Press Releases
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, 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: "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, 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 Says Congress Must Vote on Iraq
Washington Today, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) went to the floor of the Senate to call for a vote on the Presidents plan and budget for Americans continued involvement in Iraq. Wyden, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, cited the need for Congress to have a role as a co-equal branch of government in the future of the war-ravaged nation.I rise today to offer a simple proposition: Congress should act like a co-equal branch of government and vote on whether or not to keep … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Oregon Speaks Out for Net Neutrality
PORTLAND -- Sen. Ron Wyden today joined large and small business owners, labor leaders and consumer advocates in calling on Congress to protect Network Neutrality -- the endangered principle that ensures all Web sites and services are treated equally."The powerful interests that control the pipes are trying to take control of the Internet away from their consumers by creating discriminatory networks that play favorites," said Senator Wyden, the first member of Congress to introduce legislation … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden blocks legislation to overturnOregon's physician aid in dying law
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today took swift action to prevent the U.S. Senate from considering legislation that squarely takes aim at Oregon's physician aid in dying law and the will of the state's voters."We are just two months from Election Day in which local, state, and federal elections will be held. Many states will have numerous ballot initiatives covering every issue imaginable. Voters need to know they can debate even the most emotional wrenching issues through the … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden Urges Senate Energy Panel to Bring Kempthorne to Hill to Answer Questions about Interior Ethics Abuses
Washington, D.C. - In the wake of a scathing Inspector General's report and news accounts alleging serious charges against personnel at the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today urged the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to hold a hearing so that Senators may question Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne about the allegations and what he has done to address ethics problems since becoming Secretary.Wyden, a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden, Bond, Senators Ask for Review of Classified Information in Senate Intelligence Report, Say Documents Were Overclassified
Washington, DC - A bipartisan group of Senators who serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee today asked an independent board that oversees classification of information to review the documents to determine if in fact too much was kept secret in the recently released Senate Intelligence reports.in a letter to the head of the Public Interest Declassification Board, the Senators wrote, "The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, on which we serve, recently released two reports addressing … Continue Reading
December 05, 2006
Wyden, Emanuel Join Forces for Middle Class Tax Reliefand Simpler, Flatter, Fairer Tax Plan
Washington, DC At a press conference today, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) touted their comprehensive, bicameral tax reform legislation that contains major tax relief for Americas middle class as it makes the U.S. income tax code simpler, flatter and fairer. Wyden introduced the Fair, Flat Tax Act of 2005 in the Senate in October; Emanuel announced plans today to introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Specifically, the … Continue Reading
December 05, 2006
Wyden, DeFazio, Blumenauer, Hooley and Wu Back Oregon Voters as Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on Assisted Suicide Case
Washington, DC As the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in a case aimed at overturning Oregons twice-approved physician-assisted suicide law, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.) and David Wu (D-Ore.) reiterated their support for the states case. Earlier this year, these members of Oregons congressional delegation filed an amicus brief opposing efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice to overturn … Continue Reading
December 05, 2006
Wyden Wins Protection of Privacy Rights in Intelligence Authorization Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today announced that the FY2006 Intelligence Authorization bill has been rewritten to address serious concerns he expressed earlier this month about provisions that would have compromised the privacy rights of American citizens, and that he will remove the "hold" he placed on the legislation earlier this month to force a debate on the provisions. This move means that the legislation is likely to be passed by the full Senate today. … Continue Reading
December 05, 2006
Wyden, Smith Praise BRAC Commission Vote to Save 142nd Fighter Wing
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today praised the vote of the Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission to reject a Pentagon proposal to gut the 142nd Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard in Portland. Senators Wyden and Smith testified against the proposal at a June 17 hearing, telling the Commission that the plan to reduce the number of alert fighter jets at the air base would seriously compromise Northwest and national security; state … Continue Reading
December 05, 2006
Senate Approves New Efforts to Fight Oregon's Growing Meth Problem
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that the U.S. Senate has approved legislation they championed to stop the creation, distribution and use of methamphetamine. The Combat Meth Act, which Wyden and Smith cosponsored along with U.S. Senators Jim Talent (R-Mo.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), has been included as part of the Fiscal Year 2006 Commerce, Justice Science (CJS) Appropriations legislation. The CJS appropriations bill now moves … Continue Reading
December 05, 2006
Wyden Provides Real Tax Relief for Middle Classin Simpler, Flatter, Fairer Reform Plan
Washington, DC At a press conference today, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced comprehensive tax reform legislation that contains major tax relief for Americas middle class as it makes the U.S. income tax code simpler, flatter and fairer. Wydens bill, the Fair Flat Tax Act of 2005, allows every taxpayer to file taxes on a simplified, one-page 1040 form, collapses individual tax brackets from the current six down to three and sets one, flat corporate rate. It also ends the Alternative … Continue Reading
December 05, 2006
Congress Will Not Preempt State Measures in Federal Methamphetamine Legislation
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that the Combat Meth Act approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee today will not preempt tougher state laws restricting access to cold medicines containing methamphetamine precursors. The preemption provision, opposed by both senators, was removed from the bill prior to committee approval. "Federal legislation is desperately needed to confront the country's growing methamphetamine crisis, but it … Continue Reading
December 05, 2006
Wyden Testifies on Strategies to Reduce Gasoline Price Gouging
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a longtime advocate for American consumers hit by unfairly high gasoline prices, testified today before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee at a hearing on energy pricing. In a 2004 report, Wyden sharply criticized the Federal Trade Commission for its failure to act on behalf of American consumers when oil company practices caused price spikes; in light of huge price increases following Hurricane Katrina he is suggesting more aggressive measures … Continue Reading
December 05, 2006
Wyden, Smith Announce Funding to Fight Methamphetamine in Oregon
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced that a number of Oregon community-based anti-methamphetamine programs will soon receive Federal funding as part of appropriations legislation to be approved by Congress this week. Additionally, the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund and oceanic observation research efforts at Oregon State University (OSU) are slated to receive funding. The Federal dollars approved for the projects were included in the … Continue Reading
December 04, 2006
Wyden, Smith Sponsor New Legislation to Keep Higher Education Saving Tax-Free
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) joined a bipartisan coalition of their Senate Finance Committee colleagues today to introduce legislation extending the tax-free status of programs that help families save for college, professional and vocational education. Wyden and Smith committed to work together on expanding tax breaks for the savings plans - known … Continue Reading