Press Releases
Oregon Health, Education Facilities Slated for Federal Funds
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that $200,000 for repairs to the flood-ravaged Vernonia schools is included in an appropriations bill for Oregon health and education projects. The money is part of $3.1 million in Oregon projects in the recently approved Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill. This is the first step for appropriations funding. Next the bill will come before the full Senate."From after-school programs in … Continue Reading
July 16, 2008
Wyden and Snowe Propose Prize Competition to Spur Nanotech Innovation
Washington, D.C. - Working to stimulate innovation and private investment in nanotechnology, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) today introduced the Nanotechnology Innovation and Prize Competition Act. The bill would authorize the Department of Commerce to administer prize competitions in up to four nanotechnology categories: green nanotechnology, alternative energy, human health and commercialization of consumer products."This prize competition will prove that … Continue Reading
July 16, 2008
Conquer Childhood Cancer Act Passes Senate
WASHINGTON, DC - Honoring his friend, Jenessa "Boey" Byers, who earlier this year succumbed to childhood cancer, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) requested unanimous consent this evening to pass the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. The bill was originally introduced by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) in 2007. After Ms. Byers began her one-girl crusade to secure passage of the bill in Congress, Wyden signed on as a co-sponsor of the legislation. She was only eight … Continue Reading
July 16, 2008
Wyden and Senate Colleagues Push for County Payments Funding
WASHINGTON, DC - Working to secure vital funding for hundreds of rural counties -- including 33 in Oregon -- U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) along with twenty Senate colleagues sent a letter today to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) and Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) highlighting the broad support for a four year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, commonly called … Continue Reading
July 15, 2008
Wyden Places Hold on Surface Transportation Board Nominee Husein Cumber
WASHINGTON, DC - Citing lack of qualifications and Oregon's CORP short line rail dispute, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden announced today that he will object to any unanimous consent agreement-a procedure known as placing a hold-on the nomination of Husein Cumber to the Surface Transportation Board. A former fundraiser for both President George W. Bush and Governor Jeb Bush, Cumber's regulatory experience in transportation is limited to two short-term political appointments at the Department of … Continue Reading
July 15, 2008
Wyden, Smith Announce $143 million for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Projects for Oregon
Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONEMicrosoftInternetExplorer4st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}Washington, D.C. -- … Continue Reading
July 14, 2008
Wyden Praises Department of Homeland Security for Protecting Delivery of Immigration Documents
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senator Ron Wyden today praised the Department of Homeland Security for agreeing to change the method used to mail permanent residence cards in a move designed to prevent identity theft and reduce the number of lost or stolen cards."This is excellent news and I appreciate the attention to this important matter by Secretary Chertoff, the Department of Homeland Security and the Citizenship and Immigration Service," Wyden said. "This is a relatively simple change in … Continue Reading
July 11, 2008
Wyden, Snowe Introduce Legislation to Help Grow Nation's Telecommunications Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, DC - Working to help American telecommunications networks keep pace with rising international competition, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) introduced legislation today that would enact a five year moratorium on new or increased taxes on wireless telecommunications infrastructure and services. Currently, telecommunications services are taxed at a rate that rivals - and in some places exceeds - taxes on tobacco and alcohol."Americans are being hit hard … Continue Reading
July 07, 2008
Wyden Challenges Legality of DoD Chemical Weapons Study
WASHINGTON, DC - Insisting that the Department of Defense follow the law in its effort to eradicate the nation's stockpile of chemical weapons, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent letters today to both Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Inspector General of the Department of Defense Claude Kicklighter challenging portions of the June 2008 Chemical Demilitarization Program Semi-Annual Report to Congress which cites interstate transportation of chemical munitions between disposal facilities … Continue Reading
July 07, 2008
Cantwell Co-Sponsors Healthy Americans Act
Washington DC - Bipartisan legislation to guarantee quality, affordable health care for every American gained momentum today as U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Bob Bennett (R-Utah) welcomed U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) as a co-sponsor of the Healthy Americans Act (S.334). The growing list of co-sponsors now totals 16 senators including: U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Mary … Continue Reading
June 25, 2008
Wyden Brings Energy Independence Tour to Portland on July 1st for Public Forum
Portland, OR - Frustrated with high gas prices? Concerned about buying home heating oil this winter? If you have ideas on what to do about it, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden wants to hear them.Wyden will hold a public forum in Portland on Tuesday to listen to what residents of the tri-county area have to say about what the United States can do to become more energy independent. The forum is the second stop in Wyden's Energy Independence Tour."In Washington we hear all the time from lobbyists and … Continue Reading
June 24, 2008
Wyden Brings Energy Independence Tour to Eugene on June 30th for Public Forum
Eugene, OR - Frustrated with high gas prices? Concerned about buying home heating oil this winter? If you have ideas on what to do about it, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden wants to hear them.Wyden will hold a public forum in Eugene on Monday to listen to what Lane County residents have to say about what the United States can do to become more energy independent. The forum is the first stop in Wyden's Energy Independence Tour."In Washington we hear all the time from lobbyists and corporations about … Continue Reading
June 24, 2008
Wyden Coming to Union County for Town Hall Meeting, Opening of New Veterans' Clinic
Portland, OR - On July 2, 2008, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host a town hall meeting in La Grande and be the keynote speaker at the opening of the new Community Based Outpatient Clinic for veterans.Residents of Union County are invited to attend the town hall to ask questions and voice their concerns. During his 1996 U.S. Senate campaign, Wyden promised to hold town hall meetings in every Oregon county each year. The event in La Grande is the 11th year of these meetings, which now total over … Continue Reading
June 24, 2008
Wyden to Oppose Cloture for Wiretapping Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced today that he would oppose new legislation amending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) due to his continued opposition to a provision that would grant blanket retroactive immunity to any telecommunications company that participated in the President's warrantless wiretapping program. "This is not the first time that the President has pressured … Continue Reading
June 24, 2008
Wyden Brings Energy Independence Tour to Medford on July 3rd for Public Forum
Medford, OR - Frustrated with high gas prices? Concerned about buying home heating oil this winter? If you have ideas on what to do about it, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden wants to hear them.Wyden will hold a public forum in Medford on Thursday to listen to what Southern Oregon residents have to say about what the United States can do to become more energy independent. "In Washington we hear all the time from lobbyists and corporations about what we can and can't do about our reliance on foreign … Continue Reading
June 19, 2008
Wyden Releases Hold After FEMA Announces NET Guard Pilot Program
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today dropped his hold on the Administration's nomination of Harvey E. Johnson to become deputy administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Wyden took the action in response to the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) announcement late yesterday that $320,000 is available in Fiscal Year 2008 to pilot, test, and develop tools for the National Emergency Technology Guard (NET Guard) program."I am pleased that Secretary … Continue Reading
June 19, 2008
Wyden Proposes Dramatic Overhaul of Federal Forest Practices in Oregon
(Full text of the proposal, full statement by Senator Wyden, and bill summary are available at: www.wyden.senate.gov/forestproposal.) Washington, D.C. - Striking a balance between the need to sustain forests, as well as bolster the economy, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today proposed an expansive overhaul of federal forest practices in the State of Oregon. Wyden's initiative would permanently end the logging of old growth trees and discourage clear-cutting, while placing a new emphasis on … Continue Reading
June 18, 2008
Wyden Seeks Greater Protection for Rogue River and Oregon Caves Monument
Washington, D.C. - Working to ensure that the natural beauty of Oregon is perpetually protected, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced two separate pieces of legislation today to extend Wild and Scenic River protections to waters that feed the lower Rogue River and to expand the boundary of the Oregon Caves National Monument. Companion legislation is being introduced today in the House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Darlene Hooley … Continue Reading
June 10, 2008
Wyden Seeks to Combat Immigration ID Theft with Change in Homeland Security Policy
WASHINGTON, DC - Responding to confirmed reports from constituents about lost or stolen identification documents, US Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff requesting a reexamination of the agency's procedures for mailing lawful permanent resident cards. Currently the Homeland Security Department sends these important federal documents via first class mail, instead of certified mail, leaving them vulnerable to theft or loss if sent to … Continue Reading
June 09, 2008
Senate Tax Package Includes County Payments Extension
Washington, D.C. - Following a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore) announced today that a four year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act - commonly known as the "county payments" law - is included in the Senate version of H.R.6049, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008. Wyden cautioned that the Republicans' threat to filibuster is likely to derail his effort. "I hope that my Republican … Continue Reading
