Press Releases
Wyden, Grassley Introduce Bill Making Medicare Claims Data Public
WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon today introduced legislation to make Medicare claims data public for the first time. The legislation is the product of the senators' combined efforts - each was working on a method of making the data public and combined approaches in the bipartisan legislation introduced today. "Medicare is a $500 billion program with billions of dollars going out in error each year," Grassley said. "The bad actors are getting bigger and … Continue Reading
April 07, 2011
Wyden, Paulsen Bill Gives Green Light to Courts to Intercept Tax Refunds from Delinquent Debtors
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to provide financial relief to crime victims and to state courts that are owed money by deadbeat debtors, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Representative Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) introduced legislation today that allows state courts to coordinate with the IRS to intercept tax refunds of individuals who owe restitution to their victims or have outstanding court fees. The Crime Victims Restitution and Court Fee Intercept Act will allow the IRS to send tax … Continue Reading
April 07, 2011
Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio Introduce Trio of Bills to Protect Natural Resources in Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Seeking protections to some of Oregon's most valued and threatened natural resources, three Oregon lawmakers have introduced bills in both the House of Representatives and the Senate to protect and preserve the Devil's Staircase Wilderness, the Chetco River and the Oregon Caves National Monument. U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) introduced the Devil's Staircase Wilderness Act of 2011, the Oregon Caves … Continue Reading
April 06, 2011
Wyden Calls for FTC Investigation into Secret Agreements to Drive Up Tar Sand Oil Prices
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to protect U.S. consumers from Canadian oil companies using potentially anti-competitive practices to drive up prices for tar sands oil at Midwest refineries, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has called for a Federal Trade Commission investigation into whether seven Canadian oil companies illegally colluded to control the price of oil to U.S. refineries that contribute to the nation's supply of gasoline and diesel fuel. In a letter to FTC Chairman Jonathan … Continue Reading
April 05, 2011
Wyden, Roberts Requires Changes to Medicare Hospice Reimbursement be Vetted by Pilot Program
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to protect and maintain hospice services for Medicare beneficiaries U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Pat Roberts (R-Ks.) introduced the Hospice Evaluation and Legitimate Payment (HELP) Act. This legislation would require any changes to hospice Medicare reimbursements be tested for two years in a pilot program to ensure they do not harm hospice centers in a way that would limit access to those who need it most. "With changes to the hospice Medicare … Continue Reading
April 05, 2011
MEDIA ADVISORY: Wyden, Coats to Unveil a Simpler Tax Code for the 21st Century
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Dan Coats (R-Ind.) will unveil a comprehensive tax reform package THURSDAY, April 7, at 10 a.m. EST at The Heritage Foundation and discuss how their legislation will achieve President Ronald Reagan's vision for tax simplification and economic growth. While a partisan battle over cuts to government spending threatens to shut down the federal government, Wyden and Coats are working to restructure the tax code, which experts say would reduce … Continue Reading
April 05, 2011
Wyden Announces Intention to Block Intelligence Authorization Bill Over Controversial Pension-Forfeiture Provision
Washington, D.C. - In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) a senior member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence declared his intention to object to any attempt to pass the recently reported FY2011 Intelligence Authorization bill by unanimous consent. Wyden has been raising concerns about the inclusion of a controversial pension forfeiture provision, which would give the heads of intelligence agencies the authority to take away the … Continue Reading
April 04, 2011
Wyden, Coats Team Up to Make the Tax Code Work for Businesses and Families
Washington, D.C. - While a partisan battle over cuts to government spending threatens to shut down the federal government, a bipartisan pair of senators took a page from President Reagan's book today and offered legislation that experts say will reduce the federal budget deficit by growing the economy. The "Bipartisan Tax Fairness and Simplification Act of 2011" - being offered by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Dan Coats (R-Ind.) - would simplify the tax system, hold down rates for … Continue Reading
April 01, 2011
Wyden Praises Conservation Proposal put forward by American Trade Negotiators
Washington, D.C. - In a welcome step forward this week, American negotiators in Singapore have put forward a trade proposal with robust environmental standards and solid enforcement provisions. During trade talks among Pacific Rim countries the USTR proposed to establish binding commitments to combat trade and commerce in illegally harvested wildlife and timber. It will require countries to combat trade and commerce in illegally harvested fish and reduce fishing subsidies that contribute … Continue Reading
March 21, 2011
Wyden Calls for Action Against Foreign Companies Violating Trade Laws
Portland, OR - Using clear evidence that foreign companies are brazenly ignoring U.S. trade laws, Senator Ron Wyden today called for stronger federal enforcement of duties on imported goods to save American jobs and American manufacturers. "We have laws intended to enforce fair trade, but they are no good if they aren't enforced," Wyden said. "Customs and Border Protection, which is the agency responsible for collecting the duties at the border, treats these allegations of duty evasion as if … Continue Reading
March 17, 2011
More than 17,000 Acres of Wilderness to Be Preserved by Wyden, Merkley Land Swap Bill
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to preserve more than 17,000 acres of Oregon land as Wilderness, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have reintroduced the Cathedral Rock and Horse Heaven Wilderness Act of 2011 that will swap public land with private landholders, in order to create two new wilderness sites. One of the landholders, Young Life, a Christian-based summer camp owns land once occupied by the followers of Baghwan Shree Rajneesh. "This bill will preserve … Continue Reading
March 17, 2011
Wyden, Barrasso Bill Will Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Seniors on Medicare
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to close a workforce gap in mental health practitioners that leaves more than 77 million older Americans without adequate access to mental health treatment, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) introduced the Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act legislation today that will lift some restrictions on Medicare reimbursement for Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists. "Mental health is an important part of battling … Continue Reading
March 16, 2011
Wyden, Cornyn Introduce Bill to Combat Sex Trafficking of Minors
Washington, D.C. - Flanked by law enforcement, social service professionals and advocates fighting the sex trafficking of minors, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced legislation today to put an end to the modern sexual slavery that claims the innocence of more than 100,000 American girls and young women each year. The Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2011 is a pilot program that will create six shelters throughout the … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Wyden to Hold Annual Josephine County Town Hall on Thursday
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will hold his annual Josephine County town hall on Thursday, March 24, 2011. Senator Wyden holds town halls in each Oregon county every year. Josephine County Town Hall Meeting Date: Thursday, March 24, 2011 Time: 2:30 p.m. Location: Rogue Community College (RCC) Rogue Auditorium 3345 Redwood Highway Grants … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Wyden to Hold Annual Lake County Town Hall on March 23
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host his annual Lake County town hall meeting in Lakeview on March 23, 2011. At 12:30 p.m., prior to the town hall, he will meet with community leaders and with officials of Collins Pine and Iberdrola to tour the saw mill and a biomass plant that is under construction. Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. Lake County Town Hall Meeting Date: Wednesday, March 23, … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Wyden Visit to Central Oregon Includes Three Town Halls and Tax Reform Speech to City Club
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host his annual town hall meetings in Jefferson County on Monday, March 21, 2011, and in Deschutes and Crook counties on Tuesday, March 22, 2011. His speech to the City Club of Central Oregon on Tuesday, March 22, 2011, will focus on the need to reform the U.S. tax code to create jobs. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. Jefferson County Town Hall Meeting … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Wyden to Hold Annual Linn County Town Hall on March 20
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host his annual Linn County town hall meeting in Albany on Sunday, March 20, 2011. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. Linn County Town Hall Meeting Date: Sunday, March 20, 2011 Time: 2 p.m. Location: Albany Main Library Meeting Room 2450 14th Ave … Continue Reading
March 14, 2011
Wyden to Hold Town Halls in Tillamook and Lincoln Counties This Saturday
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will hold town hall meetings in Tillamook and Lincoln counties on Saturday, March 19, 2011. Senator Wyden holds town halls in each Oregon county every year. Tillamook County Town Hall Meeting Date: March 19, 2011 Time: Noon Location: Oregon Department of Forestry 5005 3rd Street Tillamook Lincoln County Town Hall Meeting … Continue Reading
March 10, 2011
Wyden, Snowe Introduce Bill to Protect Consumers from Overbearing Wireless Taxes
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to protect consumers from discriminatory and duplicative taxes on wireless goods and services that threaten mobile Internet access for many consumers, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) Olympia Snowe (R- Maine) have introduced legislation in the Senate to prohibit states from imposing any new discriminatory taxes on wireless goods and services for five years. A companion bill in the House of Representatives was introduced today by Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and … Continue Reading
March 10, 2011
Sens. Franken, Wyden to SEC: You’re Wrong to Tell Telecom Shareholders that Net Neutrality Not a “Significant Policy Issue”
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/10/11]-Last night, U.S. Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) reached out to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Mary L. Shapiro to object to a recent SEC staff ruling that AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon could exclude a shareholder proposal from its annual proxy materials. Staff at the SEC's Division of Corporation Finance based their decision on a finding that net neutrality is not a significant policy issue. The senators disagreed with the … Continue Reading
