Press Releases
Wyden Leads Bipartisan Effort to Address National Opioid Crisis
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today welcomed the introduction of 22 bipartisan Medicare, Medicaid and Human Services bills by his colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee as essential pieces of the work to tackle the growing opioid epidemic in Oregon and nationwide. "Congress must take real and lasting action to confront this epidemic that's devastated far too many people and their loved ones," said Wyden, the committee's ranking Democrat. "I am gratified by today's good news … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Wyden Proposes New Policy to Bring More Americans into the Workforce, Reduce Barriers to Employment
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released draft legislation to boost job prospects for the long-term unemployed and other Americans struggling to make ends meet. This proposed policy, called the ELEVATE Act, works to close the workforce gap that is preventing many Americans from getting a job. It provides states with federal funding to design and implement subsidized jobs programs, which help workers access training and supports to achieve … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Protect Civil Rights of All Americans
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined Sens. Kamala D. Harris, D-Calif., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and their colleagues in introducing legislation to amend the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), the Do No Harm Act. Since its 1993 inception, the original intent of the RFRA has been misappropriated and used to discriminate and harm others such as LGBTQ individuals, women and children. The Do Not Harm Act ensures that RFRA can no … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Wyden Statement on Start of Columbia River Treaty Negotiations
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of State announced the United States will begin negotiations with Canada to update the Columbia River Treaty, which links the Canadian and American governments in management of the Columbia River system: "I have been pushing the State Department for years to open talks with Canada to modernize the Columbia River Treaty, and I’m glad the department is beginning these negotiations,” … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Wyden Presses Labor Department over Failure to Protect Oregonians’ Retirement Savings
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., sent a letter to Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, urging that the Department appeal an adverse Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision on the fiduciary rule, which protects Oregonians from receiving conflicted investment advice. The Department of Labor has failed to take alternative measures to protect retirement savings or warn investors that they are vulnerable to abusive financial practices. The letter reads in part: "We are deeply … Continue Reading
May 18, 2018
Wyden Praises FCC Decision to Investigate Flaw Allowing Real-Time Tracking of Millions of Americans
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., praised the FCC's reported decision to open an investigation into reports that a simple flaw on the website of location aggregator LocationSmart allowed nearly any hacker to track the phones of millions of Americans in real time. LocationSmart reportedly obtains location data from all of the major U.S. wireless carriers and then sells it to marketing firms and other companies. Those reports followed Wyden's discovery that the prison phone provider … Continue Reading
May 18, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Join Colleagues in Calling on CFPB to Protect Consumer Complaint Database
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined 34 of their colleagues in urging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to preserve public access to the Bureau's Consumer Complaint Database. Last month, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney stated he wanted to shut down the important consumer protection tool that allows consumers to file public complaints, resolve issues and make informed decisions when using financial services. "The CFPB was … Continue Reading
May 17, 2018
Wyden Floor Statement Opposing Gina Haspel to Lead CIA
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor to oppose the nomination of Gina Haspel to run the Central Intelligence Agency. View the video of his full speech here. Wyden blasted Haspel's control over the declassification process, which she has used to suppress any negative information from becoming public. "As the Senate moves to vote on the nominee to head the CIA, here's the bottom line: while the American … Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
Wyden Cheers Senate Vote to Protect the Open Internet and Preserve Net Neutrality
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., applauded the Senate vote today to reverse the Federal Communication Commission's misguided decision to end net neutrality protection, which would harm consumers, innovation and the open internet. "Today's vote in the Senate is the biggest win for internet freedom since we blocked PIPA and SOPA from becoming law. Now we're a step closer to putting real net neutrality rules back on the books," Wyden said. "Now it's time for the House to do its … Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
Wyden Statement on Gina Haspel Clearing The Senate Intelligence Committee, Despite Blatant CIA Cover-up of Her Record
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after the Senate Intelligence Committee voted in favor of Gina Haspel's nomination to serve as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. "Gina Haspel and the CIA have committed one of the most blatant abuses of power in recent history, aided and abetted by a total failure of Congressional oversight. I have asked again and again for some justification for Ms. Haspel's self-serving classification decisions and every … Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Respond to Oregon Proposed Premium Rate Increases
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today issued a statement after Oregon announced insurance companies' proposed premium rates for plan year 2019. These rate proposals will be reviewed by the state and finalized later in the year. "Despite Oregon's efforts to stop the Republican campaign of health care sabotage, families are still facing premium increases," Wyden said. "Oregon banned Trump's proposal for junk plans and adopted a forward-thinking State Innovation … Continue Reading
May 14, 2018
Wyden Statement on Relocation of U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement in response to the United States officially moving its embassy to Jerusalem today. "Israel has the same right as every other country to pick its own capital, something Congress recognized decades ago by passing the Jerusalem Embassy Act with overwhelming bipartisan majorities," Wyden said. "Israelis have made clear that Jerusalem is their capital and that has always been my position." … Continue Reading
May 11, 2018
Wyden Opens Inquiry on Cohen, Novartis Business Arrangement
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today asked the president's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and global pharmaceutical company Novartis to provide details and supporting documents explaining their business arrangement. Novartis has said it paid Cohen's firm, Essential Consultants, $1.2 million. At the same time, the company was negotiating with Medicare on pricing for a drug that costs nearly half-a-million dollars to treat cancer. "Reports about … Continue Reading
May 11, 2018
Wyden Demands FCC Investigate Unauthorized Location Tracking of Americans’ Cell Phones
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., demanded the Federal Communications Commission and wireless phone companies investigate the unauthorized and likely-illegal tracking of Americans' mobile phones by a company that provides phone services to prisons, jails and other correctional facilities, in a letter this week. Wireless carriers are allowed to provide real-time location data to law-enforcement agencies only after those agencies obtain a court order. The wireless companies are also … Continue Reading
May 10, 2018
Wyden, Gardner Press Forest Service, Interior Department on Air Tanker Readiness to Fight Fires this Summer
Washington, D.C. - Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Cory Gardner, R-Colo., today pressed Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Acting Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen to ensure air tankers are available to fight what the agencies are predicting will be another significant fire season facing western communities this year. At a fire briefing this morning at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agency officials said westerners should be prepared for an … Continue Reading
May 09, 2018
Wyden Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Streamline Promotions and Secure Pay for National Guard Members
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined his colleagues in introducing the bipartisan, National Guard Promotion Accountability Act to address delays in federal recognition of promotions for National Guard members. The bill would compensate Guard officers who serve at a higher rank while waiting for federal recognition by backdating their date of rank to the date they were promoted by the state. "Members of the Oregon National Guard put their lives on the line to protect and … Continue Reading
May 08, 2018
Wyden Statement on Trump Decision to Withdraw from Iran Agreement
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement in response to Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, commonly known as the Iran nuclear agreement. "Donald Trump's reckless decision to withdraw the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action comes after Trump's own advisors say Iran has complied with the agreement, and despite a bipartisan call from Congress, and American allies, to preserve and strengthen the … Continue Reading
May 08, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Announce Secure Rural Schools Payments for Rural Oregon Counties
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that 33 rural counties in Oregon will begin receiving Secure Rural Schools (SRS) payments this week, following the Oregon lawmakers' successful work in Congress to extend the lifeline funding program for schools, roads and law enforcement. "As the author of the law that created the SRS program, I fought to extend SRS payments so rural counties in Oregon can keep their schools and libraries open, make sure law … Continue Reading
May 08, 2018
Wyden-Requested Investigation Shows Ineffective Use of Authority to Combat Wildlife Trafficking, Protect Endangered Species
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced findings from an independent investigation he sought showing that government agencies responsible for protecting endangered species are failing to effectively use authority Congress provided to combat wildlife trafficking in the United States. A U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation requested by Wyden found the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) … Continue Reading
May 07, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Respond to Announcement of Confirmation Hearing for Ryan Bounds to Serve on 9th Circuit
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, today issued the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee's announcement that the committee will hold confirmation hearing for the nomination of Ryan Bounds to serve on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals: "It's a shame the US Senate Judiciary Committee is further diminishing any sense of respect for comity and fairness in the Senate. For six years while Democrats controlled the Senate and President Obama … Continue Reading
