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U.S. Congressional Tipoffs Involving Oregon Newsletter for Sunday June 07, 2020 ( 48 items )  

Bipartisan Energy & Commerce Committee Leaders Seek Answers on Edenville Dam Breach in Midland, Michigan
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on June 1: Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Energy Subcommittee Republican Leader Fred Upton (R-MI), Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) sent letters to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) an  more

Chair DeFazio Announces Full Committee Hearing on Impacts to Transportation Workers Amid COVID-19 Crisis
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) announced the Full Committee will hold a hearing titled, "On the Front Lines: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Transportation Workers." Members and witnesses will appear by videoconference. Additional details, including witness lists, can be found here (https:  more

Chairs DeFazio, Maloney Celebrate 100 Years of Jones Act, Its Role Enhancing National Security, Protecting U.S. Maritime Jobs
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on June 4: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) are marking the 100thAnniversary of the Jones Act, a fundamental piece of U.S. maritime policy that ensures that the transportation of mer  more

Chairs DeFazio, Napolitano Slam Trump Administration's Actions to Undermine Bedrock Environmental Laws Under Guise of 'Economic Emergency'
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA) responded to President Trump's Executive Order to waive critical environmental reviews due to the current economic downturn. The Subcommittee on Water Resources an  more

Energy & Commerce Committee Republican Leaders Support 5G Deployment
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leaders continue to promote policies that spur innovation, reduce burdensome regulations, and help America lead in technologies that will define our nation's future. Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Lat  more

Rep. Blumenauer Issues Statement on Nationwide Protests in Response to Death of Floyd
WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on the death of George Floyd: "I want to extend my sincerest condolences to the family of George Floyd, and to everyone struggling with his tragic death. George Floyd's fate--being murdered in cold blood by law enforcement--is the reality for far too many black and brown people in America. No one deserves to be treated that way, and his death is a devastating reminder of the hate and prejudice that exists in th  more

Rep. Bonamici Backs House Resolution to Condemn Police Brutality
WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) supports a House resolution to condemn police brutality, racial profiling, and the excessive use of force against Black Americans. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) introduced the resolution after the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many other Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. Bonamici is an early cosponsor of the legislation. "Police   more

Rep. Bonamici Calls for New Employment Department Head to Immediately Clear Backlog, Increase Transparency
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) called on the new Interim Director of the Oregon Employment Department (OED), David Gerstenfeld, to get Oregonians their benefits rapidly by clearing the unemployment insurance claims backlog, and to increase transparency by holding public webinars. OED has a backlog of 38,000 unemployment insurance claims, and as many as 200,000 Oregonians have yet to receive their b  more

Rep. DeFazio Announces $76,000 in Grant Funding for Lane Transit District RideSource Program Improvements
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) announced that he has secured $76,000 in grant funding for improvements to Lane Transit District (LTD)'s RideSource program under the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)'s Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) pilot program. "By eliminating barriers to transportation, the RideSource program helps to improve health outcomes among Lane County's most vulnerable citizens,"  more

Rep. DeFazio Releases GAO Report Findings on US Forest Service's Firefighting Response to 2017 Chetco Bar Fire
WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Rep. Peter DeFazio released the findings of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he requested on the U.S. Forest Service's (USFS) firefighting response to the 2017 Chetco Bar Fire. "As we approach another potentially severe wildfire season, along with the added challenge of the coronavirus pandemic, it is imperative that we take lessons learned from past disasters and apply that knowledge to preve  more

Rep. Schrader Issues Statement on Death of George Floyd
WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on the death of George Floyd: "I have spent much of the past week listening to the voices of color in my community. The senseless murder of George Floyd is horrific and tragically not an isolated incident. Police brutality has no role in American law enforcement". "America is currently facing numerous unprecedented challenges and we are relying upon our first responders, including police to help keep us safe. It  more

Rep. Walden Announces Second Wave Preparedness Project
WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Representatives Greg Walden (R-OR) and Brett Guthrie (R-KY) released a number of recommendations related to testing and surveillance that officials should consider to better position the country for any future spikes in COVID-19 infections. The testing and surveillance recommendations are the first in a series of working documents. Additional recommendations on other topics related to COVID-19 will be released  more

Rep. Walden Issues Remarks at Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee Hearing With Governors on COVID-19 Response
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following remarks on June 2 at an Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing entitled "On the Front Lines: How Governors are Battling the COVID-19 Pandemic": Chair DeGette, I was pleasantly surprised to see accommodations were made so that those members who are here in Washington, D.C. could meet in the hearing room. In approving virtual hearings, the Rules C  more

Rep. Walden: Bipartisan Energy & Commerce Leaders on New GAO Report on Infectious Disease Modeling
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: A new U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report analyzes how federal agencies use infectious disease modeling to help guide decisions to fight outbreaks and how these models can be improved. The report was requested by Energy and Commerce Committee leaders in 2017 after learning about challenges with infectious disease modeling durin  more

Rep. Walden: Bipartisan House, Senate Committee Leaders Urge HHS to Disperse COVID-19 Relief Funds to Medicaid Providers
WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: The Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Committees of jurisdiction over the Medicaid program wrote to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar expressing concern over prolonged delays in disbursing funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF) for Medicaid-dependent providers. The lett  more

Rep. Walden: Energy & Commerce Republican Leaders Urge Democrats to Hold Hearing on Digital Divide, Homework Gap
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on June 4: Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (R-OH) urged Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) to hold a hearing on bridging the digital divide in a letter sent. "We write to urge you   more

Reps. Connolly, Maloney, DeFazio Issues Joint Statement on Acting DOT IG Refusal to Avoid Conflicts of Interest
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, D-Virginia, issued the following joint statement with Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-New York and Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, after Acting Inspector General Elliott told the Committees in a letter that he would not resign from his position as head of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration: "Mr. Elliott doesn't seem to get it. He wants to stay in a position at the Department and report directly to Secretary Chao, while at the s  more

Reps. DeFazio, Maloney, Connolly Issue Statement on Acting Transportation IG Elliott
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following joint statement with Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, and Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, after Acting Inspector General Howard Elliott told the committees in a letter that he would not resign from his position as head of the Pipeline and Hazardous Mat  more

Reps. Walden, Guthrie Announce E&C Republicans' Second Wave Preparedness Project
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on June 2: Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Republican Leader Brett Guthrie (R-KY) today released a number recommendations related to testing and surveillance that officials should consider to better position the country for any future spikes in COVID-19 infections  more

Reps. Walden, Upton, Shimkus Issue Statement on EPA Clean Air Act Regulatory Process
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following joint statement on June 4 with Rep. Fred Upton, R-Michigan, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy, and Rep. John Shimkus, R-Illinois, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change, on the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rule entitled "Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Benefits and Costs in the Cl  more

Reps. Walden, Upton, Shimkus Issue Statement on EPA Clean Water Act Sec. 401 Rule
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following joint statement on June 1 with Rep. Fred Upton, R-Michigan, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy, and Rep. John Shimkus, R-Illinois, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change on the Environmental Protection Agency's announcement of a final rule on Sec. 401 of the Clean Water Act: "We applaud the EPA for today's announceme  more

Sen. Crapo: Weekly Column - Supporting Rural Communities
WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following column: As Congress works with the Administration to consider the next phases of federal support to address the impacts of the pandemic, I am advocating for getting resources to smaller communities to ease recovery. Enacting a long-term solution for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act (SRS) and Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) programs is a priority to provide much-needed certainty to rural communitie  more

Sen. Grassley Issues Joint Statement on U.S. Trade Representative Investigation of Digital Services Taxes
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following joint statement with Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, regarding the U.S. Trade Representative's announcement that it has initiated investigations into digital services taxes that have been adopted or are being considered by a number of U.S. trading partners: According to USTR, the investigations will be conducted under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act. * * * "The United States Trade Representative is appropriately examining dig  more

Sen. Merkley Announces Legislation for National Police Misconduct Database, Calls for Sweeping Action to Address Police Brutality
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on June 5: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced legislation, the National Police Misconduct Database and Transparency in Hiring Act, that would create a national database of police misconduct to create greater oversight and accountability across America. This legislation would help ensure that police officers who have been removed from their jobs for misconduct are not simply able to find a new job as a  more

Sen. Merkley Slams President Trump's Latest Attack on Bedrock Environmental Laws
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced that it will waive environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act, under the ruse of economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic: "Is 'Trumpian' an adjective yet? It should be. It means issue edicts to shred democratically passed laws, almost always to enrich a mega-powerful group like the fossil fuel lobby. "This assault on t  more

Sen. Wyden Issues Statement on CBO Analysis of Supercharged Unemployment Benefits
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on the Congressional Budget Office's analysis of the economic effects of supercharged unemployment benefits: "CBO concludes that in the third quarter the unemployment rate will be 16 percent, with 25 million Americans out of work. These numbers represent crushing financial pain for American families. There's no way Republicans can look at this scenario and th  more

Sen. Wyden Issues Statement on COVID-19 Relief Bill
WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on the next COVID-19 relief bill: "With Mitch McConnell pledging that the next COVID-19 relief package will be the last, Democrats must make triggers for unemployment benefits non-negotiable. "While it's grossly irresponsible for McConnell to threaten to arbitrarily cut off aid in the worst economic crisis in a century, Democrats must be clear eyed. If Dona  more

Sen. Wyden Issues Statement on Resignation of Oregon Employment Department Director
WASHINGTON, June 1 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Calling for the resignation of Oregon Employment Department Director: "Oregonians thrown out of work through no fault of their own deserve a state Employment Department capable of responding quickly and competently to their urgent needs during this economic and public health crisis. Over the past weeks and months, it has become painfully clear that the Oregon Employment Department leadership has totally failed to  more

Sen. Wyden Issues Statement on Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Report
WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement in response to a report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration: "As a result of Republicans' years-long effort to gut the IRS and protect their donors from scrutiny, wealthy tax cheats stole nearly $46 billion in just three years by refusing to even file their taxes. "What's worse, the IRS did little to nothing to pursue these tax cheats.   more

Sen. Wyden Opposes FY 2021 Intelligence Authorization Act
WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., voted against advancing the Fiscal Year 2021 Intelligence Authorization Act from the Senate Intelligence Committee, because the legislation fails to reform a broken, costly declassification system. Years of official reports (https://www.archives.gov/files/isoo/images/2018-isoo-annual-report.pdf) have documented how the flood of digital classification has overwhelmed the obsolete declassi  more

Sen. Wyden: Bipartisan House, Senate Committee Leaders Urge HHS to Disperse COVID-19 Relief Funds to Medicaid Providers
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news: The Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Committees of jurisdiction over the Medicaid program wrote to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar expressing concern over prolonged delays in disbursing funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF) for Medicaid-dependent providers. The letter was signed by Hous  more

Sen. Wyden: Senate Passage of PPP Reforms Strengthens Lifeline That Small Business Needs During COVID-19
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden issued the following statement after the Senate approved legislation he sought to make urgently needed reforms for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that small business needs to get through the economic crisis touched off by COVID-19: "Extending the deadlines for small businesses in Oregon and nationwide to spend the PPP resources they need to pay their employees and bills during the econ  more

Sens. Casey, Wyden Issue Statement on Data on COVID-19 in Nursing Homes
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, ranking member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, issued the following joint statement with Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, in response to the preliminary data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding nursing facilities battling COVID-19: "The information released by the Trump Administration is incomplete and does n  more

Sens. Grassley, Wyden Issue Statement on U.S. Trade Representative Investigation of Digital Services Taxes
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following joint statement regarding the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's announcement that it has initiated investigations into digital services taxes that have been adopted or are being considered by a number of U.S. trading partners: According to USTR, the investigations will be conducted under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act. * * *   more

Sens. Merkley, Wyden Announce $1.2 Million in Grants for Tribal Housing Improvements
WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that $1.2 million in grants will be distributed to the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians and the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde to boost critical housing improvement and repair projects. The funding is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), under the Indian Community Developm  more

Sens. Merkley, Wyden Announce $1.2 Million in Grants for Tribal Housing Improvements
WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that $1.2 million in grants will be distributed to the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians and the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde to boost critical housing improvement and repair projects. The funding is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), under the Indian Community Devel  more

Sens. Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $100 Million in Federal Funding to Expand TriMet's Light Rail
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced nearly $100 million in federal funding to finance a 7.8-mile extension of TriMet's MAX Red Line from Beaverton Transit Center to downtown Hillsboro. The funding will also increase the reliability of the light rail system between Portland International Airport and Beaverton Transit Center. "Public transportation is a vital service that countless Orego  more

Sens. Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $100 Million in Federal Funding to Expand TriMet's Light Rail
WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced nearly $100 million in federal funding to finance a 7.8-mile extension of TriMet's MAX Red Line from Beaverton Transit Center to downtown Hillsboro. The funding will also increase the reliability of the light rail system between Portland International Airport and Beaverton Transit Center. "Public transportation is a vital service that countless Oregonia  more

Sens. Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $3 Million in Funding to Boost Albany Transit Service
WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the City of Albany will receive nearly $3 million in federal funding to cover operating and administrative transit costs, as well as preventive maintenance costs, in response to the coronavirus crisis. The funding is authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed in March. "I'm pleased that crit  more

Sens. Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $3 Million in Funding to Boost Albany Transit Service
WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the City of Albany will receive nearly $3 million in federal funding to cover operating and administrative transit costs, as well as preventive maintenance costs, in response to the coronavirus crisis. The funding is authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed in March. "I'm pleased that c  more

Sens. Wyden, Merkley Introduce $50 Billion Bill to Address Child Care Crisis
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., in introducing a bill that would address the child care crisis worsened by coronavirus in Oregon and across the country by creating a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund. The Child Care is Essential Act would provide grant funding to child care providers to stabilize the child care sector and support providers to safely   more

Sens. Wyden, Merkley Introduce $50 Billion Bill to Address Child Care Crisis
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., in introducing a bill that would address the child care crisis worsened by coronavirus in Oregon and across the country by creating a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund. The Child Care is Essential Act would provide grant funding to child care providers to stabilize the child care sector and support providers to safe  more

Sens. Wyden, Merkley Press for College Students in Need to Have Access to High-Speed Internet
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined with colleagues in urging congressional leadership to include funds in future legislation that ensures college and university students with the greatest financial need in Oregon and nationwide have access to high-speed internet during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Even before the pandemic, only 66 percent of black households, 61 percent of Hispanic households, and 63 percen  more

Sens. Wyden, Merkley Press for College Students in Need to Have Access to High-Speed Internet
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined with colleagues in urging congressional leadership to include funds in future legislation that ensures college and university students with the greatest financial need in Oregon and nationwide have access to high-speed internet during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Even before the pandemic, only 66 percent of black households, 61 percent of Hispanic households, and 63 per  more

Sens. Wyden, Merkley Urge DeVos to Rescind Harmful Title IX Rule and Focus on Student Safety
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined 35 Democratic senators in slamming Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' final Title IX rule, which will weaken protections for student survivors of sexual harassment and assault. In a letter to Secretary DeVos, the senators stressed that it was inappropriate to ask schools to implement this new rule within 100 days amid the COVID-19 crisis and urged her to res  more

Sens. Wyden, Merkley Urge DeVos to Rescind Harmful Title IX Rule and Focus on Student Safety
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined 35 Democratic senators in slamming Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' final Title IX rule, which will weaken protections for student survivors of sexual harassment and assault. In a letter to Secretary DeVos, the senators stressed that it was inappropriate to ask schools to implement this new rule within 100 days amid the COVID-19 crisis and urged her to   more

Sens. Wyden, Merkley: Defense Department Must Refrain From Using U.S. Military to Suppress Nationwide Protests
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley voicing grave concerns over Donald Trump's threat to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to nationwide protests seeking justice for George Floyd and an end to systemic racism. "President Trump's behavior over the last three years has repeatedly   more

Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Leaders Unveil INVEST in America Act
WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), released text of the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act, a key component of the Moving Forward Framework that House Democrats, led by Chair DeFazio, released earlier this year. Th  more