Press Releases
Wyden, McConnell Urge USDA to Ensure Expeditious and Proper Implementation of the Hemp Farming Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) recently sent a letter to U.S Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue urging USDA to ensure that the provisions from the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 included in the 2018 Farm Bill are implemented expeditiously and follow Congressional intent. As authors of the Hemp Farming Act, Wyden and McConnell are encouraging proper implementation of the law by the USDA to support hemp's lawful future for … Continue Reading
February 14, 2019
Wyden Introduces Bill to Protect Government Contractors During Shutdowns
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Catherine Cortez Masto and Patty Murray have introduced legislation that would ensure federal contractors affected by a government shutdown can withdraw funds from their retirement savings without being penalized. "Federal employees who missed paychecks during the Trump shutdown will eventually get their back pay, but nobody should forget about the millions of contractors and their families left uncovered after a senseless five-week shutdown," said … Continue Reading
February 13, 2019
Wyden Introduces Rural Broadband Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden this week introduced bipartisan legislation that aims to ensure the success of current rural broadband initiatives and to remove barriers to future rural broadband growth in Oregon and nationwide. "All across Oregon, one of the top issues I hear about is the need to bring fast, reliable internet to our rural areas," Wyden said. "For education, for jobs, for medicine, broadband is really essential to helping rural communities thrive today. Creating a new … Continue Reading
February 13, 2019
Wyden, Feinstein, Merkley & Colleagues Press U.S. Forest Service for Update on Wildfire Prevention and Fuels Treatment Efforts Following Trump Shutdown
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., today led a group of their colleagues in seeking answers from the U.S. Forest Service on the recent Trump shutdown and its impact on the agency's critical wildfire prevention and fuels treatment efforts-answers that are especially pressing with the threat of another shutdown looming. In addition to Wyden, Feinstein and Merkley, the letter to U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen was … Continue Reading
February 12, 2019
Wyden, Merkley Welcome Senate Passage of Public Lands Legislation
Washington, D.C. - Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today welcomed Senate passage of a bipartisan package of public lands legislation securing critical measures they achieved for Oregon, including improved flexibility for hazardous fuels reduction efforts and protections for wilderness and wild and scenic rivers in the state. "Managing our public lands is a matter of public safety, our local recreation economies and the health of the water we as Oregonians drink and air we breathe," said … Continue Reading
February 08, 2019
Merkley, Wyden Join Colleagues to Introduce ANTIQUITIES Act to Protect America’s National Monuments from Unlawful Attacks
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined more than 100 Democratic Members of Congress to introduce legislation protecting America's treasured national monuments against the Trump administration's relentless attacks on public lands. The America's Natural Treasures of Immeasurable Quality Unite, Inspire, and Together Improve the Economies of States (ANTIQUITIES) Act of 2019 reinforces Congress' clear intent in the Antiquities Act of 1906: Only Congress has the … Continue Reading
February 07, 2019
Merkley, Wyden Join Colleagues to Introduce Green New Deal Resolution
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14) to introduced a Green New Deal resolution in both the Senate and House of Representatives that would create millions of good, high-wage jobs in the United States; provide unprecedented levels of prosperity and economic security for Americans; and counteract systemic injustices-all while addressing the existential challenge of climate … Continue Reading
February 07, 2019
Wyden, Rubio ask Homeland Security to Investigate National Security Risks of Foreign VPN Apps
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., today requested the Department of Homeland Security conduct a threat assessment of the national security risks stemming from foreign virtual private network (VPN) apps. VPN providers route web traffic through their own servers, usually to provide extra privacy or security for users, or to save on data use. In a letter to Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Christopher Krebs, Wyden and Rubio … Continue Reading
February 07, 2019
Wyden, Senators Press Power-5 Conferences to Toughen Sexual Assault Policies
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden today led colleagues in asking the commissioners of the Pac-12, ACC, SEC, Big 10 and Big 12 conferences to take serious and meaningful steps to address the misconduct and sexual violence within their athletics programs. In addition to Wyden, the letter to the commissioners of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Power 5 conferences was signed by Senators Patty Murray, Jeff Merkley, Maggie Hassan, Richard Blumenthal, Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith … Continue Reading
February 07, 2019
Wyden and Harris Lead Colleagues in Reintroduction of Legislation to Improve Resettlement Process for Unaccompanied Children, Protect Sponsors
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), along with Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), re-introduced the Families Not Facilities Act, legislation that would prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using information gathered in the process of … Continue Reading
February 07, 2019
Wyden, Merkley Press Power-5 Conferences to Toughen Sexual Assault Policies
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today asked the commissioners of the Pac-12, ACC, SEC, Big 10 and Big 12 conferences to take serious and meaningful steps to address the misconduct and sexual violence within their athletics programs. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter to the commissioners of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Power 5 conferences was signed by Senators Patty Murray, Maggie Hassan, Richard Blumenthal, Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith and … Continue Reading
February 07, 2019
Merkley, Wyden Announce Millions of Dollars for Oregon in Fight Against Homelessness
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced nearly $3 million in Continuum of Care grants across the state, providing resources to help house and provide supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. "As communities in Oregon face their biggest housing affordability crises in decades, with rents dramatically outpacing incomes, we must do everything we can to make sure families have the supportive services they need," … Continue Reading
February 05, 2019
Wyden Response to Trump’s State of the Union Address
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on Donald Trump's State of the Union Address: "It was stunning to hear a President plead with Congress to set aside its constitutional duty to conduct vigorous oversight. I walked out tonight reflecting on the sacred American principle that no one is above the law. The state of the union is clear: Donald Trump is steering America in the wrong … Continue Reading
February 05, 2019
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Slam Trump Administration for its Unprecedented Use of Active Duty Troops on Southern U.S. Border
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have joined colleagues in sending a letter to Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan sharply criticizing the Trump administration's newly-extended deployment of thousands of active duty servicemembers to the southern U.S. border. The senators demanded a rationale for the latest deployment extension-answers that are even more pressing as the administration announced on Sunday it will deploy more troops to the border. "With … Continue Reading
February 01, 2019
Wyden Joins Bipartisan Effort For Timely DoD Audit
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined 25 of his colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan requesting his commitment to timely completion of a full audit of the Department of Defense (DoD) in FY2019. "We commend Mr. Norquist and the Department of Defense for finishing its first-ever complete audit required by the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990. This was a critical first step to bring greater transparency and … Continue Reading
January 31, 2019
Wyden, Tester Reintroduce Bill Targeting “Dark Money” in Politics
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jon Tester today reintroduced the Spotlight Act, a bill to shine a light on dark money political donors and hold the Trump Administration accountable to enforce our nation's campaign finance laws. "The Trump Administration's pro-dark money rule allows foreign powers and special interests to spread their influence even deeper into our democracy, so it's got to go before the next election," said Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance … Continue Reading
January 30, 2019
Merkley, Wyden Join Colleagues in Introducing Bill to Close Gender Wage Gap
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today joined their colleagues in introducing the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation that would strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and guarantee that women can challenge pay discrimination and hold employers accountable. "Equal pay isn't just an issue of fairness, it's also about economic security for working families," Merkley said. "It's simply outrageous that a giant pay gap still exists. We need to get serious about our … Continue Reading
January 30, 2019
Wyden, Merkley, Crapo, Risch, Manchin, Murkowski Urge Feds to Deliver SRS Payments ASAP
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and James Risch, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski today urged federal officials to deliver Secure Rural Schools (SRS) payments as quickly as possible in the aftermath of the government shutdown. In their bipartisan letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Acting Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt, the senators said rural residents in their states are concerned … Continue Reading
January 30, 2019
Wyden, Merkley Announce Central Oregon Non-Profit to Get $1.1 Million Grant
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Heart of Oregon Corps, Inc. in Bend will receive a $1.1 million federal grant to help at-risk students with education and training. The U.S. Department of Labor grant will go toward the central Oregon non-profit’s YouthBuild program. YouthBuild uses pre-apprenticeships to help young people considered at risk complete high school or state equivalency degree programs, earn industry-recognized credentials … Continue Reading
January 28, 2019
Wyden, Merkley Call for Investigation into Conditions of Migrant Children Detained at Southern Border
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley recently joined 20 of their Democratic colleagues in calling on the federal Government Accountability Office's (GAO) Comptroller General to investigate conditions of children detained by the Customs and Border Patrol Agency (CBP), following the death of two migrant children at the Southern border last year. "We believe it is imperative that your office open an investigation not only into the circumstances of these two … Continue Reading
