Press Releases
Wyden Statement on Nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court
Washington, D.C- U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement on the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court:"By selecting Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, President Obama fulfilled his promise not only to consult with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, but to ultimately appoint an individual with a 'sharp and independent mind and a record of excellence and … Continue Reading
May 22, 2009
Wyden, Merkley Applaud Obama Decision to Restore Salmon Recovery Money
Portland, OR - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today applauded the decision by the Obama administration to amend its budget to include $50 million for the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund. "Since its inception in 2000, this fund has supported the health of Oregon communities, rural economies, and the waters of Oregon as well as salmon and steelhead populations," Wyden said. "It was inadvertently left out of the budget and the Obama administration is to be commended for recognizing … Continue Reading
May 21, 2009
Wyden Introduces Bills to Transfer Property in LaPine and Wallowa
Washington, D.C. - Working to provide opportunities for economic development in two of Oregon's hardest hit areas, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced legislation today to allow LaPine and Wallowa to use hundreds of acres of federal land to sustain community attractions, shore up significant infrastructure needs, and preserve historic areas. "Recreation has long been an economic engine in Oregon," Wyden said. "These bills will be a shot in the arm for these two very deserving … Continue Reading
May 21, 2009
Wyden, Markey Introduce "Independence at Home" Act
Washington, D.C. - With the goal of keeping chronically ill Medicare patients in their homes and also improving their health care, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and U.S. Representative Ed Markey (D-Mass.) co-chairman of the Bi-Partisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease and senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, today introduced the "Independence at Home Act." The bill will create a pilot program to bring primary care medical services to Medicare beneficiaries with … Continue Reading
May 21, 2009
Wyden, Gregg, Blumenauer Put Patients in the Driver's Seat
Washington, DC - Giving Medicare patients a greater role in their care while containing costs of that care, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) along with U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) today introduced the Empowering Medicare Patient Choices Act. The bill will create a "shared decision-making process" between physicians and patients, offering incentives for doctors to inform patients of all their treatment options, and the risks and benefits of those … Continue Reading
May 20, 2009
Wyden Unveils Energy Agenda to End U.S. Addiction to Foreign Oil
Washington, D.C. - Offering a new direction for the U.S. Senate energy debate, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced a series of energy initiatives today aimed at reducing America's consumption of fossil fuels. The package of eight initiatives takes a market-based approach to green energy by focusing on ways to make alternative energy more competitive with fossil fuels while promoting energy efficiency and innovation in new sustainable energy technologies. "This country can't break free … Continue Reading
May 14, 2009
Wyden to Hold Town Halls in Grant, Harney, Lake Counties on May 23
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host town hall meetings on May 23, 2009, in Burns, John Day and Lakeview. Harney, Grant and Lake county residents are invited to attend the open forums to ask questions and voice their concerns. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. The events in Burns, John Day and Lakeview are numbers 510, 511, and 512 respectively Harney County Town Hall Meeting Date: May 23, 2009 … Continue Reading
May 14, 2009
Wyden to hold Town Halls in Washington, Columbia Counties on May 24
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host town hall meetings on May 24, 2009, in Vernonia and Forest Grove. Columbia and Washington county residents are invited to attend the open forums to ask questions and voice their concerns. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. The events in Vernonia and Forest Grove are numbers 513 and 514 respectively Columbia County Town Hall Meeting Date: May 24, 2009 … Continue Reading
May 14, 2009
Wyden to hold Town Halls in Lincoln, Tillamook Counties on May 30
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host town hall meetings on May 30, 2009, in Lincoln City and Tillamook. Lincoln and Tillamook county residents are invited to attend the open forums to ask questions and voice their concerns. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. The events in Lincoln City and Tillamook are numbers 515 and 516 respectively Lincoln County Town Hall Meeting Date: May 30, 2009 … Continue Reading
May 13, 2009
FEMA Agrees to Delay Eviction of Vernonia Residents from Trailers
Washington, D.C. - In a letter to Senator Ron Wyden, the Federal Emergency Management Agency today agreed to give Vernonia families left homeless by a December 2007 flood an additional four months to stay in their FEMA-provided trailers. FEMA was planning to evict the families on June 8, but in a letter sent last Thursday to Dennis Hunsinger, FEMA deputy administrator for Region X, Wyden requested a delay to give the families more time to finish rebuilding. In a response to Wyden, Hunsinger … Continue Reading
May 12, 2009
Wyden, Merkley Urge Funding for Salmon Disaster Relief
Washington, D.C. - Working to save Oregon's salmon industry and the coastal communities that rely on it, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D- Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) asked the Senate Appropriations Committee today for an additional $9.8 million in federal disaster assistance."This is the third year out of the last four years that commercial salmon fishing has been virtually eliminated along the Oregon coastline due to low salmon return numbers from one of the major salmon runs," Wyden and … Continue Reading
May 08, 2009
Statement on Efforts to End Offshore Corporate Tax Loopholes
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement on efforst to end offshore corporate tax loopholes: Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE … Continue Reading
May 07, 2009
Wyden Asks FEMA to Delay EvictingVernonia Residents from Trailers
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senator Ron Wyden asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency today to give Vernonia families ravaged by a December 2007 flood another four months to finish fixing their homes before being evicted from their FEMA trailers. Under FEMA regulations, there is an 18-month limit on the use of the trailers. The period began in December 2007 when the disaster declaration was signed and ends on June 8 of this year. However, the trailers did not arrive in Vernonia until April … Continue Reading
April 30, 2009
Wyden Statement on Approval of $53 Million in Salmon Disaster Relief for Oregon Coastal Communities
Washington, D.C. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today following Commerce Secretary Gary Locke's announcement that he was making $53 million available to communities in Oregon and Washington affected by the loss of the 2009 salmon season."The Secretary of Commerce made exactly the right decision in declaring this year's salmon season a continuation of the disastrous season Oregon faced in 2008. Secretary Gary Locke's designation ensures that $53 million in unspent … Continue Reading
April 30, 2009
Federal Economic Recovery Money will Help Retrain Workers Laid Off from Fleetwood Enterprises
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced today that Oregon has been awarded an initial $943,669 in economic recovery funds to help retrain 240 workers who lost their jobs following closure of travel trailer manufacturing plants in Umatilla and Union counties. "Nothing could be more important than helping workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own," Wyden said. "It is important that we invest in these skilled, productive workers so they are … Continue Reading
April 21, 2009
Snowe, Wyden Introduce Bill to Further Safeguard Taxpayer Dollars
Washington, D.C. - Continuing with their efforts to enforce strong protections in the use of taxpayer dollars, U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) last night introduced bipartisan legislation to provide the Congressional Oversight Panel (COP) with subpoena authority so that it can effectively conduct oversight on behalf of American taxpayers. "With $700 billion in TARP funds at stake, providing the Congressional Oversight Panel with the tools and resources it … Continue Reading
April 16, 2009
Wyden's Proposal to Increase Thinning of Federal Forests and Protect Old Growth Moves Closer to Introduction
Portland, OR - Citing the need to jumpstart federal efforts to make forests healthier and more fire resistant, Senator Ron Wyden today released draft legislation that will create jobs through increased thinning of over-grown federal forests while permanently ending the harvest of old-growth trees in Oregon. "We believe that the Wyden proposal will create well in excess of 5,000 new family-wage jobs. Equally as important, it will, if pursued consistently, eliminate the backlog of threatened … Continue Reading
April 14, 2009
Wyden Announces Statewide Committee to Recommend Names for Two Federal Judgeships
Portland, OR - Senator Ron Wyden announced today the names of 13 Oregonians who will serve on the Senator's Judicial Selection Committee, a committee that will recommend names to fill two federal district court judgeships for Oregon. Wyden also said that he is extending the deadline to May 4, 2009, in order to ensure that qualified candidates from throughout Oregon are given the opportunity to be considered. The committee, selected by Wyden and Senator Jeff Merkley, will be chaired by Lou … Continue Reading
April 09, 2009
Wyden, Merkley Cite Environmental and Economic Concerns of Expanded Warfare Training Off the Oregon Coast
Washington, DC- Echoing comments made by many Oregonians, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley raised concerns today about the environmental and economic impacts of United States Navy's plans to expand warfare training off the Pacific coast. "Based on a number of comments we have received from a variety of interested stakeholders and constituents, we are concerned that many of the Navy's training proposals, including underwater minefield testing, explosive ordinance use, expanded land and … Continue Reading
April 02, 2009
Wyden Urges End to Ban on Using Forest Waste for Alternative Fuels
Washington, D.C. - As a way of reducing America's dependence on foreign oil, Senator Ron Wyden is urging Congress to change "the current myopic policies" that prohibit the use of biomass taken from federal lands for renewable fuel."Right now, instead of being part of the solution to our nation's dependence on foreign oil, biomass from federal lands is allowed to build up in the woods or worse become fuel for catastrophic fires." Wyden said in testimony on Wednesday before a Senate … Continue Reading
