Press Releases
West Coast Senators Put County Payments on Senate Agenda
Washington, D.C. - A bipartisan coalition of West Coast Senators today announced the introduction of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Reauthorization Act of 2007, legislation that would restore funding for the critical "county payments" law by reauthorizing the successful program for seven years. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests, introduced a bill with U.S. Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK), Patty Murray (D-WA), … Continue Reading
January 23, 2007
Wyden Reacts to the State of the Union
Statement of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) in response to President George W. Bush's State of the Union speech:"At community meetings from Oregon to Maine, two topics dominate: Iraq and health care. I want to work in a bipartisan manner on both issues and I want to keep my door open to the Bush Administration on both of these issues."Thus far, the President has not convinced me that overstretching our military even further is going to make a bit of difference in Iraq and I will oppose the … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden, Smith Secure FundsFor Oregon Natural Resource Projects
Washington, DC- U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that Oregon could soon receive nearly $5 million, and share in additional funds for natural resource projects across the state. Wyden and Smith secured this funding as part of the Senate's FY2007 Interior funding bill, approved this week by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill will now be considered by the full Senate for approval. "Part of what makes Oregon so special is the unique combination … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden, Bennett Launch Plan to Put Millions of Energy-Saving Vehicles on American Roads
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Bob Bennett (R-UT) today proposed a plan 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 credit would be fully funded by eliminating a single, unneeded tax deduction currently available to oil companies."By limiting just one … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden blocks Telecom Legislationover ineffective net neutrality provision
Washington, DC-U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today announced that he has placed a "hold" on major telecommunications legislation recently approved by the Senate Commerce Committee until clear language is included in the legislation that prevents discrimination in Internet access. The legislation as currently written does not provide an effective policy on net neutrality, and instead opens the Internet up to large telecommunications companies and cable providers to charge consumers and small … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden provision keeps companieswith ailing pension plans from hoardingcash for executives
Washington, DC A provision championed by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden to keep companies with significantly under-funded employee pension plans from locking away retirement funds for top company executives was included in a major pension reform bill passed by the full U.S. Senate late last night."Everyones retirement savings, whether theyre an executive or an entry-level employee, should be treated fairly, Wyden said. This provision will ensure that if a companys pension plan is in financial … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden, Smith Propose More than 125,000 Acres for Wilderness Designation on Mount Hood and in Columbia River Gorge
Portland, OR - More than two decades after the last wilderness areas were added to protect Mount Hood, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith today unveiled their bipartisan proposal to permanently protect more than 125,000 acres of wilderness on Mount Hood and in the Columbia River Gorge - an increase of almost 70 percent over existing wilderness protections. It also would grant Wild and Scenic River protections to an additional 79.8 miles of rivers in Oregon and create more than 18,000 … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden: "It's d?j? vu all over again."
Washington, D.C. - As already reported voting difficulties continue to frustrate voters in another decisive election, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden renewed his proposal to simplify the way Americans vote. Wyden has introduced legislation to provide funds to help states adopt Vote by Mail election systems, such as Oregon's. "The great Yogi Berra said it best: 'It's Déjà vu all over again.' Except instead of the boys of October, we're talking about the long lines and … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden Amendment to End Secret Holds Approved by Senate
Washington, DC - After nearly a decade-long effort, the Senate today passed an amendment by a vote of 84-13 to end the process of secret holds championed by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), along with Senators Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Ken Salazar (D-Colo.). The Wyden-Grassley-Inhofe-Salazar amendment requires a Senator who intends to object to a unanimous consent request to publish in the Congressional Record within three days a notice of the objection. It does not … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Salmon Fisheries Failure DeclaredEfforts turn to securing funding
Portland, OR - U.S. Department of Commerce officials met with Oregon salmon fishermen today and declared a salmon fisheries failure. The declaration reinforces Senators Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) and Ron Wyden's (D-OR) efforts to secure direct aid for the fishermen."Oregon's fishermen now have priority for aid," Smith said. "The declaration clears the way for federal funds to be distributed to the fishermen and businesses supported by salmon fishing. I am going to continue pressing … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden addresses national coalition,continues drumbeat for county payments
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today called on Congress and the Administration to make a fully-funded, long-term extension of the county payments law a top priority in the year ahead. Wyden's remarks came at a speech before the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition conference in Washington, D.C., today."We need to remind the rest of Congress and the Administration how much these funds mean to rural communities - for schools, for roads, and for basic county operations," … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
West Coast Senators Urge Disaster Relief forFishing Communities
Washington, DC - In the wake of a declaration of fishery resource disaster off the Western U.S. coastline, the Senators from California, Oregon and Washington joined forces today to urge $73 million in relief for affected fishing communities.The six Senators, Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden, Smith win critical commitment from administration to work on county funding for Oregon's rural communities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith have secured a commitment from the Administration to work to enact a one-year, fully-funded extension of the county payments safety net under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. The agreement represents a significant shift in the Administration's stance on the county payment program.An extension would provide up to $401 million nationally for 700 rural counties in more than 40 states. Oregon's share, … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden introduces resolutionopposing Presidents stated intentionof keeping troops in Iraq until at least 2009
Washington, DC U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today introduced a resolution to express the sense of the Senate that the Presidents March 21, 2006 stated intention that future Presidents will determine whether there are American troops in Iraq undermines the preparedness of the United States military to respond to other crises and should not be supported. In March 2006, President Bush gave a press conference and discussed Iraq. The following exchange took place between a reporter and the … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden: 15 Reasons "Vote by Mail" is the Right Direction for America
Washington , D.C. - As election officials scramble to sort out voting irregularities and other problems in yesterday's elections, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden renewed his call to pass his proposal to simplify the way Americans vote. Wyden is one of the nation's foremost advocates of "Vote by Mail," Oregon's very successful electoral process that has made Oregon synonymous with high voter turn-out and hassle-free elections. Wyden introduced legislation last September to provide funds to … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden, Snowe Urge HHS Secretary Leavitt to Support Extension of Medicare Drug Benefit Deadline Without Penalty
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), both members of the Senate Finance Committee, urged Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Michael Leavitt to support an extension without penalty of the enrollment period for those seniors signing up for the Medicare Drug Benefit through December 31st of this year. The Senators are concerned that without an extension, the cost to seniors could be devastating, leading many to not sign up for the benefit and … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Snowe, Wyden Urge HHS Secretary to Reconsider Position to Allow Negotiation for Medicare Prescription Drugs
Washington, D.C. Following criticism by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt that allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices would create government run health care and fail to lower prices, U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) today urged Leavitt to reconsider his position in the wake of building momentum to take this step to bring lower drug prices for seniors.We believe sound management of the [Medicare] program would mean … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Senators Bill Bradley and Ron Wyden Call forNew Tax Reform Push on Eve of Election
Washington, D.C.Twenty years after the last major tax reform act was signed into law, former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) today teamed up to urge President George W. Bush to join Congress in once again enacting real tax reform for the American people.Bradley, the original senator to push for tax reform and author of legislation that was a model for the 1986 Tax Reform Act, remains one of the nations leading advocates for a fairer and simpler tax code. Wyden is … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden Blocks Two Interior Department Nominees over County Payments Funding
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, keeping his promise to block Administration nominees until there is "an acceptable way to fully fund county payments," today placed a "hold" on the nominations of two Interior Department nominees: John Ray Correll, nominated to be Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and Mark Myers, nominated to be a Director of the United States Geological Survey. The county payments law provides vital funding for rural schools, roads … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden, Grassley, Senate Rules Committee Leaders Announce Offensive Against Secret Holds
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Trent Lott (R-MS) and Chris Dodd (D-CT) today announced a new offensive against the Senate's practice of secret holds, under which a single Senator can block legislation or a nominee without revealing his or her identity.Wyden has worked with Grassley 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
