Press Releases
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $16.5 Million in FEMA Funding for Douglas County's Emergency Radio System Upgrade
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is awarding Douglas County a total of $16,622,500 over the next few years through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The investments will ensure Douglas County is able to upgrade its analog radio system to current digital technology that will allow for significantly enhanced coordination among the county’s public safety, law, … Continue Reading
June 17, 2024
Wyden, Senate Democrats Release Legislation to Stop Labor and Delivery Unit Closures in Rural and Underserved Communities
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and 15 Senate Democrats today released draft legislation to address a rising trend of rural hospitals and hospitals in underserved areas closing their labor and delivery units with significant consequences for expectant parents, families, and their local communities. “Too many rural communities have become maternity deserts - it’s time to turn the tide and offer some stability to rural hospitals that want to help families … Continue Reading
June 17, 2024
Wyden Announces Town Halls in Hood River, Wasco, Deschutes & Crook Counties
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold in-person town halls in Hood River, Wasco, Deschutes and Crook counties on June 26-27. Heading into these four town halls, Wyden will have held 1,085 town halls throughout Oregon - including 20 so far this year -- in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of our state’s 36 counties. “Oregonians should always have the opportunity to have direct interactions with elected officials to ask … Continue Reading
June 13, 2024
Wyden Statement on Supreme Court Mifepristone Ruling
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court decision on FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine: “This decision is good news for women across the country, but unfortunately it won't be the last time mifepristone is the target of the far-right's crusade against this pillar of reproductive freedom,” Wyden said. “The Supreme Court dismissed this bogus case on standing, not whether or not mifepristone should remain on the … Continue Reading
June 13, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Hoyle Announce $5.5 Million to OSU for Marine Energy Research
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley with U.S. Representative Val Hoyle today announced that Oregon State University will receive $5.5 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support its Pacific Marine Energy Center operations in Corvallis. “OSU’s world-class researchers are on the front lines of the climate crisis battle that demands a comprehensive array of clean-energy solutions,” said Wyden. “This federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure … Continue Reading
June 12, 2024
Wyden Urges Support for His Bills to Use Prescribed Burns and Protect Water Sources
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. today urged bipartisan support for two of his bills-the National Prescribed Fire Act and the River Democracy Act-highlighting the need to combat disastrous wildfires by using prescribed burns, while ensuring local communities have access to reliable drinking water. “These fires are not your grandfather’s fires, and we as Westerners know what's really at stake here,” Wyden said at a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources … Continue Reading
June 06, 2024
Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici, Hoyle, Salinas Urge Continued Support for West Coast Fishermen and Oregon’s Seafood Industry
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), and Andrea Salinas (OR-06) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Administrator Bruce Summers, who oversees the agency’s Agricultural Marketing Service, calling on the USDA to deliver critical federal support to West Coast fishermen and seafood harvesters, processors, and distributors. “Commercial fishing and seafood processing on … Continue Reading
June 06, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call to Support Small Cannabis Businesses
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined Senate colleagues in calling on the Senate Appropriations Committee to allow small cannabis businesses in Oregon and other states that have legalized cannabis sale and use to access Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. “SBA’s current policy excludes from its loan and entrepreneurial development programs all small businesses with “direct” or “indirect” products or services that aid the use, growth, enhancement, or … Continue Reading
June 06, 2024
Wyden, Barrasso Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Grazing on Federal Lands
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said today they have introduced bipartisan legislation that would support ranchers who rely upon federal lands in Oregon and nationwide to graze their livestock. "After embracing the Bureau of Land Management pilot program, ranchers in eastern Oregon worked closely with me to include updated operational flexibility in my community-crafted Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act to bring certainty, conservation and … Continue Reading
June 06, 2024
Wyden, Jacobs Introduce Bill to Hold Student Loan Servicers Accountable for Negligence and Wrongdoing
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., this week introduced legislation in the Senate and House that would hold student loan servicers accountable for negligence and wrongdoing. The Student Loan Servicers Accountability Act would examine student loan servicers’ role in hurting borrowers’ credit ratings, as well as ensure additional strict performance standards and terms for servicers before they may contract with the federal … Continue Reading
June 05, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce National Trail Designation for Banks-Vernonia State Trail
WASHINGTON D.C.—Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the designation of the Banks-Vernonia State Trail to the National Trails System. The newly designated trail joins a network of more than 1,300 existing national recreation trails, which can be found in every U.S. state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. “We know that getting outdoors is good for our physical and mental health,” Wyden said. “We’re fortunate to live in Oregon where we have access to outdoor activities … Continue Reading
June 05, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Press Navient to Cancel Loans of Borrowers Scammed by Fraudulent, For-Profit Colleges and Servicer Misconduct
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined seven colleagues in urging student loan servicer Navient to cancel decades-old private student loans pushed onto borrowers attending fraudulent, for-profit colleges. “We write to urge the Navient Corporation to cancel the decades-old, predatory student loans in its portfolio that are governed by the FTC’s ‘Holder Rule’ and subject to claims and defenses based on well-established school misconduct and … Continue Reading
June 04, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues Call for Robust Federal Funding to Support Rural Small Businesses
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined Senate colleagues in calling on the Senate Appropriations Committee to secure federal investment for small businesses in rural Oregon and nationwide through the Rural Business Development Grant Program (RBDG). “Since launching in 2015, RBDG funding has provided support for planning, technical assistance, job training, and other business development needs in rural areas in all fifty states,” the senators wrote. “Small … Continue Reading
June 02, 2024
Wyden Urges Trail Blazers to Honor Memories of Walton and Lucas With Statue Outside Moda Center
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today wrote in The Sunday Oregonian about the recent passing of Bill Walton and advocated for the Portland Trail Blazers to honor this iconic player’s memory on and off the floor with a statue outside the Moda Center of Walton and Maurice Lucas, who teamed up to lead the Trail Blazers to the NBA championship in 1977.. “Let generations to come commemorate the achievements on and off the court of two men who truly were trailblazers,” Wyden wrote in his … Continue Reading
May 30, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce $22.6 Million for Oregon School Districts to Transition to Clean School Buses
Washington, D.C. - Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding over $22.6 million to 15 school districts around Oregon through its 2023 Clean School Bus Program rebate competition. The federal investment will help replace 96 older buses in school districts across the state with new electric or propane buses. This will further accelerate both Oregon and the nation’s transition from diesel to low-and zero-emission … Continue Reading
May 29, 2024
Merkley, Wyden, Blumenauer Announce $11 Million for the Historic Columbia River Highway Project
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) announced today the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is awarding the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) $11 million to make further progress on the final segment of its sweeping project to reconnect the Historic Columbia River Highway. The federal funding comes through a Fiscal Year 2024 Nationally Significant Federal Lands and … Continue Reading
May 24, 2024
Wyden Introduces Fair Repair Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today introduced the Fair Repair Act, legislation to guarantee consumers and small businesses a right to repair their own products by requiring manufacturers to make diagnostic repair information, parts, and tools readily available. “When you buy something, you shouldn’t have to pay extra, or ask special permission from a corporation just to get it fixed,” said Senator Wyden. “The Fair Repair Act is a common-sense step to put users in control of the … Continue Reading
May 24, 2024
Following Horrific Findings at FCI Sheridan, Oregon Lawmakers Demand Federal Bureau of Prisons Address Staffing Shortages and Other Alarming Risks
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s congressional delegation—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, alongside U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, and Val Hoyle — today demanded the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director take swift action to address staffing shortages, inmate medical needs, and other alarming issues that put staff and inmates at risk. The lawmakers wrote BOP Director Colette Peters after findings were issued this week from the Department of Justice … Continue Reading
May 24, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce NOAA Recommendations for Oregon Fish Passage Projects
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries’ recommendations for Oregon fish passage projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. “Salmon and other native fish are so central to our culture and economies here in Oregon, and it is essential to help recovery efforts after years of population decline,” Wyden said. “These projects are vital to restoring and … Continue Reading
May 23, 2024
Wyden Statement on Senate Republicans Blocking Debate on Bipartisan Immigration Bill
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement today after Senate Republicans blocked debate on the bipartisan immigration bill for a second time: “I continue to hear from Oregonians concerned about our broken immigration system and who want Congress to act on comprehensive solutions to address today’s challenges. This is why I voted today - and earlier this year - to advance essential debate on bills that reflect true, bipartisan compromise. “Just like … Continue Reading
