Press Releases
Merkley, Wyden, and Blumenauer Announce $200 Million Federal Investment for Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) today announced $200 million in federal funding to help cover costs needed to replace the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge in Oregon and Washington. The major funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) program, which received a significant boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. … Continue Reading
January 18, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $300,000 for Ecosystem Restoration in Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a $300,000 investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to restore habitat along Gilliam County’s Thirtymile Creek, a tributary of the John Day River in Oregon’s Prineville District. “Right now, there is a huge need to restore aquatic habitats and ecosystems in Oregon and nationwide,” said Wyden. “This investment builds upon many others to help reach that goal and fight climate change wherever it … Continue Reading
January 17, 2024
Wyden, Duckworth Urge DOT to Help Americans With Disabilities By Fixing Flawed Service Animal Form
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., urged the Department of Transportation to fix flaws in its system that create unnecessary burdens on Americans with disabilities who travel with service animals. The senators called on DOT to fix the form that the government requires people with disabilities to complete to fly with service animals. Currently the form is only available as a .PDF document, which is incompatible with many mobile browsers and with … Continue Reading
January 17, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Urge FERC to Strengthen and Finalize Transmission Planning Rule
Washington, D.C. - Oregon U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined senate colleagues in sending a bicameral letter to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Willie Phillips urging the agency to strengthen and finalize its proposed transmission planning and cost allocation rule in order to address the growing need for reliability, affordability, and clean electricity. “In recent years, we have witnessed numerous examples of grid resilience issues, which have highlighted … Continue Reading
January 17, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues Recognized for Effective Oversight of the U.S. Organ Transplant System
Washington, D.C. - Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden was recognized along with a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues by The Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy for their work to enhance competition in the U.S. organ transplant system and increase access to necessary care for patients. “Government services shouldn’t prioritize industry insiders over patient care, especially when lives are on the line,” said the Senators. “We’re honored to be recognized for this unified effort to shine … Continue Reading
January 16, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Join Colleagues’ Bipartisan Call to Address Long-Term Drought in Farm Bill
Washington, D.C. — Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) in a bipartisan effort calling on the Senate Agriculture Committee to address long-term drought in the upcoming farm bill. “Agriculture is the economic backbone for rural communities in our states. However, severe, long-term drought is devastating these rural areas. During periods of droughts, our farmers and ranchers face diminishing crop and livestock … Continue Reading
January 12, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues Call for a Review of Navy Federal After Reported Racial Disparities in Mortgage Lending
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, along with his colleagues Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Jack Reed (D-RI), Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee; Raphael Warnock (D-GA); Tina Smith (D-MN); John Fetterman (D-PA); Tim Kaine (D-VA); Chris Van Hollen (D-MD); Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV); and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) called on the Department of Housing and Urban … Continue Reading
January 12, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues Sound Bipartisan Alarm on JBS Request to Trade Shares on NYSE, Citing Threat to U.S. Markets
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden joined Senate Colleagues in urging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler to consider the risk JBS S.A. (JBS) poses to the integrity of U.S. capital markets and the legal rights of U.S. investors as they consider the company’s proposal to list on the New York Stock Exchange. “As the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) considers this proposal, we urge the SEC to protect the integrity of U.S. capital markets and the … Continue Reading
January 12, 2024
Wyden, Lummis Urge Investigation into Hack of SEC Social Media Account
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., urged the Inspector General of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to open an investigation into the recent hack of the SEC’s social media account and the SEC’s apparent failure to follow cybersecurity best practices, in a letter released today. On January 9, 2024, the SEC revealed that an unknown party had hacked its official account on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Later … Continue Reading
January 11, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Demand Amazon Improve its Treatment of its Delivery Drivers
Washington, D.C. - Oregon U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined Senate colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy requesting information about the company’s Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program and its efforts to avoid legal liability for the persistent mistreatment of DSP drivers. The senators are also seeking information regarding Amazon’s justification for refusing to bargain with union representatives of DSP employees and requiring … Continue Reading
January 10, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $1 Million for OSU to Support Multicultural Students, Forestry Workforce and Agricultural Sciences
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced more than $1 million in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) for Oregon State University (OSU). “In my meetings throughout the state with Oregon’s agricultural sector, I’m always asking how I can support them do what they do best: grow things, add value and ship their products around the world,” Wyden said. “One thing I’m hearing is the need for … Continue Reading
January 09, 2024
Wyden Statement on FTC Holding Location Data Broker Accountable
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden released the following statement on the FTC holding X-Mode Social/Outlogic accountable for selling Americans’ location data: "I commend the FTC for taking tough action to hold this shady location data broker responsible for its sale of Americans' location data. In 2020, I discovered that the company had sold Americans' location data to U.S. military customers through defense contractors. While the FTC's action is encouraging, the agency should not … Continue Reading
January 08, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Warn Non-Unionized Automakers Not to Interfere in UAW Unionization Efforts
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined Senate colleagues in a letter to 13 non-unionized automakers urging them to allow United Auto Workers’ (UAW) legally protected unionization efforts at their manufacturing plants. After the ratification of historic agreements between UAW and the Big Three automakers in Detroit, thousands of non-union autoworkers are publicly organizing to join the UAW. “We are concerned by reporting at numerous automakers that management has … Continue Reading
January 04, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $72 Million Federal Investment for Expansion of Microchip’s Gresham Facility
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce is awarding $72 million in direct funding to Microchip for its Gresham expansion, as part of the CHIPS and Science Act passed by Congress in 2022. “Oregon is the beating heart of our nation’s semiconductor industry,” said Wyden. “When I brought Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to Oregon last year, I was confident that she would see the Silicon Forest for what it is: a world class … Continue Reading
December 28, 2023
Wyden and Merkley Announce Federal Investment of More Than $1 Million in Habitat for Humanity in Tillamook County
Washington D.C.— U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of more than $1.1 million for Habitat for Humanity in Tillamook to secure space for its retail operations and administrative offices. “In my town halls in Tillamook County and throughout the state, I hear from Oregon families and businesses that housing poses a huge challenge,” Wyden said. “Housing is a human right, and Habitat for Humanity has been on the frontline providing much-needed homes … Continue Reading
December 21, 2023
Wyden, Merkley Announce $2.2 Million for Rural School Hybrid Program
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a $2.2 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Program for Chemeketa Community College. “Students of all backgrounds deserve a fair shot at a solid education,” Wyden said. “This funding is the perfect example of how to expand opportunities for folks in rural Oregon and across the nation, and I applaud Chemeketa Community College for receiving this … Continue Reading
December 20, 2023
Wyden, Crapo Applaud Senate Passage of Legislation Honoring Medal of Honor Recipients
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho today applauded Senate passage of their bipartisan legislation designating U.S. Highway 20 between Newport, Ore. and New England as the “National Medal of Honor Highway.” "It's an honor to have worked closely with veterans in Oregon and nationwide in the grassroots movement to designate our country's longest continuous highway, stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic, as the ‘National Medal of Honor Highway,’” … Continue Reading
December 20, 2023
Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Salinas, Colleagues call for Expanded Funding for Community Health Centers
Washington, D.C. - Oregon U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici and Andrea Salinas, joined bipartisan colleagues today to urge the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to provide more access to federal resources for community healthcare centers. Currently, there are 136 Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alikes in Oregon and across the nation that provide services to over 1 million patients, but still don’t … Continue Reading
December 19, 2023
Wyden Urges Federal Trade Commission to Block Kroger-Albertsons Merger
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to block the proposed Kroger and Albertsons merger due to potential negative effects on consumers in Oregon and nationwide. “Specifically, I am concerned that the proposed merger, if approved, will result in fewer pharmacy options for Oregonians, fewer economic opportunities for Oregon’s small farmers, and harm to Oregon’s workers and consumers,” Wyden wrote in the letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan. “The … Continue Reading
December 18, 2023
Wyden Begins 2024 With Seven Town Halls in Central & Eastern Oregon
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will begin his 2024 town hall schedule with seven in-person town halls the first week of January in Jefferson, Sherman, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Baker and Malheur counties. Heading into these initial town halls of the new year, Wyden has held a total of 1,065 town halls throughout Oregon in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties. “I’m very much looking forward to starting 2024 … Continue Reading
