Press Releases
Wyden Letter to Comey Seeks FBI Director Nominee’s Views on Surveillance Activities
Washington, D.C. - As former U.S. Deputy Attorney General James Comey's nomination to become the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is being considered by the U.S. Senate, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent Mr. Comey a letter seeking his views on current and former U.S. surveillance activities. Mr. Comey served as the Deputy Attorney General during the Administration of President George W. Bush and was involved in the legal debate surrounding Bush-era surveillance activities. If … Continue Reading
July 16, 2013
Wyden Statement on Bonneville Power Administration Inspector General Report
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, issued the following statement following an Inspector General report on allegations that the Bonneville Power Administration failed to follow federal rules for veteran hiring, and retaliated against whistleblowers. "Veterans have made a special commitment to our country, and it's only right that the government make the same commitment to them. The veterans preference in federal hiring is … Continue Reading
July 08, 2013
Sens. Wyden and Merkley, Rep. Walden, and Gov. Kitzhaber Form Klamath River Basin Task Force
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, Congressman Greg Walden, and Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber today announced the creation of a task force to make recommendations on a long-term solution to water and power issues in the Klamath River Basin. The task force is charged with developing specific recommendations that build on prior basin agreements by September 10, 2013. In a bipartisan letter sent last week, Wyden, Merkley, Walden and Kitzhaber asked stakeholders to … Continue Reading
July 02, 2013
Wyden, Udall Statement on the Disclosure of Bulk Email Records Collection Program
Washington, D.C. - U. S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.), both members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement regarding the recent disclosure by intelligence officials that the NSA operated a bulk email records collection program under the authority of the Patriot Act until 2011. This program is distinct from the internet-related collection carried out under section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act (which involves the PRISM computer … Continue Reading
June 28, 2013
Bipartisan Group of 26 Senators Seek Answers from DNI Clapper on Bulk Data Collection Program
Washington, D.C. - The recent public disclosures of secret government surveillance programs have exposed how secret interpretations of the USA PATRIOT Act have allowed for the bulk collection of massive amounts of data on the communications of ordinary Americans with no connection to wrong-doing. Reliance on secret law to conduct domestic surveillance activities raises serious civil liberty concerns and all but removes the public from an informed national security and civil liberty debate. In … Continue Reading
June 27, 2013
Bipartisan Legislation Would Provide $50 billion for Transportation Infrastructure
WASHINGTON -U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and John Hoeven, R-N.D., and U.S. Representatives Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., and Allison Y. Schwartz, D-Penn., today introduced legislation that would make $50 billion available for transportation infrastructure projects by leveraging private investment. The bipartisan, bicameral Transportation and Regional Infrastructure Project (TRIP) bonds legislation would allow states to issue up to a total of $50 billion - $1 billion per state - in bonds for … Continue Reading
June 26, 2013
Wyden, Toomey’s Wireless Tax Fairness Act Protects Consumers and Promotes Wireless Phone and Internet Services as an Engine of Innovation
Washington, D.C. - Mobile technology is getting faster, smarter and more capable every year. The level and pace of innovation in the mobile wireless industry is unlike any other sector of the economy, but that innovation could be threatened by multiple and discriminatory taxes levied by state and local governments. In an effort to protect consumers from overbearing taxation and keep the mobile Internet as an innovation juggernaut, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Pat Toomey (R-Penn.) have … Continue Reading
June 26, 2013
Wyden Statement on SCOTUS Overturning DOMA
Washington - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act: "I voted against DOMA in 1996, and I've long said that if you don't like gay marriage, don't get one. Gay marriage isn't the government's business, and the freedom to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness should not depend on who you choose to love. It's important to celebrate today's decision and the progress it signals, … Continue Reading
June 26, 2013
Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Strengthen Medicare by Keeping Seniors Healthy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and U.S. Representatives Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., Ron Kind, D-Wisc., Tim Griffin, R-Ark., and Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, today introduced legislation aimed at saving Medicare billions by encouraging seniors to get and stay healthy. The bipartisan, bicameral legislation would create the Medicare Better Health Rewards program. This entirely voluntary program is designed to help motivate Medicare beneficiaries to get and stay … Continue Reading
June 20, 2013
Wyden Introduces Much-Needed Reforms to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
Washington, D.C. - As the Internet's influence on global commerce, culture and information continues to tread new ground, there is a need to update and reform outdated laws that threaten its continued development. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act is a nearly 30-year-old criminal law with sweeping authorities that criminalize many forms of common Internet use. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has introduced legislation that reforms the CFAA to bring it in line with the needs of a 21st century … Continue Reading
June 20, 2013
Wyden, Merkley, Announce Passage of Devil’s Staircase Wilderness Bill
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley celebrated the Senate passage of the Devil's Staircase Wilderness Act today, which will permanently conserve thousands of acres of pristine forest near the Southern Oregon coast. The bill now goes to the House. "The proposed Devil's Staircase Wilderness area is undoubtedly one of Oregon's treasures and the kind of special place truly deserving of permanent protection," Wyden said. "My forestry philosophy has always been to get the … Continue Reading
June 19, 2013
Wyden, Udall Issue Statement on Effectiveness of Declassified NSA Programs
Washington, D.C. - U. S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) issued the following statement responding to comments made by members of the Intelligence Community about the value of certain NSA surveillance programs. Both Senators sit on the Senate Intelligence Committee. "Over the past few days the Intelligence Community has made new assertions about the value of recently declassified NSA surveillance programs. In addition to the concerns that we have about the impact of … Continue Reading
June 19, 2013
Wyden Statement on the Confirmation of Michael Froman to be United States Trade Rep.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement after the Senate vote to confirm Michael Froman as the United States Trade Representative. Wyden is the chair of the Senate Finance Committee's subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness. "The United States needs a Trade Representative that understands the broad challenges that face American producers and who knows how those challenges can be addressed. The country needs a Trade … Continue Reading
June 18, 2013
Grassley, Wyden Introduce Medicare Claims Data Transparency Legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced legislation to make Medicare claims data available to the public. The legislation is the product of the senators' combined efforts - each was working on a method of making the data public and combined approaches in this bipartisan legislation. "Taxpayers have a right to see how their dollars are being spent," Grassley said. "There shouldn't be a special exception for hard-earned dollars that happen to … Continue Reading
June 18, 2013
Wyden, Merkley Applaud Step Forward for Secure Rural Schools Extension, Oregon Treasures
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., today applauded the passage of legislation through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that would expand wild and scenic river and wilderness protections for lands in Oregon, as well as provide much-needed payments to timber communities through the Secure Rural Schools program. Both bills now are eligible to be considered by the full Senate. The committee passed a one-year extension of the Secure … Continue Reading
June 18, 2013
Support Builds for Udall, Wyden Proposal to Limit the Federal Government's Ability to Collect Vast Amounts of Data on Americans
Senators Mark Udall and Ron Wyden, who serve on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said the bipartisan group of senators who joined their effort today to limit the federal government's ability to collect data on Americans without links to terrorism or espionage is a sign of the growing support to reopen the USA PATRIOT Act. Udall and Wyden introduced their proposal today to ensure that the federal government can protect national security as well as the privacy rights of millions … Continue Reading
June 14, 2013
Udall, Wyden Propose Limiting the Federal Government's Ability to Collect Vast Amounts of Data on Americans
Senators Mark Udall and Ron Wyden, who both serve on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, will introduce legislation that would limit the federal government's ability to collect data on Americans' without a demonstrated link to terrorism or espionage. Their legislation follows reports that the federal government has used a "secret interpretation" of the PATRIOT Act, renewed in 2011, to continuously collect data on Americans. "The NSA's collection of millions of Americans' phone … Continue Reading
June 13, 2013
Wyden Outlines New Medicare Reforms
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today outlined new Medicare reforms aimed at reducing costs by focusing on the needs of the millions of seniors suffering from chronic conditions. "Chronic disease needs to be Medicare's primary focus," Wyden said during a keynote speech at the National Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) Summit. "Providers should be encouraged to seek out beneficiaries who are in need of chronic disease prevention, management and treatment and work to manage patients' … Continue Reading
June 13, 2013
Udall, Wyden Call On National Security Agency Director to Clarify Comments on Effectiveness of Phone Data Collection Program
Senators Mark Udall and Ron Wyden, who serve on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, called on Gen. Keith B. Alexander, the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, to clarify his statements that the surveillance programs disclosed through leaks over the past week have helped avert "dozens of terrorist attacks" in recent years. Alexander testified yesterday that the collection of millions of Americans' phone records was "critical in corroborating" information … Continue Reading
June 11, 2013
Wyden Statement Responding to Director Clapper’s Statements About Collection on Americans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement regarding statements made by the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper about collection on Americans. Wyden is a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. "One of the most important responsibilities a Senator has is oversight of the intelligence community. This job cannot be done responsibly if Senators aren't getting straight answers to direct questions. When NSA Director Alexander failed … Continue Reading
