WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following statement at a hearing entitled "On the Front Lines: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Transportation Workers" on June 9: I want to begin today's hearing by recognizing the tragedy of George Floyd's death at the hands of a white Minneapolis, MN police officer fifteen days ago. Our nation watched his brutal murder in horror, a murder perpetrated by the very men  more

WASHINGTON, June 9 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on June 8: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) last week officially introduced the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act during a pro forma session in the House. The INVEST in America Act, a 5-year, nearly $500 billion inv  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congressman Earl Blumenauer released a report highlighting the role Congress plays in reforming law enforcement policies nationwide. The report, titled "Police Accountability: Federal Policy Priorities for Ending Police Violence," comes amidst nationwide calls for police reform following the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department. "I have listened, discussed and solicited feedback fr  more

WASHINGTON, June 9 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on June 8: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) joined 166 representatives and 35 senators to introduce the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, comprehensive bicameral legislation to transform police practices and end racial injustices by law enforcement. "People in Oregon and around the country are marching in the streets and demanding change to a law enforcement culture that has led to the inhumane treatme  more

WASHINGTON, June 12 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) released an in-depth report on the state of child care in Oregon and across the nation. The report, "Child Care in Crisis: Solutions to Support Working Families, Children, and Educators," was informed by conversations with Oregon child care providers, early childhood educators, parents, and other advocates. It contains many of their stories and outlines a legislative  more

WASHINGTON, June 12 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) this week signed on as an original co-sponsor to the Justice in Policing Act, comprehensive legislation to improve police accountability and change the culture of law enforcement. "The Justice in Policing Act is a bold, unprecedented reform bill that will transform the culture, practice and training of policing to address systemic racism and help save lives," said Rep. DeFazio. "P  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release: Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior and Environment Chairwoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler following up on their April 21 letter de  more

KANSAS CITY, Missouri, June 9 -- Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, issued the following news release: Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) has announced the winners of the annual 6th Congressional District Art Competition. The following works were selected for awards: * First Place: GERM by Sarah Luzynski, Blue Springs High School * Second Place: North American Aviation T6 Texan by Rylee Berry, Liberty High School * Third Place: Missouri, the Start of a New Adventure on the Oregon Trail by Brielle Smi  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Representative Greg Walden released a statement applauding the Department of Transportation (DOT) for awarding $3.2 million to aid the expansion of the barge services at the Port of Morrow. The funding is made possible as a result of the Marine Highway Designation which Walden helped secure last summer for the Columbia River. The designation is a part of America's Marine Highway Program (AMHP) and enables the   more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that Oregon will receive over $2.7 million to help expand rural broadband over the next 10 years. The funding includes $1.36 million for Oregon's Second District to serve over 2,000 small businesses and residents at a minimum speed of 25/3 Mbps. "Access to the internet is more  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) commended the Trump Administration on today's announcement by the Department of Interior that made good on an April commitment to deliver 140,000 acre feet of water for farmers in the Klamath Basin. Walden, who participated in the rally in the Klamath Basin at the end of May that attracted thousands of participants, has been working with White House officials and the S  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following remarks on June 9 at an Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee hearing titled "Pollution and Pandemics: COVID-19's Disproportionate Impact on Environmental Justice Communities": The last three months have exposed the deep challenges our country faces. The coronavirus pandemic swept across the globe. It left in its wake a tremendous loss of life inclu  more

WASHINGTON, June 9 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following statement after the Interior Department announced Barry Bushue to serve as the Bureau of Land Management State Director for Oregon and Washington: "The Department of Interior's announced selection of Barry Bushue as Oregon State's Bureau of Land Management Director is an excellent choice. "I have worked with Barry over the years and have benefited from his commonsense and wise counsel. Barry has a longstanding record of str  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: House Energy and Commerce Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Senate Finance Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-IA), and Senate Finance Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) commended the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for taking the first steps to address the needs o  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- 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 Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (R-OH), and fellow Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican members urged House Appropriators to provide funding for improved broadband mapping, which is vital for deploying broadband and bri  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed their 5G Upgrade Order to provide clarity to American wireless providers so they can more quickly deploy 5G infrastructure across local communities. Last week, Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bo  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- 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 Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) and Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) wrote to Zoom Video Communications, Inc. Founder and CEO Eric Yuan asking questions regarding the company's data privacy practices and potential coordination with the People's Re  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Kelly Loeffler (R-Georgia), and John Boozman (R-Arkansas) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today encouraging the United States to work with the United Kingdom and Australia to welcome Hong Kongers seeking refuge from Beijing's authoritarian rule aft  more

WASHINGTON, June 9 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on June 8 announcing his support and co-sponsorship of legislation drafted by Sen. Cory Booker, New Jersey, Sen. Kamala Harris D-California, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Karen Bass D-California, and House Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-New York, to tackle police brutality and systemic racism within policing: "Today, America is in the midst of an important conversation that is long overdue.  more

WASHINGTON, June 9 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on June 8: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, along with 99 of his colleagues in the Senate and in the U.S. House of Representatives, is demanding answers from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials regarding the agencies' involvement with the ongoing protests against police brutality. The lawmakers' letter comes after ICE and CBP have assisted law enforceme  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on June 12: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley has joined 13 Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter pushing the administration to explain how, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, it is addressing barriers to distance learning in Indian Country, and to further explain the delay in distributing of CARES Act resources to tribal schools--a delay that has likely exacerbated disparities in educational opport  more

WASHINGTON, June 12 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led a group of 31 senators in urging Senate leadership to include $47 billion in financial support for students and institutions of higher learning in the upcoming coronavirus relief package. "Higher education provides a ladder of economic opportunity to our nation's students while also building a globally competitive workforce. Colleges and universities are also pillars of  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led members of Oregon's congressional delegation--including U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, and Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader--in pushing the Trump administration to help meet Oregon's urgent need for critical coronavirus testing supplies at long-term care facilities. In a letter to U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Sec  more

WASHINGTON, June 9 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden co-sponsored legislation that would hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement and build trust between law enforcement and our communities in Oregon and nationwide. Wyden said he supports the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 introduced by U.S. Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-CA), U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and House Judiciary C  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Following a U.S. Forest Service official's admission that the agency could do more to protect the safety and well-being of firefighters and communities from COVID-19 during this wildfire season, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., demanded the agency provide its safety plan in writing within a week. During a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing, Wyden pressed the agency on the lack of coordinati  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on June 9 at a hearing on supercharged unemployment benefits during COVID-19 health and economic crisis: There's a lot for us to talk about today, and I want to start with Friday's jobs report. The president celebrated like it was the greatest victory since the end of World War II, but let's put this in perspective. Speaking conservatively, more than 20 mil  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today pressed Trump administration officials to end federal law enforcement's weaponizing of facial recognition technology against peaceful protesters exercising their First Amendment rights to speak out about the police killing of George Floyd and other black Americans. In a letter with U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to Attorney General William Barr and Department of  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on June 9: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Reps. Raul M. Grijalva, D-Ariz., and Deb Haaland, D-N.M., this week requested that the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) investigate the U.S. Park Police's use of force against peaceful protesters and journalists in Lafayette Park to clear the way for a staged photo of Donald Trump in front of St. John's Episcopal C  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Ahead of the Senate Finance Committee hearing on the role of unemployment insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., hosted a press conference call with Family Forward Oregon executive director Andrea Paluso and workers such as Nicola Van Hoff of Portland to highlight the benefits of supercharged unemployment insurance for families nationwide. Excerpts fro  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news: Ahead of the Senate Finance Committee Hearing on the role of unemployment insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., hosted a press conference call with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, MomsRising, executive director and CEO, and workers to highlight the benefits of supercharged unemployment insurance for families   more

WASHINGTON, June 9 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Representative Bill Foster, D-Ill., led a bicameral group of 80 other colleagues in urging Donald Trump not to resume explosive nuclear testing after a 28-year hiatus. This letter comes in response to reports indicating the administration is considering taking this step. In a letter to Donald Trump, the legislators wrote, "We are deeply concerned by recent reports that yo  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today led members of Oregon's congressional delegation--including U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, and Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader--in pushing the Trump administration to help meet Oregon's urgent need for critical coronavirus testing supplies at long-term care facilities. In a letter to U.S. Department of Health & Human Services   more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), urged the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to include protections in upcoming appropriations legislation that would put key limitations on the Trump administration's ability to initiate military deploymen  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Seal Rock Water District will receive $1.5 million in federal grants to assist with the construction of a storm-resilient and reliable water treatment plant. The funding is being allocated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program. "Access to reliable drinking water is essential to the  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Seal Rock Water District will receive $1.5 million in federal grants to assist with the construction of a storm-resilient and reliable water treatment plant. The funding is being allocated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program. "Access to reliable drinking water is essential to the he  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced over $68 million in funding to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus outbreaks among individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness in Oregon. This is the second allotment of the funding allocated to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Econ  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced over $68 million in funding to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus outbreaks among individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness in Oregon. This is the second allotment of the funding allocated to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economi  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with a dozen of their colleagues, are urging Senate leadership to include support for digital-native news outlets in future COVID-19 response legislation. During this pandemic, these outlets have provided information to Americans on health and safety measures and reopening protocols in communities across the country. Digital-native outlets rely primaril  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with a dozen of their colleagues, are urging Senate leadership to include support for digital-native news outlets in future COVID-19 response legislation. During this pandemic, these outlets have provided information to Americans on health and safety measures and reopening protocols in communities across the country. Digital-native outlets rely primarily o  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden are requesting that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) immediately conduct a review to examine the safety of rubber bullets being used against protesters during civil rights protests. Merkley and Wyden's request comes on the heels of public reporting that indicates there have been serious injuries resulting from law enforcement's use of these projecti  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden are requesting that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) immediately conduct a review to examine the safety of rubber bullets being used against protesters during civil rights protests. Merkley and Wyden's request comes on the heels of public reporting that indicates there have been serious injuries resulting from law enforcement's use of these projectiles  more

WASHINGTON, June 12 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Todd Young (R-IN) requested a briefing from the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, on information about the U.S. intelligence community's efforts to monitor and combat foreign interference aimed to exploit divisions within the United States, particularly as the 2020 general election approaches. Merkley and Young serve as the Ranking Member a  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Todd Young (R-IN) requested a briefing from the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, on information about the U.S. intelligence community's efforts to monitor and combat foreign interference aimed to exploit divisions within the United States, particularly as the 2020 general election approaches. Merkley and Young serve as the Ranking Member a  more

WASHINGTON, June 12 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news on June 11: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a comprehensive public database of funds distributed from the CARES Act to health care providers in the effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. "We write to you today regarding the need for   more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on June 10: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Mike Lee, R-Utah, Cory Booker, D-N.J. and 13 members of the U.S. House asked Juniper Networks to explain how an NSA-designed algorithm, which leading cybersecurity experts believe contains an encryption backdoor, appeared in its products, and how the key to this backdoor was later changed by unknown parties. Juniper first revealed a security breach in late 2015 in whi  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley demanded information from Zoom's CEO after the company admitted it deactivated the accounts of U.S-based, pro-democracy Chinese activists -- at the request of the Chinese government -- after they held a Zoom meeting on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. "We write with deep concern regarding reports that Zoom, a U.S.-based company, deactivated the accounts   more

WASHINGTON, June 9 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Representative Bill Foster, D-Ill., led a bicameral group of 80 other colleagues including U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. in urging Donald Trump not to resume explosive nuclear testing after a 28-year hiatus. This letter comes in response to reports indicating the administration is considering taking this step. In a letter to Trump, the legislators wrote, "We are de  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that Tidewater Barge Lines, Inc. has earned a $3.2 million federal grant to support the expansion of barge services from the Port of Morrow in Boardman to Vancouver, Wash. "The Port of Morrow plays an essential part generating jobs in Boardman and throughout Eastern Oregon," Wyden said. "These federal resources expanding shipping opportunities will help Eastern  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that Tidewater Barge Lines, Inc. has earned a $3.2 million federal grant to support the expansion of barge services from the Port of Morrow in Boardman to Vancouver, Wash. "The Port of Morrow plays an essential part generating jobs in Boardman and throughout Eastern Oregon," Wyden said. "These federal resources expanding shipping opportunities will help Eastern Or  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that Volunteers of America Oregon and Prism Health will receive $768,644 in federal funds to help provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic. "The value of telehealth for Oregonians and the hard-working medical providers who care for them takes on even greater importance when COVID-19 protocols include distancing," Wyden said. "I am glad these   more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that Volunteers of America Oregon and Prism Health will receive $768,644 in federal funds to help provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic. "The value of telehealth for Oregonians and the hard-working medical providers who care for them takes on even greater importance when COVID-19 protocols include distancing," Wyden said. "I am glad these tw  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray, D-Wash., condemned the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for going forward with the finalization of a proposed rule that would allow recipients of HHS grants and contracts to discriminate against L  more