Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley: Housing Authority of Portland Earns Nearly $1 Million to Help Older Children in Foster Care
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the Housing Authority of Portland has earned a federal award of nearly $1 million in vouchers to help the community respond to homelessness challenges faced by foster children in welfare. "Foster kids throughout Oregon often need support to help them face the challenges in their lives," Wyden said. "Housing is a human right, and I'm glad these federal resources will help young adults in the Portland area find stable … Continue Reading
February 24, 2023
Merkley, Wyden: Over $732,000 Headed to the Klamath Tribes to Expand Access to Health Care Facilities
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that a total of $732,920 in federal funding from the Indian Health Service (IHS) is headed to the Klamath Tribes to construct, expand, and modernize ambulatory health care facilities. "Tribes around Oregon depend on ambulatory health care facilities to get the care they need, when they need it," said Senator Merkley, who writes the legislation funding the IHS through his work as Chair of the Senate Interior … Continue Reading
February 23, 2023
Wyden, Booker and Merkley Urge DOJ to Protect Physician Health Privacy and Hold State Medical Boards Accountable for Violations of the American Disabilities Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., today urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to extend its investigations of offenses under the American Disabilities Act (ADA) to include the practices of state medical license boards, which often ask inappropriate medical licensing and application questions regarding mental health. In their letter, the senators cite serious concerns that not only do such questions violate the ADA, they may … Continue Reading
February 23, 2023
Wyden, Merkley: More than $5 Million to Central and Eastern Oregon for Wildfire Prevention Projects
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that three Oregon counties will benefit from a combined more than $5 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for collaborations with landowners to reduce wildfire risk, improve water quality and restore forest ecosystems. "Oregonians know that a raging wildfire doesn't recognize the difference between public and private lands," said Wyden, who fought for wildfire prevention funding in the Bipartisan … Continue Reading
February 22, 2023
Wyden, Luján, Blumenthal Urge Transparency for Delivery Service Junk Fees
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said today they are urging Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Doordash to adopt more transparency on junk fees, a misleading and harmful price gouging practice directed at consumers and small businesses. With 16 percent of Americans relying on income from an online gig platform, many small businesses struggling to stay open, and many vulnerable Americans depending on food delivery apps … Continue Reading
February 22, 2023
Wyden, Warren Call out McKinsey on its Role Directing Nonprofit Hospitals’ Exploitation of Vulnerable Patients
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., today asked McKinsey & Company to answer questions about its role in helping nonprofit hospitals like Providence Health take financial advantage of low-income patients. "Providence's questionable partnership with McKinsey reveals the predatory influence of for-profit consulting firms that prioritize profits over care… When enlisted to help senior executives at Providence increase revenues, McKinsey … Continue Reading
February 22, 2023
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $10.5 Million Coming to Oregon for Public Housing
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will be awarding communities across Oregon $10,559,201 from the Public Housing Capital Fund to support the development, financing, and modernization of public housing properties and for management improvements. "Oregonians in every corner of our state are struggling under the crushing weight of our affordable housing crisis," said Senator Merkley. "Everyone … Continue Reading
February 21, 2023
Wyden, Rubio, Durbin, and Boozman lead 20 Senate Colleagues to Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Condemning Repression of Iranian Baha’i
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and John Boozman, R-Ark., today lead 20 Senate colleagues to introduce a bipartisan resolution condemning Iran's government for persecuting the 300,000 members of the Baha'i faith. "Baha'is in Iran deserve to practice their faith freely and safely without fear of persecution," Wyden said. "The Iranian government continues its reprehensible persecution of the Baha'i community by wrongly subjecting … Continue Reading
February 21, 2023
Wyden, Merkley: Nearly $19 Million to Oregon to Ensure Clean Drinking Water in Rural and Underserved Communities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week announced Oregon will receive $18.9 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address emerging contaminants like Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water. "Access to clean drinking water is a human right that is undermined by the presence of PFAS and other contaminants that often go unaddressed in too many water systems around the state due to outdated infrastructure," said Wyden, who supported … Continue Reading
February 21, 2023
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $5.4 Million Coming to Oregon for Natural Disaster Recovery
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Port of Brookings Harbor and the Oregon Department of Forestry will be receiving $5,417,255 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster recovery efforts through its Public Assistance Program. "Oregon's devastating winter storms and wildfire season take a heavy toll on many communities across the state, and we need to continue to do everything we … Continue Reading
February 17, 2023
Wyden, Merkley: Portland & Habitat for Humanity of Oregon Earn Total of $4 Million in Federal Healthy Homes Grants
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the city of Portland and Habitat for Humanity of Oregon have each secured a $2 million federal Healthy Homes Production grant to make health and safety repairs to local housing as well as support cost-effective and efficient healthy homebuilding methods in their communities. "Housing that's affordable must also be safe and free of environmental dangers for Oregonians who deserve to know they're not somehow exposing … Continue Reading
February 17, 2023
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Help Communities in the Klamath Basin Respond to Severe Drought
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have introduced legislation that would support farmers and ranchers responding to severe drought and restoring fish and wildlife habitat in the Klamath Basin. "The farmers and ranchers in the Klamath Basin have weathered historic drought with significant federal investment and assistance, but the region is in desperate need of additional support, " said Wyden. "While I'm gratified Senator Merkley and I brought … Continue Reading
February 16, 2023
Wyden, Colleagues Demand Answers from Kroger on Widespread Wage Theft
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today joined Senate colleagues to push for accountability in a letter to Kroger after the company's shift to a new payroll system left thousands of workers across the country short on their paychecks. "We are writing today regarding alarming new reports of Kroger's involvement in the mistreatment of workers and consumers through widespread and unresolved wage theft. These reports indicate that 'systemic and widespread errors' by Kroger resulted in … Continue Reading
February 16, 2023
Wyden Delivers Floor Speech Calling on President Biden and the FDA to Keep Mifepristone on the Market, Regardless of Outcome in Texas Case
Wyden's call comes after decades of his advocacy for women to have access to abortion medication, holding the first ever congressional hearing on the basic healthcare issue Click here to watch video of remarks. As Prepared for Delivery On the first floor of the federal building in Amarillo, across the street from a grassy park and a few blocks away from the local minor league baseball stadium, is a United States District Courtroom for the Northern District of Texas. Presiding over that … Continue Reading
February 15, 2023
Wyden, Merkley Reintroduce Legislation to Help Recreation and Wildfire Prevention Work in SW Oregon and Near Molalla River
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today reintroduced their legislation that would boost recreation opportunities in Southwestern Oregon and on the Molalla River in Clackamas County, while ensuring wildfire prevention work in both regions. The senators' Oregon Recreation Enhancement (ORE) Act would create the Rogue Canyon Recreation Area and the Molalla Recreation Area, expand the Wild Rogue Wilderness Area, and prohibit destructive mining on pristine rivers in … Continue Reading
February 15, 2023
Wyden Applauds CBP for Upgrading Borders Security, With New Tech Wyden Requested To Detect Fake Passports
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for following through on a long-overdue technology upgrade that detects forged passports. Wyden requested the upgrade nearly 5 years ago, during the Trump administration, in order to strengthen border security. "Upgrading passport security is a commonsense way to ensure people entering our country are who they say they are. It is already making America safer, without resorting to invasive … Continue Reading
February 15, 2023
Wyden, Merkley Statement on Justice Adrienne Nelson Vote in Senate
Washington, D.C. - Oregon U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted 52-46 to confirm Oregon Supreme Court Associate Justice Adrienne Nelson's nomination to the U.S. District Court. "Today's vote adds to the U.S. District Court an extremely qualified Oregonian who brings her powerful combination of comprehensive legal experience and commitment to justice for all. As the first Black woman to serve on the Oregon Supreme Court, Justice … Continue Reading
February 14, 2023
Wyden Urges Confirmation of Adrienne Nelson to U.S. District Court on the Floor of U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden delivered the following remarks on the floor of the U.S. Senate in support of the confirmation of Oregon Supreme Court Associate Justice Adrienne Nelson to the U.S. District Court. The final confirmation vote is expected to take place on Wednesday morning, Eastern Time. M. President, I want to use my time to offer my unwavering support on the confirmation of Associate Justice Adrienne Nelson to the U.S. District Court. Through a powerful combination … Continue Reading
February 14, 2023
Wyden, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Prioritize Efforts to Combat PFAS Contamination
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today joined Senate colleagues to urge the Biden administration to include funding in the upcoming budget request to more comprehensively address PFAS chemicals contamination in Oregon and nationwide. "The prevalence of PFAS combined with the adverse health impacts associated with exposure-including developmental effects, changes in liver, immune and thyroid function and increased risk of some cancers-requires a comprehensive approach. Specifically, … Continue Reading
February 14, 2023
Wyden, Colleagues Urge Education Department to Inform Potential Students of Low-Financial-Value Postsecondary Programs
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced that he has joined Senate colleagues in asking the Education Department to provide input about the agency's process for compiling a list of low-financial-value postsecondary programs. This list would serve as a warning sign for students, parents, and educators about the certain higher education programs that do not produce a financial return on investment for attendees, especially as college costs and student loan debts are rising. … Continue Reading
