Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley: State to Receive $10.7 Million to Help Low-income Oregonians During COVID-19
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Oregon will receive $10.7 million in federal funding to help respond to the urgent needs of low-income communities caused statewide by the COVID-19 public health crisis. "The economic fallout from coronavirus has put huge additional pressure on many Oregonians who already faced financial stresses paying their rent, hunting for a job, or caring for a relative," Wyden said. "I am gratified these federal resources will … Continue Reading
May 11, 2020
Wyden Introduces Bill to Make Major Investments in Public Health, Wildfire Prevention and Rural Jobs as Part of COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Efforts
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced legislation that would bolster wildfire prevention and preparedness to protect the health and safety of communities during the unparalleled combination of threats posed by wildfire season and the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation also would provide relief and job creation measures that equip rural economies to respond to the unique threats they're facing during this public health and economic crisis. "A historic global … Continue Reading
May 11, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Call for Robust Funding to Aid the Homeless in Next COVID-19 Relief Package
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today urged Congressional leadership to include $11.5 billion in funding for Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) in the next relief package to aid the nation's homeless population who are experiencing heightened vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter was signed by 73 Members of Congress. Wyden and Merkley also joined colleagues in introducing the Public Health Emergency Shelter Act, which would provide the $11.5 … Continue Reading
May 11, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $25 Million in Funding for Lane Transit District
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the Lane Transit District will receive over $25 million in funding to support its public transportation operations and projects, including coronavirus response efforts. The funding was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and is being distributed by the Federal Transit Administration. "I'm grateful for the dedicated transit workers throughout Lane County who are … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Wyden to Introduce Legislation to Allow Credit Unions to Better Serve Small Businesses During COVID-19 Crisis
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced today that he will introduce legislation next week to allow more lending flexibility for credit unions to better serve their customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Access to Credit for Small Businesses Impacted by the COVID-19 Crisis Act builds on Wyden's work to help under-banked and under-served small businesses receive equal access to federal small business relief. "Our banking system has left the mom and pop shops on … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $9 Million in Funding to Expand COVID-19 Testing in Oregon
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that over $9 million in federal funding is being made available to 30 hospitals, health facilities, and county governments throughout Oregon to expand coronavirus testing capacity. "In our state and across America, coronavirus testing is still far too limited-a nightmare that is putting our families, neighbors, and frontline workers at greater risk," said Merkley. "Expanding testing capacity is an integral step in … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Wyden Statement on AG Barr’s Decision to Drop Charges Against Michael Flynn
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement after the Justice Department said it will drop charges against former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn: "AG Barr has destroyed the credibility of the Justice Department to help someone who was working on behalf of a foreign government while serving as the National Security Advisor. If Barr's Justice Department will drop charges against someone who twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and who the White House … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $16 Million in Coronavirus Relief Funding for Oregon Fisheries
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced nearly $16 million in assistance will go to Oregon fisheries, fishing businesses, fish processors, and more that have been impacted by coronavirus. The funding is Oregon's portion of the $300 million in fisheries assistance included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. "This is desperately needed federal support for Oregon's hardworking fishermen and women and the coastal … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Tell Trump Administration: Stop Playing Politics with the U.S. Postal Service
WASHINGTON, DC - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with a group of 27 senators, are urging Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin to reject politically motivated conditions on financial relief for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), which is a critical lifeline for many Americans, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The senators also expressed their strong opposition to the use of coronavirus as a pretext to pursue privatization of USPS, which is widely unpopular with … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Wyden, Colleagues Push Comcast to Open Public Wi-Fi to Students Lacking Access at Home During COVID-19
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Cory Booker, D-N.J. today urged Comcast to open all of its public Wi-Fi networks to the approximately 12 million American students who lack internet access at home, as schools rely on online education as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. In a letter to Comcast, the lawmakers wrote, "The COVID-19 pandemic … [has] shuttered schools across the country, leaving teachers and students forced to navigate the … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Oregon Delegation Calls for COVID-19 Relief to Address Barriers Faced by Latinx, Immigrant Communities
WASHINGTON, DC - Today members of Oregon's Congressional Delegation -Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, and Kurt Schrader, along with Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley- called on Congressional leadership to address the disproportionate barriers and outcomes that Latinx and immigrant communities face when trying to access health care services and economic relief during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. In Oregon, Hispanic individuals comprise 13.3 percent of … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Wyden Opposes Nomination of William Evanina to Lead the National Counterintelligence and Security Center
Mr. President, I rise to oppose the confirmation of William Evanina because of his failure to protect whistleblowers. Leading whistleblower protection organizations support my opposition to Mr. Evanina's confirmation and I ask unanimous consent that their statements be included in the record. It is currently open season on whistleblowers under the Trump administration. Donald Trump and those around him have made it clear that anyone who speaks up about waste, fraud, abuse or lawbreaking can … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Call for Protections Against Scams Targeting Small Businesses
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today called for the Trump administration to protect against scams targeting small businesses seeking relief from COVID-19. In a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Joseph Simons, Wyden and Merkley joined a group of their colleagues to express concern about the recent increase in scams targeting small businesses and request information on measures the FTC is taking to address the issue to better protect small … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Wyden Pushes for Emergency Funding to Protect Children in Abusive Situations
Washington, D.C. - As the COVID-19 pandemic strains the child welfare system, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today released draft legislation to provide $500 million in emergency funds for local child protective services and $1 million for community-based child abuse prevention programs. The Emergency Funding for Child Protection Act would provide swift, flexible funding to bolster the efforts of local child protective services and non-profits that prevent child abuse, which face challenges in … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Wyden Introduces Bill to Clarify Small Business Expense Deductions Under PPP
Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today joined with a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce legislation that would clarify the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) so small businesses can deduct expenses paid with a forgiven PPP loan from their taxes. "Treasury's guidance barring deductions for expenses paid by PPP loans is a gut punch for businesses struggling to stay afloat," said Wyden, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee. "It defies … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Wyden, Gillibrand, Casey, Brown and Eshoo Introduce Legislation to Fight Online Child Exploitation
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Sen. Bob Casey, D-Penn., Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., today introduced legislation to confront online child exploitation and reverse a decade of underfunding key enforcement and prevention efforts. The Invest in Child Safety Act would direct $5 billion in mandatory funding to investigate and target the pedophiles and abusers who create and share child sexual abuse material online. And … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Wyden Calls for Hazard Pay, Increased Safety Measures for Federal Employees and Contractors
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is urging the Trump administration to take immediate steps to support federal employees and contractors during the COVID-19 crisis. In a bipartisan letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Acting Director Russell T. Vought and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Acting Director Michael J. Rigas, Wyden and 18 of his colleagues emphasized several actions that the administration should take now to support these crucial public … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Wyden, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Raise PPP Non-payroll Forgiveness Cap
Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today joined a bipartisan group of colleagues to urge the Trump administration to raise the Paycheck Protection Program's (PPP) non-payroll forgiveness cap from 25 percent to 50 percent. In a letter from Wyden and 18 other senators to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza, the lawmakers noted that PPP loans allow loan proceeds used towards payroll, utilities, mortgage interest, and rent payments to be … Continue Reading
May 05, 2020
Wyden, Merkley, Walden Urge Army to Finish Cleanup at Umatilla Chemical Depot
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and U.S. Rep. Greg Walden today urged the Army to complete its commitment to remediate the now-closed Umatilla Chemical Depot so the National Guard can use the site safely for training and wildfire work in Eastern Oregon. In a bipartisan letter today to Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, the Oregon lawmakers wrote the Army is required to clean up the Ammunition Disposal Area (ADA) at the chemical depot under federal law and as directed by … Continue Reading
May 05, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Hit Administration’s COVID Testing Failures, Insist Federal Government Must Release and Implement National Plan
Washington, DC - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with 40 Senate Democrats, today sent a letter to President Trump, calling on his administration to develop a comprehensive national strategic plan of action by May 24th to ensure states have enough testing capacity to begin safely re-opening. The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was diagnosed in Washington State on January 20, 2020. After 12 weeks, and the confirmation of more than 1.1 million cases of … Continue Reading
