Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Security & Liberty
Wyden Statement on Burr-Feinstein Anti-Encryption Bill
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement in response to a new anti-encryption bill released today. "The encryption debate is about having more security or having less security. This legislation would effectively outlaw Americans from protecting themselves. It would ban the strongest types of encryption and undermine the foundation of cybersecurity for millions of Americans. This flawed bill would leave Americans more vulnerable to stalkers, identity thieves, … Continue Reading
April 08, 2016
Wyden Statement on Draft Bill Requiring Companies to Undermine Strong Encryption
Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today, in response to a draft bill that would require companies to undermine strong encryption: "This legislation says a company can design what they want their back door to look like, but it would definitely require them to build a back door," Wyden said. "For the first time in America, companies who want to provide their customers with stronger security would not have that choice - they would be required to decide how to weaken their products … Continue Reading
April 06, 2016
Wyden Statement on WhatsApp Implementing End-to-End Encryption
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement about WhatsApp's announcement it will upgrade security for millions of people who use its messaging app: "This is a significant step to strengthen online security for millions of people worldwide. Consumers are demanding the best possible security for their digital communications and WhatsApp is just the latest company moving to meet that demand. This is especially important for human rights activists, political … Continue Reading
February 09, 2016
Watch: Wyden Questions CIA Director on Searching Senate Files, Director of National Intelligence on Strong Encryption
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore, pressed CIA Director John Brennan on the CIA's improper search of Senate files at a rare open hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today. "When you're talking about spying on the committee responsible for overseeing your agency, in my view that undermines the very checks and balances that protect our democracy and it is unacceptable in a free society," Wyden said. The CIA's own Inspector General concluded the CIA "improperly … Continue Reading
September 21, 2015
Wyden Applauds Win for Free Speech and Common Sense in Revised Intelligence Authorization Bill
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., praised the removal of a flawed Intelligence Authorization bill provision to require companies like Twitter and Facebook to notify the government about vaguely defined "terrorist activity" by social media users. Wyden placed a hold on the 2016 Intelligence Authorization bill in July over concerns about the provision after an outcry from technology companies that the bill could force companies to take drastic steps to police users' speech online. … Continue Reading
September 08, 2015
Wyden Statement on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
The Senate has no weightier responsibility this fall than consideration of the nuclear agreement recently negotiated by the United States, key world powers, and Iran. The decision facing each Senator this week will be whether to support the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or to reject it. For me, this decision has been as difficult as they come. The fundamental question for me is what this agreement means for the prospects of Iran getting a nuclear bomb. This agreement with the duplicitous … Continue Reading
June 09, 2015
Wyden: Republican Leaders Are Trying to Make a Bad Defense Bill Worse By Adding Flawed Cyber Amendment
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement in response to calls to attach a flawed cybersecurity bill to the National Defense Authorization Act. "Senate Republican leaders are trying to make a bad defense bill worse by adding a flawed cybersecurity bill," Wyden said. "If Senator McConnell insists on attaching the flawed CISA bill to unrelated legislation, I will be fighting to ensure the Senate has a full debate and a chance to offer amendments to add … Continue Reading
June 02, 2015
Wyden and Paul Release Joint Amendments, Call For Votes On Proposals to Expand Surveillance Reforms
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., announced nine amendments to reform U.S. surveillance programs, enhance protections for American's personal information and improve transparency regarding intelligence activities. Wyden and Paul called on Republican leaders to allow votes on amendments to strengthen privacy protections, rather than forcing votes on amendments that would water down the USA Freedom Act. The joint amendments would: Amendment 1446: Require … Continue Reading
May 31, 2015
Wyden Praises End to NSA Phone Records Dragnet, Calls for Passage of Surveillance Reform Bill
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., tonight praised the end to the bulk collection of Americans' information under the Patriot Act, and called for the Senate to pass the USA Freedom Act to enact additional reforms. "Tonight the collection of phone records of millions of innocent Americans will end. The demise of this dragnet surveillance is a victory for the principle that Americans do not need to sacrifice liberty to have security. I have worked for this moment since I first learned … Continue Reading
May 23, 2015
Wyden Statement on Senate Blocking Extension of Patriot Act Mass Surveillance
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden issued the following statement after the U.S Senate blocked a short-term extension of mass surveillance under the Patriot Act: "Today the Ben Franklin caucus stood tall and proved that supporters of mass surveillance can no longer bully the U.S. Senate into extending an illegal and unconstitutional law by running out the clock. When Sen. McConnell tried to extend Patriot Act for five more days, I said no more." "This week Americans must continue to speak out … Continue Reading
May 13, 2015
Wyden Statement on House Passage of USA Freedom Act
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the USA Freedom Act by a 338 to 88 vote: "Today, the House of Representatives took an important step for protecting the privacy of Americans by voting to end the bulk collection of millions of Americans' personal information under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. I am also encouraged that the version of the USA Freedom Act passed today increases … Continue Reading
May 07, 2015
Wyden, Heinrich: Second Circuit Court of Appeals Rules NSA Dragnet Is Illegal – One More Reason to End the Dragnet
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., today called on the White House to finally end the mass surveillance of Americans, following a decision by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals that the National Security Agency is violating the law by collecting millions of Americans' phone records. "This is a huge step for individual Americans' rights," Wyden said. "This dragnet surveillance program violates the law and tramples on Americans' privacy rights without … Continue Reading
April 28, 2015
Wyden Statement on USA Freedom Act of 2015
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D- Ore., issued the following statement on the USA Freedom Act of 2015, introduced on Tuesday, which would end bulk collection of Americans' information under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. "This legislation would finally end bulk collection of the personal information of millions of Americans, and make other important reforms like increasing transparency and improving the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court process. I look forward to working with … Continue Reading
March 12, 2015
Wyden: Cybersecurity Bill Lacks Privacy Protections, Doesn’t Secure Networks
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. issued the following statement after voting against the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act during a Senate Intelligence Committee markup today: "Cyber-attacks and hacking against U.S. companies and networks are a serious problem for the American economy and for our national security. It makes sense to encourage private firms to share information about cybersecurity threats. But this information sharing is only acceptable if there are strong … Continue Reading
January 21, 2015
Wyden Statement on Covering up Torture Report and Panetta Review
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on efforts to cover up the facts about torture by returning the Panetta Review to the CIA and pulling back all copies of the Senate Intelligence Committee's torture report from the executive branch: "The President has said that he wants to make sure that torture never happens again, so I'm confident he is going to make sure that the full Senate torture report is read by policymakers and officials across the government. … Continue Reading
January 14, 2015
Wyden Statement on CIA Accountability Board Report on Agency’s Secret Search of U.S. Senate Files
Washington, D.C. -Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the CIA Accountability Board's report on the agency's secret search of Senate Intelligence Committee files: "Both the CIA Inspector General and the review board appointed by Director Brennan have now concluded that the CIA's unauthorized search of Senate files was improper. It is incredible that no one at the CIA has been held accountable for this very clear violation of Constitutional principles. Director Brennan … Continue Reading
December 09, 2014
Wyden: Senate Report Shows CIA Torture Did Not Work and America Should Never Torture Again
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today responded to the release of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on torture by the Central Intelligence Agency. "Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, a small number of CIA officials decided to listen to the advice of outside contractors who told them that the way to quickly get important information from captured terrorist suspects was by using coercive interrogation techniques that had been developed and used by … Continue Reading
December 04, 2014
Wyden Introduces Bill To Ban Government-Mandated Backdoors Into Americans’ Cellphones and Computers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced the Secure Data Act to protect Americans' privacy and data security. The bill prohibits government mandates to build backdoors or security vulnerabilities into U.S. software and electronics. U.S. government officials have recently proposed to compel companies to build backdoors in the security features of their products. These proposals threaten to undermine the development and deployment of strong data security technologies … Continue Reading
October 31, 2014
Wyden: CIA Demand To Black Out Torture Report Details Would Be Unprecedented
Washington, D.C. -The Central Intelligence Agency's call to black out all pseudonyms from the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on torture would be unprecedented - and represents an unacceptable effort to obscure key facts, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today. "This report is about mistakes, misdeeds and falsehoods that were repeated over a period of years. If you don't know whether they were repeated by different officials each time, or by the same officials over and over, you really … Continue Reading
October 28, 2014
Merkley, Wyden and Schrader Persuade Coast Guard to Delay Newport Helicopter Closure
Portland, OR - Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Congressman Kurt Schrader today spoke with the Commandant of the Coast Guard and got assurance from him that the November 30th date previously set for the closure of the Newport helicopter facility would be extended to December 15th. The Coast Guard agreed that this additional time would allow for a more extensive and thorough discussion of the risks to recreational fishing, commercial fishing and other activities on the Central … Continue Reading
