Press Releases
Wyden, Merkley Announce Columbia Gorge Education Service District to Receive EPA “Community Change Grant”
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the Columbia Gorge Education Service District and Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation have been selected to receive a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant to create the Columbia Gorge Early Learning and Resilience Center in The Dalles. “Early education, childcare, workforce development, and places for communities to gather- whether for celebration or respite-are needs I hear about directly from … Continue Reading
December 17, 2024
Wyden, Fetterman Urge USDA to Stop Hackers and Fraudsters from Stealing Low-Income Families’ Food Benefits
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and John Fetterman, D-Pa., urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to swiftly release its proposed rule to upgrade the security of electronic cards used by low-income families to receive food benefits at grocery stores. The USDA has not made any security upgrades to these cards since 2010. With older and more insecure magnetic strips remaining in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Decommission Offshore Oil & Gas Wells, Pipelines and Platforms
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have introduced legislation that would address the growing threat of abandoned offshore oil and gas infrastructure to marine ecosystems and the environment. “Neglected oil wells off our coasts are a ticking time bomb that threaten our coastal communities and environment in Oregon and nationwide,” Wyden said. “It’s unacceptable that Big Oil has dodged responsibility to clean up drilling sites and pollution. This … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Murray, Cantwell Ask BPA to Carefully Evaluate Timeline and Costs and Benefits of Joining Bigger Electricity Market
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell said today they are asking the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to answer questions about the financial impact to consumers in the Pacific Northwest from its upcoming decision whether to join the California Independent System Operator extended day-ahead market or the Southwest Power Pool Markets+ day-ahead market. These markets provide opportunities for power suppliers like BPA to meet customers’ … Continue Reading
December 13, 2024
Wyden, Merkley: Molalla Earns $35 Million for Improved Wastewater Treatment
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the city of Molalla has secured a $33.25 million loan and a $2 million grant to update its wastewater treatment facility. “Federal investment in modern infrastructure is a must for Oregonians counting on public health and for communities statewide needing to operate efficiently,” Wyden said. “These federal funds achieve both objectives for residents and small businesses in Molalla, and I’ll keep battling for similar … Continue Reading
December 13, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call on Regulators to Protect Student Borrowers from Navient’s Flawed Cancellation Process
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined Senate colleagues in sending a letter to federal regulators that revealed the results of their investigation into Navient about its cancellation process for the predatory, for-profit student loans in its portfolio and urging the agencies to ensure the student loan servicer is providing borrowers all relief that they are entitled to. In its response to an initial letter from Wyden, Merkley and other lawmakers, Navient … Continue Reading
December 12, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Salinas Announce $20 Million for Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Resident Resilience Center
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley as well as U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas today announced a federal investment of $20 million through the Inflation Reduction Act for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde to build a safe, accessible shelter that will provide services during extreme weather. “The problems created by the ongoing climate crisis overlap with many issues already threatening Oregonians such as housing and access to essential medical services,” Wyden said. “This … Continue Reading
December 11, 2024
Wyden: PGE Will Do Everything Possible to Keep Residential Rate Hikes Below Inflation Rate Beyond 2025
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he is glad that PGE is focusing on keeping utility rates below the cost of inflation beyond 2025, a concern he’s heard repeatedly from Oregonians in town halls and other settings in the state. “Given that Oregon ratepayers have seen their electric bills go up by more than 40 percent since 2021 and other policies have created hardships for some Oregon families it is vital that we have a shared commitment to do better in the future,” Wyden … Continue Reading
December 11, 2024
Wyden, Merkley: Columbia Gorge Community College Selected as Industrial Training and Assessment Center
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the selection of Columbia Gorge Community College as a new industrial training and assessment center, which includes a $1.99 million federal investment to help the school develop a dedicated 3D printing training space, curriculum, and manufacturer assistance program. “In my 1,100+ town halls in every nook and cranny of Oregon, I hear about Oregonians’ needs for good career opportunities that don’t demand four-year … Continue Reading
December 11, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Announce $2 Million for Warm Springs Affordable Housing
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of $2 million for the Warm Springs Housing Authority to build more affordable housing for low- and moderate-income Tribal members. “There is a serious need for more affordable housing across Oregon, but especially in Tribal communities like Warm Springs,” Wyden said. “I applaud this federal investment to address the affordable housing crisis head on, and will continue to fight for more projects like … Continue Reading
December 10, 2024
Wyden Calls for Passage of PRESS Act
Watch a video of Wyden deliver his remarks here As prepared for delivery In a moment, I will ask for unanimous consent to pass my bipartisan bill, the PRESS Act. I want to explain why this is such an important and bipartisan issue. The PRESS Act is written to complement the First Amendment’s Constitutional protection for journalists, by ensuring they can do their jobs without unneeded government interference. Our bipartisan bill shields journalists from being forced by courts to disclose … Continue Reading
December 10, 2024
Wyden Reintroduces CBO FAIR Scoring Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden said today he has joined colleagues to reintroduce legislation that would provide policymakers with standardized data about the effects of their policies across race and income groups. “With the wealth gap in America only growing wider across race and income, it is imperative that lawmakers understand the true impacts of new policies,” Wyden said. “This bill will ensure that lawmakers have the data needed to help create a more just and equitable … Continue Reading
December 10, 2024
Wyden Statement on Judge Issuing Temporary Injunction in Kroger-Albertsons Merger
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today issued the following statement in response to today’s news of a federal judge halting the proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger: "This is great news for grocery shoppers in Oregon who would have faced higher prices at Kroger and Albertsons if this ill-conceived consolidation had gone through," said Wyden, who led lawmakers in filing an amicus brief with the federal court opposing the merger. "I'm glad the court has shelved this monster deal because … Continue Reading
December 10, 2024
U.S. Senators Wyden and Crapo Applaud House Passage of Their Bipartisan Legislation Honoring Medal of Honor Recipients
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Mike Crapo today applauded the U.S. House passage of their bipartisan legislation designating U.S. Highway 20 between Newport, Ore. and New England as the “National Medal of Honor Highway.” "Our veterans in Oregon and throughout America deserve every honor we can bestow on them for their brave service to our nation,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified our country's longest continuous highway, stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic, will be … Continue Reading
December 10, 2024
Wyden Releases Draft Legislation to Secure U.S. Phone Networks Following Salt Typhoon Hack
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released a draft bill to secure U.S. phone and wireless networks, following the massive breach of the American telecommunications system by Chinese-government hackers. Wyden’s Secure American Communications Act requires the Federal Communications Commission to fix its own failure to fully implement telecom security requirements already required by federal law. In 1994, Congress required telecom providers to design their systems to permit the … Continue Reading
December 10, 2024
Wyden, Warren, Sanders, Whitehouse Renew Push to Protect Americans’ Sensitive Data From Greedy Brokers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said today they have reintroduced legislation banning data brokers from selling Americans’ sensitive personal information. Data gathered by brokers has been used to circumvent the Fourth Amendment, out LGBTQ+ Americans, and stalk and harass individuals. Recently, some brokers have been caught selling the cellphone-based location data of people visiting … Continue Reading
December 09, 2024
Wyden, Merkley, Hoyle Announce Nearly $2.5 Million to Oregon State University for Marine Energy Research
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley with U.S. Representative Val Hoyle today announced a federal investment of nearly $2.5 million for Oregon State University to develop and test marine energy devices that are key in the climate crisis battle. “There is huge potential to build an even stronger tool in the fight against the ongoing climate crisis with the development of marine energy technology right here in our state with the world-class researchers at OSU,” Wyden said. … Continue Reading
December 06, 2024
Senate Passes Bipartisan Wyden Resolution Condemning the Persecution of Baha’is by the Iranian Government
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., applauded the passage of his bipartisan resolution to acknowledge the religious persecution of the Baha’i community in Iran, and to call for the U.S. government to take action against those responsible. “The Iranian government’s long history of harassing, dehumanizing, and persecuting the Baha’i community in all forms is only getting longer, and worse. I’m proud the Senate took a stand and said today that Iran’s heinous treatment of the … Continue Reading
December 06, 2024
Wyden Introduces Bill to Make Health Care Apprenticeship Programs More Accessible to Address Labor Shortage
Washington, D.C. — As America faces nationwide health care worker shortages, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a bill that would make it easier for health care employers to create new registered apprenticeship programs to train the next generation of health professionals. “America is desperate for more health care providers after the burnout of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Wyden said. “Apprenticeship programs are instrumental in getting new workers a foot in the door by giving them the … Continue Reading
December 06, 2024
Wyden, Merkley Call on Department of Education to Discharge Loans for Defrauded Borrowers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined with lawmakers from the Senate and House to urge the Department of Education to discharge student loan debt for hundreds of thousands of students in Oregon and nationwide defrauded by predatory schools. During the first Trump administration, defrauded borrowers’ applications for debt relief were left to languish for years, and if reviewed, were often denied. In their letter, the lawmakers called for the … Continue Reading
