Press Releases
Wyden Demands Answers from Trump Administration On Poor Treatment of World Cup Visitors
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today demanded the Trump administration explain its sorry record of entry denials and visa problems for fans, players, referees, and family members traveling to World Cup games played in the United States. “I wrote to the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department more than a year ago expressing concerns about your Departments’ unhelpful and unbalanced policies with respect to travelers visiting our country for major sporting events,” … Continue Reading
June 17, 2026
Wyden on Delay of Clayton Nomination Hearing: Depending on Trump Henchmen to Defend Americans’ Rights is Pointless; the Senate Must Reform Government Surveillance
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement in response to Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton cancelling a confirmation hearing for Director of National Intelligence Nominee Jay Clayton, pursuant to a rambling Truth Social post by Donald Trump. Over recent weeks, Trump has demanded that Congress pass the SAVE Act voter suppression legislation before he will sign an extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He has … Continue Reading
June 16, 2026
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Press Trump Admin On Growing Threat of Ebola and Hantavirus After Devastating Foreign Aid Cuts
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined their Democratic Senate colleagues in sounding the alarm on how the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts under DOGE have led to a humanitarian health crisis as Ebola and Hantavirus continue to spread throughout central Africa. “The Trump Administration’s withdrawal of global health funding that once supported outbreak detection and surveillance across parts of Africa has led to the erosion of the … Continue Reading
June 15, 2026
Merkley, Wyden Unlock Critical Federal Funding for I-5 Wildlife Crossing in Southern Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that, thanks to their efforts, the Trump Administration has released critical federal funds for the Mariposa Preserve Wildlife Crossing over I-5 in Southern Oregon through the heart of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Earlier this month at a Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee hearing reviewing the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Merkley … Continue Reading
June 15, 2026
Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici, Lawmakers Urge Trump Administration to Immediately Address Largest Student Loan Default Crisis on Record
Washington, D.C. — Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), joined a group of their colleagues in pressing the Department of Education (ED) to immediately address the largest student loan default and delinquency crisis on record, which has been made worse by the Trump Administration’s policies. “(I)nstead of pursuing solutions that protect borrowers, the Trump administration has deflected blame, punted responsibility for the default … Continue Reading
June 12, 2026
Wyden, Oregon Delegation Demand Postal Service Rescind New Rule Suppressing Mail-In Voting
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, Maxine Dexter, Janelle Bynum, and Val Hoyle, today demanded the U.S. Postal Service rescind its proposed rule that would limit mail-in voting to federally registered voters. The rule would require state elections officials in Oregon and other states with vote-by-mail to provide the federal government with detailed voter lists including names, addresses, and unique barcodes … Continue Reading
June 12, 2026
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Sound Alarm on Trump Administration Use of Election Crimes Prosecutions to Interfere in Midterm Elections
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined their Senate colleagues in demanding answers over the Trump Administration’s decision to remove the most recent version of the Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses manual from the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) website without explanation. In their letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Senators highlighted the alarming actions taken by the Administration regarding election interference, … Continue Reading
June 12, 2026
Wyden, Colleagues Demand Trump And Thune to Stop Gutting Independent Agencies, Blocking Democratic Nominees, And Handing Bipartisan Watchdogs To Loyalists
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined his fellow Senate Democratic Ranking Members to demand Republicans stop the Trump administration's concerted efforts to undermine independent agencies. Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, and the other senators expressed concern over Trump’s refusal to nominate or confirm Democratic commissioners and board members for openings that are required to have bipartisan membership, which threatens Americans’ safety … Continue Reading
June 12, 2026
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Launch Inquiry into Administration’s Corrupt Redirecting of Taxpayer Dollars for National Parks to Pay for Trump’s Vanity Projects
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined their Senate colleagues in pressing the Trump Administration on its redirection of tens of millions of dollars from fees paid to the National Park Service (NPS) to fund President Donald Trump’s vanity projects in Washington, D.C. “Visitors to our national parks contribute millions of dollars to the National Park Service’s (NPS) budget by purchasing recreation passes and digital versions of the America the Beautiful … Continue Reading
June 12, 2026
Wyden, Hoyle Reintroduce Bill to Tackle Housing Affordability Crisis, End Homelessness
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Congresswoman Val Hoyle (OR-4) yesterday reintroduced the Decent, Affordable, Safe Housing for All Act (DASH Act), comprehensive housing legislation that would spur construction of millions of housing units for working-class and middle-class Americans, create a new down payment tax credit for first-time homebuyers, lower costs, and make a landmark investment to end homelessness. “The housing crisis deepens every … Continue Reading
June 12, 2026
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $37.4 Million in Federal Funds for Oregon to Support Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that Oregon will receive more than $37.4 million in federal funding through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to support critical drinking water infrastructure projects across the state. “Reliable access to clean water is essential for the health and safety of Oregon communities,” said Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations … Continue Reading
June 11, 2026
Wyden, Cruz Introduce Legislation to Guard First Amendment Speech Rights Against Government Jawboning
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today introduced the Justice Against Weaponized Bureaucratic Overreach to Networked Expression Act (JAWBONE) Act, legislation to hold the government accountable for censorship and violations of the First Amendment. Jawboning occurs when the government pressures private companies to censor speech protected by the First Amendment. Americans face significant hurdles in proving these … Continue Reading
June 10, 2026
Republicans Block Wyden Bill to Extend FISA for Five Weeks To Cover Up Ongoing Surveillance Abuses
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after Senate Republicans objected to Wyden’s request to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for five weeks, with basic new transparency requirements about warrantless government surveillance. “Every day that Section 702 is in effect without reforms is a day that Americans’ rights are under threat,” Wyden said. “If there is going to be an extension of these authorities, there needs to … Continue Reading
June 10, 2026
Republicans Block Wyden Legislation to Protect Roadless Rule
Washington, D.C. - Senate Republicans today blocked an amendment offered by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., during a key Senate committee vote to preserve a 25-year-old rule that protects more than 58 million acres of national forest and public lands across Oregon and the country from new road construction, irresponsible mining and logging, and other environmentally-harmful commercial projects. In Oregon alone, nearly 2 million acres are protected under the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation … Continue Reading
June 10, 2026
Wyden, Warren Press Trump Treasury and U.S Mint Over Sourcing of 24-Karat Trump Gold Coins
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today he and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have requested the Mint cease its production of 24-karat gold coins with Donald Trump’s image on them, until a thorough investigation proves the gold is not illegally sourced. In April 2026, The New York Times discovered the U.S. Treasury Department has been buying gold from illicit sources for decades. These sales have directly benefited terrorist and cartel groups, including some … Continue Reading
June 09, 2026
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Press Trump to Justify His Claim that Hostilities in Iran Have Ended
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined Senate colleagues in refuting the Trump administration’s claim to Congress that the hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, in Iran have “terminated” and requested President Trump release the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) opinion supporting his claim. The senators emphasize the already unconstitutional war in Iran has violated its 60-day statutory deadline set by the War Powers Act and argue that the ongoing naval … Continue Reading
June 08, 2026
Wyden, Merkley, Murray Demand Trump Administration Restore Key BLM Roles
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., today demanded the Trump administration immediately reinstate 13 federal employees in Oregon and Washington state who received “reassignment letters” terminating their roles at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in May, with no apparent plan at the start of fire season to replace them. The employees worked in BLM district offices as Public Affairs Officers or Public Information Officers often … Continue Reading
June 05, 2026
Wyden Calls for Republicans To Put Real Surveillance Reform On the Table; Pulte Shows that No Administration Should be Given Warrantless Domestic Spying Powers
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called for Republican leaders to negotiate on real reforms to warrantless government surveillance, instead of insisting on repeating their failed effort to extend FISA Section 702 without a single meaningful reform. The Senate voted 47-52 early Friday morning against taking up a FISA extension bill. “Americans aren’t going to stand for law-abiding people being spied on. There’s bipartisan agreement in Congress that the status quo isn’t good … Continue Reading
June 04, 2026
Wyden, Merkley Laud Stewardship Agreement for Malheur National Forest
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today praised the announcement of a 20-year stewardship agreement between the Malheur National Forest and Iron Triangle LLC in John Day that covers forest restoration, hazardous fuels reduction, timber harvesting, watershed improvement, and habitat restoration for that federal forest in Eastern Oregon. “As a long-time champion of stewardship agreements that provide fresh and balanced solutions for rural Oregon communities, I am … Continue Reading
June 04, 2026
Wyden: The Only Reason to Nominate Todd Blanche for Attorney General is to Abuse the Law, Illegally Protect Trump And Persecute Trump’s Critics
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement in response to Donald Trump’s announcement that he will nominate Todd Blanche as Attorney General of the United States. Blanche served as Trump’s personal attorney before joining the Department of Justice, ordered investigations of Trump’s perceived enemies, greenlit the $1.8 billion slush fund for Trump’s allies, handed Trump and his family immunity from future investigations for tax crimes, and played a key … Continue Reading