Press Releases
Wyden's Talks with Reid, Baucus and Bingaman Yield Multi-Year County Payments Fix
Washington, DC - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) joined U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) today in announcing a multi-year proposal to restore funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, commonly known as the county payments law. The proposalwhich includes about $5 billion for rural schools, counties and communities through 2012is being offered for bipartisan consideration by Reid, Wyden and U.S. Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), the … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Oregon Senators Press for County Payments
Washington, D.C. - As the White House prepares to issue its yearly budget request to Congress, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) today asked the Administration to include funding for an extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000, commonly known as the county payments law.The letter, addressed to the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Rob Portman, detailed the severity of the situation facing Oregon's rural … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Proposes Historic New Health Care Plan;Effort Has Business and Labor Support
Washington, D.C. - Following 60 years of gridlock on a desperately-needed overhaul of the nation's health care system, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Finance Committee, today unveiled a groundbreaking new proposal to provide affordable, high quality, private health coverage for everyone regardless of where they work or live.The plan, known as the Healthy Americans Act:-- guarantees private health care coverage that cannot be taken away for all Americans;-- provides benefits for all … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Applauds U.S. Trade Rep's Decision to Challenge Chinese Subsidies Hurting US Hardwood Plywood Industry
Washington, D.C. - Noting that approximately 70 percent of North America's hardwood plywood is manufactured by companies headquartered in Oregon, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today applauded the decision by U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab to file a World Trade Organization (WTO) case against China over prohibited subsidies that adversely affect the US hardwood plywood industry. Nearly 2,000 Oregonians work in the hardwood plywood industry. In separate letters in … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden: Health Care Change Must Come at Federal Level
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today introduced legislation that would give every American the same kind of coverage that Members of Congress receive for the same amount being spent on health care today.Under the legislation, all Americans - including the 46 million uninsured - would be covered by health care insurance for no more than is spent today. The legislation also contains tough cost containment and according to the influential … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
White House Budget Stiffs Rural Schools and Communities
Washington, DC. - The Administration today released its FY2008 budget plan, which slashes funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. Funding for the successful program-most commonly known as the "county payments" law-was allowed to expire in September 2006, thus forcing rural communities to examine school and law enforcement lay-offs, library closures and other cut backs necessarily to balance their budgets. The President's budget recommends more than a 50% … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Oregon National Guard to be Reimbursed for Assisting with Hurricane Katrina Aftermath
WASHINGTON, DC-The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced a grant to the state of Louisiana for approximately $2.7 million to cover the costs of reimbursing the Oregon National Guard (ONG) for services provided in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. The state of Louisiana must now reimburse the ONG for this amount. The funds are expected to be transferred to the ONG this week.Oregon's entire congressional delegation sent a letter to FEMA Acting Director R. David … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Statement on the President'sSurge Force Plan for Iraq
Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement in response to President Bush's remarks on the war in Iraq: "I am not convinced that overstretching our military further is going to produce success in Iraq, and I oppose the President's plan."When it comes to ending the violence in Iraq, only the Iraqis can make the tough choices necessary to stop the civil war. The Iraqis won't make these tough … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden, Burr, Gordon, Hall Kick OffCongressional Nanotechnology Caucus
Washington, D.C.-U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Richard Burr (R-NC) and U.S. Reps. Bart Gordon (D-TN) and Ralph Hall (R-TX) today kicked off a new year for the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus by announcing a lecture series for congressional staffers designed to educate them about the enormous potential that nanotechnology holds and the challenges that must be overcome to fully realize that promise.Nanotechnology allows the creation of new products and processes through the manipulation of … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Amendment to Make CIA Inspector General Report Public
Washington, DC -- Believing that the American people have a right to know how the CIA performed prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today offered an amendment that would require the Director of the CIA to declassify the Executive Summary of the CIA Inspector General's report on 9/11. The CIA report is the only major 9/11 government review that has not been made public.Wyden's … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Renewed Hope for Salmon Fisherman Aid
Washington, DC - To aid Oregon fishermen impacted by last year's restricted salmon fishing season, U.S. Senators Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) are pushing for $60.4 million in disaster assistance for West Coast salmon fishermen to be included in an emergency spending bill the Senate is drafting."Last year's closure was devastating to Oregon's salmon fishermen," Smith said. "We will do everything we can to secure this long-awaited funding. Struggling fishermen and businesses … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Applauds Chairman's Decision to Formally Ask for Review of Possible Hardwood Plywood Abuses
Washington, DC -- U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon applauded Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus' decision to formally request that the International Trade Commission (ITC) conduct a review of the U.S. hardwood plywood and wood flooring industry. Nearly 2,000 Oregonians work in the hardwood plywood industry."I applaud Chairman Baucus' decision to request an International Trade Commission study to investigate unfair Chinese trade practices that are hurting U.S. hardwood plywood … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden, Feingold: Put Money Where the Reform Is When it Comes to Health Care
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Russ Feingold (D-WI), both members of the Budget Committee, today offered an amendment during consideration of the 2008 budget to create a reserve fund to cover different types of health reform that may be approved during the congressional session."There are a wide variety of views about what's needed to fix health care. I have a plan - the Healthy Americans Act - that would provide every American with affordable, private health care … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Intelligence Authorization Bill Clears Committee
Washington, D.C. - After two years of the Senate failing to pass an Intelligence Authorization bill, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today approved the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a senior member of the Committee, lauded the agreed-upon legislation as "vital to fortifying the U.S.'s intelligence capabilities." "Passage of this legislation is proof positive that Congress can improve accountability in the intelligence … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
U.S. Senate Approves Wyden-Grassley Plan to Get Rid of Secret Holds; Provision Now Goes to Conference Committee
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate last night approved a critical ethics and reform bill, S.1 that includes a provision authored by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to prohibit a single Senator from blocking legislation or a nominee without revealing his or her identity.Wyden and Grassley have worked for more than a decade to end the practice of secret holds. Their amendment requiring a Senator who places a hold to make it public within three days was included in the … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Lauds Passage of County Payments Amendment
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) issued the following statement today after the U.S. Senate voted in favor of his multi-year proposal to restore funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act. The Wyden-Reid-Baucus-Bingaman Amendment, which is now included in the 2007 Emergency Supplement Appropriations bill, passed the Senate by a vote of 75 to 22. "Thanks to the wise action of the U.S. Senate today, rural communities across the country can rest a … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Bipartisan Budget Language Inserted to Protect BPA Customers from Rate Hike
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) successfully included language in the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Resolution that is a critical first step to defeating an administration proposal to increase the rates of Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) consumers. Murray, Wyden, and Crapo, all members of the Senate Budget Committee, have been supported in their efforts by a unified, bipartisan delegation of Northwest Senators. On … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Introduces the "Stop Arming Iran Act"
Washington , D.C. - Working to end the Iranian government's acquisition of sensitive military equipment, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced legislation today that would prohibit the Pentagon from selling surplus parts and equipment for F-14 fighter aircraft. Wyden's legislation would also prohibit the export of F-14 parts already sold. "There is no good reason for the United States to be putting surplus F-14 parts on the … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden, Smith Introduce "Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007"
Washington, D.C. - Working for the permanent preservation of an additional 128,600 acres surrounding Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith today introduced the "Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007." The legislation builds on previous efforts to establish a Mount Hood wilderness area, incorporating comments from over 100 community groups and local governments, members of the Oregon Congressional delegation, the governor and the Bush … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden to Head Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests
Washington , D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) was today appointed chairman of the U.S. Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee. The chairmanship will provide an important platform for Wyden to act on the nation's foremost environmental and natural resource issues."I am honored by this opportunity to assist Chairman Bingaman in protecting our nation's wilderness and public lands, promote sustainable and wise use of our natural resources, and champion important legislation like … Continue Reading
