General to make the U.S. Government's official interpretation of the … Continue Reading
May 25, 2011
Wyden, Cantwell Call Out CFTC for Dragging Their Feet on Preventing Excessive Oil Speculation
Washington, D.C. - As gasoline continues to hover at $4 per gallon propelled by rampant speculation in the oil commodities market that now amounts to nearly 40 percent of all trades in crude oil futures markets, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) on the Senate floor today to excoriate the Commodities Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) decision not to take immediate action to impose position limits to curb excessive oil speculation. Speaking on the Senate … Continue Reading
May 24, 2011
TODAY: Wyden, Udall to Hold Press Conference Call on their Concerns about Reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act
Today, Tuesday, May 24, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (OR) and Mark Udall (CO) will hold a press conference call about the proposed reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act. The legislation would allow the government to continue using three controversial and wide-ranging provisions for four more years. The senators are concerned that the Senate is moving to reauthorize the legislation without debate, and that the administration has continued to refuse to declassify its legal interpretation of the … Continue Reading
May 18, 2011
Wyden, Merkley to Attend Astoria Bicentennial Celebration on Saturday
Portland, OR - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley confirmed today that they will attend the celebration this Saturday honoring the 200th anniversary of the founding of the City of Astoria. Wyden and Merkley will join other state and local dignitaries in recognizing the bicentennial of the oldest settlement west of The Rockies. The Senators also announced today that they have introduced a formal Congressional Resolution honoring Astoria's bicentennial. Who: … Continue Reading
May 18, 2011
Wyden to Chair Hearing on Eastside Forest Legislation; Four Other Oregon Public Lands Bills
Washington, D.C. - Today, Wednesday May 18, 2011 at 2:30 p.m. EDT (11:30 a.m. PDT) U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) will chair a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee's Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests to discuss twenty public lands bills including five Oregon bills, among them the Eastside Forest Restoration and Old Growth Protection Act - the landmark agreement between environmental groups and the timber industry in eastern Oregon. Click here to stream the … Continue Reading
May 17, 2011
Wyden, Stabenow Bill Uses Alternative Transportation Fuels to Reduce Dependence on Foreign Oil
Washington, D.C. - As the price of gas at the pump continues to drain Americans' wallets, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Debbie Stabenow (D- Mich.) have introduced legislation to increase energy security and reduce dependence on foreign oil by integrating many types of cutting edge alternative fuel sources into our transportation infrastructure. Using a two pronged approach to increasing fuel options, the Alternative Fuels Vehicles Competitiveness and Security Act of 2011will expand … Continue Reading
