Press Releases
Key Wyden Provisions Included in Pension Reform Bill Approved by Senate
Washington, DC - Pension reform legislation approved by the full U.S. Senate today includes two key provisions championed by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden that will protect Oregon workers in a variety of sectors. Under the first provision, employees of Portland General Electric (PGE) would be allowed to increase their Individual Retirement Account (IRA) contributions, or "catch -up" on their retirement savings, which were lost in 2001 through Enron's misconduct . The second provision would keep … Continue Reading
November 15, 2005
Wyden Moves to Repeal Excessive Oil Company Tax Break
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today successfully won the repeal of an unneeded tax break for large, integrated oil companies for additional energy exploration by offering an amendment to Tax Reconciliation legislation considered by the Senate Finance Committee. The Committee today approved Wyden's measure to scale-back a tax incentive included in this year's Energy bill, which oil company executives last week told Wyden they did not need. The chief executives of Exxon-Mobil, … Continue Reading
November 14, 2005
Smith, Wyden Announce Fundsfor Oregon Energy and Water Projects
Washington, DC Today, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) announced Federal funding for Oregons critical infrastructure and environmental projects as part of the Fiscal 2006 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. The projects are pending final Senate passage on Monday November 14.Clean water and reliable energy sources are vital to Oregons economy, said Wyden. The projects that will now receive funding throughout the state will not only improve water availability and … Continue Reading
November 09, 2005
Oil Company Executives Tell Wyden: We Don't Need Government Incentives for Energy Exploration
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Five oil company executives told U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today that they do not need tax incentives included in this year's Energy bill for additional energy exploration in the face of record gas prices and oil company profits. The executives today told Wyden that they agreed with a statement by President Bush earlier this year that when the price of oil exceeds $55 a barrel, the oil companies do not need additional incentives for oil and gas exploration. The price … Continue Reading
November 03, 2005
Senate Votes to Halt Exports of Oil Drilled in Artic Refuge
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate today approved a measure by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jim Talent (R-Mo.) to ban exports of any oil produced in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A Wyden-Talent amendment was added by a vote of 83 to 16 to budget reconciliation legislation being considered this week. The budget reconciliation measure approved earlier this year assumed revenue from Refuge drilling and directed the Secretary of Interior to receive fair market value for Refuge oil; … Continue Reading
November 01, 2005
Statement of Senator Ron Wyden on the Senate's Closed Session on Intelligence Matters
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today released the following statement on the movement of the Senate to closed session to consider unanswered intelligence questions:"Last year, the Senate Intelligence Committee, on which I serve, promised to find the answers the American people have a right to know about this nation's march to an ill-advised war - a war I voted against. More than a year and a half after that promise was made, phase II of the Committee's report on pre-war … Continue Reading
October 31, 2005
Statement of Senator Ron Wyden on the Nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today released the following statement on the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the United States Supreme Court:"Clearly, this nomination seems to indicate a step to the right from Harriet Miers. I intend to watch Judge Alito's confirmation hearings very closely to see if he has the fair-minded, independent judicial temperament required for confirmation to the Supreme … Continue Reading
October 28, 2005
Wyden, Smith Announce $16.8 Millionfor Public Housing Revitalization
Washington, DC Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith announced that the Housing Authority of Portland will receive over $16.8 million to revitalize the Iris Court public housing development."These funds will go a long way toward providing much-needed quality affordable housing in the Humboldt neighborhood and a safe and thriving community overall," said Wyden. "Investing in projects with grants like these not only benefits Oregon families who need help the most, but also boosts our economy as a … Continue Reading
October 21, 2005
Senate Approves Funds for Oregon Community Development, Transportation Projects
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that the Senate has approved more than $38 million for various transportation and community development projects throughout Oregon. The funds were included as part of the FY 2006 Transportation, Treasury, Judiciary, and Housing and Urban Development (TTJHUD) Appropriations bill, which now goes to a conference committee to work out differences between it and the House version of the legislation. "The … Continue Reading
October 19, 2005
Wyden Fights to Halt Exports of Oil Drilled in Arctic Refuge
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today fought to ban exports of oil produced in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge by offering an amendment to Budget Reconciliation legislation considered by the Senate Energy Committee. The Committee today narrowly rejected by a vote of 9-13 the chance to stop market manipulation and price increases that oil companies have called a "no-brainer." In January 2001, The Oregonian of Portland reported that BP-Amoco systematically increased oil … Continue Reading
October 07, 2005
Senate Approves Federal Funding forOregon Nanotechnology, Defense Projects
WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that the U.S. Senate has approved at least $109 million in funding for defense-related projects in Oregon, including significant funding for a number of Oregon nanotechnology projects. These funds are included in the FY2006 Defense spending bill, which now moves to a conference committee to work out differences between it and the House version of the bill.Oregons cutting-edge technologies and … Continue Reading
October 03, 2005
Statement of Senator Ron Wyden on the Nominationof Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court
Washington, DC U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today released the following statement on the nomination of White House counsel Harriet Miers to replace Justice Sandra Day OConnor on the United States Supreme Court:Harriet Miers is clearly a trusted White House counsel. Her nomination presents a largely unknown quantity to the Senate for confirmation. I look forward to working with my colleagues to find out more about her record and her beliefs about the … Continue Reading
September 30, 2005
Senators Dorgan and Wyden Introduce Bill to Safeguard Against Abuse of Government Credit Cards, Prevent Fraud During Hurricane Clean-Up
WASHINGTON, D.C --- U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) today introduced legislation that would reverse language included in the emergency Hurricane Katrina spending bill that they say paves the way for potential abuse of certain government credit cards, which have been grossly mismanaged in the past. Government procurement rules allow small purchases to be made with a government credit card, bypassing some bidding procedures that govern larger purchases. The rules are … Continue Reading
September 30, 2005
Intelligence Authorization Bill Supports Funding for Declassified Board
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today announced that the FY2006 Intelligence Authorization legislation approved by the Committee now recommends ongoing funding for the government's Public Interest Declassification Board. Every year the government spends billions of dollars to classify millions of documents, often without justification. Wyden and U.S. Senator Trent Lott (R-Miss.) were successful last year in expanding … Continue Reading
September 29, 2005
Wyden, Smith Securing Funds for Oregon Defense Projects
WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved at least $109 million in funding for defense-related projects in Oregon, including significant funding for a number of Oregon nanotechnology projects. These funds are now included in the FY2006 Defense spending bill, which must now be approved by the full Senate.Oregon is a leader in using new technologies like nanotech for the benefit of the U.S. … Continue Reading
September 28, 2005
Wyden, Allen Call on DHS to Implement Communications, Tech 'National Guard' in Wake of Recent Hurricanes
Washington, DC - In the wake of communications failures caused by the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and George Allen (R-Va.) today sent a letter urging Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Michael Chertoff to finally implement the National Emergency Technology Guard, or "NET Guard," authorized in the Homeland Security Act passed in 2002. "NET Guard," or a "technology equivalent of the National Guard," is to be comprised of teams of local … Continue Reading
September 22, 2005
Wyden, Smith Secure FundsFor Oregon, OSU Agriculture Projects
Washington, DC Today, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith announced the U.S. Senate has passed legislation providing agricultural projects in Oregon with millions of dollars in federal funds. The Senate Agriculture Appropriations Bill now enters into conference with the House of Representatives.Farm operations are the backbone of rural Oregon and research fuels their long-term prosperity, said Smith. Oregon has a rich tradition of agricultural production, but its a changing industry and … Continue Reading
September 22, 2005
Senate Approves Fundingfor Oregon Military Facilities
WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that the Senate has approved more than $7 million in funding for Oregon military facility construction projects. The funding was included in the FY 2006 Veterans Administration and Military Construction appropriations bill; the legislation now moves to a conference committee to work out differences between it and the House version of the bill.Oregons military personnel play an important role in … Continue Reading
September 15, 2005
Senate Approves Funding for Salmon Recovery, Ocean Research in Oregon
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that the U.S. Senate has approved funding for the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund and for Oregon State University (OSU) for oceanic observation research. The funding approved today was included in the Senate's FY 2006 Commerce/Justice/Science (CJS) funding bill; the legislation now moves to a Conference Committee to work out differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill, and to direct … Continue Reading
September 14, 2005
Wyden, Fellow Democrats Call for Safety Measuresto Protect Consumers Against Gas Price Gouging
WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today joined fellow Democratic leaders to fight gas price gouging in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Measures called for today by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Wyden and others would give the President the authority to declare a national energy emergency and strengthen the hand of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) when fighting illegal price gouging that hits Oregonians and all consumers hard at the pumps.Before Hurricane Katrina, years … Continue Reading
