Press Releases
Wyden - Sununu Amendment Would Stop Royalty Relief for Oil Companies
Washington, D.C. - In an effort that could save taxpayers more than $45 million over the next ten years, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and John Sununu (R-NH) introduced an amendment today that would repeal Sections 344 and 345 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct). Repealing these provisions would stop the negotiation of certain future royalty relief incentives designed to encourage drilling for deep gas and existing deepwater oil and gas on public lands. "With oil selling for more than … Continue Reading
June 19, 2007
Oregon Military Facilities Slated for Federal Funds
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) today announced that more than $15 million has been included in the Fiscal Year 2008 Military Construction appropriations bill for various construction projects in the state of Oregon. The committee also announced its support for the construction of a long term care facility at the Walla Walla VA Medical Center. "From creating classroom space to giving prime land back to the cities, these projects are excellent examples … Continue Reading
June 14, 2007
Wyden, Bennett Team Up to Put Millions of Fuel Efficient Vehicles on the Road
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Bob Bennett (R-UT) introduced legislation today that would reward drivers for buying more fuel efficient cars, trucks and SUVs. The Oil Independence, Limiting Subsidies and Accelerating Vehicle Efficiency (OILSAVE) Act would offer consumers a tax credit for purchasing qualified energy-saving vehicles.The Wyden-Bennett legislation builds on earlier incentives for hybrid gasoline-electric powered cars, but unlike the hybrid credit, the … Continue Reading
June 13, 2007
Wyden-Chambliss Introduce "WISE" Legislation to Draw on Intelligence Community Energy Expertise
Washington, DC - In an effort to better inform U.S. energy policy, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) - members of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence - introduced legislation today that would assign the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to submit an unclassified report on the long-term energy security of the United States. The "Weighing Intelligence for Smarter Energy" (WISE) Act draws on the Intelligence Community's analytical expertise on global … Continue Reading
June 11, 2007
Senator Wyden Blows the Whistle on Under-Investment in Oil Refining and Production
Washington, D.C. - Illustrating how the oil industry's failure to invest in oil production and refining keeps gas prices artificially high, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced his plan today to take tax breaks away from oil companies that do not invest in new refinery capacity and upgrades."The consequences of the oil industry's anti-consumer behavior are clear. When there is less refining capacity, there is less ability to turn oil into gas. When there is less gas, prices go up. When … Continue Reading
June 07, 2007
Smith and Wyden Set Agenda for 110th Congress
Washington, D.C. - Oregon Senators Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden unveiled their sixth joint legislative agenda today showing their firm commitment to advancing a bipartisan agenda for Oregon. The agenda sets out to preserve the county payments safety net, improve access to health insurance, and help build Oregon's economy. The agenda also addresses education, hunger, the Internet and funding for transportation projects. "We're probably the only two home state Senators not arguing with each … Continue Reading
June 04, 2007
Wyden Asks BPA to Delay Long-Term Contract Decision Until Residential Exchange Deal is Reached
Washington, D.C. - As thousands of Oregonians brace for significantly higher utility bills this month, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter to the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) today urging BPA to assume the role of an "honest broker" and to look for legally sufficient ways to restore the Residential Exchange benefits as soon as possible. Since 1980, the Residential Exchange program has enabled residents and small farm utility customers in Oregon to share the benefits of BPA's … Continue Reading
June 04, 2007
Wyden Charges Administration with: "Buying nothing but higher gas prices for American families"
Washington, D.C. - As American gasoline prices hit record highs, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) is questioning the timing of the Bush Administration's announcement that it will begin transporting 9.2 million barrels of Royalty In Kind crude oil to fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Slated to begin July 1, 2007, this would be the first installment of a 27 million barrel transfer to the SPR. In a letter to President Bush, Wyden expressed concern with the Administration's decision to … Continue Reading
May 29, 2007
Wyden Welcomes Obama Health Care Plan
Portland - I am very pleased that Senator Obama (D-IL) has come forward with a proposal to fix the nation's broken health care system and that his plan is based on some of the core principles contained in the bipartisan Healthy Americans Act. I look forward to seeing the details.Like the Healthy Americans Act, the Obama plan appears to ensure that every American has quality, affordable private health coverage similar to what Members of Congress have. Both plans also emphasize prevention and … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Wyden, Brownback Propose Bill to Keep Internet Radio in Play
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) today proposed legislation to keep Internet radio alive by vacating a Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) decision that could increase Internet radio sound recording royalties by 300 percent to 1,200 percent.According to an Arbitron and Edison Media Research, 52 million people listened to Internet radio at least once a month in 2006. Bridge Ratings and Research predicts that number will double within three years and reach … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Senators: Provision Seeks to Help Colleges, High Schools Buy Nanotechnology Equipment through Grants
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Kerry (D-MA), Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Mark Pryor (D-AR) have successfully added a provision to U.S. competitiveness legislation to authorize the use of National Science Foundation grant funds to acquire nanotechnology equipment and software designed for teaching students about nanotechnology in the classroom."I have seen the nanotechnology equipment that folks will be able to use these funds to purchase, and it will help attract talented … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Wyden Statement on New Health System Comparisons Report by the Commonweal Fund
Washington, D.C. - "This new report confirms what I hear from folks at town hall meetings all across Oregon: they want access to quality health care that can't be taken away, even if they lose or change their job," said U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Finance Committee. "We have the best health care professionals in the world. We spend enough money on health care. We just don't spend it in the right places. Senator Bob Bennett (R-UT) and I and two of our House colleagues have … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Emerald Express to Receive Funding a Year Ahead of Schedule
Washington, D.C. - Eugene will receive $14.8 million in funding one-year ahead of schedule for the Emerald Express expansion, Oregon Senators Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden noted today. The Senators are top proponents for funding the project, which will create a new hybrid-electric bus line between Eugene and Springfield. "The new line will boost job opportunities and bring communities closer together," Senator Smith said. "Project planers are smartly buying hybrid-electric busses, showing … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Wyden Hails Decision to Expand Health Care to Vets in Eastern Oregon through New Clinic in La Grande
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) today applauded the decision by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a Community Based Outpatient Clinic for veterans in La Grande.Wyden, who has lobbied hard for a La Grande clinic, said that according to preliminary projections his office has received from the Walla Walla, Washington, VA Medical Center (VAMC) planning staff, approximately 1,570 Eastern Oregon veterans will be able to receive care at the new La Grande outpatient … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Wyden Calls for Mandated Redeployment of U.S. Troops from Iraq
Washington, DC - Calling for the redeployment of American forces in Iraq, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced his support today for the Feingold-Reid amendment, which would require the President to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq by March 31, 2008."For more than four years, the Bush administration has been telling the American people that conditions in Iraq would change. They have, but for the worse. Today it is up to Congress to let the President and his administration know that using … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Wyden Follows up on Veterans' Concerns
Washington, DC - Following a series of meetings with Oregon veterans and their families, veterans' organizations and VA officials during the April Congressional recess, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden joined several colleagues today in introducing The Rural Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act of 2007, which addresses many of the concerns Wyden heard in his meetings."Too many Oregon veterans, especially in rural parts of our state, are having trouble accessing the health care they were promised when … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Senators Ask for Answers as Report Labels Sudan a "Strong Partner in the War on Terror"
Washington, DC - In a letter to Director of National Intelligence, Michael McConnell, members of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence raised concerns about the State Department's recent characterization of the Sudanese government as a "strong partner in the War on Terror." Citing the state-sponsored genocide that has killed hundreds of thousands of people in the Darfur region of Sudan, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Sheldon … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Wyden, Bennett, Baird Join CEOs of Top U.S. Companies to Push for Health Care Reform
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Bob Bennett (R-UT) and U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) today joined forces with the CEOs of several of the nation's largest companies to announce that the CEOs have formed a coalition to push for health care reform before the end of the 110th Congress.Last week, the Healthy Americans Act, which reflects many of the same goals as the CEOs announced today, picked up steam in Congress as Bennett, a senior member of the Republican leadership, … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Wyden to Hold Interior Nominee Until Ethics Concerns are Addressed
Washington, D.C. - Citing serious ethics transgressions committed by a high-ranking Interior Department official, Julie MacDonald, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced today that he will place a hold on Senate confirmation of Lyle Laverty, the President's nominee for Assistant Interior Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, until he is satisfied that such transgressions will not happen again.In his letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne (see below), Wyden references a recent report … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Wyden Calls for Accountability at Hanford Nuclear Waste Treatment Plant
Washington, D.C. - Citing a recent report by the Inspector General of the Department of Energy -- which stated that the control system intended for use at the Nuclear Waste Treatment Plant at Hanford "does not meet the stringent procedures, plans, specifications, or work practices associated with nuclear quality standards" -- U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter to Secretary Samuel Bodman today asking what actions the Department will be taking in response to the Inspector General's … Continue Reading
