Press Releases
Wyden, Schiff, Meeks and Maloney Lead House and Senate Democrats in Calling for Magnitsky Act Sanctions Against Companies That Enable Human Rights Abuses
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., today called on the Biden Administration to sanction four mercenary hacking corporations under the Global Magnitsky Act, for enabling human rights violations by authoritarian regimes. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Sen. Brian Schatz, … Continue Reading
December 14, 2021
Wyden Renews Call to End Secret Law and Pass the Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) delivered the following remarks at the Cato Institute in support of defending Americans' civil liberties and urging comprehensive federal action to protect Fourth Amendment rights. "In my view, it's essential to prevent data brokers from acting like so many termites and chewing through the framework of our fundamental rights," Wyden said. "…Restoring a system that puts our rights and freedom first will take change in every part of our … Continue Reading
December 13, 2021
Wyden, Murray Urge Biden Administration to Protect Access to Birth Control
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said today that he and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) are pushing federal officials to end barriers that patients face in getting their birth control covered by insurance without cost-sharing-obstacles that still persist despite the Affordable Care Act (ACA) contraception coverage protections. In a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Wyden and … Continue Reading
December 09, 2021
Wyden Delivers Floor Speech on the Nomination of Jennifer Sung to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
As Prepared for Delivery Video available here M. President, the Senate will soon vote on President Biden's nomination of my neighbor and fellow Oregonian Jennifer Sung to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. I'll save everybody the suspense -- I support her nomination proudly, and I want to take a few minutes to talk about why she deserves the support of all Senators. First, on her qualifications. Ms. Sung is a graduate of Oberlin College and Yale Law School. As a … Continue Reading
December 09, 2021
Senate Committee Passes Wyden’s Bipartisan Legislation to Ensure Easy & Free Use of Federal Court Record System
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced that his bipartisan legislation to reform the federal government's Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by voice vote. The PACER system, a database of federal judicial filings, is outdated and charges exorbitant fees to users. This bill will reform PACER to ensure easy and free public access to federal government court records. "For far too long, unnecessary paywalls have kept … Continue Reading
December 08, 2021
Wyden Urges CFPB to Protect Americans’ Privacy and Stop the Sale of Personal Data by Credit Agencies
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today urged the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to prevent credit agencies from selling Americans' private, personal data unrelated to their credit or finances via data brokers. "These data brokers are serving as shady middlemen to sell this personal information without any legal protections, Wyden wrote CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. "CFPB must rein in the sale of Americans' data by credit agencies for non-credit related … Continue Reading
December 08, 2021
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Urge U.S. Department of Education to Facilitate Student Voter Registration in Colleges and Universities
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As states across the country are passing voter laws limiting access to the ballot box, Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden are joining a bicameral effort calling on the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) to ensure institutions of higher education are creating opportunities for students to register to vote on campuses. In a letter written to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, the lawmakers highlighted section 487 (a)(23) of the Higher Education Act, which … Continue Reading
December 07, 2021
Wyden Delivers Floor Speech on the Nomination of Chris Magnus to lead U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) delivered the following remarks on the floor of the U.S. Senate in support of the nomination of Chris Magnus to lead U.S. Customs and Border Protection "Mr. President, the Senate will soon vote on the nomination of Chief Chris Magnus to lead U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I want to take just a few minutes to outline why every member of the Senate ought to support this nomination. First off, there's simply no doubt that Chris Magnus has … Continue Reading
December 07, 2021
Wyden Seeks Federal Investigation into Anti-Competitive Drug Industry Practices
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate recent consolidations in Oregon's retail pharmacy market to assess whether large national pharmacy chains and health plans have acted to make this market less competitive. Wyden's letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan follows the recent announcement by Bi-Mart, a regional chain of pharmacies serving largely non-urban areas, that it's closing 56 pharmacies across the Northwest, including 37 in … Continue Reading
December 07, 2021
Wyden, Merkley Urge USDA for Expedited Review of Oregon’s State Meat Inspection Program
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today urged the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to quickly review Oregon's rules and regulations for a state meat inspection program that meets USDA standards, and, if approved, to expedite the needed training for Oregon staff to carry out the required work. In their letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Wyden and Merkley noted that large meat packing facilities have been hurt by the pandemic and unable to … Continue Reading
December 06, 2021
Wyden, Merkley: Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to Receive COVID-19 Aid
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation will receive a combined more than $2.7 million in resources from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to help them deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. "This public health crisis has landed hard on tribes in Oregon and nationwide putting in long hours to provide quality community care in the face of this devastating … Continue Reading
December 06, 2021
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Press Warrior Met To Negotiate a Fair Contract with Workers’ Union
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are joining colleagues in writing to Walter J. Scheller, Chief Executive Officer Warrior Met Coal, Inc. (Warrior Met), urging him to oversee good-faith negotiations for a fair contract with the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). In 2016, when Walter Energy filed for bankruptcy, the UMWA agreed to save the company by sacrificing their wages and benefits packages. The new company, Warrior Met Coal, then asked workers to work most … Continue Reading
December 03, 2021
Wyden, Colleagues Urge IRS to Keep Phone Lines Open, Improve Telephone Services for American Taxpayers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is joining with colleagues from both parties to urge the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), to keep phone lines open while clearing the unprecedented backlog of unprocessed returns and to take concrete steps to instead improve telephone services for taxpayers in Oregon and nationwide. "We are concerned to hear reports that the National Taxpayer Advocate held discussions with IRS officials about a temporary shutdown … Continue Reading
December 03, 2021
Wyden Stresses Importance in his Recreation Bill of Enhancing Americans’ Ability to Access and Enjoy Public Lands
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) this week made the case for how his bipartisan Recreation Not Red-Tape Act would remove barriers to outdoor recreation, increasing equitable access to public lands and boosting rural economies and jobs, during a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the bill. Witnesses voiced support for the legislation as a key tool to expand public land access. "Recreation is a major economic engine and job creator for rural … Continue Reading
December 02, 2021
Merkley, Wyden Announce $2.4 Million FEMA Grant to Shelter Victims of Wildfire Disasters
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced a major federal grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will help reimburse significant costs for providing non-congregate shelter to Oregonians who lost their homes or were displaced during the 2020 wildfires. "I will never forget seeing entire towns that had been completely destroyed by wildfire in September 2020, or meeting children who were living at evacuation sites," said Merkley. … Continue Reading
December 01, 2021
Wyden Statement on Congressman DeFazio Announcement
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today issued the following statement after Rep. Peter DeFazio made his announcement: "Peter DeFazio blends all the best qualities of a top-notch legislator - he's an effective, passionate and powerful advocate who always puts the best interests of his constituents first," Wyden said. "Thanks to Peter DeFazio, roads, bridges and transportation systems in Oregon and nationwide are stronger, last longer and are cleaner and greener." "Oregonians always know … Continue Reading
November 30, 2021
Wyden, Merkley: More than $118 Million in COVID Relief Headed to Oregon Rural Health Providers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that 481 rural health providers in Oregon will receive a total of $118,654,854 for COVID relief under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). "For the past 20 months, Oregon's rural health providers have shouldered a heavy burden of this public health crisis-from illness prevention to treatment to vaccination and boosters-and they have been providing quality treatment 24/7." Wyden said. "These providers deserve every … Continue Reading
November 24, 2021
Wyden, Merkley Send Names of Three Finalists for U.S. Attorney for Oregon to White House
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today sent to the White House the names of three finalists to be the next U.S. Attorney for Oregon. The three finalists were chosen after review by a selection committee assembled by Wyden and Merkley. Following interviews with seven applicants for the job and soliciting public input, each committee member ranked the candidates. The three highest-ranked candidates from the cumulative rankings for the U.S. Attorney for Oregon post, … Continue Reading
November 23, 2021
Wyden, Merkley: USDA Rural Development Grant Approved for Two Eastern Oregon Counties
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a $172,894 rural development grant that would help low-income homeowners in Harney and Malheur counties make critical home repairs. "This investment will help homeowners of modest means in Harney and Malheur counties make sure their homes are safe for them and their families," Wyden said. "Helping rural Oregonians remain in their homes is essential to rural quality … Continue Reading
November 19, 2021
Wyden, Markey Applaud Department of Agriculture for Correctly Prioritizing Broadband Applicants that Follow Net Neutrality Principles
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.), this week wrote U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack to support his recent decision to offer additional points to applicants to the department's ReConnect Program who commit to following net neutrality principles. The ReConnect Program furnishes critical loans and grants to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide … Continue Reading
