Press Releases
Wyden Statement on Appointment of Richard Grenell as Acting DNI
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement on Donald Trump's appointment of Richard Grenell as acting Director of National Intelligence: "If there was any doubt that Donald Trump values unquestioning obedience over the safety of the American people, this appointment settles the question. The Director of National Intelligence's job requires expertise in intelligence, a clear-eyed understanding of the threats facing the country and the ability to … Continue Reading
February 19, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Urge FDA to Protect Kids, Hold the Vaping Industry Accountable
WASHINGTON, DC - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that they and a bipartisan group of 17 Senators are urging the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Stephen Hahn to comply with the agency's requirements to reject e-cigarette applications that do not protect the public health once the FDA's May 12 deadline for e-cigarette product review arrives. The Senators, in a letter to Commissioner Hahn, highlighted concerns with FDA's ongoing lax … Continue Reading
February 14, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Call for Attorney General Barr’s Resignation After “Corrupt” Intervention in Roger Stone Case
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined their Democratic colleagues in calling for U.S. Attorney General William Barr to resign immediately. In a letter addressed to Barr, the senators expressed alarm at, and opposition to, unethical political intervention of senior Department of Justice (DOJ) officials in the case of Roger Stone, a former campaign insider and adviser to Donald Trump. Mr. Stone was convicted of obstructing a congressional … Continue Reading
February 13, 2020
Oregon Lawmakers Ask U.S. Attorney to Investigate Whether Local Police Violated Black Man’s Civil Rights
Portland - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer today asked the U.S. Attorney's Office to investigate whether a black Portlander's civil rights were violated by local police departments. The Oregon lawmakers' letter to U.S. Attorney Billy Williams follows a report this week in The Oregonian detailing how former West Linn Police Chief Terry Timeus directed officers to conduct an unwarranted, racially motivated surveillance and arrest of Michael Fesser as a favor … Continue Reading
February 13, 2020
Wyden Votes to Hold Trump Back from Rushing U.S. to War with Iran
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on the U.S. Senate’s vote on the war powers resolution to prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran:“Donald Trump started the year racing our country toward war with Iran like it was his New Year’s resolution. With this vote, the Senate is exercising its constitutional role to check an unstable and dangerous executive. “My vote was informed by the late Senator Wayne Morse, the Oregonian whose seat I’m proud … Continue Reading
February 12, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Take Oregon’s Bottle Bill to National Stage
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced the introduction of a pair of bills that offer multiple pathways to tackling America's growing plastic pollution crisis, including a national version of Oregon's groundbreaking "bottle bill." The Original Recycling (OR) Bottle Act of 2020 would establish a federal "bottle bill" recycling program modeled after Oregon's. And the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2020-which comes amid growing concerns of … Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Wyden Introduces Legislation to Achieve Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the U.S. by No Later Than 2050
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced legislation that would put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050. The world's leading scientists have warned that humanity must limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. According to the United Nations annual Emissions Gap Report released last month, collective global efforts to reduce greenhouse … Continue Reading
February 11, 2020
Wyden Pushes to Pass Election Security on the Senate Floor
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined his Democratic colleagues Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Mark Warner, D-Va., and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., to push for a package of election security bills on the Senate floor in a series of unanimous consent requests. "Despite all of the ways foreign hackers have already made it into our election infrastructure, Congress has refused to arm state and … Continue Reading
February 10, 2020
Wyden Statement on Trump Budget Slashing Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security and Proposal to Privatize BPA
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on the Trump budget: "For a president who makes himself out to be a champion of typical working Americans, Donald Trump has run the same old Republican playbook of giving tax handouts to the wealthy and slashing the safety net that supports everybody else. He started this con with his 2016 campaign promises not to touch Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and now he wants to cut them by more than $1.5 trillion. Bottom … Continue Reading
February 10, 2020
Wyden Statement on U.S. DOJ Charging Chinese Hackers With 2017 Equifax Data Breach
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on the U.S. Justice Department charging Chinese Military hackers in the 2017 Equifax data breach: "There's no separating privacy and national security. When companies like Equifax amass vast stores of sensitive personal information and then cut corners on security, they become irresistible targets for unfriendly regimes like China. Passing strong privacy legislation like my Mind Your Own Business Act is essential for our … Continue Reading
February 10, 2020
Wyden Receives More Than 15,000 Nominations for Wild-and-Scenic Rivers in Oregon
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he has received more than 15,000 nominations for more than 4,000 miles of rivers and streams in Oregon that enthusiasts believe deserve to be added to the national Wild and Scenic Rivers designation list. Those named rivers, streams, and portions of rivers and streams came from more than 2,200 Oregon waterway fans - many submitting more than one potential designation -- to Wyden's office. They will now be considered by the senator as he … Continue Reading
February 07, 2020
Wyden Welcomes Risk Management Programs for Hemp Farmers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said today the U.S. Agriculture Department announcement detailing two risk management programs protecting farmers' hemp crops from natural disasters takes a significant step to achieve a key piece of his hemp legalization bill. "Hemp farmers in Oregon and nationwide deserve the same certainty all farmers need of knowing solid insurance options exist if natural disaster strikes their crops," Wyden said. "I am gratified that predictability is now here, and … Continue Reading
February 06, 2020
Wyden Asks Oregon to Ban Insecure Mobile Voting Apps and Risky Internet Voting
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked Secretary of State Bev Clarno to warn Oregon counties about the security risks posed by mobile voting apps and other forms of internet voting, in a letter today. "We share a common goal of making it easier for Oregonians serving in the military or otherwise living overseas to vote. I look forward to working with you to explore ways to do so, including, if appropriate, introducing federal legislation to provide states with additional … Continue Reading
February 06, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Schrader Announce $1.2 Million Grant for New Pier at the Port of Newport
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, with Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR-05), today announced that the Port of Newport has received $1.2 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce for the construction of a new pier. The denigration of a decades-old wooden pier has forced the port to turn away new businesses and restrict pier access to halt further damage to the structure. "The Port of Newport has long been home to one of Oregon's largest … Continue Reading
February 05, 2020
Wyden Votes to Remove Donald Trump for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on the U.S. Senate’s vote to acquit Donald Trump on two articles of impeachment: “Today I voted to remove Donald Trump, for his abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. His whole defense amounted to a fiction. The president was not fighting corruption in Ukraine, he was causing it.“There is no doubt in my mind that Donald Trump misused his office to extort a foreign nation to drum up sham … Continue Reading
February 04, 2020
Wyden Response to Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address
Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement in response to Donald Trump's State of the Union address: "If you want to see what Donald Trump would do with four more years, look back at his record of ignoring the problems typical families face over the last three. "Trump's key legislative accomplishment is a tax handout for multinational corporations, special interests and the wealthy, and he expects working families to praise him for it. With another term, he'll send … Continue Reading
February 04, 2020
Wyden Co-sponsoring Suicide Prevention Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation that would designate 9-8-8 as a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline. Amid deeply troubling statistics about suicide in Oregon and nationwide, Wyden has been a long-time advocate of setting aside a three-digit number for people facing a mental health crisis and considering suicide. "Suicide is a public health crisis and requires this urgent step of building upon the … Continue Reading
February 03, 2020
Wyden: Trump Violated his Oath and Betrayed our System of Democratic Government
As Prepared for Delivery For the past two weeks, the president's defense team has spun bizarre legal arguments, conspiracy theories and flat out lies that are unbecoming of the Office of the President of the United States. We know the facts. The president pursued his personal and political interests in a manner that harmed the national security of the United States. He smeared our own ambassador to Ukraine. He promoted Kremlin propaganda on 2016 election interference. He sent his personal … Continue Reading
February 03, 2020
Wyden Demands Answers on Treatment of Pregnant Migrants in ICE, CBP Custody
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today demanded answers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about the treatment of pregnant migrants, as there continue to be troubling reports alleging the mistreatment, abuse and neglect of pregnant women in U.S. detention facilities. "I continue to hear horrific reports about pregnant women subject to unsanitary conditions and left without the health care they need in U.S. … Continue Reading
January 29, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Demand Trump Publicly Commit To Protecting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week joined their Democratic colleagues in demanding Donald Trump retract the alarming threats he made last week concerning cutting earned benefits like Medicare or Social Security to pay for his tax scam, which has been a handout to corporations at the expense of workers. "As a presidential candidate, you promised the American people that you would not cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid. In fact, you criticized … Continue Reading
