Press Releases
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Urge FCC to Ensure Rural Tribal Communities Have Equal Internet Access
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with 16 of their Senate colleagues, are calling on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to extend the 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window by 180 days to August 3, 2020. Extending this deadline would allow tribal governments additional time to secure access to unassigned spectrum over tribal lands suitable for both mobile coverage and broadband services, as Indian Country continues to be ravaged by … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Wyden Introduces Bill to Make Sure National Guard Troops Responding to COVID-19 Receive Full Benefits Throughout Public Health Crisis
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today he has joined combat veteran U.S. Sen Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., to introduce a bill to ensure that all National Guard troops activated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic receive additional benefits and provide states with greater certainty. "The brave members of the National Guard risking their lives on the frontlines of the COVID-19 health crisis deserve the utmost support from the federal government," Wyden said. "This bill … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Wyden Opposes the Nomination of John Ratcliffe to be Director of National Intelligence
Mr. President, I rise today to oppose, in the strongest terms, the nomination of John Ratcliffe to be Director of National Intelligence. Senators often come to the floor to talk about the importance of speaking truth to power. John Ratcliffe has demonstrated that he will surrender to power. He is so eager to serve power he will twist the truth, as he demonstrated again and again through this confirmation process. Both at his confirmation hearing and written responses, John Ratcliffe danced … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $185 Million in Funding for TriMet
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that TriMet will receive nearly $185 million in funding to support its public transportation operations and projects, including coronavirus response efforts. The funding was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and is being distributed by the Federal Transit Administration. "Throughout the coronavirus crisis, transit workers have been on the frontlines-helping … Continue Reading
May 20, 2020
Wyden, Merkley: Legacy Emanuel to Get Federal Aid for Telehealth Work During COVID-19 Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland will receive $368,912 in federal funds to help provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic. "Telehealth has proven to be an incredibly valuable tool for medical providers to care for patients in Oregon and nationwide," Wyden said. "During a pandemic, that value is magnified even more -- and I am gratified that Legacy Emanuel has earned these urgently needed … Continue Reading
May 20, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Introduce Legislation to Ensure Americans Aren’t Burdened With Big Bills From Emergency Coronavirus Evacuations
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today introduced legislation that would ensure Americans who were evacuated from foreign nations by the State Department this spring as the coronavirus pandemic hit will not be saddled with huge, unaffordable bills. As the coronavirus pandemic accelerated earlier this year, countries moved to close their borders, leaving thousands of Americans stranded overseas. Many of these travelers were only able to get home by flying … Continue Reading
May 20, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $3.3 Million in Airport Infrastructure Investments in Grant County
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that over $3.3 million will be distributed to Grant County to finance construction and safety improvements at the Grant County Regional/Ogilvie Field Airport. "As we continue to grapple with the coronavirus crisis, it's critical that communities throughout Oregon have every resource available to build a strong economic foundation for the future," said Merkley. "That includes making sure our infrastructure is … Continue Reading
May 19, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Urge Congress to Protect America’s Farmworkers in Upcoming Relief Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with a group of their senate colleagues, are urging Senate leadership to establish and enforce adequate protections for America's farmworkers-whose essential work enables families across America to keep food on the table during the coronavirus crisis. The letter comes as reports highlight farmworkers' critical need for additional health and safety safeguards to protect themselves, their families, other workers, and … Continue Reading
May 19, 2020
Wyden Votes No on Ratcliffe for Director of National Intelligence
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement after voting no on the nomination of Rep. John Ratcliffe to serve as director of national intelligence: "John Ratcliffe is the least qualified, most partisan nominee to be director of national intelligence since the creation of the position. Worse still, his confirmation process revealed additional concerns that require the Senate to reject his confirmation. "First, Representative … Continue Reading
May 19, 2020
Wyden, Rounds and Eshoo Lead Bipartisan Call to Secure U.S. Capitol Phone Networks
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mike Rounds, R-S.D., with Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., led 20 members of the House and Senate in a request to encrypt phone calls between the chambers to protect communications against foreign surveillance. "Congress must secure itself from the serious threat posed by foreign spies," the members wrote. "Please take immediate action to encrypt, in bulk, all internal calls and other electronic communications between the Senate, House and … Continue Reading
May 15, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Help Non-profits during Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are introducing legislation that would help nonprofit organizations in Oregon and nationwide meet an increase in demand for their services due to the coronavirus pandemic while helping newly unemployed Americans get back to work. "Nonprofits have been hit with a one-two punch: giving is down, while demand for their services is at an all-time high with 36 million Americans out of work and struggling to put food on the … Continue Reading
May 15, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Resolution to Encourage U.S. Engagement in Global Effort to Find Coronavirus Vaccine
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with 38 of their colleagues, are introducing a resolution that encourages U.S. engagement with the international community on the coronavirus response given the Trump administration's failure to participate in global summits on vaccines and therapeutics. The resolution emphasizes that only with concerted global collaboration and coordination can the coronavirus pandemic be addressed, and that the U.S. has failed so … Continue Reading
May 15, 2020
Wyden, Merkley Urge Action to Ensure Worker Safety as Trump Administration Pressures Meat Processing Plants to Open
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today raised new concerns about the Trump administration's Executive Order pressuring meat processing plants to open without verifying the necessary safety measures to protect workers and the food supply. The senators, along with U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and 26 of their colleagues, outlined recommendations for ways the administration should improve worker safety in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary … Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
Wyden, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reform Broken Declassification System
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., today introduced legislation to address the expensive, unnecessary backlog to declassify documents that no longer need to be protected by government secrecy. "Keeping records classified without good reason is a huge waste of taxpayer money and resources to secure documents that don't actually affect national security," Wyden said. "Our bill will save money and start to chip away at the huge backlog of documents that … Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
Merkley, Wyden, Announce Nearly $500,000 Investment in Agricultural Workforce Through Oregon State University
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that Oregon State University (OSU) will receive nearly $500,000 in federal funding to support summer research fellowships that prepare underrepresented students for graduate school and careers in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. The funds are part of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative's (AFRI) Education and Workforce Development Program, which is dedicated to supporting the … Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
Wyden Votes No on Bill to Hand Government Warrantless Spying Power
Washington, D.C. - Senior Intelligence Committee member U.S. Sen. Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement today, after voting against a bill to renew massive warrantless surveillance powers: "Today I voted no against reviving sweeping programs that spy on innocent Americans without a warrant. This bill does far too little to protect Americans' Constitutional rights against unnecessary government spying, a prospect that should terrify everyone concerned by the Trump administration and … Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
Wyden, Brown Press Labor Department to Speed Up Unemployment Disbursements and Address System Shortfalls
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) are urging the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to speed up Unemployment Insurance (UI) disbursements and work to address the system shortfalls that have contributed to the delays in workers getting their benefits. In a letter sent to DOL Secretary Eugene Scalia, the senators expressed serious concern regarding the significant delays in the processing of UI claims that are preventing workers from receiving their benefits in … Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
Wyden, Rubio, Durbin and Boozman Introduce Resolution Condemning Repression of Iranian Baha’i
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., with Sens. 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. "Iran's repression of its Baha'i population and imprisonment of Baha'i religious leaders is despicable. This resolution sends the message that the U.S. must hold the Iranian regime accountable for the continued violation of religious and political freedom of … Continue Reading
May 13, 2020
Wyden Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Extend PPP Loan Deadline from Eight to 16 Weeks
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to introduce the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Deadline Extension Adjustment for Loans (DEAL) Act. The legislation would extend the loan forgiveness period from eight to 16 weeks and amend the rehire date from June 30 to 16 weeks after the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan is awarded. It was also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mitt Romney, R-Utah, Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Cory … Continue Reading
May 13, 2020
Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $87 Million in Federal Funding to Increase Testing Capacity in Oregon
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that Oregon will receive nearly $87 million to boost the state's coronavirus testing capacity. "Expanding testing capacity is an essential step in our fight to treat, and eventually reopen, our communities," said Merkley. "The reality is that coronavirus testing is still limited in Oregon and in states across the country-a major problem that is only making it more difficult for us to understand and respond to … Continue Reading
