Press Releases
Wyden, Emanuel Provide Real Tax Relief for Middle Class in "Simpler, Flatter, Fairer" Reform Plan
Washington, DC - As millions of Americans scramble to finish their taxes on the eve of Tax Day, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) today introduced comprehensive tax reform legislation that contains major tax relief for America's middle class by making the 1.4-million word U.S. income tax code simpler, flatter and fairer. Wyden is a member of the Senate Finance Committee. Emanuel is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.Wyden and Emanuel's bill, the … Continue Reading
April 06, 2007
Statement by U.S. Senator Ron WydenRegarding America's Eventual Withdrawal from Iraq
It is my belief that we should withdraw our military from Iraq as soon as we are able to ensure that our departure will not be followed by a Rwanda or Darfur of our own making.While I was one of 23 U.S. Senators who voted against going to war in Iraq, I also acknowledge that -- once the President invaded that nation -- we inherited a moral obligation to attempt to leave Iraq with a more peaceful and prosperous future. While I will not and cannot defend the misleading information used by … Continue Reading
April 06, 2007
Wyden Statement on White House Veto Threat to Proposed Medicare Drug Reforms
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released the following statement this evening following the President's threat to veto legislation seeking to reform the Medicare prescription drug benefit:"Spiraling costs and the low levels of participation we've seen so far may jeopardize the survival of the hard-won Medicare drug benefit. Ignoring those obvious problems and threatening to veto any solutions isn't a productive or responsible reaction. Making changes to contain costs and … Continue Reading
April 06, 2007
Wyden Statement on Commerce Panel Vote on FTC Chair Nominee
Washington, DC - In a meeting of the Senate Commerce Committee today, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) voted against the nomination of Deborah P. Majoras, President Bush's nominee to head the Federal Trade Commission. Wyden also indicated today that he would maintain his procedural hold blocking a full Senate vote on her appointment to a full five-year term."I am disappointed that the Commerce Committee approved Ms. Majoras' nomination for a full term," said Wyden. "There is still no evidence … Continue Reading
April 06, 2007
Statement of Senator Ron Wyden on Passage of Budget Reconciliation Legislation
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today voted against final passage of budget reconciliation legislation under consideration by the Senate, and released the following statement this evening: "This budget reconciliation bill takes exactly the wrong approach to reducing America's deficit - instead of repealing tax cuts that benefit only the fortunate few, it gives the middle class more burdens to bear. At the same time, it undermines much-needed programs from Medicaid to … Continue Reading
April 06, 2007
Senator Ron Wyden's Statement on Veteran's Day
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released the following statement in commemoration of Veterans Day:"Today, Oregonians once again come together to remember the service and sacrifice of America's veterans."Veterans know the price of freedom. Each has a story of sacrifice - of families left behind, of brothers and sisters lost in battle, of battle scars that that often dwell far beneath the skin. Yet Americans serve, as is inscribed at Arlington Cemetery, 'Not for fame or reward, … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden, Davis Push Vote by Mail
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) today announced that they have introduced legislation to help states transition to vote by mail (VBM) election systems. S. 979, the Vote Mail Act of 2007 and its House companion, H.R.1667, would create a three year, $18 million grant program to help states adopt vote by mail election systems like the one that Oregon voters have been successfully using for some time now."As the Oregon experience demonstrates, vote by … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Protests Advanced Closure of the 939th Air Refueling Wing "Pulling the rug out from underneath these brave reservists is unfair"
Washington, D.C. - Protesting the Air Force Reserve Command's announcement today that it is accelerating the closure of the 939th Air Refueling Wing, based in Portland, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden sent the following letter to Air Force Reserve Chief, Lieutenant General John A. Bradley:February 2, 2007Lieutenant General John A. BradleyChief, Air Force Reserve 1150 Air Force PentagonRoom 4E160Washington, DC 20030-1150Dear Lt. Gen. Bradley:I am writing to formally protest your announcement that the … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Senators Continue Fight for Rural Communities
Washington, D.C. - Working to reinstate vital funding for the nation's rural schools, roads and services, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith are filing amendments to authorize and fully fund a one-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000, commonly known as the county payments law.Despite the Administration's commitment to enact a one-year … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Blasts DoD Response on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, a senior member of the Intelligence Committee, today said he was extremely troubled by the response he received last night in a letter from the Pentagon concerning its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This is the second time the Pentagon has avoided answering the question of whether there is any military reason for maintaining the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy."As we send men and women to fight overseas, it is more important than ever that we address … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden's Talks with Reid, Baucus and Bingaman Yield Multi-Year County Payments Fix
Washington, DC - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) joined U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) today in announcing a multi-year proposal to restore funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, commonly known as the county payments law. The proposalwhich includes about $5 billion for rural schools, counties and communities through 2012is being offered for bipartisan consideration by Reid, Wyden and U.S. Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), the … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Oregon Senators Press for County Payments
Washington, D.C. - As the White House prepares to issue its yearly budget request to Congress, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) today asked the Administration to include funding for an extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000, commonly known as the county payments law.The letter, addressed to the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Rob Portman, detailed the severity of the situation facing Oregon's rural … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Proposes Historic New Health Care Plan;Effort Has Business and Labor Support
Washington, D.C. - Following 60 years of gridlock on a desperately-needed overhaul of the nation's health care system, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Finance Committee, today unveiled a groundbreaking new proposal to provide affordable, high quality, private health coverage for everyone regardless of where they work or live.The plan, known as the Healthy Americans Act:-- guarantees private health care coverage that cannot be taken away for all Americans;-- provides benefits for all … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Applauds U.S. Trade Rep's Decision to Challenge Chinese Subsidies Hurting US Hardwood Plywood Industry
Washington, D.C. - Noting that approximately 70 percent of North America's hardwood plywood is manufactured by companies headquartered in Oregon, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today applauded the decision by U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab to file a World Trade Organization (WTO) case against China over prohibited subsidies that adversely affect the US hardwood plywood industry. Nearly 2,000 Oregonians work in the hardwood plywood industry. In separate letters in … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden: Health Care Change Must Come at Federal Level
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today introduced legislation that would give every American the same kind of coverage that Members of Congress receive for the same amount being spent on health care today.Under the legislation, all Americans - including the 46 million uninsured - would be covered by health care insurance for no more than is spent today. The legislation also contains tough cost containment and according to the influential … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
White House Budget Stiffs Rural Schools and Communities
Washington, DC. - The Administration today released its FY2008 budget plan, which slashes funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. Funding for the successful program-most commonly known as the "county payments" law-was allowed to expire in September 2006, thus forcing rural communities to examine school and law enforcement lay-offs, library closures and other cut backs necessarily to balance their budgets. The President's budget recommends more than a 50% … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Oregon National Guard to be Reimbursed for Assisting with Hurricane Katrina Aftermath
WASHINGTON, DC-The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced a grant to the state of Louisiana for approximately $2.7 million to cover the costs of reimbursing the Oregon National Guard (ONG) for services provided in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. The state of Louisiana must now reimburse the ONG for this amount. The funds are expected to be transferred to the ONG this week.Oregon's entire congressional delegation sent a letter to FEMA Acting Director R. David … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Lauds Passage of County Payments Amendment
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) issued the following statement today after the U.S. Senate voted in favor of his multi-year proposal to restore funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act. The Wyden-Reid-Baucus-Bingaman Amendment, which is now included in the 2007 Emergency Supplement Appropriations bill, passed the Senate by a vote of 75 to 22. "Thanks to the wise action of the U.S. Senate today, rural communities across the country can rest a … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Statement on the President'sSurge Force Plan for Iraq
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement in response to President Bush's remarks on the war in Iraq: "I am not convinced that overstretching our military further is going to produce success in Iraq, and I oppose the President's plan."When it comes to ending the violence in Iraq, only the Iraqis can make the tough choices necessary to stop the civil war. The Iraqis won't make these tough … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden, Burr, Gordon, Hall Kick OffCongressional Nanotechnology Caucus
Washington, D.C.-U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Richard Burr (R-NC) and U.S. Reps. Bart Gordon (D-TN) and Ralph Hall (R-TX) today kicked off a new year for the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus by announcing a lecture series for congressional staffers designed to educate them about the enormous potential that nanotechnology holds and the challenges that must be overcome to fully realize that promise.Nanotechnology allows the creation of new products and processes through the manipulation of … Continue Reading
