Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley Urge Action to Ensure Worker Safety as Trump Administration Pressures Meat Processing Plants to Open
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today raised new concerns about the Trump administration's Executive Order pressuring meat processing plants to open without verifying the necessary safety measures to protect workers and the food supply. The senators, along with U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and 26 of their colleagues, outlined recommendations for ways the administration should improve worker safety in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary … Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
Wyden, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reform Broken Declassification System
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., today introduced legislation to address the expensive, unnecessary backlog to declassify documents that no longer need to be protected by government secrecy. "Keeping records classified without good reason is a huge waste of taxpayer money and resources to secure documents that don't actually affect national security," Wyden said. "Our bill will save money and start to chip away at the huge backlog of documents that … Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Announce Nearly $500,000 Investment in Agricultural Workforce Through Oregon State University
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that Oregon State University (OSU) will receive nearly $500,000 in federal funding to support summer research fellowships that prepare underrepresented students for graduate school and careers in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. The funds are part of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative's (AFRI) Education and Workforce Development Program, which is dedicated to supporting the … Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
Wyden Votes No on Bill to Hand Government Warrantless Spying Power
Washington, D.C. - Senior Intelligence Committee member U.S. Sen. Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement today, after voting against a bill to renew massive warrantless surveillance powers: "Today I voted no against reviving sweeping programs that spy on innocent Americans without a warrant. This bill does far too little to protect Americans' Constitutional rights against unnecessary government spying, a prospect that should terrify everyone concerned by the Trump administration and … Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
Wyden, Brown Press Labor Department to Speed Up Unemployment Disbursements and Address System Shortfalls
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) are urging the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to speed up Unemployment Insurance (UI) disbursements and work to address the system shortfalls that have contributed to the delays in workers getting their benefits. In a letter sent to DOL Secretary Eugene Scalia, the senators expressed serious concern regarding the significant delays in the processing of UI claims that are preventing workers from receiving their benefits in … Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
Wyden, Rubio, Durbin and Boozman Introduce Resolution Condemning Repression of Iranian Baha’i
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., with Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla, Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and John Boozman, R-Ark., introduced a resolution condemning Iran's government for persecuting the 300,000 members of the Baha'i faith. "Iran's repression of its Baha'i population and imprisonment of Baha'i religious leaders is despicable. This resolution sends the message that the U.S. must hold the Iranian regime accountable for the continued violation of religious and political freedom of … Continue Reading
May 13, 2020
Wyden Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Extend PPP Loan Deadline from Eight to 16 Weeks
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to introduce the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Deadline Extension Adjustment for Loans (DEAL) Act. The legislation would extend the loan forgiveness period from eight to 16 weeks and amend the rehire date from June 30 to 16 weeks after the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan is awarded. It was also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mitt Romney, R-Utah, Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Cory … Continue Reading
May 13, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $87 Million in Federal Funding to Increase Testing Capacity in Oregon
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that Oregon will receive nearly $87 million to boost the state's coronavirus testing capacity. "Expanding testing capacity is an essential step in our fight to treat, and eventually reopen, our communities," said Merkley. "The reality is that coronavirus testing is still limited in Oregon and in states across the country-a major problem that is only making it more difficult for us to understand and respond to … Continue Reading
May 13, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Press for Maritime Ports Help in Next COVID-19 Relief Package
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are urging Senate leaders to direct relief in the next COVID-19 package to maritime ports in Oregon and nationwide. The letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Charles Schumer notes that ports' unique governing structures have left them ineligible for many of the recently enacted relief programs. "Funding sources vary for ports, but all have seen their budgets hit hard by the ongoing business closures and … Continue Reading
May 13, 2020
Wyden Welcomes New National Housing Assistance Website to Help Renters, Homeowners Apply for Relief, Learn About New Protections to Keep Them in Their Homes
Washington, DC - Following calls from U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and colleagues for a comprehensive resource guide to help renters and homeowners during the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government has launched a new website to provide information about all the resources and assistance available. The single website provided by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) details new … Continue Reading
May 13, 2020
Wyden Opposes Warrantless Government Surveillance of Americans’ Internet Browsing History
Mr. President, I rise to offer an amendment to ask a basic question. Is it right at this unique time when millions of law-abiding citizens are at home, for the government to be able to spy on their internet searches and web browsing without a warrant? Should law-abiding Americans have to worry about their government looking over their shoulders from the moment they wake up in the morning and turn on their computers to when they go to bed at night? I believe the answer is no. But that's exactly … Continue Reading
May 13, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Announce Legislation to Help Renters During the Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with 24 of their colleagues in the Senate, have announced new legislation-the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020-to assist renters amid the economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis. The legislation would establish an Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which would provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to help families and individuals pay their rent during and after … Continue Reading
May 13, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Ensure All Students Have Access to Internet During COVID-19 Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today introduced legislation aimed at ensuring all K-12 students have adequate home internet connectivity and devices during the coronavirus pandemic. The Emergency Educational Connections Act would give elementary and secondary schools and libraries, including tribal schools and libraries, $4 billion to provide Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers and internet-enabled devices to students, staff and patrons. "With education forced … Continue Reading
May 12, 2020
Wyden Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Help New Parents Receive CARES Act Stimulus Checks This Year
Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today joined with a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce legislation that would ensure more new parents quickly receive the additional $500 per child in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act stimulus payments without having to wait until 2021. "Immediate economic help in the middle of this public health crisis is a must for new parents and the newborns depending on them from Day One to provide food, diapers, shelter and … Continue Reading
May 12, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Push to Expand Delivery for SNAP Recipients During Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with a bipartisan group of 26 senators, are calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately work to ensure that Americans who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits-also known as food stamps-can receive home food delivery and curbside pickup during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the letter to USDA, the senators wrote, "The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented … Continue Reading
May 12, 2020
Wyden, Merkley: State to Receive $10.7 Million to Help Low-income Oregonians During COVID-19
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Oregon will receive $10.7 million in federal funding to help respond to the urgent needs of low-income communities caused statewide by the COVID-19 public health crisis. "The economic fallout from coronavirus has put huge additional pressure on many Oregonians who already faced financial stresses paying their rent, hunting for a job, or caring for a relative," Wyden said. "I am gratified these federal resources will … Continue Reading
May 11, 2020
Wyden Introduces Bill to Make Major Investments in Public Health, Wildfire Prevention and Rural Jobs as Part of COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Efforts
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced legislation that would bolster wildfire prevention and preparedness to protect the health and safety of communities during the unparalleled combination of threats posed by wildfire season and the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation also would provide relief and job creation measures that equip rural economies to respond to the unique threats they're facing during this public health and economic crisis. "A historic global … Continue Reading
May 11, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Call for Robust Funding to Aid the Homeless in Next COVID-19 Relief Package
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today urged Congressional leadership to include $11.5 billion in funding for Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) in the next relief package to aid the nation's homeless population who are experiencing heightened vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter was signed by 73 Members of Congress. Wyden and Merkley also joined colleagues in introducing the Public Health Emergency Shelter Act, which would provide the $11.5 … Continue Reading
May 11, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $25 Million in Funding for Lane Transit District
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the Lane Transit District will receive over $25 million in funding to support its public transportation operations and projects, including coronavirus response efforts. The funding was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and is being distributed by the Federal Transit Administration. "I'm grateful for the dedicated transit workers throughout Lane County who are … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Wyden to Introduce Legislation to Allow Credit Unions to Better Serve Small Businesses During COVID-19 Crisis
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced today that he will introduce legislation next week to allow more lending flexibility for credit unions to better serve their customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Access to Credit for Small Businesses Impacted by the COVID-19 Crisis Act builds on Wyden's work to help under-banked and under-served small businesses receive equal access to federal small business relief. "Our banking system has left the mom and pop shops on … Continue Reading
