Press Releases
Wyden Statement on the Resignation of Michael Flynn
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement today on the resignation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. "The resignation of Michael Flynn, while necessary and appropriate, must not be the end of tough questions about Trump associates' ties to Russia. It is more important than ever that there be a thorough and transparent investigation. The American people deserve the full truth about what has happened to their democracy," Wyden said. Wyden is a … Continue Reading
February 13, 2017
Wyden Presses Interior Department over Firefighting Hiring Concerns
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden today asked the Interior Department for a swift response to growing concerns in Oregon and nationwide about the impact of the unilateral White House action imposing a 90-day federal employee hiring freeze on rural communities' need to have enough seasonal workers to fight forest fires. "I joined my Oregon colleagues in a recent letter outlining our concerns about the federal hiring freeze and potential negative effects on wildland firefighting for the 2017 … Continue Reading
February 13, 2017
Wyden, Senators Demand Trump Administration Restores Transparency for USDA Records on Animal Cruelty, Puppy Mills
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and 17 of his Democratic Senate colleagues today called on the Trump Administration to immediately restore information on animal cruelty recently purged from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website. In order to create greater transparency, accountability and enforcement of animal cruelty laws, APHIS makes available to the public inspection reports for all regulated … Continue Reading
February 10, 2017
Wyden Statement on Reported Flynn Conversations With Russian Ambassador
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on press reports regarding conversations between National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak: "I have repeatedly pressed the executive branch and FBI Director Comey in particular to provide more information to the American people about Russian interference in our election and any investigations of links between the Russian government and Trump associates," Wyden said. "These latest … Continue Reading
February 10, 2017
Wyden Questions FBI Limits on Online FOIA Filings
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked the Federal Bureau of Investigations to explain limits for online Freedom of Information Act requests, which are reportedly set to take effect next month. "While it is admirable that the FBI has sought to make it easier to receive and process FOIA requests, there are a number of limitations with the online portal. These limitations may become serious problems if this system is to be the sole method through which the agency can receive digital … Continue Reading
February 08, 2017
Wyden and Other Senate, House Natural Resource Leaders Blast Dakota Access Pipeline Decision, Stand up for Tribal Sovereignty and Treaty Rights
Washington, D.C. - In a letter to the president, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined other members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the House Committee on Natural Resources to blast the administration's approval of a final easement to build the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and its failure to undertake meaningful consultation with Native American tribes. "This blatant disregard for federal law and our country's treaty and trust responsibilities to Native American tribes is … Continue Reading
February 07, 2017
Senate Democrats Join Entrepreneurs, Advocates, Consumers in Defense of Net Neutrality
Washington (February 7, 2017) - Today, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), joined Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.), and entrepreneurs, advocates and consumers at a press conference where all pledged to oppose legislative and regulatory efforts to weaken net neutrality rules. Two years ago, after hearing from nearly four million individuals and companies, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) … Continue Reading
February 07, 2017
Wyden Votes No on Betsy DeVos to Head the Department of Education
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today voted against the confirmation of Betsy DeVos to be the next secretary of the Department of Education. This morning on the Senate floor, he voiced his opposition to her confirmation, joining his colleagues who spoke through the night against DeVos. "Today I stand up for kids, parents and families who deserve education policies that will let them go after their dreams and secure their futures," Wyden said. "I believe they deserve … Continue Reading
February 06, 2017
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Resolution to Honor Civil Rights Hero Fred Korematsu
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have introduced a resolution honoring Fred Korematsu, who challenged the internment of Japanese Americans.. Wyden and Merkley said the resolution honoring Korematsu's work and advocacy of the civil rights and liberties of all people is timely, given the president's executive order establishing a Muslim ban. "Fred Korematsu's brave advocacy for the civil rights of 120,000 Japanese Americans remains a timeless example of courage that … Continue Reading
February 03, 2017
Wyden, Merkley Co-sponsor Bill to Bring “Atomic Cleanup Veterans” The Health Care They Need
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are cosponsoring a bipartisan bill to bring key health care benefits to "Atomic Veterans" exposed to high levels of harmful radiation when assigned to clean up nuclear testing sites during the late 1970s. The bipartisan Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act - named after the late Congressman Mark Takai of Hawaii- would designate veterans who participated in the nuclear cleanup of Enewetak Atoll on the Marshall Islands as … Continue Reading
February 02, 2017
Wyden, Heinrich Express Concern on Selection of Gina Haspel to be Deputy Director of the CIA
Washington, D.C.- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., today wrote the president to express concern at the selection of Gina Haspel to serve as deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Their full letter is below. February 2, 2017 The PresidentThe White House1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: We write to express our concern at the announcement today that Ms. Gina Haspel has been named as the Deputy Director of the CIA. Her … Continue Reading
February 02, 2017
Wyden, 23 Senate Democrats Urge Senate Leaders to Protect the BLM Rule that Prevents Natural Gas Waste, Safeguards Health and Economic Growth
WASHINGTON - Today, 24 Senate Democrats, led by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) urged Senate leaders to defend the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Methane and Natural Gas Waste Prevention Rule, which protects air quality and prevents the waste of taxpayer-owned natural gas on federal and Tribal lands, by opposing efforts to dismantle it through the rarely used and extremely dangerous process set out in the Congressional Review Act. In a letter to Majority Leader … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Wyden Statement on Nomination of Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today expressed serious concerns about the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court: "The Gorsuch nomination represents a breathtaking retreat from the notion that Americans have a fundamental right to Constitutional liberties, and harkens back to the days when politicians restricted a people's rights on a whim," Wyden said. "His opposition to legal death with dignity as successfully practiced in Oregon is couched … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Wyden Statement on Senate Panel Vote for Energy Secretary
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement after voting against the nomination of former Texas Governor Rick Perry to lead the U.S. Department of Energy, in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee meeting today: "I pressed Gov. Perry on what he would do to change the culture for workers at the Department of Energy given the department's disturbing history of retaliating against whistleblowers. I also asked him about his plans to clean up our … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Wyden Abstains from Voting on Zinke Nomination to be Secretary of the Interior
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement after abstaining from voting on the nomination of Rep. Ryan Zinke to lead the U.S. Department of the Interior: "Today I abstained from voting on Representative Zinke because Oregonians need clarification on recent news reports that indicate he may be interested in moving the management of all the nation's forests into the Department of the Interior, including those currently managed by the U.S. Forest … Continue Reading
January 30, 2017
Wyden Statement on Introduction of Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act
Washington, DC -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on introduction of his Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act: "Oregon's economy earns significant benefits from the jobs and small business growth created by our state's world-renowned craft beer, wine and spirits producers," said Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees excise taxes and alcohol regulations. "This bill would ensure these industries no longer face the unfair … Continue Reading
January 27, 2017
Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio, Blumenauer, Bonamici Say Hiring Freeze Raises Firefighting Concerns
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Rep. Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici today told the White House that its action freezing federal employee hiring for 90 days raises significant questions about having enough seasonal workers to fight forest fires in Oregon and nationwide. "Without staff in place to prepare for the wildfire season, which is starting earlier and earlier every year due to climate change and years of severe drought conditions across … Continue Reading
January 26, 2017
Wyden, Merkley Seek Disaster Aid for Malheur County, Eastern Oregon
Washington - Senator Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today asked federal officials to begin the process that makes disaster aid available to farmers and businesses in Malheur County as well as other Eastern Oregon counties hard hit by severe winter weather since December. "This relief is desperately needed by these communities, to rebuild and get back to a normal routine," the senators wrote Michael Young, Acting Secretary of the federal Agriculture Department. In their letter seeking a disaster … Continue Reading
January 25, 2017
Wyden Statement on Reported Executive Orders Resuming CIA Torture Program and Banning Refugees
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement in response to reported executive orders opening the door to torture and creating a ban on refugees and immigrants from several majority Muslim nations. "What the Trump administration appears to be considering with regard to interrogation and detention would be illegal, contrary to our fundamental American values and profoundly destructive to our national security. These reported deliberations within the administration … Continue Reading
January 25, 2017
Oregon Lawmakers Introduce Mt. Hood Land Exchange Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Representatives Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., this week introduced legislation to protect and enhance Oregon's land conservation priorities on Mt. Hood. Wyden and Merkley introduced the Mt. Hood Cooper Spur Land Exchange Clarification Act in the Senate to help resolve a decades-long dispute over proposed land development on the northeast side of Mt. Hood. Walden and Blumenauer introduced the … Continue Reading
