Press Releases
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Press Trump Administration for Answers on Cost, Legal Justification of Out-of-State National Guard Deployment to D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with six of their Senate colleagues, are pressing for answers on the cost and legal justification of the Trump administration's decision to deploy thousands of out-of-state National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., in response to peaceful protests. Their letter, sent to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, seeks details on the deployment of these troops, and requests a response by June 25, 2020. "Over the past two weeks, … Continue Reading
June 19, 2020
Wyden, Murray Push Trump Administration to Ensure All Eligible Students and Families Receive Economic Impact Payments
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, urged Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to work together to ensure that all eligible students and their families receive their Economic Impact Payment, made available through the CARES Act. "The U.S. Department of the Treasury has … Continue Reading
June 19, 2020
Wyden Introduces Legislation to Help Non-profits
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today introduced legislation that would help nonprofits, state and local governments and federally recognized Tribes remain financially viable during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Nonprofit groups like food banks have been critical in helping their communities in Oregon and nationwide through the pandemic and economic crisis," Wyden said. "Many are struggling to maintain services as they have been forced to furlough their own employees. "Our proposal is a … Continue Reading
June 19, 2020
Wyden, Colleagues Call For GAO Investigation into Use of Federal Law Enforcement During Washington, DC Protests Following Killing of George Floyd
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden has joined with colleagues to request a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into the use of federal law enforcement, National Guard, and military personnel in response to protests in Washington, D.C., following the killing of George Floyd. "The use of force against Americans on June 1 at Lafayette Square was abhorrent and shocking," Wyden and 13 senators wrote in a letter to Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the GAO. "This event alone … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Announce $15.6 Million in Federal COVID-19 Funds for Salem Area Mass Transit
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Salem Area Mass Transit District will receive more than $15.6 million to support operations and other costs during the COVID-19 crisis. The funding is authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that Congress passed in March. "Oregonians depending on mass transit need public transportation during COVID-19 and beyond for commuting to their jobs, traveling to the grocery store and … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Wyden, Blumenthal Condemn Reported Plan to Annex West Bank
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., today condemned a reported plan by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex parts of the West Bank, in violation of international law. "As steadfast supporters of a negotiated two-state solution, we are very concerned by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stated intention to annex parts of the West Bank. We oppose unilateral actions by either side that could further threaten the prospects for a … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Wyden Urges Congress to Pass the Equality Act, Protect LGBTQ+ Americans Against Discrimination
Mr. President, I want to thank my colleagues for bringing us together on the Senate floor in a call to action for LGBTQ+ rights. I am proud to stand with all of them today to fight for the passage of the Equality Act - it is long, long, long overdue. We've come together in the middle of Pride Month, and in 2020 with a pandemic continuing to spread, Pride Month looks a little different than it has in the past. No parades, smaller celebrations. But this has still been an historic month when it … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Wyden, Colleagues Raise Concerns with Law Enforcement Tactics Increasing Spread of COVID-19 at Peaceful Protests
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today joined with colleagues in a letter raising serious concerns to the Trump administration about law enforcement tactics that may exacerbate the spread of COVID-19 and further worsen public health disparities as the nation continues battling this pandemic. "This is a critical moment for our nation. How our institutions respond will determine whether the coming weeks and months will lead to justice and unity, or discord and division," Wyden and 17 other … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Wyden, Merkley: Three Oregon Healthcare Providers to Get Federal Aid for Telehealth Work During COVID-19 Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that OHSU, NARA Indian Health Clinic in Portland and Northwest Human Services in Salem will receive $760,103 in federal funds to help provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic. "Technology tools like telehealth are proven assets that provide essential help to Oregon's health care heroes and the Oregonians they care for," Wyden said. "Because telehealth's importance is magnified during the COVID-19 … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Wyden statement on Supreme Court ruling Donald Trump's attempts to end DACA protections unlawful
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court ruling on DACA: "Dreamers in Oregon and nationwide -- and all of us who stand with them -- just collectively breathed a sigh of relief. These determined, inspiring, hard-working young people belong in America and deserve the protections promised to them by the U.S. government. "Today's victory is even more reason for Congress to permanently protect Dreamers from the threat of deportation. The … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Applaud Senate Passage of Great American Outdoors Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today welcomed Senate passage of the Great American Outdoors Act to provide mandatory permanent and full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The legislation also addresses the significant maintenance backlog in national parks and on federal lands. The legislation now advances to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration. "This watershed conservation legislation will protect Oregon's treasured places for … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Call for Investigation into Attorney General Barr’s Conduct in Suppressing Peaceful Protests in Lafayette Square
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with 19 of their colleagues, are requesting that Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz open an investigation into the conduct of Attorney General William Barr and the Department of Justice in directing the use of force against peaceful protestors around Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020. The senators also called on the Inspector General to probe the deployment of federal law enforcement to suppress … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Wyden Questions Intelligence Community Cybersecurity Following Damning CIA Report on Stolen Hacking Tools
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today asked Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to explain what steps he is taking to improve the cybersecurity of some of the nation's most sensitive secrets, held by federal intelligence agencies, after Wyden obtained a damning CIA report on cybersecurity failures that led to "the largest data loss in CIA history." Wyden, a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, obtained the unclassified, redacted excerpt of the CIA's … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce $2.3 Million to Help Josephine County Transit Through COVID-19 Crisis
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that Josephine County will receive a $2.3 million grant to help the county's public transit through the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The funding is authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed in March. "Transit continues to support essential workers and provide access to vital services as our communities are dealing with the coronavirus crisis," said … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Wyden Co-sponsors Legislation to Increase Transparency and Accountability of COVID-19 Small Business Relief Efforts
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he is co-sponsoring legislation that would provide additional transparency and accountability to the federal government's COVID-19 small business relief efforts. "Oregon is overwhelmingly a small business state, and it's essential those small businesses powering our state's economy get the help they need to weather the financial storm touched off by coronavirus," said Wyden, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee. "This legislation … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Wyden Will Hold Virtual Town Hall on June 22
Portland - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have a live on-line town hall on June 22 hosted by Town Hall Project for residents of Baker, Harney, Grant and Malheur counties. Anybody wanting to watch that virtual regional town hall beginning at 11 AM PT, noon MT on Monday, June 22 can go to this Facebook link. Video at that link is available as well to people who don't have a Facebook account. Residents of Baker, Harney, Grant and Malheur counties who would like to participate by … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Wyden Co-sponsors Legislation Ensuring Protection For Whistleblowers Who Expose Waste, Fraud, Abuse in Federal COVID-19 Relief Effort
Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he is co-sponsoring legislation that would ensure whistleblower protections for people who expose misuse of government funds intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. "Whistleblowers play a key role in sounding the alarm whenever there's wrongdoing by scam artists and cheaters scheming to cover up their tracks," Wyden said. "This bill extends essential whistleblower protections to non-federal employees who report waste, fraud and abuse in … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Wyden Will Hold Virtual Town Hall on June 19
Portland - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have a live on-line town hall on June 19 hosted by Town Hall Project for residents of Curry, Coos and Douglas counties. Anybody wanting to watch that virtual regional town hall beginning at 11 AM PT on Friday, June 19 can go to this Facebook link. Video at that link is available as well to people who don't have a Facebook account. Residents of Curry, Coos and Douglas counties who would like to participate by asking Wyden a question can … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Wyden: “If Congress and States Don’t Act Immediately, Our Country Could Face an Electoral Chernobyl This Fall”
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today urged Congress and state governments to act immediately to protect American elections and voters by expanding vote-by-mail and addressing COVID-19 related concerns ahead of the 2020 election this November. Wyden also highlighted the myriad issues that struck Georgia elections last week due to a lack of preparation by state officials and Republican obstruction in Congress and at the White House to expanding vote-by-mail nationwide. … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce $273,000 Workforce Training Grant to Chemeketa Community College
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that Chemeketa Community College will receive a federal grant of over $273,000 to help support a hands-on workforce training initiative preparing students for jobs in the nurseries industry. While learning through hands-on experience, students will also conduct research and share results with local industry leaders, benefitting Oregon's nurseries businesses. The grant is funded by the U.S. Department of … Continue Reading
