Press Releases
Wyden: Today’s Presidential Medal of Freedom Ceremony for Oregon Civil Rights Hero is a Well-Deserved Honor
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today's Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony for Oregon civil rights hero Minoru Yasui is a well-deserved honor for a steadfast champion of civil and human rights. "Minoru dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice and equality under the law," said Wyden, who twice wrote the White House to urge that Mr. Yasui receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. "He was a trailblazer whose courage, eloquence and dogged fight against … Continue Reading
November 24, 2015
Wyden, Colleagues Call for Closing Terrorist Gun Loophole
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined colleagues today calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Paul Ryan to quickly schedule votes on legislation that would close an egregious loophole and prevent individuals on the Federal Terrorist Watchlist from being able to purchase firearms and explosives that may be used in connection with terrorism. Under current law, a member of a terrorist organization is not prohibited from "possessing firearms or explosives" or … Continue Reading
November 20, 2015
Wyden Urges USDA to clarify industrial hemp’s eligibility for federal research grants
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to clarify that industrial hemp research programs are eligible for existing federal research dollars. Wyden was among a bipartisan group of 12 senators, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.); and 37 members of the House of Representatives - including Oregon Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio and Kurt Schrader -- to write Secretary … Continue Reading
November 20, 2015
Senators Announce Introduction of Bipartisan Bill to Expand Breastfeeding Protections at Work
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Oregon's Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), joined by Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Al Franken (D-MN), announced the introduction of the Supporting Working Moms Act of 2015. This bipartisan legislation helps ensure that more working mothers can continue to breastfeed their babies after they return to work. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) also announced the … Continue Reading
November 19, 2015
Wyden Statement on Syrian Refugees
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today called for the United States to uphold its traditional values and continue to allow refugees from violent oppression and terror to our shores, while ensuring a rigorous screening process is in place to protect the country. "Our country must ensure the refugee screening process is as strong as possible and protects all Americans. America can uphold its values and its tradition of welcoming refugees from violent oppression and terror. Our … Continue Reading
November 18, 2015
Wyden, Merkley Announce Farm-to-School Grants in Oregon
Washington, DC - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that projects in Bend, Cottage Grove and Eugene have earned federal farm-to-school grants totaling almost $225,000. "From apples to zucchini, Oregon's farm-to-school programs achieve two key goals: local farmers gain lifetime customers and youngsters grow up with the knowledge of fresh, healthy and tasty produce," Wyden said. "These awards from the Agriculture Department re-affirm the hard work happening in our state to … Continue Reading
November 18, 2015
GUN SAFETY: Wyden, 19 Senators Ask Government Accountability Office to Examine Gun Safety Programs
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Patty Murray, D-Wash., and 18 of their Democratic Senate colleagues today asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess public health and safety programs designed to affect gun safety, and to provide best practices for the storage and security of guns in households. In a letter to Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States, the senators wrote that prevention of gun deaths and injuries should be an essential … Continue Reading
November 18, 2015
Wyden Spotlights Key Oregon Projects in Transportation Bill
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said today that a trio of essential highway projects in Oregon would benefit from a long-term plan to rebuild the national transportation infrastructure. A member of the Transportation Infrastructure Conference Committee, Wyden praised the House bill for bringing new projects within national scenic areas into the mix for transportation funding, including bridges near Hood River and Cascade Locks. He also cited another provision that upgrades both … Continue Reading
November 17, 2015
Wyden Urges FCC to Limit Unwanted Debt Collection Robocalls
Washington, DC-Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., and 38 other Senate and House members in calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to limit unwanted robocalls and texts to those with debt owed to or backed by the federal government. Section 301 of the recently passed budget bill potentially opens the door to unwanted robocalls and texts to the cell phones of student loan borrowers, mortgage borrowers, … Continue Reading
November 16, 2015
Wyden Renews Call for Pentagon Audit Following Revelation of $43 Million Natural Gas Station Boondoggle
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today pressed the Department of Defense to lay out a plan to restore fiscal accountability and prevent expensive mistakes, like the $43 million natural gas filling station recently uncovered by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). In a letter to Defense Secretary Ash Carter, Wyden expressed deep concern about the DOD's apparent lack of cooperation with the Inspector General's investigation, and lack of basic efforts … Continue Reading
November 10, 2015
Oregon Lawmakers Urge Congress to Target High School Graduation Rates
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representatives Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Kurt Schrader and Suzanne Bonamici today urged Congressional leaders to target high school graduation rates in Oregon and across the country as part of a larger K-12 education bill. The Senate passed its version of the education bill in July, which contains a Wyden-authored provision to help schools raise their graduation rates by making more low-income and low-performing … Continue Reading
November 10, 2015
Wyden, Merkley and DeFazio Announce New, Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Staffing at VA Health Centers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Oregon's Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representative Peter DeFazio announced new, bipartisan legislation to improve health care at VA facilities. The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act would make common-sense changes in staffing policies at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and improve veterans care at VA health care facilities. The legislation was introduced today in the Senate by a bipartisan coalition of Senators and will be introduced … Continue Reading
November 10, 2015
Senate Passes Wyden Provision To Bring Retired Military Dogs Home after Overseas Duty
Washington, D.C. -The Senate included an amendment by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., ensuring retired military dogs can return to the United States after serving America overseas, as part of a larger defense bill that passed today. The provision is based on Wyden's Military Working Dog Retirement Act, which requires the Department of Defense to arrange and pay for transportation of trained military dogs to the United States when their service abroad has been deemed no longer necessary, including … Continue Reading
November 09, 2015
The Supreme Court Hasn’t Stopped the Government From Tracking Your Cellphone Without a Warrant. Time to Pass Wyden’s GPS Act
Washington, D.C. -After the Supreme Court today declined to hear an appeal of a decision allowing the government to access cell phone location data without a warrant, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., renewed his call to clarify a tangled mess of legal decisions around electronic tracking of Americans' movements. "It's clear the courts won't resolve this question any time soon, so Congress needs to step up and make sure that Americans' cell phones aren't being used as warrantless government GPS … Continue Reading
November 09, 2015
Wyden Calls on FCC to Foster More Competition and Choice in Pay-TV Video Box Marketplace
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and six other senators called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to use its authority and initiate a rulemaking to ensure that consumers can use set-top boxes of their choice to access MVPD (multichannel video programming distributors) programming. According to information requested by Senators Markey and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., from the top ten MVPDs, almost all MVPD customers rent these video … Continue Reading
November 06, 2015
Wyden Applauds President’s Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement after the White House denied TransCanada a construction permit to build the Keystone XL pipeline to carry oil from the tar sands in Canada. "President Obama did the right thing by putting Keystone XL out of its misery. I'm thrilled this spigot for dirty tar sands is finally welded shut and no longer threatens the climate, endangered wildlife and drinking water," Wyden said. "Now it's up to Congress to get to … Continue Reading
November 05, 2015
Wyden Statement on Release of Trans-Pacific Partnership Text
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., promised to dig into the details of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement between the United States and 11 Asian Pacific nations, which was released today. "I look forward to digging into the details of what was released today. In the days and weeks ahead I will be talking with Oregon workers, farmers and ranchers, manufacturers, and innovators to learn about what this agreement will do for them," Wyden said. "I fought hard to make this day happen … Continue Reading
November 05, 2015
Wyden, Udall, Heinrich, Bennet, Markey Introduce Bill to Ensure Hardrock Mining Companies Pay Their Fair Share
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Tom Udall, D-N.M., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., introduced legislation to reform the nation's antiquated hardrock mining laws. The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2015 will ensure mining companies pay royalties for the privilege of extracting mineral resources from public lands. The bill helps ensure that taxpayers aren't on the hook for cleaning up abandoned mines, many of … Continue Reading
November 04, 2015
Wyden, 11 Senators Call for Full Investigation Into Wrongful Discharge of Servicemembers with Mental Health Disorders
Washington, D.C. -Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) along with U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), , Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), called on the Pentagon to conduct a full U.S. Army Inspector General investigation into recent allegations that the U.S. Army has, since 2009, … Continue Reading
November 04, 2015
Wyden Works to Protect Americans from Unwanted Robocalls and Texts
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senator Ron Wyden (D - Ore.), Senator Edward J. Markey (D - Mass.) and 9 of their Senate colleagues introduced the Help Americans Never Get Unwanted Phone calls (HANGUP) Act, which protects student loan and mortgage borrowers, veterans, farmers, taxpayers, and others from unwanted robocalls and texts. The HANGUP Act strikes Section 301 of the Budget Act of 2015, legislation passed last week by Congress, which exempts callers collecting debt owed or guaranteed by the … Continue Reading
