Press Releases
Merkley, Wyden: $30 Million Headed to Astoria to Expand Coast Guard Facilities
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the United States Coast Guard awarded a $30 million federal contract to expand Coast Guard shore-side facilities at East Tongue Point in Astoria. This enable the facility to accommodate the home porting of Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). Fast Response Cutters are the newest class of ships currently being produced for the United States Coast Guard. The $30 million contract will ensure that East Tongue Point can … Continue Reading
July 14, 2022
Wyden, Merkley Statement on Nomination of Adrienne Nelson to U.S. District Court
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley issued the following joint statement about today's announcement from the White House of Associate Oregon Supreme Court Justice Adrienne Nelson's nomination to the U.S. District Court. "We wholeheartedly support President Biden's nomination of Associate Oregon Supreme Court Justice Adrienne Nelson to the U.S. District Court post. Justice Nelson is extremely well-qualified for this federal judgeship, combining her experience on … Continue Reading
July 14, 2022
Wyden Calls for Passage of the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act
You know something has gone horribly wrong when the Senate is forced to consider a proposal called the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act. The freedom … to travel … for health care. That's a freedom as basic as it gets. But the fact is, six Republicans on the Supreme Court ripped it out by the roots. Now state governments are moving toward criminalizing travel for health care. They're even moving toward criminalizing helping people travel for health care. I'd call it … Continue Reading
July 13, 2022
Wyden, Merkley: $225,000 to the Columbia-Pacific Economic Development District to Support a Diversified Economy on Oregon’s North Coast
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the Columbia-Pacific Economic Development District (Col-Pac) will receive $225,000 to establish an economic development planning framework that supports diversified job creation in the region. "I know from holding more than 1,000 town halls throughout our state that Oregon communities are doing an incredible job taking care of each other through unprecedented economic circumstances," Wyden said. "These federal … Continue Reading
July 12, 2022
Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Protect the Right to Cross State Lines to Seek Abortion Care
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today with colleagues introduced legislation to ensure that anti-choice states cannot limit interstate travel for abortion services. The Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act would empower the Attorney General and impacted individuals to bring civil action against those who restrict the right to cross state lines to receive legal reproductive care. "I am proud that Oregon is a sanctuary for women who need health care services including abortion," … Continue Reading
July 12, 2022
Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Expand Youth Access to Voting
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today cosponsored comprehensive legislation to empower the youth vote and enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which enshrined voting rights for American citizens over 18 years of age. "For our democracy to thrive, young voters need to be full participants in elections and have the ability to exercise their Constitutional right to vote. And yet, young voters, particularly youth of color, face unique and growing challenges to voting," Wyden said. … Continue Reading
July 11, 2022
Merkley, Wyden Announce More than $3 Million to Help Safeguard Water Supplies around Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announce a total of $3,052,940 in federal funding is headed to three projects across the state to combat record drought conditions throughout the west, including Oregon. These federal investments are intended to safeguard local water supplies in response the extreme drought and weather events. "Between record droughts and raging megafires, Oregon and other Western states have been hit hard over the last couple of years," … Continue Reading
July 07, 2022
Wyden, Merkley, Blumenauer: More than $18.4 Million to Portland International Airport for Improvements That Will Lower Emissions
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with Congressman Earl Blumenauer today announced that Portland International Airport (PDX) will receive more than $18.4 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for improvements to heating and cooling systems that will dramatically lower energy demand by 83 percent. "Portland's airport has grown so much in the past few years-in size, overall use and in sustainability practices," Wyden said. "The Bipartisan Infrastructure … Continue Reading
July 01, 2022
Wyden Secures Commitment from Airlines To Offer X Gender Option For Nonbinary Customers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today commended domestic airlines for committing to offer a ticket option for nonbinary customers by 2024. In a letter to Airlines for America, which represents domestic carriers, he thanked them for the commitment, which came in response to inquiries by Wyden and LGBTQ+ advocates. "The right to have documents and paperwork that reflect their identity is an essential protection for trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming Americans - … Continue Reading
July 01, 2022
Wyden, Merkley: La Pine to Receive $17.7 Million for Crucial Water Infrastructure Upgrades
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the City of La Pine will receive more than $17.7 million in a combination of loans and grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for municipal water improvements to transition away from septic systems which are contaminating groundwater for residents and small businesses. "The people in this part of Deschutes County have long suffered from groundwater contamination from the septic systems," said … Continue Reading
July 01, 2022
Wyden, Merkley: More than $1.2 Million to Airports in Roseburg and North Bend for Vital Improvements
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Roseburg Regional Airport and Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend will receive more than $1.2 million combined from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for improvements and expansions. "Oregonians and small businesses in rural parts of the state count on reliable air service and modern infrastructure to send their products and generate local jobs," Wyden said. "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law I am … Continue Reading
June 30, 2022
Wyden, Merkley: OSU Earns Federal Funds to Research Ways of Limiting Wildfire Spread
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Oregon State University has earned $265,000 in federal funds to improve models used by fire managers to help them contain wildfires and employ prescribed burns as a tool to reduce the risk of wildfires in Oregon and nationwide. "This well-deserved award for OSU is timely and welcome news for communities throughout Oregon and the West facing the dire threat from wildfires to lives and livelihoods," Wyden said. "I … Continue Reading
June 29, 2022
Wyden Welcomes News Effectively Ending Process That Would Have Led to Reduced Care for Eastern Oregon Veterans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today welcomed news effectively ending a process that threatened to reduce physical and mental health services for Eastern Oregon veterans. The news this week that Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.), U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and a bipartisan group of senators will block the veterans Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission comes amid Wyden pressing the Veterans Administration (VA) through town halls Wyden … Continue Reading
June 29, 2022
Merkley, Wyden Join Murray and Colleagues in Letter to President Biden Urging for Bold and Immediate Action to Protect Abortion Access in a Post-Roe America
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 31 Democratic Senators in a letter to President Joe Biden pushing for bold action to protect the right to abortion after the Supreme Court released their final opinion in the case of?Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, effectively changing the precedent set by?Roe v. Wade?and forever changing the right to abortion for Americans. "Now is the time for bold action to protect the … Continue Reading
June 29, 2022
Merkley, Wyden Urge the Biden Administration to Protect Coastal Communities, Cease?Expansion?of?Offshore?Oil and Gas Leasing
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) in a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland, urging the Department to protect coastal communities across the nation by including no new leasing across all planning areas in any proposed or final five-year outer continental shelf (OCS) oil and gas leasing program?currently?under development by the Bureau?of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) within the Department of the Interior (DOI). … Continue Reading
June 24, 2022
Wyden Statement on the Overturning of Roe v. Wade
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on the Supreme Court decision to overturn of Roe v. Wade: "Today's radical decision to overturn Roe v. Wade tosses out a half century of legal precedent, curtails the fundamental rights of women, and jeopardizes the health and safety of millions of people across the country. These radical Justices have ensured American women today have fewer rights than their grandmothers had decades ago - rights that … Continue Reading
June 24, 2022
Wyden, Colleagues Call on Mental Health Apps to Provide Answers on Patient Data Privacy and Sharing Practices
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden this week pressed two leading mental health companies over the use of patients' personal health data, following reports that mental health apps are collecting, mining, and disseminating private client information to third parties, including data brokers and Big Tech companies like Google and Facebook. "We have long been concerned about the misuse of personal data by Big Tech companies and unscrupulous data brokers, especially for the purpose of … Continue Reading
June 24, 2022
Wyden Announces Town Halls for Sherman and Morrow Counties
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced upcoming live on-line town halls hosted on Wednesday, July 6 by People's Town Hall for residents of Sherman and Morrow counties. Heading into these upcoming virtual town halls, Wyden has held 1,022 town halls statewide in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon's 36 counties. "I've kept my promise to hold annual town halls in each of our state's 36 counties because Oregonians in every nook and … Continue Reading
June 23, 2022
Wyden Secures Provisions to Protect Whistleblowers, Bolster Cybersecurity, and End Denial of Security Clearances Based on Past Cannabis Use in 2023 Intelligence Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., secured key provisions that protect Intelligence Community whistleblowers, bolster cybersecurity, and end the denial of security clearances for potential intelligence community employees based on past cannabis use, all in the 2023 Intelligence Authorization Act that passed the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday afternoon. Wyden, a senior member of the Intelligence Committee, applauded the committee for including his provisions in the … Continue Reading
June 23, 2022
Wyden, Lummis, Whitehouse, Rubio and Hagerty Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Americans’ Private Data from Hostile Foreign Governments
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Senator Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Senator Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., introduced bipartisan legislation today to create new protections against Americans' sensitive personal information being sold or transferred to high-risk foreign countries. "Right now it's perfectly legal for a company in China to buy huge databases of sensitive information from data brokers about the movements … Continue Reading
