Press Releases
Wyden Co-sponsors Safe Gun Storage Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today joined Senate colleagues to introduce legislation directing the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish safety standards for firearm locks and firearm safes. "Storing guns safely can mean the difference between life and death," Wyden said. "Close to 20 percent of all gun injuries in our nation occur because of the high rate of improperly stored guns in homes. This problem can be easily remedied with proper and commonsense safety … Continue Reading
May 25, 2021
Wyden Will Hold Online Town Hall June 5 for Benton County
Portland - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have a live on-line town hall hosted by People's Town Hall for residents of Benton County beginning at 1 pm on Saturday, June 5. Wyden has held 970 in-person town halls statewide in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon's 36 counties. Wyden has postponed in-person town halls until there are clear-cut public health guidelines that a large open-to-all public meeting poses no unusual health risk … Continue Reading
May 25, 2021
Wyden Calls for Treasury Department to Make More Communities Eligible for State and Local Broadband Grants
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., urged Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to allow more underserved communities to deploy modern broadband networks with American Rescue Plan funds, in a letter sent today. In Treasury's interim rule, any community with more than 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds would be ineligible for the funds. That outdated definition of broadband is inadequate for modern internet use, Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica … Continue Reading
May 25, 2021
Wyden Will Hold Regional Online Town Hall June 3 for Oregonians
Portland - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have a live regional on-line town hall hosted by People's Town Hall for residents of Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Sherman, Gilliam and Wheeler counties beginning at 1:30 pm on Thursday, June 3 Wyden has held 970 in-person town halls statewide in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon's 36 counties. Wyden has postponed in-person town halls until there are clear-cut public health guidelines that … Continue Reading
May 25, 2021
Wyden, Merkley: Almost $7 Million in AmeriCorps Funding Coming to Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that four organizations in Oregon will receive about $6.95 million in funding from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and community volunteerism. "AmeriCorps volunteers build stronger communities and earn experience that often inspires a lifetime of service," Wyden said. "These programs in Portland, Milwaukie and Bend are working hard to better their communities, and I'm positive will put the … Continue Reading
May 24, 2021
Wyden Statement on Unconstitutional Florida Social Media Law
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on Florida's unconstitutional new law requiring private websites to host politicians' posts online: "Following Donald Trump's lead, Republican-led states are determined to pass laws to force websites and apps to host lies, misinformation and other slime, with full knowledge that those laws are unconstitutional. The latest such example out of Florida - which compels online sites to host the speech of politicians - is … Continue Reading
May 24, 2021
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $39 Million in Federal Funds to Boost Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention, Mental Health Services In Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that $39.3 million in American Rescue Plan funding is headed to Oregon to support substance abuse treatment and prevention programming, and to strengthen mental health services for Oregonians. The coronavirus crisis has presented mental health challenges in every community in Oregon-in both rural and urban areas, and among children, young people and seniors. "The devastation and hardship of this past year … Continue Reading
May 20, 2021
Wyden, Manchin, Cantwell, Feinstein Introduce Legislation to Help Prevent Catastrophic Wildfires
Wyden made the case for his legislation today during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on forest management. Click here to watch. Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., today reintroduced legislation that would help prevent the blistering and destructive infernos from destroying homes, businesses and livelihoods and becoming more frequent as the climate crisis grows. The National … Continue Reading
May 20, 2021
Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Stabilize USPS and Promote Long-Term Sustainable Service
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said today he has joined colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation that would set the United States Postal Service on a more sustainable financial footing and support the goal of providing long-term reliable service across the country. "Oregonians throughout our state depend on the Postal Service to receive safe and timely delivery of their prescription drugs, to vote at home, to get packages and many other essential day-to-day needs," Wyden said. … Continue Reading
May 20, 2021
Wyden, Murray Introduce Legislation to Modernize State and Local Tech Systems
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., introduced new legislation today to help state and local governments update their technology and replace outdated systems for accessing essential health care, housing, employment and other services. The State and Local Digital Service Act authorizes $100 million to fund tech strike teams at state and local governments, using modern design and development techniques that put users first and fix frustrating government … Continue Reading
May 20, 2021
New Report from Wyden, Colleagues: Universal Child Care Is Essential to the Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery
Washington, DC - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) as well as U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) and Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) today released a new report highlighting the critical need to expand and invest in our child care system and calling for $700 billion to support investments in child care as the country heads towards a post-pandemic economic recovery. "Our report echoes what I hear every … Continue Reading
May 20, 2021
Wyden Statement on Ongoing Violence in Israel
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the ongoing violence in Israel: "I urge all parties to this conflict to recognize the enormous toll it is taking on innocent lives and implore them to step up efforts toward a ceasefire in the next 24 hours. "I stand with Israelis as they exercise their right to self-defense in the face of indiscriminate terror attacks, and I stand with Palestinians caught in the carnage of Hamas' campaign against Israel. "I encourage all Israelis … Continue Reading
May 19, 2021
Wyden, Colleagues Make Bipartisan Push to End Wasteful Pentagon Spending
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Mike Lee (R-Utah) today introduced the Audit the Pentagon Act of 2021, which would require the Department of Defense (DOD) to finally pass a full independent audit beginning in fiscal year 2022. "Taxpayers can't afford to keep writing blank check after blank check for the Pentagon to cash," Wyden said. "If the Department of Defense cannot pass a clean audit, as required by law, there ought … Continue Reading
May 19, 2021
Wyden, Paul, Merkley Introduce Bill to Update Regulations to Ensure Equal and Safe Access to Hemp-derived CBD Products
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., today introduced legislation to ensure hemp-derived CBD products are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) like other legal products used in dietary supplements, foods and beverages - an action that is essential to protecting consumer safety and treating hemp producers fairly. Currently, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act prohibits any new dietary ingredient, food, or beverage from … Continue Reading
May 19, 2021
Wyden, Merkley: Lane Electric to Receive $3.7 Million FEMA Grant for Repairs from 2019 Winter Storm
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Lane Electric Cooperative will receive a $3.72 million federal grant for repairs from the February 2019 snowstorm that left customers without power and caused severe damage to the utility's power distribution lines and systems. "Oregonians who experienced the loss of electricity in their homes and businesses for weeks on end from this winter storm remember all too well the damage this snowfall inflicted on Lane … Continue Reading
May 18, 2021
Wyden, Merkley Support Title X Rule to Reverse the Trump Administration’s Gag Rule
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined colleagues in a letter urging Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra to quickly finalize the proposed rule for the Title X family planning program that would reverse the Trump Administration's gag rule, commit to health equity, and ensure that patients who depend on Title X providers can get the care they need-including for birth control, STD screenings, cancer screenings, and more. "For … Continue Reading
May 18, 2021
Wyden, Raskin Urge DOJ to End Practice of Spying on Journalists To Identify their Sources
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin, D-Md., urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to end its practice of spying on reporters to secretly identify their sources, in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland sent today. The members' letter follows recent news that the Trump administration, under former Attorney General William Barr, secretly obtained phone records and attempted to obtain email records from three Washington Post reporters … Continue Reading
May 17, 2021
Wyden Co-Sponsors Legislation to Expand, Make Permanent Minority Business Development Agency
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said today he is co-sponsoring legislation that would make permanent and expand the reach of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), placing MBDA regional offices in more communities as well as increasing the agency's grant-making capacity and creating a Senate-confirmed post for Minority Business Development. "Entrepreneurs of color have for generations faced significant barriers as they work to get their ideas and businesses off the ground," … Continue Reading
May 15, 2021
Wyden, Merkley and Bentz Urge Unity In Klamath Basin
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz issued the following joint statement today about the Klamath Basin. "The latest chapter of the ongoing challenge in the Klamath Basin requires a unified approach locally and within the Oregon delegation to secure every possible short-term resource to help the Basin. That same unity is required in the work on the long-term solution that all responsible parties in the region know is needed so … Continue Reading
May 14, 2021
Wyden, Merkley: Eugene Airport to Receive $5.5 Million Federal Grant
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the city of Eugene will receive a $5.5 million federal grant to help rebuild the runway as well as make lighting and taxiway improvements at Mahlon Sweet Field. "Eugene's airport plays a huge role for Oregonians needing convenient travel options, and for local businesses as well as the U-of-O and OSU welcoming visitors from around the globe," Wyden said. "I'm gratified these federal resources are heading to … Continue Reading
