Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Tax Fairness Bill for Striking Workers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (both D-OR) said today they have introduced legislation that would ensure workers in Oregon and nationwide are not taxed on the small stipends they receive while on strike. “Americans battling for fair wages, working conditions and benefits count on strike funds from their union to keep providing food, shelter and more for their families,” said Wyden, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee. “This bill provides a fair shake … Continue Reading
September 12, 2025
Wyden, Colleagues Demand Reinstatement of Critical Wildfire Preparedness Program
Washington D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined colleagues from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to question the Trump administration’s sudden elimination of the Women in Wildfire (WIWF) Bootcamps program and demand its reinstatement. This year alone, the U.S. has experienced 48,458 wildfires that have burned more than four million acres across Oregon and dozens of states. The WIWF Bootcamps provided essential training to women considering careers as … Continue Reading
September 12, 2025
Bynum, Merkley, Wyden Demand Funding for Kids with Disabilities in Central Oregon Be Restored
Washington, DC - Today, after the Trump Administration announced the termination of a grant for the Central Oregon Disability Support Network, Inc. (CODSN), Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) led a letter to the U.S. Department of Education demanding the reinstatement of the federal funding. CODSN is an organization that has provided essential support to families in rural Oregon raising children with disabilities for decades. Rep. Bynum has continued to advocate for children and students with … Continue Reading
September 11, 2025
Wyden, Merkley and Markey Demand ICE Stop Using Mobile Facial Recognition App
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (both D-Ore.) today joined with U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) to urge the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to stop using a new biometric mobile phone app, “Mobile Fortify,” to surveil individuals in the United States. Biometric scanning technology — such as facial recognition — is often biased and inaccurate, especially against communities of color. Even when accurate, this type of on-demand surveillance … Continue Reading
September 11, 2025
Wyden, Merkley Join Amicus Brief Slamming Trump for the Abuse of Deploying Military into American Cities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are joining 16 senators to file an amicus brief on a lawsuit against Donald Trump for abusing military force, including deploying thousands of troops in Los Angeles without seeking approval from state and local officials. “Donald Trump is using our military like political pawns to target cities and groups he’s labeled as his political enemies,” Wyden said. “The military deployment in Los Angeles is just the tip of the … Continue Reading
September 11, 2025
Wyden, Jayapal, Welch, Bennet Reintroduce Legislation to Improve Child Nutrition
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., today reintroduced legislation that would improve child nutrition by expanding access to locally-grown, unprocessed fruits and vegetables for school meal programs. “It’s not rocket science: healthy foods at school set up kids to be successful in and outside of the classroom,” Wyden said. “That’s why I am working to bring fresh foods grown from … Continue Reading
September 10, 2025
Wyden Calls for FTC Investigation of Microsoft for Enabling Ascension Hospital Ransomware Hack with Insecure Software
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., urged the Federal Trade Commission to launch an investigation of Microsoft for contributing to ransomware attacks against critical U.S. infrastructure, including the hack of millions of patient records from Ascension, the major hospital system, in 2024. “I urge the FTC to investigate Microsoft and hold the company responsible for the serious harm it has caused by delivering dangerous, insecure software to the U.S. government and to critical … Continue Reading
September 10, 2025
Merkley, Wyden, Padilla, Bonamici, Bipartisan Colleagues Urge Administration to Release $52.1 Million in Federal Education Funds for Agricultural Farmworker Students
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, California’s U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, and U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) today led 26 lawmakers to demand Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon immediately release $52,123,000 for the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), which support educational opportunities for agricultural farmworker … Continue Reading
September 10, 2025
Wyden Introduces Bill to Protect Food Assistance Benefits for People with Student Loans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today said he is joining legislation that would improve food access for families with student loans. The legislation would allow people in need of food assistance to exclude monthly student loan payments - for both private and federal loans - from their income; improving borrowers’ eligibility and increasing their benefits. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) already contains deductions for some expenses such as housing and child … Continue Reading
September 09, 2025
Wyden, Merkley, Dexter Announce More Than $2 Million for Wildfire and Watershed Resilience in Mt. Hood National Forest
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley with U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter today announced more than $2 million in federal investments for fuels reduction work across private and public lands in Mt. Hood National Forest to reduce the risk of wildfire. “During another destructive wildfire season, I have heard directly from Oregonians living and working on the frontlines of these blazes about the urgent need for more resources,” Wyden said. “Funding the work to protect our public … Continue Reading
September 08, 2025
Wyden, Democratic Colleagues Press Trump Administration Decision to Raise Student Loan Payments for Low-Income Americans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today led 11 of his Democratic Senate colleagues in demanding answers from the Trump administration about its plans to deny 460,000 student loan borrowers that have applied for lower repayment plans. "We write with grave concern regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to summarily reject 460,000 borrowers’ applications for more affordable monthly student loan payments under income-driven repayment,” the Senators wrote in their letter to … Continue Reading
September 08, 2025
Wyden Announces More Than $6 Million for Infrastructure Upgrades in Southern Oregon
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced more than $6 million in federal investments he worked with Gold Hill to secure so city residents can be connected to the regional waste water system and support upgrades to that local infrastructure. “Having reliable water infrastructure like functioning sewer utilities is absolutely essential to keeping Oregonians safe and healthy,” Wyden said. “I’m glad the teamwork with the City of Gold Hill has produced this federal investment, and I … Continue Reading
September 04, 2025
Wyden Unveils Report on Millions of Americans Losing Coverage and Skyrocketing Costs if Republicans End Premium Tax Credits
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today joined his colleagues in publishing a report they commissioned detailing the disastrous impacts of Republican cuts to health care, including allowing the cost of health care coverage to skyrocket and become more unaffordable for millions of working Americans by letting premium tax credits expire this year. “Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, tens of millions of working Americans can buy their own health coverage without breaking the bank. … Continue Reading
September 03, 2025
Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici: FEMA Must Award Critical Disaster Mitigation Funds to an Oregon Coast Project
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, as well as U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), today demanded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) immediately award Clatsop County and Columbia Memorial Hospital (CMH) $20,845,683 in federal funding that was provided under the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. “We urge you to honor FEMA's commitments and award Clatsop … Continue Reading
September 03, 2025
Wyden Applauds Victory for C-SPAN; After Pressure From Wyden, YouTube TV and Hulu Agree to Carry Government Access Channel In Streaming Packages
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., applauded the announcement that YouTube TV and Hulu will carry C-SPAN, following pressure from Wyden and other members on streaming TV companies to support public access to unfiltered news about government actions. “I’m glad YouTube and Hulu decided to do the right thing and support C-SPAN, one of the most reliable and non-partisan sources of information about what the government is up to. C-SPAN is a refreshing antidote to the poisonous … Continue Reading
August 28, 2025
Wyden Announces Town Halls in Tillamook and Lincoln Counties
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold open-to-all town halls next week in Tillamook and Lincoln counties. Heading into these two town halls on Sept. 5-6, Wyden has held 1,134 open-to-all town halls in keeping his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties. “I’m very much looking forward to these two town halls on the Oregon Coast because these community meetings provide everybody an opportunity to voice opinions, ask questions … Continue Reading
August 28, 2025
Wyden, Merkley Announce More Than $17 Million to be Invested in Oregon Rural Airports under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced more than $17 million will be invested in airports throughout Oregon thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law they supported in 2021 during the Biden administration. “I’m gratified that logical policies like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continue to deliver much-needed infrastructure investments to rural communities throughout Oregon,” Wyden said. “I will keep up the fight for common-sense policies and funding … Continue Reading
August 26, 2025
Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici Express Concern Over the Closure of Providence Seaside’s Birthing Center
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, and U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), are expressing serious concern over the planned closure of labor and delivery services at Providence Seaside and call on Providence Health & Services to support families and clinicians affected by the decision. Last week, Providence announced that, on October 4, the Seaside hospital would end obstetrics and inpatient newborn care. The lawmakers sent a letter to … Continue Reading
August 25, 2025
Wyden Calls For Independent Review of Federal Judicial Cybersecurity Following Massive Hack of Secret Court Files
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called on Chief Justice John Roberts to commission a comprehensive review of the federal court system’s cybersecurity practices, following the second major hack of the courts’ electronic case management system in the past five years. This system was hacked by multiple foreign actors in 2020, and yet federal courts refused to make details about the incident public, or to require even basic cybersecurity protections such as multifactor … Continue Reading
August 20, 2025
Wyden, Merkley Call for Investigation, Sanctions for Israeli Settlers’ Violence and Obstruction of Aid in Gaza
Washington D.C.- U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore., today announced they are joining Senate colleagues in demanding the Trump administration act immediately on reports that Israeli settlers are blocking humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza and attacking Palestinian civilians, including U.S. citizens, in the West Bank. “We write to express our grave concern over reports that Israeli settlers (settlers) are obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and engaging … Continue Reading
