Press Releases
Smith-Wyden Bill Means Forestry Revenues Stay Home
Washington, DC Today, Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced The Umpqua National Forest Land Management Act which authorizes the sale of certain surplus Umpqua National Forest Service property to exclusively fund the expansion of local U.S. Forest Service facilities and the acquisition of additional tracts of Umpqua National Forest land."Oregonians should see the benefits from the Forest Service land sales in their backyard," said Smith. "This bill enables the Forest … Continue Reading
March 19, 2004
Wyden joins students & educators to celebrate arrival of $56,000 in computer equipment at River Road / El Camino del Rio Elementary School
March 19, 2004Eugene, OR - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today joined students and educators at River Road/El Camino del Rio Elementary School in Eugene to celebrate the arrival of more than $55,000 in state-of-the-art computer equipment donated by the Beaumont Foundation of America.In February 2003, Wyden and Frank Newton, Executive Director of the Beaumont Foundation, encouraged Oregon schools and … Continue Reading
March 17, 2004
Smith, Wyden Announce Emergency Agriculture Aid
WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing $620,500 through the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to Oregon farmers and ranchers facing the consequences of natural disaster.This aid is another clear example of the Bush Administrations steadfast support of American family farmers, Smith said. Oregons farmers and ranchers deserve that, especially when facing unforeseeable disaster.The damages and … Continue Reading
March 10, 2004
Wyden: First Suits under Can-Spam Good News for Oregon E-Mail Users
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today applauded the announcement by major Internet service providers (ISPs) of six lawsuits against alleged violators of the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. Wyden, with U.S. Senator Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), wrote the first-ever Federal anti-spam law to protect Oregonians and all Internet users from unsolicited and often offensive e-mail. America Online, Earthlink, Microsoft and Yahoo! announced their legal action at a press conference this morning, … Continue Reading
March 10, 2004
Senate Committee Approves Wallowa Lake Dam Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today announced Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resource approval of the Wallowa Dam Rehabilitation and Water Management Act (S. 1355) to provide funding for dam improvements, tribal fish restoration, and for water management in the Wallowa Valley. Currently, the dam cannot be used to full capacity because of its age and condition. Local groups have developed projects with the participation of numerous state … Continue Reading
March 04, 2004
Wyden, Smith Introduce Bill to Create Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
Washington, D.C. Today, Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced legislation to create the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, which would expand the Fort Clatsop Memorial area near Astoria and incorporate three historic sites in adjacent southwest Washington.Fort Clatsop is one of Oregons important tourism treasures, said Smith. Further commemorating one of Oregons great contributions to American history is a special invitation to travelers far and wide.Renaming and … Continue Reading
March 03, 2004
Wyden-Stevens Legislation Will Stop Sale of Children's Names, Addresses to Marketers
Washington, DC - The names, ages and home addresses of millions of American children - some as young as two years old - are being bought and sold every day, often online, for the purpose of commercial marketing. Today in Congress, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) introduced the Children's Listbroker Privacy Act to make that practice unlawful. "The wholesale trafficking in specific information about individual children is something that I think most parents would … Continue Reading
March 02, 2004
Wyden, Castillo Unveil Proposals to Improve "No Child Left Behind" Law
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo today unveiled a five-point proposal for improving the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. The proposal is synthesized from the concerns and suggestions of parents, teachers, school and community leaders; Wyden has held numerous "listening sessions" on NCLB across Oregon in recent months and during her first year in office, Castillo visited 35 school districts in the state and gathered … Continue Reading
February 26, 2004
Senators Seek to Protect Computer Users from "Spyware," Hidden Downloads
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) today introduced legislation to prohibit spyware, adware, and other invasive software from being secretly installed on Americans' computers. For the first time, the SPYBLOCK (Software Principles Yielding Better Levels of Consumer Knowledge) Act would prohibit installing software on somebody else's computer without notice and consent, and requires reasonable "uninstall" procedures … Continue Reading
February 25, 2004
Wyden Questions Ridge in Data-Mining by Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Tom Ridge to provide information on all data-mining activities currently being undertaken by the Department. Wyden, who questioned Ridge during the morning's Budget Committee hearing on homeland security funding, has long worked to ensure that the Federal government's data-mining efforts respect Americans' privacy and civil liberties. "A whole host of information is being … Continue Reading
February 24, 2004
Oregon Dunes, Winchester Bay Land Conveyance to Become Law
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced final congressional approval of their Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area land transfer legislation, aimed at improving access to the site and boosting the tourism economy of the South Coast. The Wyden-Smith bill (S. 714) directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey approximately 68.5 acres from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to Douglas County to be managed for open space and for recreational … Continue Reading
February 23, 2004
Allen and Wyden Respond to Attacks onInternet Access Tax Ban
WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators George Allen (R-VA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) issued the following response to attacks today on S. 150 the Internet Tax Non-Discrimination Act.Our bill focuses on protecting the American consumers from the overbearing arms of state and local tax commissars. Do we want to continue to grow and expand our economy, our small businesses and educational resources or do we want to impose a stifling tax on consumers? I believe the Internet should remain as accessible as … Continue Reading
February 18, 2004
Wyden, Smith Announce more than $2.2 Million for Head Start Projects
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that Mid-Columbia Children's Council, Inc. in Hood River will be awarded $2,267,792 for Head Start projects. Head Start programs serve children from birth to age five and prepare them for successful educational careers. Head Start offers assistance with early childhood development, medical and dental care, and parental involvement. "Head Start programs help put Oregon kids on the right track for … Continue Reading
February 18, 2004
Federal economic development agency threatensto leave distressed rural areas behind
Portland, OR U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today questioned a new Economic Development Administration (EDA) policy that threatens to change the focus of federal funding designed to help distressed rural areas, and instead use it to benefit areas with significant private-sector resources.David Sampson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, discussed the fact that EDA has adopted new internal performance standards at a February 11 conference in Medford, Oregon. One of the new … Continue Reading
February 17, 2004
Wyden, Smith Announce Employment Aid for Klamath First Bank Workers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced a federal grant for as much as $668,790 to assist workers affected by the closure of the Klamath First Bank in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The Oregon State Board of Education, which will administer the grant, will receive $248,796 initially in Workforce Investment Act emergency grant funds from the U.S. Department of Labor. Funds will help to provide employment-related assistance such as individual … Continue Reading
February 17, 2004
Wyden, Smith Announce Employment Aid for Viking Industries Workers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced a federal grant for as much as $245,345 to assist workers affected by the closure of Viking Industries in Gresham, Oregon. The grant of Workforce Investment Act emergency funds is being awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor to the Oregon State Board of Education, which will administer the project. The funds will help to provide employment-related assistance such as individual counseling, career … Continue Reading
February 13, 2004
Yamhill County to Receive More Than $900,000 for Head Start
WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced today that Head Start of Yamhill County will receive $925,067 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue providing Head Start services to children aged 3 to 5 years.Head Start helps kids get past some difficult obstacles and find a valuable foothold to begin their lives. said Smith. Its a program that translates into tremendous benefit for Oregon communities.For more than 15 years, … Continue Reading
February 12, 2004
Wydens bill to create Prineville forest health research center garners Administration, local support in U.S. Senate hearing
Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Ron Wydens bill (S. 1910) to create a forest health research center at the headquarters of the Ochoco National Forest in Prineville had its first U.S. Senate hearing today. The Prineville facility would be charged with carrying out a major requirement of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act: to inventory and assess forest stands on federal forest land and, with the consent of owners, private forest land.The objectives of the inventory and assessment are to … Continue Reading
February 12, 2004
Talent, Wyden Secure $15 Billion Transportation Infrastructure Bonding Package in Highway Bill
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) U.S. Senators Jim Talent (R-Mo.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) tonight secured an additional $15 billion for America's transportation infrastructure needs, with the inclusion of a Federal bonding packing in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFE-TEA) of 2004, passed by the Senate tonight. The Senators also won passage of an amendment creating the Build America Corporation, laying the foundation for their larger Build America Bonds program to … Continue Reading
February 11, 2004
Wyden Calls on President to Reject Report PraisingOutsourcing of U.S. Jobs
Washington, DC At a time when thousands of Oregonians need work, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today called on the President to reject the position of his Administrations Council of Economic Advisors that the outsourcing of U.S. jobs to workers overseas is good for our nation's economy. Wyden joined a number of Senators in writing to the President to express their concern about the Councils position, and encourage instead an examination of ways to protect American jobs from outsourcing.Each … Continue Reading
