Press Releases
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
April 22, 2021
Wyden, Merkley Co-sponsor Clean Commute for Kids Act
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today co-sponsored legislation that would protect children's health by investing $25 billion to replace existing diesel buses in the nation's school bus fleet with zero-emission vehicles. "Children riding a school bus throughout Oregon and nationwide should not be forced to breathe polluted air when heading to school in the morning and back home in the afternoon," Wyden said. "As schools reopen to in-person learning after … Continue Reading
April 22, 2021
Wyden, Merkley Join Colleagues to Reintroduce Green New Deal Resolution
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they joined colleagues to reintroduce the Green New Deal Resolution (GND), legislation that would address the existential challenge of climate change and create millions of good, high-wage jobs in the process. "Oregonians enduring longer wildfire seasons along with prolonged droughts know full well how the climate crisis is already ravaging communities throughout our state," Wyden said. "The need to act is now, … Continue Reading
April 21, 2021
Wyden, Crapo, Merkley, Risch Urge Biden Administration to Support Long-term Stability for Secure Rural Schools Program
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, today asked the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to support long-term stability for the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program to ensure rural counties have the consistent funding needed for schools, road maintenance, and other essential services. In a letter to OMB Acting Director Shalanda Young, the senators requested that OMB include a permanent national endowment … Continue Reading
April 21, 2021
Wyden, Paul and Bipartisan Members of Congress Introduce The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., and 18 other senators, today introduced a bill to put a stop to shady data brokers buying and selling Americans' Constitutional rights. The Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act closes the legal loophole that allows data brokers to sell Americans' personal information to law enforcement and intelligence agencies without any court oversight - in contrast to the strict rules for phone companies, social media sites and … Continue Reading
April 20, 2021
Wyden, Merkley Reintroduce Bill to Allow VA to Prescribe Medical Marijuana to Veterans
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined colleagues to reintroduce legislation to allow doctors at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prescribe medical marijuana to veterans in Oregon and the 35 other states that have established medical marijuana programs. "Plenty of evidence suggests that medical marijuana holds promise for pain management, PTSD and other medical conditions frequently experienced by our wounded warriors. … Continue Reading
April 20, 2021
Wyden Co-sponsors Legislation to Invest in Forest, Watershed Restoration Across the West
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today joined U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., to introduce legislation that would create or sustain more than 2 million jobs in the outdoors by investing in forest and watershed restoration. "The climate crisis is not some distant threat. It's here, and families out West feel its impacts year after year as catastrophic wildfires and extreme weather events devastate their communities," Wyden said. "Climate action and climate resilience efforts go hand … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Wyden, Democrats Question DOJ Funding of Unproven Predictive Policing Technology
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., with seven other members, asked the Justice Department to account for how it funds and oversees so-called predictive policing programs, especially whether the programs actually reduce crime, and the potential to amplify biased results that harm marginalized groups. Reps. Yvette D. Clarke, D-N.Y., and Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Wyden Releases Draft Legislation to Protect Americans’ Personal Data From Hostile Foreign Governments
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released a discussion draft of legislation to regulate the export of Americans' sensitive personal information to potentially hostile foreign nations. The Protecting Americans' Data from Foreign Surveillance Act would create new safeguards against exporting sensitive personal information to foreign countries if doing so could harm U.S. national security. "Shady data brokers shouldn't get rich selling Americans' private data to foreign … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Wyden, Merkley Co-sponsor Bill to Establish National Paid Sick Days Policy
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are co-sponsoring the Healthy Families Act, paid sick days legislation that would help keep workers, communities and the economy in Oregon and nationwide healthy. "The COVID-19 pandemic has both magnified and spotlighted the long-standing need to fix a broken paid sick leave policy that forces far too many hard-working people into the brutal choice between their health and their paycheck," said Wyden, Chair of the Senate … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Wyden Seeks Investigation of Former USAGM CEO Following Whistleblower Complaint
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked the State Department Inspector General what steps it has taken to investigate allegations that the former U.S. Agency for Global Media CEO Michael Pack illegally spent taxpayer funds on dangerously insecure technology, in a letter today. USAGM internet freedom funds are intended to develop and support technologies that circumvent internet censorship by repressive regimes, and promote free expression around the world. Wyden's letter … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Merkley, Wyden, Bentz Announce Relief for Klamath Basin Irrigators, Klamath Tribes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, with Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-OR-2), today announced that irrigators on the Klamath Reclamation Project will receive $15 million in immediate aid and Klamath Basin tribes will receive $3 million in technical assistance, and that another $10 million will be available for drought assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, following the release of a water operations plan for the Klamath Reclamation Project. "While … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Wyden, Paul, DeFazio, Davis Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Abolish the Selective Service
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., and U.S. Representatives Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., and Rodney Davis, R-Ill., today introduced a bicameral, bipartisan bill to end the Selective Service. "The Selective Service has far outlived its expiration date, wasting millions of taxpayer dollars per year to prepare for a draft is no longer relevant to our military," Wyden said. "Congress hasn't come close to reinstating a military draft in 50 years, and I can't … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Wyden and Merkley: FEMA Will Now Provide Financial for COVID-19 Funeral Costs
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that FEMA is providing financial assistance for eligible COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020 in Oregon and nationwide. "The COVID-19 global pandemic has left thousands of families throughout our state and country shouldering the financial burden of end-of-life care while grieving the losses of their loved ones," Wyden said. "The critical financial support from FEMA for funeral costs … Continue Reading
April 13, 2021
Wyden Statement on Biden Plan to Withdraw U.S. Troops from Afghanistan
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on President Biden's plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan by September 11: "The withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan is long overdue, and I hope that President Biden sticks to this newly announced September 11 deadline. This move would finally close the chapter on the longest war in American history, better serving the interests of the American people and U.S. national … Continue Reading
April 13, 2021
Merkley, Wyden, Bentz Push for Emergency Resources for Klamath Basin
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, with Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-OR-2), today released the following statement after meeting with U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland about the dire water year the Klamath Basin will face, and the emergency resources needed to provide the community relief: "Communities in the Basin are facing another year of hardship. As drought conditions persist and worsen, the water supply that is critical for tribal, … Continue Reading
April 09, 2021
Wyden Sets April 15 Community Meeting for Lincoln County on Debris Removal From Echo Mountain Fire
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today announced that his staff as well as staff from FEMA, the Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), will hold a 5 pm meeting April 15 by Zoom for Lincoln County residents to get their ongoing questions answered about debris removal from the Echo Mountain Complex fire that ripped through the region last September. The April 15 Zoom meeting follows Wyden's online Lincoln County town hall April 2 in … Continue Reading
