Press Releases
Snowe, Wyden Introduce Bill to Further Safeguard Taxpayer Dollars
Washington, D.C. - Continuing with their efforts to enforce strong protections in the use of taxpayer dollars, U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) last night introduced bipartisan legislation to provide the Congressional Oversight Panel (COP) with subpoena authority so that it can effectively conduct oversight on behalf of American taxpayers. "With $700 billion in TARP funds at stake, providing the Congressional Oversight Panel with the tools and resources it … Continue Reading
April 16, 2009
Wyden's Proposal to Increase Thinning of Federal Forests and Protect Old Growth Moves Closer to Introduction
Portland, OR - Citing the need to jumpstart federal efforts to make forests healthier and more fire resistant, Senator Ron Wyden today released draft legislation that will create jobs through increased thinning of over-grown federal forests while permanently ending the harvest of old-growth trees in Oregon. "We believe that the Wyden proposal will create well in excess of 5,000 new family-wage jobs. Equally as important, it will, if pursued consistently, eliminate the backlog of threatened … Continue Reading
April 14, 2009
Wyden Announces Statewide Committee to Recommend Names for Two Federal Judgeships
Portland, OR - Senator Ron Wyden announced today the names of 13 Oregonians who will serve on the Senator's Judicial Selection Committee, a committee that will recommend names to fill two federal district court judgeships for Oregon. Wyden also said that he is extending the deadline to May 4, 2009, in order to ensure that qualified candidates from throughout Oregon are given the opportunity to be considered. The committee, selected by Wyden and Senator Jeff Merkley, will be chaired by Lou … Continue Reading
April 09, 2009
Wyden, Merkley Cite Environmental and Economic Concerns of Expanded Warfare Training Off the Oregon Coast
Washington, DC- Echoing comments made by many Oregonians, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley raised concerns today about the environmental and economic impacts of United States Navy's plans to expand warfare training off the Pacific coast. "Based on a number of comments we have received from a variety of interested stakeholders and constituents, we are concerned that many of the Navy's training proposals, including underwater minefield testing, explosive ordinance use, expanded land and … Continue Reading
April 02, 2009
Wyden Urges End to Ban on Using Forest Waste for Alternative Fuels
Washington, D.C. - As a way of reducing America's dependence on foreign oil, Senator Ron Wyden is urging Congress to change "the current myopic policies" that prohibit the use of biomass taken from federal lands for renewable fuel."Right now, instead of being part of the solution to our nation's dependence on foreign oil, biomass from federal lands is allowed to build up in the woods or worse become fuel for catastrophic fires." Wyden said in testimony on Wednesday before a Senate … Continue Reading
March 31, 2009
Wyden Amendment for Renewable Energy Job Training Included in Energy Bill
Washington, D.C. - In a bold step to dramatically improve our nation's preparedness to compete in the renewable energy industry, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today voted to include an amendment authored by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in the 2009 energy bill to fund job-training programs at community colleges in renewable and alternative energy fields. U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wy) joined Wyden as a cosponsor of the amendment."The United States will not to be … Continue Reading
March 31, 2009
Amendment Would Increase Funding for Forest Health Projects in Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Pursuing long-promised tools to help prevent wildfires, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) to introduce an amendment to the FY 10 Budget Resolution in the Senate today to fully fund the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (HFRA) for the first time since its implementation. The amendment will authorize an additional $200 million in funding for Hazardous Fuel Reduction on Federal land, in order to fully … Continue Reading
March 30, 2009
President Signs Public Lands Bill into Law
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today after witnessing President Obama sign the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 (H.R. 146) into law. The legislation contains seven Wyden-authored provisions designating more than 200,000 Oregon acres as Wilderness. Wyden joined President Obama in the East Room of the White House today for the signing ceremony."With a stroke of the pen today, President Obama cemented Oregon's Wilderness legacy for generations … Continue Reading
March 30, 2009
Wyden to hold Town Hall Meeting in Deschutes County
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host a town hall meeting in Bend on Monday, April 6, 2009. Residents of Deschutes County are invited to attend the open forums to ask questions and voice their concerns. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. The event in Bend is town hall number 509. Deschutes County Town Hall Meeting Date: Monday, April 6, 2009 Time: 12:30 p.m. … Continue Reading
March 30, 2009
25 Oregon Health Clinics to Receive $5.2 Million in Federal Economic Recovery Funds
Washington, D.C. - Recognizing the importance of improved health care to a strong economy, Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced today that $5.2 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be going to 25 health clinics in 20 Oregon communities. "Addressing our nation's health care crisis is an essential element in having a healthy nation and a healthy economy," Wyden said. "This money will be used to expand health care services throughout Oregon, … Continue Reading
March 25, 2009
Public Lands Bill Achieves Final Passage
Washington, D.C. - Seven public lands bills authored by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) achieved final passage in the House of Representatives as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (H.R. 146): "The Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007," "The Copper Salmon Wilderness Act," "The Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act of 2008," "The Cascade Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act," … Continue Reading
March 24, 2009
Wyden to hold Town Halls in Benton, Linn Counties
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host town hall meetings in Corvallis and Albany on Saturday, April 4, 2009. Residents of Benton and Linn counties are invited to attend the open forums to ask questions and voice their concerns. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. The events in Corvallis and Albany are town halls numbers 506 and 507. Benton County Town Hall MeetingDate: April 4, 2009 Time: 11:30 … Continue Reading
March 24, 2009
Wyden to Hold Annual Multnomah County Town Hall in Gresham
Portland, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will host a town hall meeting in Gresham on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Residents of Multnomah County are invited to attend the open forum to ask questions and voice their concerns. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. The event in Gresham is town hall number 508. Multnomah County Town Hall Meeting Date: Sunday, April 5, 2009 Time: 1 p.m. … Continue Reading
March 19, 2009
Senate Passes Public Lands Bill For Second Time
Washington, D.C. - Seven public lands bills authored by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) passed the Senate again today by a vote of 77 to 20, as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (H.R. 146): "The Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007," "The Copper Salmon Wilderness Act," "The Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act of 2008," "The Cascade Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act," "The … Continue Reading
March 19, 2009
Baucus, Grassley, Wyden, Snowe Introduce the Compensation Fairness Act of 2009
Washington, DC - Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) today introduced the Compensation Fairness Act of 2009, legislation to discourage excessive compensation by companies that have taken taxpayer funds, and recoup payments made to executives at recipient institutions of funds from the Troubled Assets Relief program (TARP). For companies that received TARP funds, the … Continue Reading
March 19, 2009
Senators Bayh, Dorgan, Wyden IntroduceLegislation to Care for Soldiers Exposed to Toxins
Washington - Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN), Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) today introduced legislation to improve medical care for U.S. soldiers exposed to toxic chemicals during wartime military service. In 2003, National Guard soldiers from Indiana, Oregon, West Virginia and South Carolina guarding the Qarmat Ali water treatment facility in Iraq were exposed to sodium dichromate, a deadly carcinogen. The legislation proposed by Senators Bayh, Dorgan and Wyden, the Health Care for … Continue Reading
March 18, 2009
Wyden, Snowe Urge Geithner to Re-Examine Executive Compensation Proposal
WASHINGTON D.C. - Outraged at American International Group's (AIG) abuse of taxpayer dollars, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) today, in a letter, urged Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to re-examine the Wyden-Snowe proposal to force those financial institutions using Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds to pay excessive bonuses to either return the funds or face an excise tax. A version of the bipartisan proposal -- which was successfully offered as an … Continue Reading
March 18, 2009
Wyden, Merkley Announce $1.2 million in Federal Stimulus Funds to Help Feed Oregon's Low Income Seniors
Washington, D.C. - Recognizing that hunger is an often overlooked side effect to a poor economy, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced today that Oregon will receive $1.2 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide meals to low income senior citizens. "This money comes at a time when an estimated 12 percent of Oregon families don't have enough food on their shelves, when Oregon ranks as the third hungriest state in the nation, when food stamp applications are … Continue Reading
March 13, 2009
Wyden and Merkley Post Appropriations Requests Online
Washington, D.C. - Oregonians are invited to start reviewing and commenting on FY '10 appropriations requests received by the offices of U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). The first wave of appropriations requests received by the two offices -- for the Commerce, State, Justice and Defense appropriations bills -- were posted today at: http://wyden.senate.gov and http://merkley.senate.gov. The hundreds of additional appropriations requests received by the Senators' … Continue Reading
March 13, 2009
Merkley, Wyden Announce Grant to Improve Living Conditions for Oregon Tribes
Washington, DC - Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has awarded $562,000 to the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians. The funds will be used to install a new water distribution system at Coos Head, a 43 acre site where the new Tribal Headquarters will soon be located."For far too long Tribes in rural Oregon have not had access to adequate sanitation systems and clean water. This … Continue Reading
