Press Releases
Wyden Calls for Public Release of Report on White House-Funded Surveillance Programs, Including National Database of Flock and Other ALPR Images
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called for the White House to release a report it commissioned examining the privacy impacts of surveillance activities funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), including a program that scoops up data from Flock cameras and other license plate readers across the country and a dragnet phone surveillance program called Hemisphere. Wyden learned of the report as part of his oversight of the Hemisphere phone surveillance … Continue Reading
October 08, 2026
Wyden, Merkley Announce More Than $1 Million to Support Addiction and Recovery Services in Eastern Oregon
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced more than $1 million in federal awards to help combat the opioid epidemic and to support addiction and recovery services in Eastern Oregon. “The opioid epidemic continues to harm communities across the state, especially in rural areas that often have limited addiction treatment resources,” Wyden said. “I applaud this federal award to the Oregon Washington Health Network that will strengthen addiction and recovery … Continue Reading
October 07, 2026
Wyden Leads Colleagues in Call for IRS to Drop Unnecessary and Harmful Immigration Status Question on Tax Form
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he is leading his Democratic colleagues in calling on the IRS to reverse a proposed rule that would, for the first time, add citizenship and work authorization questions to 2026 tax forms, in an effort to intimidate immigrants into not filing tax returns, and raising privacy concerns over the handling of private taxpayer data. In a letter to IRS CEO Frank Bisignano, Wyden and the other senators described how adding a new immigration … Continue Reading
October 07, 2026
Wyden Opposes Trump Administration Scheme to Redirect Money Away from Public Schools
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said today that he and U.S. Rep Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) are battling back against proposed regulations recently issued by the Trump administration in the IRS code that further Republican schemes to undermine public school systems by directing taxpayer money toward private and religious schools. In a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Wyden and Neal called out the administration for its blatant attempt to circumvent the clear … Continue Reading
October 07, 2026
Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Salinas, Hoyle, Dexter Announce $4.3 Million to Support Public Safety Across Oregon
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, Val Hoyle, and Maxine Dexter, today announced more than $4.3 million in federal awards to support public safety programs across Oregon. “It is absolutely essential to ensure communities across Oregon are safe, and young people are able to get the support they need in times of crisis,” Wyden said. “These federal grants will help support local police agencies, youth … Continue Reading
October 01, 2026
Wyden, Crapo Celebrate Unanimous Senate Approval of the Bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Mike Crapo, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today celebrated the Senate’s unanimous approval of the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act. The legislation approved this week is a package of 65 bipartisan reforms to modernize the Internal Revenue Service, strengthen taxpayer rights and improve the agency’s ability to administer the tax code predictably and efficiently. “The Taxpayer … Continue Reading
October 01, 2026
Wyden, Merkley Press Officials for Answers on UAS Testing Pauses in Pendleton, McMinnville and Tillamook
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and its designated administrator of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) test sites in Pendleton, McMinnville and Tillamook for an update about the recent suspension of all flight operations at those three Oregon locales. The Oregon senators said their letter comes after operations at those three UAS test sites were paused on Sept. 11 due to concerns at the University of Alaska … Continue Reading
October 01, 2026
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Extend Secure Rural Schools Funding
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore., today were joined by their colleagues Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, both R-Idaho, in introducing legislation that would extend funding for the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program for three years, and clarify congressional intention for distribution of funding for counties in Oregon with Bureau of Land Management lands. Funding for the program expired yesterday, September 30, 2026. “Secure Rural Schools is a lifeline for … Continue Reading
October 01, 2026
Wyden, Colleagues Demand Trump Administration Abandon Plan to Strip Tax Credits from 700,000 American Taxpayers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today led colleagues in demanding the Trump Administration abandon a plan that would prevent up to 700,000 Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and other tax-paying immigrants from claiming tax credits they are currently eligible to receive. The Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Treasury are proposing a rule change that would prevent hundreds of thousands of taxpayers from claiming the … Continue Reading
September 30, 2026
Wyden Introduces Bill to Ban Data Centers on Public Lands
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today introduced legislation that would ban the development, sale or transfer of federally-owned public lands for the purpose of constructing new data centers and associated infrastructure in Oregon and nationwide. Introduction of the bill follows recent reports that the Trump administration is considering the transfer of more than 17,000 acres of public land across Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah to build 12 new data centers. Further … Continue Reading
September 30, 2026
Senate Republicans Block Wyden Bill to Ban Data Centers on Public Lands
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today introduced and sought to pass legislation that would ban the sale or transfer of federally-owned public lands for the purpose of developing new data centers and associated infrastructure in Oregon and nationwide. Introduction of the bill follows recent reports that the Trump administration is considering the transfer of more than 17,000 acres of public land across Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah to build 12 new data centers. … Continue Reading
September 30, 2026
Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Salinas, Hoyle, Dexter, Bynum Oppose Trump’s Undermining of Due Process and Politicizing Immigration Courts
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, Val Hoyle, Maxine Dexter and Janelle Bynum, today demanded the Trump administration end the practice of “mega master” immigration hearings that expedite the review of hundreds of immigrants’ cases in a day, resulting in a fast-track to removing immigrants without due process. “This unwarranted blitzkrieg of assaults on justice and fair treatment raises serious … Continue Reading
September 30, 2026
Wyden, Merkley, Bynum Announce $100,000 for Central Oregon Wildfire Recovery
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representative Janelle Bynum, today announced $100,000 in federal awards to support displaced Oregonians and wildfire recovery efforts for Central Oregon communities that lost homes in the 2026 wildfires. “As wildfires in central Oregon and statewide set new records every year in size and intensity, the rural communities on the front lines of these fights are the most in need of resources for recovery efforts,” Wyden … Continue Reading
September 28, 2026
Merkley, Bonamici, Wyden, Oregon Leaders Unlock $14 Million in Federal Funding for Oregon Coast Project
Washington, D.C. - Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Oregon’s U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, and Oregon State Representative Cyrus Javadi announced that, thanks to their efforts, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $14,567,624 in federal funds for Clatsop County and Columbia Memorial Hospital (CMH) to build a tsunami-resilient hospital expansion in Astoria, … Continue Reading
September 28, 2026
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Impose Sanctions of Israeli Settlement Construction
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today said they joined Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to impose targeted sanctions on companies, individuals, and other entities that facilitate the development of Israeli settlements in the E1 area of the West Bank. “Benjamin Netanyahu’s disgraceful policy of expanding West Bank settlements crosses a clear red line and makes Palestinian statehood and lasting peace even more difficult,” Wyden said. “The United States … Continue Reading
September 25, 2026
Wyden Warns an All-Republican FCC Could Violate Federal Law and Cause Partisan FCC Actions to be Overturned in Court
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. asked Federal Communications Commissioner Anna Gomez to issue a legal opinion addressing whether the Communications Act permits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to legally operate with members from a single political party. Wyden warned that federal law prohibits an all-Republican RCC and that any action taken by a partisan FCC could be overturned in court, based on the statutory history of the Communications Act. President Trump … Continue Reading
September 24, 2026
Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici, Hoyle, Salinas, Dexter, Bynum Support Kotek Demanding Emergency Federal Assistance for East Evans Fire
Medford, OR - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05) to support Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s request that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urgently reconsider the agency’s denial of a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) for the East Evans Creek Fire north of Rogue River, OR. At the time of the initial application earlier this … Continue Reading
September 24, 2026
Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Resolution Honoring Community Health Workers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today led his colleagues in introducing a resolution recognizing August 24 through August 28, 2026 as “National Community Health Worker Awareness Week” to honor the contributions of community health workers and support their vital work to deliver quality health care in underserved and high-need communities. “Community health workers are the backbone of rural and underserved communities,” Wyden said. “These unsung heroes deserve recognition … Continue Reading
September 22, 2026
Merkley, Wyden, Kotek Announce $7.45 Million for Affordable Housing Support in Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden—along with Oregon Governor Tina Kotek—today announced that $7,450,000 in federal funding is coming to Oregon to help people with disabilities access affordable housing and a range of supportive services. “Everyone deserves a safe, affordable place to call home, and these funds will support public housing authorities across Oregon in better serving people with disabilities,” said Senator Merkley. “As communities across our … Continue Reading
September 21, 2026
Wyden, Merkley Demand Trump Administration Release Energy Bill Assistance for Low-Income Americans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today said they joined Senate colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to release all available funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) ahead of the November 1, 2026 deadline as cold weather sets in. LIHEAP is a lifeline that provides financial assistance to low-income homeowners and renters to help cover the cost of energy bills. This program is more important than ever as energy … Continue Reading