Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley Announce Additional Air Tanker Availability for Wildfires
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the U.S. Forest Service is bringing on five additional airtankers for use when needed to battle wildfires in Oregon. The additional contracts awarded by the Forest Service means the agency has 18 airtankers currently under exclusive use with the agency, each with a base period of one year and then four one-year options. In total, the agency will have up to 35 air tankers available under all available contracting … Continue Reading
March 30, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Plan to Introduce Legislation to Protect Oregonians’ Access to Electricity and Gas
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with six of their Senate colleagues, today announced a congressional resolution urging states and utility companies to issue a moratorium on gas and electric service disconnections, late fees, reconnection fees, rate hikes, and other penalties for all consumers as a result of the ongoing national emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although various utility companies in Oregon have voluntarily committed to … Continue Reading
March 30, 2020
Wyden Calls on DeVos to Return All Garnished Federal Tax Refunds for Entire 2020 Filing Season
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined a group of his colleagues to call on the Department of Education to return all amounts garnished from the federal tax refunds of student loan borrowers since this year's filing season began on January 27, 2020. The administration previously announced it would halt all collection activity on certain defaulted federal student loans during the COVID-19 emergency and would retroactively return $1.8 billion that had been garnished from … Continue Reading
March 27, 2020
Wyden: Coronavirus Package Will Bring an Estimated $3.3 Billion to Unemployed Oregonians
Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced the historic expansion of unemployment insurance he worked to get into the just-passed Senate coronavirus package will work out to an estimated $3.3 billion in much-needed help this year for unemployed Oregonians. "This urgent crisis demands an urgent response and $3.3 billion for Oregon workers will help them throughout this year to pay the rent, buy groceries and cover medical expenses. That's essential assistance for workers and … Continue Reading
March 27, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Urge FDA to Change Discriminatory Blood Donation Policies to Combat Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with 15 of their Senate colleagues, are pressing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reverse course on discriminatory blood donor deferral policies that effectively prohibit many healthy gay and bisexual men from donating. The senators' letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn comes amid a nationwide shortage of donated blood caused by the coronavirus pandemic. "We write to express our concern with the Food … Continue Reading
March 26, 2020
Wyden Urges Federal Trade Commission to Protect Seniors from Coronavirus Scams
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to protect seniors from coronavirus-related scams. In response to the recent increase in these scams, Wyden joined a group of bipartisan senators on a letter to FTC Chairman Joseph Simons calling on the FTC to better inform seniors about coronavirus scams and assist victims in understanding their recourse options to ensure that seniors are protected from those attempting to financially exploit … Continue Reading
March 25, 2020
Wyden Welcomes Senate Passage of COVID19 Stimulus Package
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden welcomed tonight's Senate passage of the bipartisan legislative package to respond to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic and worsened by the Trump administration's failure to ensure widespread testing in the United States. The legislation now advances to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration. "From the start, Democrats made it clear that struggling families and small businesses must be the priority in any economic … Continue Reading
March 25, 2020
Oregon Delegation Seeks Federal Disaster Declaration for State
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Kurt Schrader and Greg Walden in a letter today to the White House supported Oregon Gov. Kate Brown's request for a major disaster declaration for the entire state as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Oregon lawmakers said in their bipartisan letter that in addition to the serious and growing health toll from the virus, that the virus' rapid spread has generated … Continue Reading
March 25, 2020
Wyden Secures Provisions in COVID-19 Stimulus Package to Help Oregon Workers and Small Businesses
Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced several provisions that will support Oregon workers and small businesses are included in the bipartisan legislative package to respond to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. "From the start, Democrats made it clear that the priority of this stimulus package must be workers and the small businesses they support," Wyden said. "Oregon's small businesses are the backbone of our state's economy, and these provisions … Continue Reading
March 25, 2020
Wyden Announces Retention Credit To Keep Workers On The Job
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced an employee retention credit to prevent further mass layoffs is included in the bipartisan agreement to respond to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the Trump administration's failure to ensure widespread testing. "Our goal is to prevent as many layoffs as possible and keep workers on the job. If workers are kept on the payroll they will be able to pay their bills and stay … Continue Reading
March 25, 2020
Wyden Announces Historic Expansion Of Unemployment Insurance
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced the inclusion of an unprecedented expansion of unemployment insurance in the bipartisan agreement to respond to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the Trump administration's failure to ensure widespread testing. An expansion of unemployment insurance has been a top Democratic priority. The agreement would create a federally funded Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, … Continue Reading
March 25, 2020
Wyden, Klobuchar Statement on Funding to Secure our Elections Included in Coronavirus Response Legislation
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., released the following statement regarding election funding included in the latest COVID-19 emergency package. "In times of crisis, the American people cannot be forced to choose between their health and exercising their right to vote. While this funding is a step in the right direction, we must enact election reforms across the country as well as secure more resources to guarantee safe and secure elections. We … Continue Reading
March 25, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $2 Million in Awards to Oregon Health Centers to Boost Coronavirus Response
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will distribute nearly $2 million in funding among 30 health centers across Oregon to help address the coronavirus crisis. "Health care professionals in every corner of our state have been working around the clock to battle the coronavirus pandemic on the frontlines," said Merkley. … Continue Reading
March 25, 2020
Oregon Delegation Calls for Expedited Approval of Local Personal Protective Equipment Manufacturing
WASHINGTON, DC [03/25/20] - Today Oregon's Congressional Delegation - Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Greg Walden, and Kurt Schrader, and Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley - called for the Trump administration to expedite and clarify the evaluation and approval processes for businesses to manufacture the personal protective equipment health care workers need to stay safe while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health care providers responding to COVID-19 … Continue Reading
March 24, 2020
Wyden Calls for Access to Remote Education for All Students During Coronavirus Emergency
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined 20 of his colleagues in urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker to support additional funding in the next version of the coronavirus relief package for all K-12 students to have adequate home internet connectivity if their schools close due to the ongoing pandemic. "Children without connectivity are at risk of not only being unable to complete their homework during this pandemic, but … Continue Reading
March 24, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Raise Concerns About Harmful Medicaid Regulation
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today called on the Trump administration to withdraw a dangerous proposal that would disrupt state Medicaid financing that helps cover costs for vulnerable low-income patients. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) proposed Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule (MFAR) makes complex technical changes that would limit the types of financing mechanisms states can use to pay for their non-federal share of Medicaid … Continue Reading
March 24, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce New Funding to Provide Meals to Low-Income Seniors
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that Oregon will receive more than $3 million to help provide home-delivered and pre-packaged meals to low-income older adults, as communities are ordered to stay home and avoid social contact in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. "The federal government must be a full partner to our states as we work to contain this virus," Merkley said. "That means looking out for our vulnerable neighbors, … Continue Reading
March 24, 2020
Wyden Urges Administration to Help Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence During Coronavirus Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said today he is urging the Trump administration to ensure service providers have the flexibility and resources they need to help domestic violence victims and survivors who face increased dangers during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. "We write to express our concern for the wellbeing of families who face an increased risk of domestic violence during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)," Wyden wrote in a bipartisan letter with 23 … Continue Reading
March 23, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Demand Answers from President Trump About Testing and Equipment Shortages
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have joined 45 of their Senate colleagues in pressing President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence for answers about supplies and equipment in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) critical to addressing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The senators asked the president and vice president to confirm any relevant supply equipment shortages in the SNS, to outline their strategy to close any such … Continue Reading
March 22, 2020
Wyden Statement on Status of Third Coronavirus Response Bill
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement of the status of the third coronavirus response bill: "Moving forward without a bipartisan deal that covers workers and small businesses, and includes needed health provisions will add insult to the injuries many Americans are experiencing due to COVID-19. Significant progress had been made, including on a major expansion of unemployment insurance, but rather than completing our work, Leader … Continue Reading
