Press Releases
Statewide Wins: Merkley, Wyden Deliver Critical Community Projects Across Oregon in 2024 Funding Package
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they secured investments for essential community-initiated projects across Oregon in both of the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) government funding packages that recently cleared Congress and were signed into law by President Biden. With the support of members of Oregon’s Congressional delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives—Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, and Lori … Continue Reading
March 26, 2024
Wyden Requests DNI Haines Declassify Information Related to Paul Manafort’s Relationship with Russian Government Operatives
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today called on the Biden Administration to declassify information concerning Paul Manafort’s involvement with Russian government operatives, following news reports that Manafort may soon join Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Manafort served as Trump’s campaign chairman for portions of the 2016 presidential campaign. He later was convicted of multiple crimes, including tax and bank fraud related to his work for a Ukrainian oligarch … Continue Reading
March 25, 2024
Merkley and Wyden Announce Big Investments Secured for Oregon Families and Rural Communities in Final 2024 Funding Package
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced major investments for Oregon to expand access to affordable, quality health care and mental health resources, boost manufacturing, and enhance emergency response coordination—including nearly $36 million in funding for 28 critical community-initiated projects across the state—have passed through the final fiscal year 2024 (FY24) minibus funding package. This sweeping six-bill package cleared both chambers of … Continue Reading
March 22, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $1.29 Million Federal Investment in Bend Municipal Airport
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of $1.29 million for Bend Municipal Airport toward construction of a new air traffic control tower. “Bend Municipal Airport is an important part of Central Oregon’s robust, local economy,” Wyden said. “It’s a gateway to expansion for small businesses who can ship their products quickly, or bring in potential clients or investors to witness the grandeur of Central Oregon firsthand. I’m gratified … Continue Reading
March 22, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Celebrate 14 Years Since Passage of the Affordable Care Act
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined Senate Democrats in celebrating the upcoming 14th anniversary this Saturday of the Affordable Care Act’s passage. Senate Democrats are touting record-breaking ACA enrollment, highlighting how Democrats have built on the successes of the ACA, and speaking out against Donald Trump recently vowing he would “never give up” on repealing the Affordable Care Act. He called the failure to repeal the ACA during his term “a low … Continue Reading
March 22, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues Introduce EAT Local Foods Act
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined Senate colleagues in introducing legislation that would create a permanent grant program for state and tribal governments to use local food producers for hunger relief programs. Wyden said the EAT Local Foods Act would increase access to locally-sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in underserved communities and help family farmers, fishermen, and local food producers grow their markets. “It is incredibly important … Continue Reading
March 21, 2024
Merkley, Wyden: OSU Receives Federal Funding Award to Boost Wildfire Smoke Resiliency in Oregon
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today Oregon State University (OSU) received $667,500 as an initial award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a set of interventions that includes tailored toolkits and resources that can be used by schools, preschools, and daycares to reduce wildfire smoke exposures and increase community resilience across Oregon. The investment comes through the EPA’s new Wildfire Smoke Preparedness … Continue Reading
March 21, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call on Biden Administration to Stop Withholding Social Security Payments to Pay Defaulted Student Loans
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), today led colleagues including U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in calling on the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the U.S. Department of Education to end the practice of offsetting Social Security benefits to pay off defaulted student loans. Offsets under the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) are particularly devastating for seniors and people with disabilities who rely … Continue Reading
March 20, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Support DEQ Oversight for Knife River Corporation West’s Wastewater Permit in Crook County
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they support the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) addressing concerns raised by the Crook County Board of Commissioners and local residents regarding the Knife River Corporation-West’s wastewater permit in the county. “[Crook County] residents have continued to raise concerns over unsafe drinking water and potential health impacts to humans including skin rashes, as well as health impacts to livestock and … Continue Reading
March 15, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Join Senate Colleagues in Letter to USPS Postmaster General DeJoy Demanding Protection of Jobs and Mail Delivery
Washington, D.C. —Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined a letter led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, urging him to stop any changes to United States Postal Service (USPS) service standards that would result in job losses and further degrade mail delivery performance, especially in rural areas. Joining Merkley, Wyden, and Sanders on the letter are Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto … Continue Reading
March 14, 2024
Wyden Announces Five Town Halls in Rural Oregon
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold in-person town halls in Klamath, Lake, Harney, Grant and Wheeler counties from March 23-25. Heading into these five town halls, Wyden will have held 1,076 town halls throughout Oregon - including 11 so far this year -- in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of our state’s 36 counties. “I promised to hold open-to-all town halls every year in every county so every Oregonian has the … Continue Reading
March 14, 2024
Oregon Delegation Pushes for Federal Disaster Declaration in Response to Ice Storms
Washington, D.C. — Oregon’s Congressional delegation—U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. House of Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Cliff Bentz—wrote a letter to the White House urging approval of Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Governor’s formal request for the State of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of … Continue Reading
March 13, 2024
Wyden Joins Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Give American Workers Time Off to Vote
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined 11 Senate colleagues in introducing legislation that would require employers—upon the employee’s request—to provide at least two consecutive hours of paid leave in order to participate in federal elections. Under the Time Off to Vote Act, this allotted time could be used to vote at a polling place, return a mail-in ballot, or take time for “other voting-related activities,” such as making technical corrections to a mail-in … Continue Reading
March 13, 2024
Wins for Water: Merkley and Wyden Announce Boost in Water Conservation, Small Ports, and Renewable Energy in 2024 Funding Package
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced major investments to enhance water infrastructure and conservation and supercharge renewable energy projects in Oregon—including over $12.5 million in funding for 8 critical community-initiated projects across the state—have passed through the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) minibus funding package. This six-bill package cleared both chambers of Congress last week and was quickly signed into law by President … Continue Reading
March 13, 2024
Wyden Urges NCSC to Warn Public About Backdoor Codes to Commercial Locks and Safes
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senator Ron Wyden today urged National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director Michael Casey to alert the public to the possibility that the Chinese government may possess backdoor codes to electronic locks made in China, by updating public educational materials to recommend that businesses upgrade their safe locks to meet U.S. government security standards. It is a common, albeit not widely known industry practice for manufacturers of locks used by … Continue Reading
March 13, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce $31 million Investment for Oregon Air National Guard Facilities in Portland Secured in 2024 Funding Package
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced two critical community-initiated projects totaling $31 million for the Oregon Air National Guard in Portland have passed through the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) minibus funding package. This six-bill package cleared both chambers of Congress last week and was quickly signed into law by President Biden. The investments are part of the FY24 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies funding bill … Continue Reading
March 12, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Hoyle Press Feds to Extend Comment Period for Wind Energy off Oregon Coast
Washington, DC -- U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle today asked federal officials to extend the initial comment period for the development of environmental assessment of leasing activities in the Coos Bay Wind Energy Area and the Brookings Wind Energy Area off the south Oregon Coast. The three Oregon lawmakers wrote in their letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) that the potential impacts from the two wind energy areas warrant additional … Continue Reading
March 12, 2024
Merkley, Wyden & Hoyle Announce $165,252 to Southern Coos Hospital & Health for Telemedicine in Coos County
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) today announced Southern Coos Hospital & Health Center was awarded a federal grant of $165,252 to deliver health care services via telemedicine, directly benefiting 3,066 patients on Oregon’s rural South Coast. “Rural communities deserve access to affordable, easy-to-get health care,” Merkley said. “Telemedicine is essential for delivering care to patients across Oregon, and … Continue Reading
March 12, 2024
Farms, Food, and Fiber: Merkley and Wyden Announce Big Investments for Oregon Agriculture and Rural Communities in 2024 Funding Package
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced major investments in Oregon agriculture, rural housing, food assistance, and rural business priorities—along with nearly $12.7 million in funding for 14 Oregon community-initiated projects—have passed through the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) minibus funding package. This six-bill package cleared both chambers of Congress last week and was quickly signed into law by President Biden. Successfully pushing back … Continue Reading
March 12, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce Oregon Projects Promoting Economic Development and Community Safety Pass in 2024 Funding Package
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced major economic development and community safety improvement investments for Oregon—including over $16 million in funding for 15 critical community-initiated projects across the state—have passed through the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) minibus funding package. This six-bill package cleared both chambers of Congress last week and was quickly signed into law by President Biden. Successfully pushing back against the … Continue Reading
