Press Releases
Wyden and Merkley Support HHS Proposal to Make Data Collection on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity More Inclusive in Electronic Health Records
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., today highlighted their support for a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposal to update national standards in electronic health record systems to include preferred names and pronouns, and to record a patient’s sex parameter for clinical use in medical records to ensure accurate treatment - which are essential to allowing providers to give LGBTQ+ patients more accurate and personalized medical … Continue Reading
June 27, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Join Legislation to Expand Pell Grant Awards and Make Higher Education More Accessible
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced today they’ve co-sponsored legislation that would nearly double the Pell Grant maximum award, index the maximum award for inflation, and make other changes to expand the award for working students and families. The Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act would also make Pell Grant funding fully mandatory, expand the program to include DREAMers, and restore lifetime eligibility for the program to 18 semesters. The Pell … Continue Reading
June 27, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $30.1 Million in PILT Payments to Support Vital Services in Oregon
WASHINGTON D.C.— U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced counties throughout Oregon will receive more than $30.1 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2024. Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT payments help to defray the costs associated with maintaining important community services. “Oregonians cherish our public lands, and we need to make sure local communities have all the tools they need to help improve quality of life and … Continue Reading
June 27, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call on Postal Service to Prepare for Upcoming Election
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he is leading Senate colleagues including U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley in calling on Postmaster General DeJoy and the U.S. Postal Service to share their plans to accommodate high volumes of mail expected in the upcoming 2024 general election in Oregon and nationwide. “In 2020, the Postal Service overcame a series of challenges, including the onset of a global pandemic, to fulfill this critical mission. Impressively, it delivered 97.9% of … Continue Reading
June 26, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce $5 million for Affordable Housing Efforts in Bend
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is awarding the City of Bend a total of $5 million in federal funding to support the city’s efforts to enhance affordable housing accessibility through planning, infrastructure improvements, development, and preservation activities. “Ensuring access to safe and affordable housing is key to creating thriving communities, but I hear from Oregonians … Continue Reading
June 26, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Join Colleagues in Calling on Department of Energy to Promote Battery Recycling in U.S. Electric Vehicle Fleet
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined 12 of their colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to bolster and diversify the nation’s domestic supply of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, including promoting EV battery recycling. Congress has taken bipartisan steps to support EV battery recycling. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allocated more than $6 billion for advanced battery manufacturing, research, and development. This work has … Continue Reading
June 25, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Support Introduction of Resolution Recognizing June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they joined their colleagues in introducing a Senate resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month. The resolution—authored by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)—highlights the contributions LGBTQ+ Americans have made to our country, notes several major milestones in the fight for equal treatment of LGBTQ+ Americans, and resolves to continue efforts to achieve full equality for all. “Generations of Americans … Continue Reading
June 25, 2024
Merkley, Wyden, Blumenauer, Bonamici, Salinas: Nearly $43 Million Coming to Portland, Warm Springs, and Salem for Critical Transportation Improvements
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and Andrea Salinas (OR-06), announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is awarding nearly $43 million in federal funding from its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program to projects in Portland, Warm Springs, and Salem. These federal funds will go towards upgrading roads, … Continue Reading
June 24, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $25 Million Expansion to Broadband Technical Assistance Program
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the federal government is making available $25 million through the broadband technical assistance program to help local organizations, cooperatives and Tribes expand affordable, high-speed internet projects in rural communities throughout Oregon and nationwide. “Like water, rural communities in Oregon and across the country need reliable internet access to be able to survive and thrive,” Wyden said. “This … Continue Reading
June 24, 2024
During Pride Month, Wyden Joins Bill to Support LGBTQ+ Older Americans
Washington, D.C. — U. S. Senator Ron Wyden today joined his colleagues in introducing a bill to support LGBTQ+ older adults and older adults with HIV in Oregon and nationwide. The Elder Pride Act would establish an Office of LGBTQ+ Inclusion within the Department of Health and Human Services to gather information on the challenges experienced by LGBTQ+ older adults. In addition, the bill would advocate, coordinate activities, and recommend policies for LGBTQ+ older adults. “As we work with … Continue Reading
June 24, 2024
During Pride Month, Wyden, Merkley Join Resolution Apologizing for Government Discrimination Against LGBTQ+ Civil Servants, Servicemembers
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are co-sponsoring a Senate resolution that acknowledges and apologizes for the mistreatment of and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals who have served the nation in the uniformed services, as civil servants, or in the Foreign Service. “Even as millions celebrate Pride Month, LGBTQ+ Americans are burdened by systemic discrimination that has prevented them from being recognized for their service to this … Continue Reading
June 20, 2024
Wyden Introduces Bill to Empower First Responders with Resources Needed to Tackle Electric Vehicle Crashes
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today introduced legislation that would require federal agencies to provide electric vehicle (EV) safety information, testing standards, and training materials for local first responders across the nation. Electric vehicles pose a unique challenge to first responders used to dealing with traditional vehicles. Batteries are often damaged in accidents, exposing the passengers and emergency personnel to hazardous chemicals, electric shocks, and battery … Continue Reading
June 20, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce Funding for the City of Portland to Transition to Fully Electric Utility Trucks
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the City of Portland received $611,536 as an initial award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fund the replacement of two municipal aerial lift utility trucks with fully battery-electric vehicle (BEV) aerial trucks—the first BEV’s in this vehicle class for the city. The investments will also be used to provide specialized BEV training for the city’s in-house vehicle … Continue Reading
June 20, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Hoyle Urge VA to Build Roseburg Veterans’ Home
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, alongside U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), urge the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to urgently prioritize the application and funding for the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA) Roseburg Veterans’ Home project in Fiscal Year 2025. Currently, ODVA operates two high-quality, award-winning Oregon Veterans’ Homes: the Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles, a 151-bed skilled nursing facility, and the … Continue Reading
June 18, 2024
Wyden Applauds Biden Administration Launch of Columbia River Task Force
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today applauded the Biden administration for launching the Columbia River Task Force, a new interagency panel that would pioneer a historic commitment among Tribes and Pacific Northwest states to restore wild salmon populations in the Columbia River Basin while advancing outdoor recreation, local economies, and other regional needs: “Today’s Biden administration announcement of a Columbia River Task Force is welcome news for all Oregonians … Continue Reading
June 17, 2024
Wyden Supports Judge Kasubhai’s Nomination to U.S. District Court for Oregon
Watch a video of Wyden delivering his remarks here in a Senate floor speech As prepared for delivery I come to the floor today to reiterate my strong support for Judge Mustafa Kasubhai’s nomination to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. There is a litany of reasons why I believe Judge Kasubhai is qualified for this position, but today I’ll focus on three: he prioritizes public safety, he understands our rural communities, and his nomination has broad support from … Continue Reading
June 17, 2024
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $16.5 Million in FEMA Funding for Douglas County's Emergency Radio System Upgrade
Washington, D.C. - Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is awarding Douglas County a total of $16,622,500 over the next few years through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The investments will ensure Douglas County is able to upgrade its analog radio system to current digital technology that will allow for significantly enhanced coordination among the county’s public safety, law, … Continue Reading
June 17, 2024
Wyden Announces Town Halls in Hood River, Wasco, Deschutes & Crook Counties
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold in-person town halls in Hood River, Wasco, Deschutes and Crook counties on June 26-27. Heading into these four town halls, Wyden will have held 1,085 town halls throughout Oregon - including 20 so far this year -- in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one town hall each year in each of our state’s 36 counties. “Oregonians should always have the opportunity to have direct interactions with elected officials to ask … Continue Reading
June 17, 2024
Wyden, Colleagues Urge Electronic Benefit Transfer Users to Be Included in New Data Privacy Rule
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., alongside Senators John Fetterman, D-Pa.,, Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Tina Smith, D-Minn., today asked the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to include Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards in a soon-to-be-finalized rule that provides critical protections for users of various financial services. When finalized, the rule will implement Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which helps … Continue Reading
June 16, 2024
Wyden, Senate Democrats Release Legislation to Stop Labor and Delivery Unit Closures in Rural and Underserved Communities
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and 15 Senate Democrats today released draft legislation to address a rising trend of rural hospitals and hospitals in underserved areas closing their labor and delivery units with significant consequences for expectant parents, families, and their local communities. “Too many rural communities have become maternity deserts - it’s time to turn the tide and offer some stability to rural hospitals that want to help families … Continue Reading
