Press Releases
Wyden Praises Conservation Proposal put forward by American Trade Negotiators
Washington, D.C. - In a welcome step forward this week, American negotiators in Singapore have put forward a trade proposal with robust environmental standards and solid enforcement provisions. During trade talks among Pacific Rim countries the USTR proposed to establish binding commitments to combat trade and commerce in illegally harvested wildlife and timber. It will require countries to combat trade and commerce in illegally harvested fish and reduce fishing subsidies that contribute … Continue Reading
March 21, 2011
Wyden Calls for Action Against Foreign Companies Violating Trade Laws
Portland, OR - Using clear evidence that foreign companies are brazenly ignoring U.S. trade laws, Senator Ron Wyden today called for stronger federal enforcement of duties on imported goods to save American jobs and American manufacturers. "We have laws intended to enforce fair trade, but they are no good if they aren't enforced," Wyden said. "Customs and Border Protection, which is the agency responsible for collecting the duties at the border, treats these allegations of duty evasion as if … Continue Reading
March 17, 2011
More than 17,000 Acres of Wilderness to Be Preserved by Wyden, Merkley Land Swap Bill
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to preserve more than 17,000 acres of Oregon land as Wilderness, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have reintroduced the Cathedral Rock and Horse Heaven Wilderness Act of 2011 that will swap public land with private landholders, in order to create two new wilderness sites. One of the landholders, Young Life, a Christian-based summer camp owns land once occupied by the followers of Baghwan Shree Rajneesh. "This bill will preserve … Continue Reading
March 17, 2011
Wyden, Barrasso Bill Will Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Seniors on Medicare
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to close a workforce gap in mental health practitioners that leaves more than 77 million older Americans without adequate access to mental health treatment, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) introduced the Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act legislation today that will lift some restrictions on Medicare reimbursement for Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists. "Mental health is an important part of battling … Continue Reading
March 16, 2011
Wyden, Cornyn Introduce Bill to Combat Sex Trafficking of Minors
Washington, D.C. - Flanked by law enforcement, social service professionals and advocates fighting the sex trafficking of minors, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced legislation today to put an end to the modern sexual slavery that claims the innocence of more than 100,000 American girls and young women each year. The Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2011 is a pilot program that will create six shelters throughout the … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Wyden to Hold Annual Josephine County Town Hall on Thursday
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will hold his annual Josephine County town hall on Thursday, March 24, 2011. Senator Wyden holds town halls in each Oregon county every year. Josephine County Town Hall Meeting Date: Thursday, March 24, 2011 Time: 2:30 p.m. Location: Rogue Community College (RCC) Rogue Auditorium 3345 Redwood Highway Grants … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Wyden to Hold Annual Lake County Town Hall on March 23
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host his annual Lake County town hall meeting in Lakeview on March 23, 2011. At 12:30 p.m., prior to the town hall, he will meet with community leaders and with officials of Collins Pine and Iberdrola to tour the saw mill and a biomass plant that is under construction. Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. Lake County Town Hall Meeting Date: Wednesday, March 23, … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Wyden Visit to Central Oregon Includes Three Town Halls and Tax Reform Speech to City Club
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host his annual town hall meetings in Jefferson County on Monday, March 21, 2011, and in Deschutes and Crook counties on Tuesday, March 22, 2011. His speech to the City Club of Central Oregon on Tuesday, March 22, 2011, will focus on the need to reform the U.S. tax code to create jobs. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. Jefferson County Town Hall Meeting … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Wyden to Hold Annual Linn County Town Hall on March 20
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host his annual Linn County town hall meeting in Albany on Sunday, March 20, 2011. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. Linn County Town Hall Meeting Date: Sunday, March 20, 2011 Time: 2 p.m. Location: Albany Main Library Meeting Room 2450 14th Ave … Continue Reading
March 14, 2011
Wyden to Hold Town Halls in Tillamook and Lincoln Counties This Saturday
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will hold town hall meetings in Tillamook and Lincoln counties on Saturday, March 19, 2011. Senator Wyden holds town halls in each Oregon county every year. Tillamook County Town Hall Meeting Date: March 19, 2011 Time: Noon Location: Oregon Department of Forestry 5005 3rd Street Tillamook Lincoln County Town Hall Meeting … Continue Reading
March 10, 2011
Wyden, Snowe Introduce Bill to Protect Consumers from Overbearing Wireless Taxes
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to protect consumers from discriminatory and duplicative taxes on wireless goods and services that threaten mobile Internet access for many consumers, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) Olympia Snowe (R- Maine) have introduced legislation in the Senate to prohibit states from imposing any new discriminatory taxes on wireless goods and services for five years. A companion bill in the House of Representatives was introduced today by Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and … Continue Reading
March 10, 2011
Sens. Franken, Wyden to SEC: You’re Wrong to Tell Telecom Shareholders that Net Neutrality Not a “Significant Policy Issue”
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/10/11]-Last night, U.S. Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) reached out to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Mary L. Shapiro to object to a recent SEC staff ruling that AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon could exclude a shareholder proposal from its annual proxy materials. Staff at the SEC's Division of Corporation Finance based their decision on a finding that net neutrality is not a significant policy issue. The senators disagreed with the … Continue Reading
March 03, 2011
Small Business Needs Tax Reform Too
Washington, D.C. - The President and CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and small business owners joined U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Pat Tiberi today to explain why Democrats, Republicans and businesses of all sizes stand to gain from comprehensive tax reform. Tiberi - a Republican from Ohio - chairs the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. Wyden - a Democrat from Oregon - chairs the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Customs … Continue Reading
February 23, 2011
Wyden Creates Agricultural Advisory Committee
Portland, OR - Reaching into every corner of Oregon and across all types of agricultural interests, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden today announced the 28 members of an advisory committee that will help him develop ways to improve opportunities at home and overseas for Oregon's farmers and ranchers as the Senate considers the next Farm bill. "Agriculture is a cornerstone of the Oregon economy," said Wyden, who chairs the Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness. "If we … Continue Reading
February 22, 2011
Wyden Begins Effort to Amend PATRIOT Act
Washington, D.C. - As a three month extension of the USA PATRIOT Act makes its way to the President's desk, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a senior member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said Congress must use the newly added time to hold the "debate it has spent ten years avoiding." "Americans deserve laws that strike the best possible balance between fighting terrorism ferociously and protecting the rights and freedoms of law-abiding American citizens," Wyden said. "The … Continue Reading
February 18, 2011
Improved Commercial Air Service, Crater Lake Protections and UAV Testing Sites Included in FAA Bill
Washington, D.C. - With the Senate passage of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill late last night, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced several provisions that will benefit Oregon, including improved commercial air service between western states and Washington, D.C., protecting Crater Lake from air tour flyovers, increasing testing sites for civilian uses of unmanned aerial vehicles and a Wyden-authored measure to improve recycling at airports. "This means that the … Continue Reading
February 14, 2011
President’s Budget Includes Reauthorization Funding for County Payments Program
Washington, D.C. - As President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2012 budget this morning, members of the Oregon Congressional Delegation announced that it includes $328 million to fund the first of a multi-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, commonly known as "county payments." The Oregon members recognized that this is only one step in their long-term effort to ensure that county payments will continue to provide a stable source of funding for … Continue Reading
February 10, 2011
Wyden, Merkley Bill Will Safeguard Stock of Affordable Housing
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to secure the pool of affordable housing units for low-income families, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) reintroduced legislation today to allow excess funds in the federal Section 8 program -- known as residual receipts -- to be used to keep current affordable housing stock from becoming market rate housing when contracts expire. The Affordable Housing Preservation and Revitalization Act allows for the Department of Housing and Urban … Continue Reading
February 07, 2011
Judge Marco Hernandez Confirmed as District Court Judge for Oregon
Washington, D.C. - In the latest step in a career described as a "billboard for the American dream," U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) congratulated Oregon State Court Judge Marco Hernandez today for being confirmed as a U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Oregon. Judge Hernandez -- a former dishwasher, teacher's aide and deputy District Attorney - was nominated to fill a vacant position on the District Court by both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama and has enjoyed … Continue Reading
February 03, 2011
Wyden, Merkley Reintroduce Bills to Transfer Federal Property to La Pine and Wallowa
Washington, D.C. - Continuing to look for ways to help two of Oregon's hardest hit areas grow their economies, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) reintroduced two bills today that will allow La Pine and Wallowa to have access to hundreds of acres of federal land for community attractions, preserve their history and improve their infrastructure. "These bills give the communities the tools they need for economic growth," Wyden said. "Where tourism is a money-maker, … Continue Reading
