Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio, Blumenauer, Bonamici, Schrader Oppose EPA Grants Freeze
Washington, D.C. - Six Oregon lawmakers today told the White House that its decision to freeze grants administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) poses a serious threat to fundamental public health and environmental protections in Oregon and nationwide. "Americans deserve to know whether the EPA will protect their health and safety and defend their communities from air, land, and water contamination,'' said the letter to the president from Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and … Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Statement on Appointment of Ajit Pai as FCC Chairman
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement on the president's choice of Ajit Pai as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC): "The job of the FCC is to ensure a free and open internet and always put consumers first, not big corporations. Over the past years, the FCC has robustly looked out for Americans - not special interests. As with many appointments by Mr. Trump, I am concerned that as Chairman, Commissioner Pai will work for policies … Continue Reading
January 20, 2017
Senators Oppose Rushed Confirmation For CIA Nominee
WASHINGTON - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., today said they oppose a rushed confirmation of Rep. Mike Pompeo to serve as director of the Director of Central Intelligence without senators having the opportunity to debate the nomination. "No CIA Director in history has ever been confirmed on Inauguration Day. The importance of the position of CIA Director, especially in these dangerous times, demands that the nomination be thoroughly … Continue Reading
January 19, 2017
Wyden, Merkley Urge Feds to Reconsider Deregulating Genetically Engineered Plant
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today wrote federal officials to express concerns about the deregulation of a genetically engineered plant that threatens Oregon's agriculture, recreation and grass seed industry. The senators' letter to Acting Agriculture Department Secretary Michael Scuse follows the announcement this week from the department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that it would deregulate Scotts Company's and Monsanto Company's ASR368 Creeping … Continue Reading
January 18, 2017
Wyden Announces ‘No’ Vote on Betsy DeVos to Head the Department of Education
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced he will vote against the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be the next secretary of the Department of Education. "A bedrock principle of America's public educational system is investing public money in schools meant to serve everyone, not siphoning off scarce taxpayer dollars to private or religious education. Unfortunately, the president-elect's choice for Education Secretary has indicated she supports an approach that flies in … Continue Reading
January 18, 2017
Wyden, Feinstein Ask CIA Director Brennan to Correct or Clarify Testimony About Accountability for CIA Torture Program
Washington, D.C. - Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., requested that Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan publicly correct or clarify his testimony during the June 16, 2016 Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, in a letter released today. Read the full letter here. Sen. Feinstein was vice chair of the committee during the hearing, and Sen. Wyden is a senior Intelligence Committee member. The following exchange occurred during that … Continue Reading
January 17, 2017
Wyden to Oppose Pruitt for Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today went to the Senate floor to express his opposition to the nomination of Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Mr. Pruitt's career is defined by repeated attempts to weaken or eliminate health-based environmental standards, worker protections, air quality standards for toxic air pollutants, and limits on carbon emissions to take on the challenge of climate change," Wyden said. "These rollbacks would hurt … Continue Reading
January 17, 2017
Wyden Presses Interior Secretary Nominee on Public Lands, Sage Grouse, Recreation and Forestry in Senate Panel Hearing
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today pressed Rep. Ryan Zinke, the incoming administration's nominee to be the next secretary of the Interior Department, on a number of Oregon priorities, including upholding current sage grouse plans, boosting the recreation economy, finding sustainable forestry policies and protecting and managing public lands. "Oregonians have long held certain things dear: open access to public lands and recreation opportunities, clean air and clean … Continue Reading
January 13, 2017
Wyden Praises Removal of “Browser Spying” and Restrictions on Privacy Watchdog from Intelligence Authorization Act
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Wyden, D-Ore., succeeded in removing two problematic provisions from the 2017 Intelligence Authorization Act, which was voted out of the Senate Intelligence Committee yesterday. The first would have given the government access to Americans' browsing history, email records and other digital records without so much as a court order. The second provision would have limited the jurisdiction of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. Wyden blocked the bill from … Continue Reading
January 12, 2017
Merkley, Wyden Applaud Expansion of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today welcomed the news that President Barack Obama is expanding the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Southern Oregon, helping to protect the environmental quality and recreation opportunities that are essential to the region's way of life and economy. The monument expansion comes at a critical time for the Cascade-Siskiyou region, as climate change and intensifying development create new threats to this unique and … Continue Reading
January 11, 2017
Responding to Senators’ Request, FCC Releases Framework for Protecting Consumers Against Harmful Zero-Rating Plans
WASHINGTON - Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today praising the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for developing a comprehensive framework for evaluating whether zero-rating plans abide by the critical net neutrality protections established in the Open Internet Order. The FCC issued the report in response to the senators' zero-rating inquiry in November. Other Senators joining Senator Markey's effort were Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Bernie … Continue Reading
January 10, 2017
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Support Oregon’s Dungeness Crab Fishing Industry
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley introduced legislation this week to continue a decades-long fishery management agreement that has been vital to Oregon's Dungeness crab fishing industry. The bipartisan bill would help ensure certainty for the industry and coastal communities by making permanent a tri-state state management agreement that has been successful since 1998. The states of Oregon, Washington and California cooperatively manage the West Coast crab … Continue Reading
January 10, 2017
Wyden, Merkley, Blumenauer ask President to Review Federal Prison Terms for Oregonians Serving Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Nonviolent Offenses
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Rep. Earl Blumenauer asked President Obama to review the cases of Oregonians serving mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent offenses in federal prison. Their letter urged the president to commute the sentences of those who are eligible when appropriate to a shortened sentence or time-served. "We write to express our deep concern for the many Oregonians who are currently serving mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent … Continue Reading
January 09, 2017
Wyden, Merkley Pledge to Fight for More Funding to Restore Northwest Fisheries
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today renewed their pledge to fight for more resources to restore Northwest fisheries, in a letter to Oregon fishers and irrigators. Their legislation, the Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act (FRIMA), was passed into law at the end of December as part of a larger water infrastructure funding bill. However, the funding included for fishery restoration through FRIMA was cut from $25 million per year for 7 years … Continue Reading
January 07, 2017
Wyden Statement on Selection of Senator Coats to Serve as Director of National Intelligence
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement on the announcement Sen. Dan Coats will be nominated to serve as the next Director of National Intelligence: "Dan Coats has been a friend and respected colleague for years. We worked closely on bipartisan partners on tax reform, and never let our strong disagreements about surveillance and other intelligence issuesget in the way of a friendship," Wyden said. "I … Continue Reading
January 06, 2017
Wyden Statement on Russia Interference in U.S. Election
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement on today's report regarding Russian interference in the U.S. election: "More than a month ago, I and other members of the Senate Intelligence Committee urged that more information should be publicly released so the American people could make their own judgments. This report and its analysis are a significant step in that direction," Wyden said. "This continues … Continue Reading
January 05, 2017
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Protect the Pacific Coast from Offshore Drilling
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined their fellow West Coast senators in introducing the West Coast Ocean Protection Expansion Act this week to permanently ban offshore drilling on the outer continental shelf of Oregon, Washington and California. The legislation, first introduced in 2010, would amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently protect the coastal economies of the three states, which are worth about $60 billion and support more … Continue Reading
December 28, 2016
Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio Praise $1.2 Million Federal Grant for Douglas County and the City of Roseburg to Assist with UCC Recovery
PORTLAND - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Rep. Peter DeFazio today welcomed a $1.2 million federal grant to Douglas County and the City of Roseburg that will help the community's recovery from the Oct. 1, 2015 campus shooting at Umpqua Community College. These funds will help county and city agencies continue their exemplary work to support victims and all those affected by the 2015 shooting. "Umpqua Community College, Douglas County and Roseburg displayed remarkable resiliency … Continue Reading
December 23, 2016
Wyden, Merkley Welcome Federal Railroad Administration’s Additional Safety Standards for Union Pacific Railroad
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., today issued the following joint statement following the Federal Railroad Administration's announcement that it has reached an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad Co. that will require the railroad to meet higher safety standards. The agreement follows an oil train derailment near Mosier, Ore., earlier this year. "We welcome the Federal Railroad Administration's decision to hold Union Pacific to higher safety … Continue Reading
December 23, 2016
Wyden Slams U.N. Resolution Unfairly Targeting Israel
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today slammed a United Nations resolution that unjustly targets Israel, and expressed deep disappointment the White House chose not to veto the resolution. "I am deeply disappointed that the administration set aside longstanding U.S. policy to allow such a one-sided resolution to pass," Wyden said. "Actions like this will only take us further from the peace we all want to … Continue Reading
