Press Releases
Wyden Demands Action from Phone Companies and FCC Following New Proof of Threats to Americans’ Phones
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., demanded action from telephone companies and the Federal Communications Commission today, following release of a letter from the Department of Homeland Security that makes public new evidence that foreign spies and hackers are attacking the poorly secured U.S. phone system. "I've spent the past year fighting to reveal what a terrible job the telephone companies and FCC are doing at protecting Americans from being spied on, tracked, or scammed. This … Continue Reading
June 01, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Co-sponsor Bill to Protect Children Left Alone When Parents Arrested or Detained By Immigration Officials
Washington, D.C. -Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are co-sponsoring legislation that would protect the safety and well-being of minor children left alone and vulnerable after their parents have been arrested or detained by U.S. immigration authorities. "Innocent children shouldn't face a sudden and mysterious sense of abandonment when their mothers and fathers are swept up by immigration officials in communities across the United States," Wyden said. "This bill would restore … Continue Reading
May 30, 2018
Wyden Calls on FCC to Expand Wireless Coverage Eligibility for Rural Communities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden joined a bipartisan group of senators today in sending a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), requesting an extension of the challenge process for the mapping of areas eligible for Mobility Fund Phase II support, which would help expand wireless coverage to rural communities. "While you have noted that state, local, and Tribal governments can participate in the challenge process, absent additional direction, they may remain unaware or … Continue Reading
May 24, 2018
Wyden Statement on Rising Gas Prices Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on soaring gas prices ahead of the upcoming holiday weekend. Gas prices have risen more than 25 percent since Trump took office, hitting nearly $3 a gallon on average nationwide. "Since Trump has taken the wheel, he's driven gas prices in one direction - straight up," Wyden said. "Seven of the largest U.S. oil companies announced $13 billion in stock buybacks after Trump signed his tax bill into law. These … Continue Reading
May 24, 2018
Wyden, Udall, Leahy, Blumenthal Demand Answers over FAA’s Delay in Addressing Safety Concerns Prior to Fatal Southwest Airlines Explosion
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Tom Udall, D-N.M., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., today demanded the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) explain the agency's delay in addressing concerns over faulty airline engines prior to the explosion of a Southwest Airlines engine earlier this year that killed a passenger. "It is hard to imagine a more important duty at the FAA than ensuring passenger safety during air flight, and with that, the importance of … Continue Reading
May 24, 2018
Wyden Leads Bipartisan Effort to Address National Opioid Crisis
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today welcomed the introduction of 22 bipartisan Medicare, Medicaid and Human Services bills by his colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee as essential pieces of the work to tackle the growing opioid epidemic in Oregon and nationwide. "Congress must take real and lasting action to confront this epidemic that's devastated far too many people and their loved ones," said Wyden, the committee's ranking Democrat. "I am gratified by today's good news … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Wyden Proposes New Policy to Bring More Americans into the Workforce, Reduce Barriers to Employment
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released draft legislation to boost job prospects for the long-term unemployed and other Americans struggling to make ends meet. This proposed policy, called the ELEVATE Act, works to close the workforce gap that is preventing many Americans from getting a job. It provides states with federal funding to design and implement subsidized jobs programs, which help workers access training and supports to achieve … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Protect Civil Rights of All Americans
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined Sens. Kamala D. Harris, D-Calif., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and their colleagues in introducing legislation to amend the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), the Do No Harm Act. Since its 1993 inception, the original intent of the RFRA has been misappropriated and used to discriminate and harm others such as LGBTQ individuals, women and children. The Do Not Harm Act ensures that RFRA can no … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Wyden Statement on Start of Columbia River Treaty Negotiations
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of State announced the United States will begin negotiations with Canada to update the Columbia River Treaty, which links the Canadian and American governments in management of the Columbia River system: "I have been pushing the State Department for years to open talks with Canada to modernize the Columbia River Treaty, and I’m glad the department is beginning these negotiations,” … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Wyden Presses Labor Department over Failure to Protect Oregonians’ Retirement Savings
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., sent a letter to Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, urging that the Department appeal an adverse Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision on the fiduciary rule, which protects Oregonians from receiving conflicted investment advice. The Department of Labor has failed to take alternative measures to protect retirement savings or warn investors that they are vulnerable to abusive financial practices. The letter reads in part: "We are deeply … Continue Reading
May 18, 2018
Wyden Praises FCC Decision to Investigate Flaw Allowing Real-Time Tracking of Millions of Americans
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., praised the FCC's reported decision to open an investigation into reports that a simple flaw on the website of location aggregator LocationSmart allowed nearly any hacker to track the phones of millions of Americans in real time. LocationSmart reportedly obtains location data from all of the major U.S. wireless carriers and then sells it to marketing firms and other companies. Those reports followed Wyden's discovery that the prison phone provider … Continue Reading
May 18, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Join Colleagues in Calling on CFPB to Protect Consumer Complaint Database
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined 34 of their colleagues in urging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to preserve public access to the Bureau's Consumer Complaint Database. Last month, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney stated he wanted to shut down the important consumer protection tool that allows consumers to file public complaints, resolve issues and make informed decisions when using financial services. "The CFPB was … Continue Reading
May 17, 2018
Wyden Floor Statement Opposing Gina Haspel to Lead CIA
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor to oppose the nomination of Gina Haspel to run the Central Intelligence Agency. View the video of his full speech here. Wyden blasted Haspel's control over the declassification process, which she has used to suppress any negative information from becoming public. "As the Senate moves to vote on the nominee to head the CIA, here's the bottom line: while the American … Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
Wyden Cheers Senate Vote to Protect the Open Internet and Preserve Net Neutrality
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., applauded the Senate vote today to reverse the Federal Communication Commission's misguided decision to end net neutrality protection, which would harm consumers, innovation and the open internet. "Today's vote in the Senate is the biggest win for internet freedom since we blocked PIPA and SOPA from becoming law. Now we're a step closer to putting real net neutrality rules back on the books," Wyden said. "Now it's time for the House to do its … Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
Wyden Statement on Gina Haspel Clearing The Senate Intelligence Committee, Despite Blatant CIA Cover-up of Her Record
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after the Senate Intelligence Committee voted in favor of Gina Haspel's nomination to serve as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. "Gina Haspel and the CIA have committed one of the most blatant abuses of power in recent history, aided and abetted by a total failure of Congressional oversight. I have asked again and again for some justification for Ms. Haspel's self-serving classification decisions and every … Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Wyden, Merkley Respond to Oregon Proposed Premium Rate Increases
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today issued a statement after Oregon announced insurance companies' proposed premium rates for plan year 2019. These rate proposals will be reviewed by the state and finalized later in the year. "Despite Oregon's efforts to stop the Republican campaign of health care sabotage, families are still facing premium increases," Wyden said. "Oregon banned Trump's proposal for junk plans and adopted a forward-thinking State Innovation … Continue Reading
May 14, 2018
Wyden Statement on Relocation of U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement in response to the United States officially moving its embassy to Jerusalem today. "Israel has the same right as every other country to pick its own capital, something Congress recognized decades ago by passing the Jerusalem Embassy Act with overwhelming bipartisan majorities," Wyden said. "Israelis have made clear that Jerusalem is their capital and that has always been my position." … Continue Reading
May 11, 2018
Wyden Opens Inquiry on Cohen, Novartis Business Arrangement
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today asked the president's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and global pharmaceutical company Novartis to provide details and supporting documents explaining their business arrangement. Novartis has said it paid Cohen's firm, Essential Consultants, $1.2 million. At the same time, the company was negotiating with Medicare on pricing for a drug that costs nearly half-a-million dollars to treat cancer. "Reports about … Continue Reading
May 11, 2018
Wyden Demands FCC Investigate Unauthorized Location Tracking of Americans’ Cell Phones
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., demanded the Federal Communications Commission and wireless phone companies investigate the unauthorized and likely-illegal tracking of Americans' mobile phones by a company that provides phone services to prisons, jails and other correctional facilities, in a letter this week. Wireless carriers are allowed to provide real-time location data to law-enforcement agencies only after those agencies obtain a court order. The wireless companies are also … Continue Reading
May 10, 2018
Wyden, Gardner Press Forest Service, Interior Department on Air Tanker Readiness to Fight Fires this Summer
Washington, D.C. - Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Cory Gardner, R-Colo., today pressed Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Acting Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen to ensure air tankers are available to fight what the agencies are predicting will be another significant fire season facing western communities this year. At a fire briefing this morning at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agency officials said westerners should be prepared for an … Continue Reading
