Press Releases
Wyden, Snowe’s ENFORCE Act Passes Out of Senate Finance Committee
Washington, D.C. - U. S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee's subcommittee on Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness, and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) issued the following statements after the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance passed the ENFORCE Act, S. 1133 - legislation written by Wyden and Snowe and supported by Senators from both sides of the aisle -- to improve the nation's ability to combat foreign trade cheaters evading U.S. trade laws. "When we talk … Continue Reading
July 16, 2012
Defazio, Wyden, Merkley Urge Corps to Dredge Port of Port Orford
WASHINGTON, DC-Congressman Peter DeFazio and Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) urging them to find funds to dredge the Port of Port Orford before it becomes unusable and threatens the local economy. DeFazio, Wyden, and Merkley asked the USACE to add funds to dredge the Port of Port Orford to another shallow water dredging contract on the nearby Chetco River. This would save the USACE $400,000 in the long-term and preserve this vital … Continue Reading
July 13, 2012
Wyden Calls on President to Provide Assistance Fighting Fires in Southeastern Oregon
Washington, D.C. - With the Long Draw wildfire in southeastern Oregon being just one of several wildfires already having burnt more than 600,000 acres collectively across the state, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has sent a letter to President Obama seeking additional resources to fight these fires as well as aid in securing disaster relief to prevent more damage to farmers and ranchers and the increased loss of cattle and wild horses. Several wildfires are burning on Oregon's Bureau of Land … Continue Reading
June 29, 2012
Senator Ron Wyden, City and County Elected Officials, Advocates to Meet in Medford on the Violence Against Women Act
(Editors: The roundtable discussion on VAWA will start at 10 a.m. Senator Wyden and the other attendees will be available at 11 a.m. THE PRESS IS WELCOME AT EITHER TIME.) Medford, Or -- Since 1994, the Violence Against Women Act has help thousands of women escape a life of domestic violence, achieve a measure of freedom and regain their self respect. Now, renewing the Act stalled in Congress. Senator Ron Wyden, local law enforcement officials and advocates will urge congressional action on … Continue Reading
June 29, 2012
NEWS CONFERENCE Monday, July 2, 10 a.m., Gateway Children’s Campus, Portland Senator Ron Wyden, City and County Elected Officials, Advocates on the Violence Against Women Act
WHO: Senator Ron Wyden Dan Saltzman, Portland City CommissionerJeff Cogen, Multnomah County Commission ChairLoretta Smith, Multnomah County CommissionerRod Underhill, Multnomah County District Attorney's OfficeMartha Strawn Morris, Gateway Center DirectorAnnie Neal, Multnomah County Domestic Violence Coordination Office WHAT: Press conference on the need for Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. WHEN: 10 a.m., Monday, July 2, 2012 … Continue Reading
June 28, 2012
Wyden Statement on the Supreme Court Upholding the Affordable Care Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement after the United States Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act: "The Supreme Court affirmed today that health insurance is not just for the healthy and wealthy and that denying coverage to those who need it most has no place in the United States. I think it is unfortunate that instead of looking for ways to better guarantee health care for their citizens, some states have focused only on repealing a law … Continue Reading
June 28, 2012
Surface Transportation Bill Includes Senate-Passed County Payments Extension
WASHINGTON, D.C. - This morning, conferees on the House-Senate surface transportation bill announced that the final negotiated legislation includes the one-year $346 million extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act - commonly known as the country payments law -- that passed the U.S. Senate March 14. More than $100 million of the $346 million goes to 33 of Oregon's 36 counties. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who authored the original county payments law and … Continue Reading
June 25, 2012
Wyden Calls on FBI Director to Release Information That Could Help Combat Sex Trafficking
Washington, D.C. - As news outlets, advocates, and policymakers continue to draw attention to the need to address the trafficking of minors for sex, it is important to underscore the necessity of cross-sector and inter-agency cooperation, collaboration, and data sharing in addressing this unconscionable crime. Too often, victims face violence up to and including murder, and data collected by the FBI as part of the Bureau's Highway Serial Killings Initiative could help law enforcement and … Continue Reading
June 21, 2012
Wyden Statement on Hemp Amendment to the Farm Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement on the amendment to the Farm bill he introduced lifting prohibitions on the growing of industrial hemp: "I firmly believe that American farmers should not be denied an opportunity to grow and sell a legitimate crop simply because it resembles an illegal one. I fought for an amendment that would have recognized industrial hemp as a legitimate crop, but since doing so requires amending the Controlled Substances … Continue Reading
June 20, 2012
Wyden Secures Farm-to-School and Microloan Amendments to the Senate Farm Bill
Washington, D.C. - A pair of amendments to the Senate Farm Bill authored by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) that establishes multiple farm-to-school demonstration projects across the United States and helps gleaners access USDA operating loans to assist their efforts to alleviate food insecurity in their communities have been approved. The Farm-to-School amendment will for the first time create a competitive pilot program with at least 5 farm-to-school demonstration projects, each … Continue Reading
June 13, 2012
Wyden Statement on President Obama Signing Air Tanker Legislation
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today after President Obama signed legislation (introduced on June 4th by Senator Wyden and cosponsored by Senators Bingaman, Mark Udall, Tester, and Feinstein) allowing the U.S. Forest Service to speed up contracting of additional air tankers needed to fight forest fires. "Congress and the President acted quickly to address the need to get more planes in the air to fight forest fires that are getting larger and more … Continue Reading
June 11, 2012
Wyden Places Hold on FISA Amendments Act Extension
Washington, D.C. - Continuing his career-long practice of publicly announcing his holds on legislation, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a senior member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), announced that he will block unanimous consent requests to pass a five-year extension of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (FAA). Wyden identified two specific concerns that he believes Congress must address before agreeing to a long-term extension of FAA's authorities. The first … Continue Reading
June 08, 2012
Wyden Urges President to Quickly Sign Bill Expediting Contracts for Wildfire Suppression Air Tankers
Washington, D.C. - With the House passage today of Wyden-authored legislation expediting the contracting process for seven new air tankers needed by the Forest Service to fight wildfires, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent a letter to President Obama urging him to quickly sign the bill that would waive a 30-day waiting period for awarding contracts for new planes. The legislation was introduced by Wyden in the Senate on Monday after news that two tragic accidents caused the loss of one and … Continue Reading
June 07, 2012
Wyden/Bingaman Legislation Will Expedite Delivery of Much-Needed New Air Tankers
Washington, D.C. - Responding quickly to fill the hole left in the nation's fleet of wildfire suppression air tankers after accidents last weekend caused the loss of one and the grounding of another of the 11 available air tankers, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) to expedite the contracting process so that at least seven new air tankers can be added to the fleet. The U.S. Forest Service has made decisions … Continue Reading
June 07, 2012
Wyden Amendment Will Encourage SNAP Recipients to Eat Healthier
Washington, D.C. - Looking to make it easier for food stamp recipients to eat healthier food, Senator Ron Wyden introduced an amendment to the Farm Bill today that would assist low-income families in meeting federal nutrition guidelines. The amendment would require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out five-year pilot projects in five or more states designed to incentivize healthier food purchases of beneficiaries of the $75 billion-a-year Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program … Continue Reading
June 06, 2012
Wyden Statement on the First Tsunami Debris to Reach Oregon
Portland, Or - Oregon Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today on the confirmation by the Japanese Consulate in Portland that the huge dock found on the Oregon Coast is debris from last year's tsunami. "The huge dock that washed ashore in Agate Beach is clear evidence that debris from last year's tsunami in Japan is reaching the Oregon Coast much sooner than anyone predicted. This massive dock, which crossed the Pacific Ocean undetected in 15 months, may be the vanguard of more … Continue Reading
June 06, 2012
Wyden and Kohl Investigate Pension Poaching in VA’s Pension Program at Aging Committee Hearing
Washington, D.C. - Coinciding with the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report investigating "pension poaching" practices by unscrupulous financial planners operating within the VA's pension program, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Senate Aging Committee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) held a hearing to discuss the program that has become a marketing tool to sell inappropriate financial instruments to elderly veterans. The Enhanced Pension with Aid and Attendance (or … Continue Reading
May 31, 2012
Wyden Calls on Forest Service to Add More Air Tankers Prior to 2012 Forest Fire Season
Madras, Or - With another forest fire season about to start, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is calling on the U.S. Forest Service to add more planes to its air tanker fleet and consider using other types of aircraft in fighting wildland fires. "Despite the magnitude and destructiveness of recent forest fires, the agency most responsible for fighting them - the Forest Service - has allowed the air tanker fleet to atrophy," Wyden said during a visit Thursday to Butler Aircraft in Madras, Oregon, … Continue Reading
May 24, 2012
Wyden Encourages States to Create Self-Employment Assistance Program as Labor Department Releases Guidelines
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Labor issued guidelines today for state workforce agencies to create Self-Employment Assistance Programs (SEA) that would give their state's unemployed an opportunity to not only get back to work but to become job creators themselves. The program connects unemployment insurance (UI) recipients who have proven to be good candidates for self-employment and allows them to collect their unemployment benefits as they work to build credible businesses. In … Continue Reading
May 23, 2012
Wyden: KBR is Wasting Taxpayer Money While Avoiding Responsibility for Exposure of Oregon Guard to Toxic Chemicals
Washington, D.C. - In a letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) called on the DoD to investigate the excessive expenses racked up by the legal team of Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR) - a defense contractor that operated in Iraq with the contractual ability to pass all of their legal costs to American taxpayers. A lawsuit against KBR brought by a group of Oregon National Guard members assigned to provide security for KBR personnel claims that KBR management … Continue Reading
