Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley Announce $600,000 for Rogue Valley International Medford Airport
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of $600,000 for the Rogue Valley International Medford Airport to support the expansion of service to Dallas-Fort Worth. “Making sure our regional airports have the support they need to keep Oregonians connected and moving is essential for the local economy,” Wyden said. “I applaud this federal investment to Rogue Valley International Medford Airport, and will continue to fight for more resources … Continue Reading
October 30, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Blumenauer, Hoyle: State of Oregon & Four Tribes Earn More Than $12 Million in Federal Funds for Grid Resilience
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley as well as U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Val Hoyle today announced that Oregon’s Energy Department has secured $10.9 million and four Tribes with members in Oregon have earned a combined $1.16 million in federal investment to modernize the electric grid and reduce the impacts of extreme weather while also ensuring power sector reliability. The four Tribes securing the federal funds are the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, Cow … Continue Reading
October 30, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce $46 Million to Boost the Klamath Basin
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is investing a total of $46,191,133 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to boost ecosystem restoration and enhance water quality and reliability through 24 projects throughout the Klamath Basin—12 of which are taking place in Oregon. This latest federal funding wave from the landmark law will largely fuel the Klamath River’s recovery and habitat restoration … Continue Reading
October 29, 2024
Wyden, Merkley: Port of Portland Earns $2.77 Million Federal Award
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of $2.77 million toward the Port of Portland’s work to decarbonize as well as improve natural disaster resilience. “The Port of Portland plays an integral role in many Oregonians’ travel plans, and also a crucial element for small Oregon businesses who depend on the Port to ship their Oregon-grown goods around the world,” Wyden said. “Ensuring the Port of Portland has the long-term tools it needs … Continue Reading
October 29, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Kaine, Markey, Van Hollen and Booker Warn U.N. Cyber Convention Could Justify Spying and Censorship By China, Russia and Other Authoritarian Regimes
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and five Democratic senators urged the Biden Administration to make clear a United Nations cyber convention should not be used to justify censorship, spying and human rights abuses by authoritarian governments like Russia and China, in a letter released today. “We fear the Convention will legitimize efforts by authoritarian countries like Russia and China to censor and surveil internet users, furthering repression and human rights abuses … Continue Reading
October 29, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Celebrate Multi-Million Dollar Federal Investment in Rail Safety, Stronger Supply Chains Across Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced $42,712,400 in federal funding is coming to Oregon for five projects to improve railroad safety, efficiency, and reliability across the state. The investment—funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which advances projects that modernize America’s freight and intercity passenger rail … Continue Reading
October 28, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce $5.3 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding for TriMet and PDX Projects
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that $5,360,000 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds are headed to the Portland metro region for two transportation projects. The federal grants awarded will support the deployment of new digital technology for Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) light rail vehicles and fund airport terminal reconstruction efforts at Portland International Airport (PDX). “Oregonians in every … Continue Reading
October 28, 2024
Merkley, Wyden, Hoyle: $10.2 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding to Boost Eugene Transportation Projects
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and U.S. Representative Val Hoyle announced today $10,215,123 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds are headed to the Eugene area for two transportation projects. The federal grants awarded will support the deployment of a mobility app for residents and fund airport terminal reconstruction efforts at Eugene Airport (EUG), also known as Mahlon Sweet Field. “Oregonians in every corner of our state should be able to get where … Continue Reading
October 25, 2024
Hoyle, Wyden, Merkley Announce Another $29 Million in Federal Funding for Port of Coos Bay Intermodal Project
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Val Hoyle, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, announced $29,751,615 in federal funding for the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port (PCIP) Coos Bay Rail Line (CBRL) Upgrades Planning Project. The investment comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail and Infrastructure Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program. "Today’s award makes long overdue investments in the Coos Bay Rail Line and will improve sections of … Continue Reading
October 24, 2024
Wyden, Merkley: Conservation Projects in Central, Eastern & Southern Oregon Earn $95.7 Million in Federal Investment
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that five rural Oregon conservation projects have secured a total of more than $95 million in federal investment to help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners adopt and expand strategies that enhance natural resources while tackling the climate crisis. . “These significant federal investments add up to huge benefits for Oregonians working to achieve a more sustainable future in rural counties by reducing the risk of … Continue Reading
October 24, 2024
Oregon Delegation Seeks Federal Help for State’s Record Fire Season
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s entire congressional delegation today urged President Biden to grant Governor Kotek’s request that Oregon receive a major disaster declaration in response to record-setting wildfires that burned about three times the average acreage this year. “The 2024 wildfire season has been one of the most devastating and costly fire seasons on record,” U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley as well as U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Cliff Bentz, Val Hoyle, Andrea … Continue Reading
October 23, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues File Amicus Brief Urging Ninth Circuit Court to Affirm that Federal Law Requires Hospitals to Provide Emergency Stabilizing Care Including Abortion Care, Preempts Idaho’s Draconian Abortion Ban
Washington D.C.— U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he is among the co-leaders of an amicus brief from 259 Members of Congress submitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States, two consolidated cases concerning the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act under consideration by the en banc Ninth Circuit. This federal law known as EMTALA requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to provide necessary “stabilizing … Continue Reading
October 23, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues Call on Feds to Prosecute Tax Prep Companies for Illegally Sharing Sensitive Personal and Financial Taxpayer Data
Washington D.C.— U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined Senate and House colleagues to urge the Department of Justice to act against major tax preparation companies illegally sharing protected and sensitive taxpayer information with Big Tech firms. “We write to urge you to investigate and prosecute the criminal behavior of major tax preparation companies identified in our investigation and confirmed by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Internal Revenue … Continue Reading
October 23, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues Slam McDonald’s for Squeezing Customers with Excessive Price Increases
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today he has joined with Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bob Casey, D-Pa. to press McDonald's for more information on the company’s pricing decisions as fast food prices continue to increase, outpacing inflation and squeezing customers. “While McDonald’s is not the only fast food restaurant that has increased prices significantly in recent years, its dominant market position as the largest fast food chain in the United States … Continue Reading
October 21, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce Nearly $3 Million Loan for High Speed Internet in Oregon
Washington D.C.— U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal loan of $2.8 million for Clear Creek Communications to expand high-speed internet access to households, businesses and farms in Clackamas County. “It is more important now than ever to have reliable access to the internet, especially for rural Oregonians who need access to emergency services, telehealth appointments, school research and more,” Wyden said. “Just last year, I worked with Commerce Secretary Gina … Continue Reading
October 18, 2024
Wyden Announces Town Hall Next Week in Jackson County
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold an open-to-all town hall on Thursday, Oct. 24 in Jackson County. This 10 am town hall at Phoenix High School Rose Theater (745 N Rose St., Phoenix) will be Wyden’s second this year in Jackson County and 1,101st overall -- honoring his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of our state’s 36 counties. “Every year, in every county of Oregon, I invite Oregonians to have face-to-face conversations with me at my … Continue Reading
October 16, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce Major Federal Funding to Protect Portland’s Kids from Lead-Based Paint
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today $7.75 million in federal funding was awarded to the City of Portland to keep young children safe from lead-based paint hazards in older homes. “No Oregonian—regardless of where they live—should have to worry about whether their home is poisoning them or their children,” said Merkley. “This federal funding will help Portland address the threats posed by remnants of lead-based paint hazards. I will continue to … Continue Reading
October 16, 2024
Hoyle, Wyden, Merkley Announce $25 Million in Funding for Port of Coos Bay Intermodal Project
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Val Hoyle and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, announced $25,018,750 in federal funding for the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port (PCIP) Terminal Planning Project. The investment comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects (INFRA) grant program. “I am thrilled today that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded over $25 million for the Port of Coos Bay … Continue Reading
October 14, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $37 Million in Federal Funds for Oregon to Replace Unsafe Drinking Water Infrastructure
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of $37 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to replace lead and copper water pipes across Oregon that have been known to cause serious health issues. “The science is clear - there is no safe level of lead in drinking water,” Wyden said. “I am very grateful to see more than $37 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law ensure that Oregonians always have access to clean drinking water in … Continue Reading
October 11, 2024
Wyden Presses Biden Administration to Secure U.S. Wiretapping Systems Following Reported Hack
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., pressed the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to stop hackers from breaching U.S. telephone and broadband companies’ wiretapping systems by setting mandatory security standards and doing more to hold companies accountable for negligent cybersecurity, in a letter today. Wyden’s letter follows a report by The Wall Street Journal last week that suspected-Chinese government hackers may have breached major … Continue Reading
