Press Releases
Report Lauds Significant Successes of County Payments Law
WASHINGTON, DC -- Landmark, bipartisan county payments legislation authored by U.S Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was lauded in a new report released today by the Sierra Institute for Community and Environment. The report also recommended that the Wyden-Craig legislation be renewed before it expires later this year.Todays report by the Sierra Institute highlights the significant community development thats occurred nationwide because of this law, said Wyden. Counties, … Continue Reading
February 27, 2006
Wyden Demands Intelligence Committee Fully Investigate NSA Domestic Surveillance
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today released the following statement regarding the delays in the Intelligence Committee's efforts to investigate the NSA domestic wiretapping program:"The job of a congressional committee is to provide oversight, which is why it is vital that the Intelligence Committee investigate the NSA domestic surveillance program - it is our job. The committee has a responsibility to get the full … Continue Reading
February 22, 2006
Wyden, Dorgan Urge President to BlockDubai Ports World Company From Taking Control of U.S. Ports
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today sent the following letter to the White House urging the President to block immediately the Dubai Ports World company from taking a controlling interest in the operations of a number of U.S. ports. Wyden, who sent the letter along with U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), also requested that the Administration make publicly available all documents that led to the Administrations decision to approve of the sale of port security contracts to a United Arab … Continue Reading
February 06, 2006
Wyden and Smith announce $8 millionfor Nanotechnology Center in Oregon
Washington, DC U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith today announced White House approval of a proposed Oregon nanotechnology center and $8 million in funding over three years in the Presidents 2007 budget, which was released today. Inclusion in the Presidents budget is a major milestone for the state's burgeoning nanotechnology efforts and reflects the growing national recognition that Oregons nanotechnology sector is generating.Nanotechnology involves the use of materials on the atomic … Continue Reading
February 02, 2006
Wyden Questions Intelligence Chiefs on Domestic Surveillance, Terror Threats
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) questioned Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte and NSA Chief General Michael Hayden at a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today on issues of domestic surveillance and terrorist threats worldwide. In today's hearing, Wyden said that the right position on NSA wiretapping should be to say "trust, but verify," allowing Congress the opportunity to do effective oversight to verify citizens are being adequately … Continue Reading
January 31, 2006
Statement by U.S. Senator Ron WydenFollowing the Presidents State of the Union Address
Washington, DC U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) tonight commented following President Bushs State of the Union address:Oregon families have been talking to me mostly about issues where the second word is bill such as tax, medical, housing and college and they would see little relief from those bills as a result of what was proposed tonight.Im pleased to hear that the President is concerned about Americas addiction to oil. I hope he will work with me to break the habit and end the fix, … Continue Reading
January 23, 2006
Wyden, Allen Blast GAO Report on Internet Taxes
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and George Allen (R-VA) today criticized the latest General Accountability Office report on internet taxation, noting that by failing to consult with the authors of the law, the report's conclusions about the impact of suspending taxation of wholesale internet services were flawed. The report, mandated under the 2004 Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act, aimed to examine the effect of the internet tax moratorium on state and local revenues. "As … Continue Reading
January 20, 2006
Wyden To Oppose Nomination Of Judge Samuel Alito To The U.S. Supreme Court
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released the following statement today announcing that he will vote against the nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court when it comes to the floor of the Senate:"After days of hearings before the Senate and a meeting this week in my office with Judge Alito, I cannot reconcile the seemingly moderate and amiable jurist of the past few weeks with his two decade record of federal service. At this time when the … Continue Reading
January 18, 2006
Wyden Informs Senate Leadership He Will Block Legislation Overturning "Death with Dignity"
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today informed U.S. Senate leadership that he will block any Federal legislative efforts that would impact Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld yesterday. In a statement submitted to the Congressional Record and in a letter to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Wyden stated his intention "to use every legislative and procedural tool at my disposal as a United States Senator to block any attempt to … Continue Reading
January 17, 2006
Wyden Praises Supreme Court Decision Upholding Oregon's Physician Aid in Dying Law
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) praised the 6-3 decision handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court today upholding Oregon's twice-approved physician aid in dying law. Last year, Wyden, along with U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.) and David Wu (D-Ore.) filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court opposing efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice to overturn Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, enacted by the state in 1997. In that … Continue Reading
December 22, 2005
Oregon to Receive Federal Fundsfor Oregon Nanotechnology, Defense Projects
WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that Oregon will soon receive $67.3 million in funding for defense-related projects in Oregon, including significant funding for a number of Oregon nanotechnology projects. The state will also share in $10.2 million for semiconductor research. These funds are included in the FY2006 Defense appropriations conference report, which now moves to the White House for signature into law.Oregon nanotechnology … Continue Reading
December 05, 2005
Wyden to Oppose Patriot Act Renewal
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today announced his intention to vote against and support efforts to filibuster the conference report reauthorizing the USA Patriot Act, citing concerns about numerous provisions that could compromise Americans' privacy rights that would be made permanent under the legislation. Specifically, Wyden announced his intention today to oppose the legislation because it does not include sunsets for controversial powers and diminishes congressional … Continue Reading
November 18, 2005
Oregon Military Facilitiesto Receive Federal Funds
WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that Oregon military installations will soon receive Federal funding for various construction projects. More than $9 million in funding was included in the FY 2006 Veterans Administration and Military Construction conference report; the legislation will soon move to the White House for signature into law.Day and night, Oregonians depend on our military for their security here at home and abroad, said … Continue Reading
November 18, 2005
Oregon Community Development, Transportation Projects to Receive Federal Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that a number of transportation and community development projects throughout Oregon will soon receive Federal funding. More than $53 million in funds were included as part of the FY 2006 Transportation, Treasury, Judiciary, and Housing and Urban Development (TTJHUD) conference report, which will be signed into law soon. "Oregon families and businesses alike throughout the entire state will benefit … Continue Reading
November 16, 2005
Key Wyden Provisions Included in Pension Reform Bill Approved by Senate
Washington, DC - Pension reform legislation approved by the full U.S. Senate today includes two key provisions championed by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden that will protect Oregon workers in a variety of sectors. Under the first provision, employees of Portland General Electric (PGE) would be allowed to increase their Individual Retirement Account (IRA) contributions, or "catch -up" on their retirement savings, which were lost in 2001 through Enron's misconduct . The second provision would keep … Continue Reading
November 15, 2005
Wyden Moves to Repeal Excessive Oil Company Tax Break
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today successfully won the repeal of an unneeded tax break for large, integrated oil companies for additional energy exploration by offering an amendment to Tax Reconciliation legislation considered by the Senate Finance Committee. The Committee today approved Wyden's measure to scale-back a tax incentive included in this year's Energy bill, which oil company executives last week told Wyden they did not need. The chief executives of Exxon-Mobil, … Continue Reading
November 14, 2005
Smith, Wyden Announce Fundsfor Oregon Energy and Water Projects
Washington, DC Today, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) announced Federal funding for Oregons critical infrastructure and environmental projects as part of the Fiscal 2006 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. The projects are pending final Senate passage on Monday November 14.Clean water and reliable energy sources are vital to Oregons economy, said Wyden. The projects that will now receive funding throughout the state will not only improve water availability and … Continue Reading
November 09, 2005
Oil Company Executives Tell Wyden: We Don't Need Government Incentives for Energy Exploration
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Five oil company executives told U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today that they do not need tax incentives included in this year's Energy bill for additional energy exploration in the face of record gas prices and oil company profits. The executives today told Wyden that they agreed with a statement by President Bush earlier this year that when the price of oil exceeds $55 a barrel, the oil companies do not need additional incentives for oil and gas exploration. The price … Continue Reading
November 03, 2005
Senate Votes to Halt Exports of Oil Drilled in Artic Refuge
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate today approved a measure by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jim Talent (R-Mo.) to ban exports of any oil produced in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A Wyden-Talent amendment was added by a vote of 83 to 16 to budget reconciliation legislation being considered this week. The budget reconciliation measure approved earlier this year assumed revenue from Refuge drilling and directed the Secretary of Interior to receive fair market value for Refuge oil; … Continue Reading
November 01, 2005
Statement of Senator Ron Wyden on the Senate's Closed Session on Intelligence Matters
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today released the following statement on the movement of the Senate to closed session to consider unanswered intelligence questions:"Last year, the Senate Intelligence Committee, on which I serve, promised to find the answers the American people have a right to know about this nation's march to an ill-advised war - a war I voted against. More than a year and a half after that promise was made, phase II of the Committee's report on pre-war … Continue Reading
