Press Releases
Wyden, Bennet and Hickenlooper Introduce Legislation to Combat Intensifying Wildfires and Drought Across the American West
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Michael Bennet, D- Colo., and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., today introduced the Protect the West Act to make a $60 billion investment in the nation's forests to reduce wildfire risk, restore watersheds and protect communities. "Major investment is urgently needed to protect Western forests and watersheds from increasingly dangerous wildfires and droughts," said Wyden. "The Protect the West Act will ensure Congress funds much needed fire … Continue Reading
February 28, 2023
Wyden Statement on Nomination of Julie Su as Labor Secretary
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement on President Biden's nomination of Julie Su as the next Labor Secretary: "I've long admired Deputy Secretary Su's commitment to labor rights. Throughout her career she has advocated for workers, especially the most vulnerable workers. Whether it was fighting wage theft and forced labor or ensuring safe working conditions, Deputy Secretary Su has always stood firmly on the side of the worker. The qualities … Continue Reading
February 28, 2023
Wyden, Colleagues Reintroduce Cash Refunds for Flight Cancellations Act to Protect Rights of Airline Passengers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and Senate colleagues today reintroduced legislation that would provide consumers an enforceable right to a full cash refund when airlines cancel their flight. The Cash Refunds for Flight Cancellations Act would codify the federal Department of Transportation's authority to require major airlines to give passengers a cash refund if the airline cancels or significantly delays their flight and creates a new right for consumers to receive a cash refund … Continue Reading
February 27, 2023
Oregon Delegation Announces an Additional $6 Million for Major Energy Efficiency Upgrades at PDX
PORTLAND - Today, members of the Oregon Congressional delegation announced a $6 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant award to the Port of Portland to add a ground source heat pump system. The new system will help PDX reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and reduce the energy required to heat and cool PDX by 83%. The grant is part of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) FY2023 Airport Terminal Program (ATP). It follows $18.4 million that was awarded to the Port of Portland in … Continue Reading
February 27, 2023
Wyden To Hold Town Halls in Jefferson and Deschutes Counties
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will have open-to-all, in-person town halls next week in Jefferson and Deschutes counties. Wyden has already held 13 town halls so far throughout Oregon in 2023 - and 1,040 town halls overall statewide in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon's 36 counties. "These open-to-all town halls in central Oregon are all about public service and being available for anybody to ask me any question and … Continue Reading
February 27, 2023
Merkley, Wyden Join Colleagues to Introduce DISCLOSE Act
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Representative David Cicilline (D-RI-01) to introduce the DISCLOSE Act. The DISCLOSE Act is bicameral legislation that would end the corrupting influence of dark money, shine a bright light of transparency on political spending, and make government more accountable to the will of voters. "My colleagues and I are supposed to work for 'We the People' - for waitresses and truck … Continue Reading
February 24, 2023
Wyden, Merkley: Housing Authority of Portland Earns Nearly $1 Million to Help Older Children in Foster Care
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the Housing Authority of Portland has earned a federal award of nearly $1 million in vouchers to help the community respond to homelessness challenges faced by foster children in welfare. "Foster kids throughout Oregon often need support to help them face the challenges in their lives," Wyden said. "Housing is a human right, and I'm glad these federal resources will help young adults in the Portland area find stable … Continue Reading
February 24, 2023
Merkley, Wyden: Over $732,000 Headed to the Klamath Tribes to Expand Access to Health Care Facilities
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that a total of $732,920 in federal funding from the Indian Health Service (IHS) is headed to the Klamath Tribes to construct, expand, and modernize ambulatory health care facilities. "Tribes around Oregon depend on ambulatory health care facilities to get the care they need, when they need it," said Senator Merkley, who writes the legislation funding the IHS through his work as Chair of the Senate Interior … Continue Reading
February 23, 2023
Wyden, Booker and Merkley Urge DOJ to Protect Physician Health Privacy and Hold State Medical Boards Accountable for Violations of the American Disabilities Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., today urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to extend its investigations of offenses under the American Disabilities Act (ADA) to include the practices of state medical license boards, which often ask inappropriate medical licensing and application questions regarding mental health. In their letter, the senators cite serious concerns that not only do such questions violate the ADA, they may … Continue Reading
February 23, 2023
Wyden, Merkley: More than $5 Million to Central and Eastern Oregon for Wildfire Prevention Projects
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that three Oregon counties will benefit from a combined more than $5 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for collaborations with landowners to reduce wildfire risk, improve water quality and restore forest ecosystems. "Oregonians know that a raging wildfire doesn't recognize the difference between public and private lands," said Wyden, who fought for wildfire prevention funding in the Bipartisan … Continue Reading
February 22, 2023
Wyden, Luján, Blumenthal Urge Transparency for Delivery Service Junk Fees
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said today they are urging Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Doordash to adopt more transparency on junk fees, a misleading and harmful price gouging practice directed at consumers and small businesses. With 16 percent of Americans relying on income from an online gig platform, many small businesses struggling to stay open, and many vulnerable Americans depending on food delivery apps … Continue Reading
February 22, 2023
Wyden, Warren Call out McKinsey on its Role Directing Nonprofit Hospitals’ Exploitation of Vulnerable Patients
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., today asked McKinsey & Company to answer questions about its role in helping nonprofit hospitals like Providence Health take financial advantage of low-income patients. "Providence's questionable partnership with McKinsey reveals the predatory influence of for-profit consulting firms that prioritize profits over care… When enlisted to help senior executives at Providence increase revenues, McKinsey … Continue Reading
February 22, 2023
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $10.5 Million Coming to Oregon for Public Housing
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will be awarding communities across Oregon $10,559,201 from the Public Housing Capital Fund to support the development, financing, and modernization of public housing properties and for management improvements. "Oregonians in every corner of our state are struggling under the crushing weight of our affordable housing crisis," said Senator Merkley. "Everyone … Continue Reading
February 21, 2023
Wyden, Rubio, Durbin, and Boozman lead 20 Senate Colleagues to Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Condemning Repression of Iranian Baha’i
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and John Boozman, R-Ark., today lead 20 Senate colleagues to introduce a bipartisan resolution condemning Iran's government for persecuting the 300,000 members of the Baha'i faith. "Baha'is in Iran deserve to practice their faith freely and safely without fear of persecution," Wyden said. "The Iranian government continues its reprehensible persecution of the Baha'i community by wrongly subjecting … Continue Reading
February 21, 2023
Wyden, Merkley: Nearly $19 Million to Oregon to Ensure Clean Drinking Water in Rural and Underserved Communities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week announced Oregon will receive $18.9 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address emerging contaminants like Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water. "Access to clean drinking water is a human right that is undermined by the presence of PFAS and other contaminants that often go unaddressed in too many water systems around the state due to outdated infrastructure," said Wyden, who supported … Continue Reading
February 21, 2023
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $5.4 Million Coming to Oregon for Natural Disaster Recovery
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Port of Brookings Harbor and the Oregon Department of Forestry will be receiving $5,417,255 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster recovery efforts through its Public Assistance Program. "Oregon's devastating winter storms and wildfire season take a heavy toll on many communities across the state, and we need to continue to do everything we … Continue Reading
February 17, 2023
Wyden, Merkley: Portland & Habitat for Humanity of Oregon Earn Total of $4 Million in Federal Healthy Homes Grants
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the city of Portland and Habitat for Humanity of Oregon have each secured a $2 million federal Healthy Homes Production grant to make health and safety repairs to local housing as well as support cost-effective and efficient healthy homebuilding methods in their communities. "Housing that's affordable must also be safe and free of environmental dangers for Oregonians who deserve to know they're not somehow exposing … Continue Reading
February 17, 2023
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Help Communities in the Klamath Basin Respond to Severe Drought
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have introduced legislation that would support farmers and ranchers responding to severe drought and restoring fish and wildlife habitat in the Klamath Basin. "The farmers and ranchers in the Klamath Basin have weathered historic drought with significant federal investment and assistance, but the region is in desperate need of additional support, " said Wyden. "While I'm gratified Senator Merkley and I brought … Continue Reading
February 16, 2023
Wyden, Colleagues Demand Answers from Kroger on Widespread Wage Theft
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today joined Senate colleagues to push for accountability in a letter to Kroger after the company's shift to a new payroll system left thousands of workers across the country short on their paychecks. "We are writing today regarding alarming new reports of Kroger's involvement in the mistreatment of workers and consumers through widespread and unresolved wage theft. These reports indicate that 'systemic and widespread errors' by Kroger resulted in … Continue Reading
February 16, 2023
Wyden Delivers Floor Speech Calling on President Biden and the FDA to Keep Mifepristone on the Market, Regardless of Outcome in Texas Case
Wyden's call comes after decades of his advocacy for women to have access to abortion medication, holding the first ever congressional hearing on the basic healthcare issue Click here to watch video of remarks. As Prepared for Delivery On the first floor of the federal building in Amarillo, across the street from a grassy park and a few blocks away from the local minor league baseball stadium, is a United States District Courtroom for the Northern District of Texas. Presiding over that … Continue Reading
