Press Releases
Senate Designates May 16 Kids to Parks Day
Washington, DC -- U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Cory Booker, D-N.J., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, today applauded the Senate's passage of their resolution to promote active lifestyles for America's children by designating May 16 as National Kids to Parks Day. Started in 2011 with the National Park Trust, the fifth annual Kids to Parks Day kicks off a summer-long series of events at local, state and … Continue Reading
May 15, 2015
Wyden Statement on Sgt. Henry Johnson Medal of Honor
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement after the announcement that Sgt. Henry Johnson would posthumously receive the Medal of Honor: "I am thrilled that Sergeant Johnson has finally received his long overdue Medal of Honor for his heroism in World War I. This award at long last pays proper tribute to a true American hero who served our country so bravely despite the prejudice he and countless others endured at the time in the military as well as at … Continue Reading
May 13, 2015
Wyden Statement on House Passage of USA Freedom Act
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the USA Freedom Act by a 338 to 88 vote: "Today, the House of Representatives took an important step for protecting the privacy of Americans by voting to end the bulk collection of millions of Americans' personal information under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. I am also encouraged that the version of the USA Freedom Act passed today increases … Continue Reading
May 13, 2015
Senate Coalition To Introduce Bill Providing Access To Epilepsy Treatment
Washington, DC - Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with Senate co-sponsors Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Michael Bennet (D-CO), announced today they are introducing the Therapeutic Hemp Medical Access Act of 2015 in the United States Senate to exempt from the Controlled Substances Act strains of therapeutic hemp used to fight seizures in children and adults suffering from intractable epilepsy. These strains, which include the … Continue Reading
May 13, 2015
Wyden, Welch, Lummis Introduce Legislation to Require Transparency in Intelligence Budgets
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Reps. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., have introduced legislation that would require the president to disclose in the annual budget request to Congress the top line spending levels at the 16 federal agencies known to conduct intelligence activities. Top-line spending levels for federal intelligence activities are currently treated as classified information. The Intelligence Budget Transparency Act implements a recommendation … Continue Reading
May 12, 2015
Wyden Introduces Bill to Boost Biomass Energy, Promote Healthy Forests
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced a bill that would spur the use of low-carbon biomass energy to heat and power homes and businesses, while reducing the risk of wildfires and creating jobs in rural areas. The BioEnergy Act of 2015 would establish a competitive, cost-share grant program at the Department of Energy to improve technologies for drying and compressing woody biomass, which improves fuel quality and allows biomass producers to more easily transport wood … Continue Reading
May 08, 2015
Wyden Praises FAA Selection of UAS Excellence Center
Washington, DC - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., welcomed today's Federal Aviation Administration announcement that a consortium including Oregon State University has been chosen to be a Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Wyden urged the FAA in an Oct. 16, 2014 letter organized by Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. to select the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) Consortium, which includes OSU. "Unmanned aviation carries huge potential to support a … Continue Reading
May 08, 2015
Wyden, Heinrich, Hirono to Director Brennan: CIA Must Admit Secret Search of Senate Files Was Improper
Washington, D.C. - CIA Director John Brennan must admit the CIA improperly searched Senate files, and commit to never again threatening the Constitutional separation between Congress and the executive branch, Senate Intelligence Committee members Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, wrote today. "It is vitally important for the American public to have confidence that senior intelligence officials respect US laws and the Constitution, including our democratic … Continue Reading
May 08, 2015
Wyden Demands New Disclosure Rules for Political Ads
Washington, DC - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., this week co-sponsored legislation that would direct federal regulators to update and expand disclosure rules that govern commercial and political ads. Wyden said the Sunshine in Sponsorship Identification Act introduced by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and also cosponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) is a must because it directs the Federal … Continue Reading
May 07, 2015
Wyden Introduces Bill to Let States Set Electricity Rates for Small Power Projects
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a bill to spur development of more small-scale renewable power projects, like wind turbines on farms and rooftop solar panels on homes and businesses, by letting states determine prices for power from such small renewable energy projects. Currently, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulates the price that utility companies pay for electricity from small, independent power providers. Under the Public Utility Regulatory … Continue Reading
May 07, 2015
Wyden Introduces Bill to Modernize America’s Power Grid
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced legislation to update America's aging power grid and provide more reliable, low-cost, renewable energy to consumers in the Pacific Northwest and across the country. The Smart Grid Act of 2015 establishes a Department of Energy program that provides competitive, cost-share grants to cities, electric utilities, and local businesses seeking to invest in innovative smart grid technologies, such as smart household appliances and plug-in … Continue Reading
May 07, 2015
Wyden, Heinrich: Second Circuit Court of Appeals Rules NSA Dragnet Is Illegal – One More Reason to End the Dragnet
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., today called on the White House to finally end the mass surveillance of Americans, following a decision by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals that the National Security Agency is violating the law by collecting millions of Americans' phone records. "This is a huge step for individual Americans' rights," Wyden said. "This dragnet surveillance program violates the law and tramples on Americans' privacy rights without … Continue Reading
May 06, 2015
Bicameral Lawmakers Call on Interior Department to Stop Natural Gas Waste
Washington, D.C. - A group of House and Senate lawmakers today asked the Interior Department to limit the unnecessary releases of natural gas from oil and gas wells on public lands in light of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report finding that federal officials have not improved natural gas capture standards despite two previous reports urging reforms. In a letter sent today, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Reps. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., and Raúl M. Grijalva, D-Ariz., asked … Continue Reading
May 05, 2015
Wyden-Crapo Wildfire Disaster Funding Act Gains Support of More than 250 Organizations
Washington, D.C. - More than 250 groups from across the country joined Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, to express support for passing the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act to ensure vital resources in the fight against catastrophic wildfires in the West ahead of this year's fire season. The 261 organizations, including the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the Nature Conservancy and the National Rifle Association, wrote to all 535 members of the U.S. Senate and the House of … Continue Reading
May 05, 2015
Wyden, Rubio, Warner Introduce “The Student Right to Know Before You Go Act”
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Mark Warner, D-Va., today introduced legislation that would provide college-bound students powerful new tools for comparing colleges and universities on measures such as total cost, likelihood of graduating, and potential earnings. "The Student Right to Know Before You Go Act" would, for the first time, make publicly available key facts for each college and university, including earnings data for graduates, … Continue Reading
May 05, 2015
Wyden Commemorates World Press Freedom Day
Washington, D.C. -In recognition of the crucial role a free press plays in supporting open and democratic societies around the world - and the threats journalists continue to face - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a resolution today commemorating World Press Freedom Day which is May 3rd. "World Press Freedom Day is a reminder that too many journalists continue to face the threat of jail or death just for doing their jobs. As the son of a journalist, I grew up on the principle that asking … Continue Reading
May 01, 2015
Wyden, Merkley Statement on Transportation Department Oil Trains Rule
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today released the following statement after the Department of Transportation issued a final rule to address the safety of shipping oil-by-rail: "After years of our urging, the Department of Transportation's rule includes meaningful steps on rail safety, but does not do enough, or move quickly enough to secure Oregon communities from the risks of flammable oil trains. Instead of providing first responders more details about oil … Continue Reading
April 30, 2015
Wyden, Schumer, Feinstein, Casey, Merkley, Brown, Warner Introduce Bill to Protect Communities from Oil Train Accidents
Washington, D.C. - Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Bob Casey, D-Penn., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Mark Warner, D-Va., today introduced legislation to protect local communities by getting unsafe oil trains off the tracks and giving firefighters and other first responders in local communities the resources they need if accidents do happen. The Hazardous Materials Rail Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2015 would reduce … Continue Reading
April 29, 2015
Wyden, Portman, Hirono, Booker and Heinrich Announce Kids to Parks Day
Washington, DC -- U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Cory Booker, D-N.J. and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. are joining together to promote active lifestyles for America's children by introducing a resolution to mark Kids to Parks Day. Started in 2011 with the National Park Trust, the fifth annual Kids to Parks Day kicks off a summer-long series of events at local, state and national parks. "Oregonians have a love of the outdoors imprinted in our DNA," … Continue Reading
April 28, 2015
Wyden Statement on USA Freedom Act of 2015
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D- Ore., issued the following statement on the USA Freedom Act of 2015, introduced on Tuesday, which would end bulk collection of Americans' information under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. "This legislation would finally end bulk collection of the personal information of millions of Americans, and make other important reforms like increasing transparency and improving the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court process. I look forward to working with … Continue Reading
