Press Releases
Wyden, 7 Senators Call for Transparency for LGBT Students at Schools Seeking Religious Exemptions
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Al Franken, D-Minn., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., today called for greater transparency and accountability after a recent rise in the number of colleges and universities seeking religious exemptions under the law that protects students from discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity. Congress … Continue Reading
December 18, 2015
Wyden Votes ‘No’ on Harmful Cyber Bill and Weakening Oversight of Surveillance Programs
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today voted against a legislative package containing a dangerous "cybersecurity" bill and provisions to undermine independent oversight of government surveillance programs. Republican leaders inserted an extreme version of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) and the flawed 2016 Intelligence Authorization Act into a broader package of spending and tax bills. "These unacceptable surveillance provisions are a black mark on a worthy package … Continue Reading
December 17, 2015
Wyden, Blumenauer Win Battle for Cidermakers
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (both D-Ore.) said today their work to update outdated regulations and taxes for cider-makers in new legislation will promote continued job creation in Oregon's growing cider industry. The provisions included in the bipartisan Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act approved Thursday by the House would modernize outdated cider regulations by broadening the definition of hard cider to remove the punitive tax on ciders containing … Continue Reading
December 16, 2015
Wyden, Merkley, Schrader Applaud FCC’s Decision to Continue Support to Rural Oregon Telecom Companies
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representative Kurt Schrader applauded the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) decision to continue the eligibility of the Gervais, Mt. Angel, Monitor and St. Paul Telephone Companies for universal service support. These rural providers were under threat of losing high cost support, which would jeopardize service to rural Oregonians. "Access to telephone and broadband service is essential for safety, learning, … Continue Reading
December 16, 2015
Wyden, Crapo, Merkley and Risch: Spending Bill Boosts Wildfire Funds, But Much More Work to Do
Washington, D.C. -A bipartisan group of Oregon and Idaho senators praised congressional leaders for boosting wildfire funding in a year-end spending bill, and vowed to continue pushing for a long-term solution. Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, joined with Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and James Risch to renew their call for a long-term solution to wildfire funding. The bill directly funds firefighting at 100 percent of the 10-year average of firefighting costs. Additionally, it contains … Continue Reading
December 16, 2015
Wyden Wins Fight for Charitable Donations in Tax Legislation
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today that his successful fight to include expanded and permanent charitable deductions in new tax legislation will provide food banks with much-needed certainty about the donations that support their essential work to fight hunger in Oregon and nationwide. "We cannot afford to play games when it comes to hunger. Oregonians who need food assistance and the people working so hard to help them deserve a tax policy that supports this lifeline for … Continue Reading
December 16, 2015
Wyden Slams Latest, Worse Version of Cybersecurity Bill
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D - Ore., issued the following statement on the latest version of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, which has been included in the omnibus appropriations bill. "This 'cybersecurity' bill was a bad bill when it passed the Senate and it is an even worse bill today. Americans deserve policies that protect both their security and their liberty. This bill fails on both counts. Cybersecurity experts say CISA will do little to prevent major … Continue Reading
December 15, 2015
Wyden Secures Major Provision of Recently Introduced College Affordability Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced a bipartisan deal on a major part of a bill he introduced to lower the cost of college by providing much-needed tax relief and greater economic certainty for students and their families in Oregon and across the country. A centerpiece of Wyden's PARTNERSHIPS Act was included in the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, which congressional leaders released tonight. The bill helps working families and makes … Continue Reading
December 15, 2015
Wyden Responds to Misstatements on USA Freedom Act and Mass Surveillance
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement in response to multiple misstatements about the USA Freedom Act during tonight's debate: "Senator Rubio is mistaken when he says that the USA Freedom Act does not let the government do anything that it could not do before. Section 102 of the USA Freedom Act, which I first proposed in 2013, gave law enforcement and intelligence agencies new authorities to obtain records in an emergency and get court approval … Continue Reading
December 15, 2015
Wyden Presses FBI to Step Up Efforts Against ‘Ransomware’ Hackers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked FBI Director James Comey how the FBI is tackling the increasing problem of "ransomware" attacks in a letter sent today. Ransomware attacks refer to the growing criminal practice of hacking Americans' devices, encrypting personal information and holding it for ransom through ransomware software commonly known as Cryptolocker and Cryptowall. "With this problem becoming increasingly widespread, the FBI should explore all legal options for … Continue Reading
December 14, 2015
Wyden Questions FBI ID Policy on Freedom of Information Act Requests
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked FBI Director James Comey to explain the purpose of a new FBI policy requiring people to upload copies of government-issued identification when filing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, in a letter sent today. "I write to express my strong concern that the ID requirement presents serious legal and privacy concerns," Wyden wrote to Director Comey. "The FBI's new eFOIA system imposes a requirement that can neither be found in statutory law … Continue Reading
December 10, 2015
Wyden, Portman Settle MLS Cup Bet
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, today settled their friendly wager on the Major League Soccer Cup result with a six-pack of Columbus Brewing Company's Winter Warmer changing hands. The Portland Timbers' victory Sunday over the Columbus Crew in the MLS Cup also meant Wyden got to keep the six-pack of the Widmer Brothers' Timbers' Hefe he had put up on the Timbers. "Since there's no pity in the Rose City, I am thrilled on behalf of Timbers … Continue Reading
December 09, 2015
Wyden Praises Permanent Ban on Internet Taxes In Customs and Trade Enforcement Bill
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., praised the inclusion of a permanent ban on unfair taxes on Internet goods and services, as well as Internet access taxes, as part of a trade enforcement bill coming before Congress this week. Sen. Wyden co-wrote the original Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA) with former California Republican Rep. Chris Cox in 1998. ITFA prohibits state and local governments from taxing Internet access, and bans multiple and discriminatory taxation against digital … Continue Reading
December 09, 2015
Wyden Lauds Final Passage of K-12 Education Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., lauded today's Senate passage of the final K-12 education bill to boost high school graduation rates in Oregon and across the country as part of the much-called-for replacement of the 2001 No Child Left Behind law. The bill, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), includes a provision to help more students graduate from high school by requiring states to identify high schools with low graduation rates and ensuring those schools receive the … Continue Reading
December 08, 2015
Wyden Statement on Social Media Reporting Bill
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement on legislation filed today by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, to require Internet companies that are aware of undefined "terrorist activity" to report it to law-enforcement. "Let's make sure the record is clear: The Director of the FBI testified a few months ago that social media companies are 'pretty good about telling us what they see.' Social media companies must continue to do everything they can to quickly remove terrorist … Continue Reading
December 03, 2015
Wyden: Transportation Bill Includes Key Oregon Projects and Tourism Priorities
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) praised tonight's congressional passage of a long-term plan to rebuild the national transportation infrastructure for including three essential highway projects in Oregon as well as vital tourism priorities for the state. "This long-term approach to funding our highways provides the road map that's a must for our economy to generate good-paying jobs," said Wyden, a member of the transportation infrastructure conference committee that developed the … Continue Reading
December 03, 2015
Wyden, Merkley Statement on Klamath Basin
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley released the following statement today on the Klamath Basin: "For more than a decade, the irrigators, tribes and conservationists of the Klamath Basin have worked tirelessly to craft agreements that can break a century-long deadlock over water rights. The Oregon delegation shares the goal of working together for the success of the basin, and all of the state. Today we took a step forward towards legislation that can make Klamath … Continue Reading
December 03, 2015
Wyden Applauds Increased Focus on High School Graduation Rates
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., applauded Congressional leaders for targeting high school graduation rates in Oregon and across the country as part of a larger K-12 education bill that last night passed the House of Representatives. The bill, which would replace the No Child Left Behind law from 2001, includes a provision to help more students earn their diplomas by requiring states to identify high schools with low graduation rates and ensure those schools receive the … Continue Reading
December 02, 2015
Wyden Blasts Latest Attempt to Defund Planned Parenthood
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today blasted the fast tracking of a bill that would block federal funding to Planned Parenthood clinics in Oregon and across the country for one year. The Senate last night began considering a House-passed budget bill that includes a provision to cut federal funding for Medicaid for use at Planned Parenthood clinics. "Millions of American women - including tens of thousands of Oregonians - turn to Planned Parenthood for the routine health … Continue Reading
December 01, 2015
IRS Commits to Follow Justice Department Guidelines on Stingrays in Letter to Wyden
Washington, D.C. - In response to questions by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen committed to seeking warrants for future use of cell-site simulator technology. The devices, often referred to as Stingrays, can be used to track cell phones and intercept information about calls. The IRS said cell-site simulators are used exclusively for criminal investigations and that its policy mirrors the Justice Department's, which requires warrants to use the … Continue Reading
