Press Releases
Update: Oregon Delegation Applauds Approval of Federal Disaster Declaration for Ice Storms
Washington, D.C. — Oregon’s Congressional delegation—U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. House of Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Cliff Bentz—applauds the approval of Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in response to the deadly ice storms that prompted her to declare a statewide emergency in January. The … Continue Reading
April 16, 2024
Wyden Announces Four Town Halls in Josephine, Curry, Coos and Douglas counties
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold in-person town halls in Josephine, Curry, Coos and Douglas counties on April 23-24. Heading into these four town halls, Wyden will have held 1,081 town halls throughout Oregon - including 16 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. “I’ll always keep my pledge to hold open-to-all town halls each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties because it’s … Continue Reading
April 15, 2024
Merkley, Wyden: Nearly $4.5 Million for Renewable Energy Projects to Lower Costs in Rural Oregon
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sending a total of $4,459,297 in Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants to support 20 renewable energy projects in rural communities across the state. The investments will be used to help farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses adopt renewable energy technologies, conduct critical energy audits, and cut costs and carbon pollution with energy … Continue Reading
April 15, 2024
Wyden Statement on Attack Against Israel
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement in response to Iran’s attack on Israel: “I strongly condemn Iran’s attacks against Israel. Tehran’s brazen actions not only threaten innocent Israeli lives, but also U.S. personnel and our partners in the region. I support President Biden’s steadfast commitment to Israel’s security, and his administration’s efforts to minimize casualties and prevent further escalation of hostilities in the region. “Republicans … Continue Reading
April 12, 2024
Wyden: “I Will Do Everything In My Power” to Stop Bill Expanding Government Surveillance Under FISA 702
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., vowed to oppose legislation passed by the House of Representatives that would reauthorize Section 702 of FISA and expand warrantless surveillance, in a statement today. “The House bill represents one of the most dramatic and terrifying expansions of government surveillance authority in history,” Wyden said. “It allows the government to force any American who installs, maintains, or repairs anything that transmits or stores communications to … Continue Reading
April 10, 2024
Wyden Statement on Cybersecurity Threats to Critical Water Infrastructure
Video of Senator Wyden’s remarks can be found here As prepared for delivery Every critical infrastructure sector faces threats, including healthcare, pipelines, and water treatment plants. The dams that generate our hydropower are no exception. Countries like China and Russia present a significant national security concern, as they have the ability to shut down core functions of society, and even cause death, by hacking critical infrastructure. Today the subcommittee is being told by the … Continue Reading
April 10, 2024
Wyden, Warren Call on Education Department Contractor General Dynamics to Provide Answers on Failures of New FAFSA Launch
Washington, D.C. —U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today wrote to the CEO of General Dynamics seeking answers on the company’s role in the “bungled launch” of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In the letter, the Senators noted that despite General Dynamics receiving a $121.8 million contract to modernize the process, the new FAFSA has been riddled with technical issues, drastically hindering students seeking financial aid. “These … Continue Reading
April 10, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce $500,000 for CRITFC to Advance Salmon-Friendly Clean Energy Efforts in the Columbia River Basin
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) is receiving $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Future Grants (EFG) Program to advance river and energy system models adapted to the Columbia River Basin that will strengthen the protection and restoration efforts of native salmon. “Indigenous peoples in the Pacific Northwest have been stewards for the Columbia River and its … Continue Reading
April 09, 2024
Wyden, Merkley: Five Oregon Airports Secure Total Federal Aid of $1.45 Million
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that airports in Lake, Columbia, Deschutes, Linn and Wasco counties have secured a total of more than $1.4 million in federal grants for construction, infrastructure rehabilitation and more. “Oregonians count on local airports in their communities for jobs, economic vitality, public safety and much more that strengthen quality of life,” Wyden said. “I’m glad these Oregon communities have earned these federal airport … Continue Reading
April 08, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $2.5 Million towards Solar Projects over Canals in Central Oregon
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the North Unit Irrigation District (NUID) in Central Oregon has secured a $2.5 million federal award to build and monitor solar panels on the main canal of its Deschutes project. The irrigation district is proposing to build floating photovoltaic solar panels on the main canal of the Deschutes project located near Bend. The project will allow the novel technology of floating solar panels on a canal to be evaluated, … Continue Reading
April 05, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $90 Million Coming to Oregon for Drinking Water and Wastewater Advancements
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced a total of $90,393,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is headed to Oregon to fund safe drinking water projects and strengthen wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, which will protect public health and treasured bodies of water across the state. “Reliable access to clean water is essential for the health and safety of every community in Oregon,” said Merkley, Chair … Continue Reading
April 01, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues File Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court to Affirm that Federal Law Requires Hospitals to Provide Emergency Stabilizing Care Including Abortion Care
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined Senate and House colleagues in leading an amicus brief submission to the U.S. Supreme Court in Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States, two consolidated cases concerning the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) that the Supreme Court will hear this month. The act requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to provide necessary “stabilizing treatment” to patients experiencing medical … Continue Reading
March 28, 2024
Wyden Praises FCC Move To Protect Consumers and Government Personnel from Hackers and Foreign Spies Exploiting Wireless Carriers’ Lax Security to Track Phones
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today applauded the Federal Communications Commission and Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel for requesting public comments on the effectiveness of industry’s efforts to protect Americans against unwanted spying over wireless phone networks. The announcement comes in response to a request by Sen. Wyden last month for the Biden Administration to plug well-known weaknesses in America's phone networks, referred to as SS7 or Diameter, and prevent … Continue Reading
March 28, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce $250,000 for The Meating Place for New Processing and Packaging Equipment
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that The Meating Place will receive $250,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Local Meat capacity grant program. Both Merkley and Wyden have toured The Meating Place’s retail shop and custom-exempt beef, hog, sheep, and wild game processing facility in Hillsboro, Oregon, which is the first operational Oregon Department of Agriculture slaughter and processing plant in the state. This allows … Continue Reading
March 27, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce Clean Energy Assistance for the City of Oakridge and Harney County
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Harney County and Oakridge have earned spots in a federal Department of Energy program providing technical assistance that helps disadvantaged communities and those with historical ties to fossil fuel industries take control of their clean energy future. “This federal investment will fuel communities that are quite literally running low on energy and need technical support to fill their tank,” Wyden said. “I’m … Continue Reading
March 27, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Commend FTC’s Enforcement Against Rite Aid’s Discriminatory Use of Facial Recognition Technology
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced they joined 10 of their colleagues in a letter to the Federal Trade Commission applauding its recent enforcement against Rite Aid for its use of discriminatory and invasive facial recognition technology. In the Rite Aid settlement, the FTC found the company’s use of facial recognition systems in its pharmacies led to thousands of false identifications, resulting in individuals being wrongfully searched, accused of … Continue Reading
March 27, 2024
Statewide Wins: Merkley, Wyden Deliver Critical Community Projects Across Oregon in 2024 Funding Package
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they secured investments for essential community-initiated projects across Oregon in both of the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) government funding packages that recently cleared Congress and were signed into law by President Biden. With the support of members of Oregon’s Congressional delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives—Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, and Lori … Continue Reading
March 26, 2024
Wyden Requests DNI Haines Declassify Information Related to Paul Manafort’s Relationship with Russian Government Operatives
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today called on the Biden Administration to declassify information concerning Paul Manafort’s involvement with Russian government operatives, following news reports that Manafort may soon join Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Manafort served as Trump’s campaign chairman for portions of the 2016 presidential campaign. He later was convicted of multiple crimes, including tax and bank fraud related to his work for a Ukrainian oligarch … Continue Reading
March 25, 2024
Merkley and Wyden Announce Big Investments Secured for Oregon Families and Rural Communities in Final 2024 Funding Package
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced major investments for Oregon to expand access to affordable, quality health care and mental health resources, boost manufacturing, and enhance emergency response coordination—including nearly $36 million in funding for 28 critical community-initiated projects across the state—have passed through the final fiscal year 2024 (FY24) minibus funding package. This sweeping six-bill package cleared both chambers of … Continue Reading
March 22, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $1.29 Million Federal Investment in Bend Municipal Airport
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of $1.29 million for Bend Municipal Airport toward construction of a new air traffic control tower. “Bend Municipal Airport is an important part of Central Oregon’s robust, local economy,” Wyden said. “It’s a gateway to expansion for small businesses who can ship their products quickly, or bring in potential clients or investors to witness the grandeur of Central Oregon firsthand. I’m gratified … Continue Reading
