Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley: Oregon Communities Will Receive Nearly $13 Million For Emergency Housing Vouchers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that 31 Oregon counties and cities will receive about $12.8 million in federal resources from the American Rescue Plan to provide emergency housing vouchers for individuals and families who are homeless; at risk of homelessness; fleeing, or trying to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking. "The economic devastation touched off by this public health crisis has magnified … Continue Reading
May 10, 2021
Wyden, Merkley: Oregon to Receive More than $220 Million in Additional Emergency Rental Assistance
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Oregon will receive about $222.5 million in federal resources from the American Rescue Plan for emergency rental assistance. "Housing is a human right, and building back better from the economic impact of this health crisis demands addressing the year of past due rent piling up on thousands of Oregonians struggling to make ends meet," Wyden said. "With nearly 7 million Americans reportedly behind on rent, this … Continue Reading
May 07, 2021
Wyden, Merkley: Eugene Water and Electric Board to Receive More than $1 Million for Crucial Updates
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) has earned a $1.14 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to harden the power grid in areas that were devastated in recent years by ice storms and wildfire. "This is a public safety issue. The 2020 Labor Day fires as well as recent ice storms have reinforced the need for a significant investment in a resilient power grid," Wyden said. … Continue Reading
May 07, 2021
Merkley, Wyden Announce $255,000 Federal Investment in Lincoln County Broadband Expansion
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the Economic Development Administration is investing $255,200 in broadband expansion projects in Lincoln County. "As we set out to recover and rebuild in the wake of this pandemic, we need to make sure that every Oregonian-no matter where they live, where they work, or what they look like-has the tools they need to be healthy and thrive," said Merkley. "Those tools must include access to telehealth … Continue Reading
May 05, 2021
Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici Continue to Advocate for Tongue Point Job Corps Center with Department of Labor
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), today wrote to the Department of Labor (DOL) to follow up on a number of areas of concern among the North Coast community regarding the operations of the Tongue Point Job Corps Center (TPJCC). "The City of Astoria, and furthermore, all of Clatsop County, are experiencing a severe affordable housing shortage. In fact, today, there are only fifteen total available … Continue Reading
May 04, 2021
Merkley, Wyden Push to Expand Smith River National Recreation Area to Include Oregon
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they will be introducing legislation to expand the Smith River National Recreation Area by 58,000 acres, which would protect the diverse ecosystems of the rivers, streams, and adjacent lands of the North Fork Smith River watershed, and help boost the local fishing and recreation industries that many Oregon families rely on. In 1990, Congress enacted legislation to establish the Smith River National Recreation … Continue Reading
May 04, 2021
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Extend Tribal Broadband Application Deadline
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley-the Chair of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds the U.S. Department of the Interior-and Ron Wyden joined their colleagues in introducing the Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act of 2021, legislation to expand the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC's) 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window. This bill will allow tribal nations and Native Hawaiian organizations the time they need to apply for spectrum licenses for … Continue Reading
April 29, 2021
Senate Passes Wyden and Merkley's Western Tribal Water Infrastructure Act
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate today passed a water infrastructure package that includes legislation by U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to improve water quality and services for tribal communities in Oregon and nationwide. The Wyden and Merkley provisions passed today will authorize $250 million for tribal water infrastructure projects, and will make sure that Native American tribes most in need will be prioritized. "Water is a human right; it should be guaranteed. Native American … Continue Reading
April 29, 2021
Wyden, Markey Introduce GREEN Communications Act to Promote Network Resiliency and Energy Efficiency in Communications Networks
Washington, DC - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today introduced the Generating Resilient and Energy Efficient Network (GREEN) Communications Act, legislation that will harden our communications networks against climate change and natural disasters, while simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint of communications infrastructure. "Oregonians know first-hand that hardening our communications networks is a life-and-death proposition as supercharged wildfires … Continue Reading
April 28, 2021
Wyden, Merkley: Oregon to Receive More Than $90 Million in Relief for Homeowners
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Oregon will be allocated more than $90 million in federal assistance from the American Rescue Plan for homeowners struggling to pay their mortgage, home insurance and utility payments because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "No one should have to fear losing their home due to circumstances beyond their control, like a global pandemic," Wyden said. "The economic fallout of this public health crisis has underlined just … Continue Reading
April 28, 2021
Wyden, Rubio, Durbin and Boozman Introduce Resolution Condemning Repression of Iranian Baha’i
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Marco Rubio, R-Fla, Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and John Boozman, R-Ark., introduced a resolution condemning Iran's government for persecuting the 300,000 members of the Baha'i faith. "Baha'is in Iran should be free to practice their faith safely and peacefully," Wyden said. "But the Iranian government continues to wrongly imprison Baha'i religious leaders and persecute their followers, in violation of Iran's own international commitments. This … Continue Reading
April 27, 2021
Wyden Joins Colleagues to Introduce Legislation to Stop Sexual Harassment in STEM
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today joined colleagues to introduce legislation that would improve the understanding of factors contributing to sexual harassment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, examine impacts of harassment on individuals and policies to reduce it, and spur interagency efforts to mitigate this harassment. "As the #MeToo movement continues to spotlight, sexual harassment remains all too prevalent in the workplace. Too often, … Continue Reading
April 27, 2021
Wyden Joins Warren to Introduce Universal Child Care and Early Learning Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today joined U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and colleagues to introduce legislation that would ensure every family in Oregon and nationwide has access to high-quality, affordable child care and early learning opportunities by establishing a network of federally-supported, locally administered child care options. "Working families in Oregon and throughout our country face the daunting challenge of soaring child care expenses while trying to make a … Continue Reading
April 27, 2021
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Push Plan to Help Long-Term Unemployed Oregonians Get Back to Work
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden-alongside U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and U.S. Representative Andy Levin (D-MI-09)-have introduced the Long-Term Unemployment Elimination Act, legislation to create a subsidized jobs program that would help Americans who have been unemployed long-term finally get back to work. Even before the pandemic hit, over 1 million Americans were looking for work for over six months and could not find a job. That number rose … Continue Reading
April 26, 2021
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Break America’s Addiction to Fossil Fuels, Ban U.S. Oil Exports
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden-alongside their colleagues U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)-introduced legislation to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and reinstate the ban on exporting American crude oil and natural gas abroad. The Block All New (BAN) Oil Exports Act would help prioritize American consumers, protect the climate, promote environmental justice, and encourage the United … Continue Reading
April 23, 2021
Wyden Joins Colleagues to Reintroduce Child Care for Working Families Act
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and colleagues to introduce the Child Care for Working Families Act, comprehensive legislation to address the child care crisis and ensure that working families can find and afford high-quality child care. "Working families in Oregon and across the nation have long been struggling to navigate child care deserts, but the pandemic has laid bare that too many women are being forced to … Continue Reading
April 23, 2021
Wyden Will Hold Three Online Town Halls for Oregonians
Portland - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced he will have live on-line town halls hosted by People's Town Hall for residents of Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa and Wasco counties Wyden has held 970 in-person town halls statewide in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon's 36 counties. Wyden has postponed in-person town halls until there are clear-cut public health guidelines that a large open-to-all public meeting poses no unusual health risk … Continue Reading
April 23, 2021
Wyden, Merkley: City of Ashland to Receive $3 Million Federal Wildfire Grant
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the city of Ashland has secured a $3 million federal grant to fund the creation of wildfire defensible space for 1,100 homes and the replacement of 23 wood shake roofs with ignition-resistant roof materials. "Ashland residents know from painful experience the frightening hazards of living and working in a region at serious risk of wildfires," Wyden said. "This federal investment will help to protect hundreds … Continue Reading
April 22, 2021
Wyden, Merkley Resolution Honoring Beverly Cleary Passes Senate
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate today passed a resolution by Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley honoring Oregon-born author Beverly Cleary for her timeless impact on children's literature with Ramona, Beezus, Henry and many other memorable characters she brought to life for young readers with her books set in Northeast Portland. "Beverly Cleary had a unique ability to write books that the whole family could enjoy, wearing out copies of Beezus and Ramona after years and years of bedtime … Continue Reading
April 22, 2021
Wyden Reintroduces Legislation to Improve Soil Health, Crop Resilience and Address the Climate Crisis
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today reintroduced legislation to help address the climate crisis by encouraging farming practices that improve soil health and crop resilience and lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere - with a strong focus on supporting the nation's small, rural and underserved farmers in this transition. "Every day should be Earth Day, where we acknowledge the need for and prioritize climate action to protect our planet for future generations. … Continue Reading
