Press Releases
Merkley, Wyden Announce Continued Funding to Train National Guard to Fight Wildfires
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As wildfires continue to blaze across Oregon, Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Ron Wyden today announced that the Department of Defense 2019 appropriations bill includes $7 million to train National Guard members to fight wildfires. The bill passed the Senate floor today. "I've met with the people on the front lines of these serious wildfires, and they say the hundreds of National Guard members have been a huge … Continue Reading
August 23, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill Aimed at Reducing Racial Disparities in Maternal Mortality
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today introduced a bill aimed at reducing significant racial disparities in maternal mortality and morbidity. The Oregon senators joined with a dozen colleagues introducing the Maternal Care Access and Reducing Emergencies (CARE) Act, in response to statistics showing the United States is one of only 13 countries where the maternal mortality rate is worse than it was 25 years ago. For African-American women, the risk of death from … Continue Reading
August 22, 2018
Wyden Presses for Comprehensive Approach to Address Threat of Wildfires to Crooked River Ranch
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today at a hearing on Crooked River Ranch that the central Oregon wilderness area needs action urgently to reduce the devastating potential of wildfire. Wyden's concerns come as the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today considered a House bill introduced by U.S. Representative Greg Walden, R-Ore., about the dangers posed by wildfires to Crooked River Ranch. "I have spent my time in Congress leading the charge to protect … Continue Reading
August 22, 2018
Wyden Introduces Housing Affordability Bills
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today introduced two bills that would create new tax credits to help first-time homebuyers and middle-income renters. Both pieces of legislation aim to provide a comprehensive affordable housing package in tandem with the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC), a tool Wyden has long supported that's helped to finance construction of affordable rental units. "Repairing the country's housing policy to help people in Oregon and nationwide afford a place to … Continue Reading
August 22, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Announce $5.2 Million Grant for Redmond Airport
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Redmond's airport will get a $5.2 million federal grant to boost airplane parking capacity and make other improvements. "Central Oregon residents and businesses deserve an airport prepared to meet their travel needs and to handle growth in commerce and visitors attracted to the region by recreation and other opportunities," Wyden said. "Steady investment in infrastructure is essential for economic growth, and these … Continue Reading
August 21, 2018
Wyden Introduces Broadband Bill to Help Small Ports
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today introduced a bill to help small ports in Oregon and nationwide get federal loans that would improve their broadband coverage, helping them to grow economically and ensuring they have real-time access to weather updates. Wyden's bill would add small ports to the priority list for applications to the Agriculture Department's Rural Utility Service broadband access loan program, which funds construction and improvement of internet infrastructure for … Continue Reading
August 21, 2018
Wyden Bill to Require Paper Ballots, Strengthen Election Security Gains Support of Schatz, Booker, Blumenthal, Major Voting Rights Groups
Washington, D.C. - In a show of growing momentum to tackle threats to American election systems, U.S. Sen Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced the addition of Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., as cosponsors to his bill to strengthen election security and require paper ballots, as well as endorsement for the bill by two major voting rights groups. The Protecting American Votes and Elections (PAVE) Act of 2018 requires the use of paper ballots and … Continue Reading
August 16, 2018
Wyden and Agriculture Department Announce Plan to Streamline Cleanup of Hazardous Fuels, Reduce Wildfire Risk
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen to announce a new plan for the Forest Service to address the hazardous fuels backlog contributing to devastating wildfires in Oregon and the West. The report follows Wyden's request during an Energy and Natural Resources hearing earlier this year that the Forest Service outline a timely plan to address the 80 million acres of … Continue Reading
August 15, 2018
Common Cause Endorses Wyden Bill Requiring Paper Ballots, Election Security
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced the endorsement of his election security bill by the grassroots voting rights group Common Cause. "With state election systems facing constant cyber threats, this legislation would institute the most critical safeguards needed to defend against sophisticated cyberattacks," said Susannah Goodman, the Director of the Election Security program at Common Cause. "Under this bill, states would be able to detect AND recover from an … Continue Reading
August 10, 2018
Oregon delegation calls on Trump administration to back down on efforts to restrict workers’ rights
Washington, D.C. - Members of the Oregon congressional delegation, including United States Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer and Kurt Schrader today called on the Trump administration to drop a proposed rule that would unjustifiably restrict home care workers' ability to form unions and collectively bargain for higher wages, better working conditions, expanded benefits, and new training opportunities. The letter, sent to … Continue Reading
August 03, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Ask for Updated Wildfire Impact Study in Oregon
WASHINGTON- Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today asked Travel Oregon to update its 2017 wildfire study to capture the additional impact of this year's wildfires on the normally robust outdoor recreation and tourism economy in Oregon. The senators said the agency's previous research on the impact of the 2017 wildfires was very helpful and that an update incorporating this year's wildfires affecting the Rogue and Deschutes Rivers would help raise awareness of the more recent wildfires on the … Continue Reading
August 03, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Protect Vulnerable National Forests
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week introduced legislation to permanently protect the nation's most pristine federal forests from reckless and inappropriate development that threatens the supply of clean drinking water and critical habitats for endangered species. "The Trump administration continues to use every tool in its arsenal to undermine environmental protections for America's public lands," Wyden said. "This bill will safeguard our national forests … Continue Reading
August 03, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Resolution to Protect Fuel Economy Standards, Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week joined their colleagues in introducing a resolution to protect states' rights to set their own fuel and greenhouse gas emission standards. "While the Trump administration flippantly ignores the clear dangers of climate change, states like Oregon are leading the way with bold action to ensure an efficient, low-carbon energy future," Wyden said. "This Trump decision is nothing short of an attack on states' freedom to … Continue Reading
August 02, 2018
Wyden, Paul Request Investigation of “Technical Irregularities” in NSA Metadata Program
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., today asked a government watchdog to investigate the circumstances that led the National Security Agency to delete hundreds of millions of telephone records, following the discovery the agency improperly received records. "When Congress passed the USA FREEDOM Act and ended the bulk collection of Americans' phone records, it expected that mass surveillance would be replaced by a carefully controlled system that only … Continue Reading
August 02, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Seek Federal Disaster Declaration for Sherman, Wasco and Jefferson counties
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today asked the U.S. Agriculture Department to designate Sherman, Wasco and Jefferson counties as agricultural disaster areas in the wake of recent wildfires. The Oregon senators' request came in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in support of the same request by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. "As you are well aware, having worked with us over the years on wildfire funding, the effects of fires can be devastating on these rural … Continue Reading
August 01, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Ensure LGBTQ Americans are Counted in Census
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today introduced legislation that would require the U.S. Census Bureau to ensure the approximately 10 million Americans who identify as LGBTQ are properly counted in Census data collection. "Despite the progress our country has made, LGBTQ Americans are still facing discrimination in many aspects of their lives, including employment, housing and the justice system," Wyden said. "While the Trump administration continues to … Continue Reading
August 01, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Announce Nearly $9 Million in Housing Aid for Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Clackamas and Washington counties as well as the cities of Beaverton and Hillsboro will receive nearly $9 million in federal grants for housing assistance. The grants are aimed at providing help for low- and moderate-income people, assisting people trying to find permanent housing after experiencing homelessness and expanding the housing supply for low-income families. "Increasing housing prices have walloped … Continue Reading
July 31, 2018
Wyden, Nadler, Coons, Markey, Booker Ask GAO to Study Commercial and Government Use of Facial Recognition
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., with Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., today asked the Government Accountability Office to study both commercial and government use of facial recognition to determine the potential market, uses, and possible abuses of the technology. "Given the recent advances in commercial facial recognition technology - and its expanded use by state, local, and … Continue Reading
July 27, 2018
Wyden, Merkley, Brown Again Seek Federal Wildfire Aid for Oregon Farmers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Gov. Kate Brown today asked federal officials to make some of the $12 billion promised American farmers in trade war relief also available to Oregon farmers devastated by recent wildfires. The letter from Wyden, Merkley and Brown to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue notes their request follows one they made last week asking Perdue to provide emergency assistance for Oregon farmers whose crops have been decimated by this summer's … Continue Reading
July 27, 2018
Wyden, Booker, Markey Question 39 Federal Law-Enforcement Agencies About Facial Recognition Policies
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., today sought details from 39 federal law-enforcement agencies about their use facial recognition technology, and what policies, if any, they have put in place to prevent abuse and misuse. "As [facial recognition] technologies have increased in availability and accuracy, and decreased in cost, we understand that as a law enforcement tool this technology would appear attractive," the senators wrote. … Continue Reading
