Press Releases
Wyden Statement on General Petraeus's Report
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) issued the following statement today in response to General David Petraeus's testimony before the U.S. House Armed Service Committee:"General Petraeus's focus on selective military successes in Iraq obscures the larger problem: military tactics are not bringing about political reconciliation. "For four and a half years, the Bush administration has been telling the American people that if we stay the course in Iraq conditions will change. … Continue Reading
September 10, 2007
Wyden, DeFazio Introduce Legislation to Protect Copper Salmon as Wilderness
Washington, DC - Working for the permanent preservation of the 13,700 acres that encompass the headwaters of the Elk River in Southern Oregon, today U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced the Copper Salmon Wilderness Act. Today's introduction is the culmination of more than a decade of cooperative efforts by local government, grassroots activists, community leaders, hunters and fishers, who have all advocated for the protection of Copper Salmon … Continue Reading
September 06, 2007
Bipartisan Coalition of Senators Introduce Legislation to Restore America's Aging Roads, Rail Lines and Bridges
Washington, DC - In an effort to fund much needed new transportation construction and repair of the nation's aging roads, rail lines and bridges, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Thune (R-SD), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), David Vitter (R-LA), and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced today the bipartisan "Build America Bonds" Act. By providing $50 billion in additional Federal transportation funding, Build America Bonds will empower all states to complete … Continue Reading
August 24, 2007
Wyden, Brownback Applaud Early Net Radio Agreements
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sam Brownback (R-Kan), Senate sponsors of the "Internet Radio Equality Act" released the following statement in response to DiMA and Sound Exchange's announced agreement to cap the Internet radio "$500 per channel minimum royalty" at $50,000 per service."We are encouraged by the good faith efforts represented by this initial agreement. It is a promising first step in the negotiation process which we are hoping will make our legislation … Continue Reading
August 02, 2007
Wyden, Brownback Call CRB Rates for Webcasters "Unfounded"
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sam Brownback (R-Kan), Senate sponsors of the "Internet Radio Equality Act" released the following statement today regarding efforts to save Internet radio: "We sponsored the Internet Radio Equality Act because the Copyright Royalty Board's decision to dramatically increase royalties and apply what we see as unfounded minimum rates threatens to devastate the Internet radio industry. The fact is online radio services do not have enough … Continue Reading
August 01, 2007
"Combat Illegal Logging Act" Levels the Playing Field for American Business, Protects American Jobs and the Environment
Washington, D.C. - With the collective support of the timber and timber-products industry, organized labor, and the environmental community, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) today introduced the Combat Illegal Logging Act of 2007 in order to halt the trade of illegal timber and timber products. American manufacturers are increasingly struggling to compete with the low-priced wood and wood products being harvested from illegal sources and illegal logging is a source of severe environmental damage … Continue Reading
July 27, 2007
9/11 Legislation Advances Transparency
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July 25, 2007
Senate Committee Approves Mount Hood Wilderness Expansion
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) announced that their efforts to expand permanent protections for wilderness surrounding Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge took a big step forward today when the U.S Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed the "Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007." Committee members Wyden and Smith - who spearheaded the effort as coauthors of the legislation - called the Committee vote a "victory for … Continue Reading
July 19, 2007
Wyden Asks Secretary Kempthorne for Answers on Interior Ethics Concerns
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) asked Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne today to clarify the Department's ethical strategy in the wake of Mark Limbaugh's departure. In a June 27th letter to Wyden, Secretary Kempthorne identified Mr. Limbaugh-then Assistant Secretary for Water and Science-as chairman of the Department's newly constituted Conduct Accountability Board, which he wrote would be charged with reviewing the ethics issues raised in the Inspector General's report on … Continue Reading
July 11, 2007
Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation will Help National Guard and Reserve Physicians Serving Overseas
Washington, DC - In an effort to help National Guard and Reserve physicians maintain their practices during lengthy overseas deployments, members on both sides of the aisle and in both houses of Congress introduced legislation today that would exempt physicians serving in the Armed Forces overseas from a Medicare law that currently places a 60 day restriction on the amount of time one physician can fill in for a colleague on a leave of absence. This limit creates serious hardship for … Continue Reading
July 10, 2007
Wyden Responds to President Bush's Remarks on Health Care
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today in response to President Bush's remarks discussing the need to fix the way the tax code treats health care. Wyden is the author of the Healthy Americans Act, the first bipartisan, comprehensive health care reform proposal in almost 15 years. At the core of the Healthy Americans Act, which is cosponsored by Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT) is a restructuring of the tax system that ends the current regressive treatment … Continue Reading
June 22, 2007
Wyden Applauds Passage of Senate Energy Legislation
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement following U.S. Senate passage of the Energy bill (H.R. 5). "Today, the Senate has taken a major step forward in setting a new course for America's energy policy, adopting provisions that will reduce the nation's use of energy, especially the use of oil. "First, the bill includes a program developed by the Senate Energy Committee on which I sit that will replace roughly 20% of our gasoline use with renewable fuels … Continue Reading
June 22, 2007
Wyden, Smith Announce New Federal Funding to Boost Health Care, Education, and Workforce Development in Oregon Communities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith today announced that they have obtained significant federal funding for various Oregon projects as part of the FY2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. The legislation approved Thursday by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee includes funding for health care, education and workforce development projects; the bill must now be approved by the full Senate."Federal funds can often provide the … Continue Reading
June 19, 2007
Wyden to Hold Homeland Security Nominee Until NET Guard is Implemented
Washington, D.C. - After five years of the Department of Homeland Security's failure to implement the National Emergency Technology - NET Guard - program, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced that he will place a hold on the Administration's nomination of Dennis Schrader to serve as Deputy Administrator for National Preparedness until NET Guard is up and running. Congress authorized the establishment of NET Guard in the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to create teams of local volunteers with … Continue Reading
June 19, 2007
County Payments Multi-Year Renewal is Added to Energy Tax Legislation
Washington, D.C. - In a continued effort to provide lasting relief for the nation's rural schools and communities, Senators in the U.S. Senate Finance Committee today won approval for a measure that would extend funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act through 2011. The amendment - offered by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Max Baucus (D-MT), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Gordon Smith (R-OR), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ken Salazar (D-CO) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) - was … Continue Reading
June 19, 2007
Oregon Military Facilities Slated for Federal Funds
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) today announced that more than $15 million has been included in the Fiscal Year 2008 Military Construction appropriations bill for various construction projects in the state of Oregon. The committee also announced its support for the construction of a long term care facility at the Walla Walla VA Medical Center. "From creating classroom space to giving prime land back to the cities, these projects are excellent examples … Continue Reading
June 19, 2007
Wyden - Sununu Amendment Would Stop Royalty Relief for Oil Companies
Washington, D.C. - In an effort that could save taxpayers more than $45 million over the next ten years, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and John Sununu (R-NH) introduced an amendment today that would repeal Sections 344 and 345 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct). Repealing these provisions would stop the negotiation of certain future royalty relief incentives designed to encourage drilling for deep gas and existing deepwater oil and gas on public lands. "With oil selling for more than … Continue Reading
June 14, 2007
Wyden, Bennett Team Up to Put Millions of Fuel Efficient Vehicles on the Road
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Bob Bennett (R-UT) introduced legislation today that would reward drivers for buying more fuel efficient cars, trucks and SUVs. The Oil Independence, Limiting Subsidies and Accelerating Vehicle Efficiency (OILSAVE) Act would offer consumers a tax credit for purchasing qualified energy-saving vehicles.The Wyden-Bennett legislation builds on earlier incentives for hybrid gasoline-electric powered cars, but unlike the hybrid credit, the … Continue Reading
June 13, 2007
Wyden-Chambliss Introduce "WISE" Legislation to Draw on Intelligence Community Energy Expertise
Washington, DC - In an effort to better inform U.S. energy policy, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) - members of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence - introduced legislation today that would assign the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to submit an unclassified report on the long-term energy security of the United States. The "Weighing Intelligence for Smarter Energy" (WISE) Act draws on the Intelligence Community's analytical expertise on global … Continue Reading
June 11, 2007
Senator Wyden Blows the Whistle on Under-Investment in Oil Refining and Production
Washington, D.C. - Illustrating how the oil industry's failure to invest in oil production and refining keeps gas prices artificially high, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced his plan today to take tax breaks away from oil companies that do not invest in new refinery capacity and upgrades."The consequences of the oil industry's anti-consumer behavior are clear. When there is less refining capacity, there is less ability to turn oil into gas. When there is less gas, prices go up. When … Continue Reading
