WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, along with 24 of his Senate colleagues, is introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 (NDAA) that would require President Trump to unlock the full authority and power of the Defense Production Act (DPA) to scale up nationwide production of the testing supplies, personal protective equipment, and medical equipment needed at the local level to a  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following floor remarks during the House Rules Committee meeting on the Moving Forward Act (H.R. 2) on June 29: I'm pleased to testify before the Rules Committee today in support of H.R. 2, the "Moving Forward Act." America's infrastructure is in crisis. Our system of roads, bridges, public transit, rail, airports, ports and water systems are badly outdated, ca  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- 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) sent a letter to Lieutenant General Todd T. Semonite of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to push for an extension of the finalization of the Environmental Impact Statement as it relates to the Pebble Mine Project, due to concerns over lack of con  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- 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 Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) released statements after the U.S. Department of Transportation's watchdog released its report, "Timeline of Activities Leading to the Certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 Aircraft and Actions   more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: The House passed a $1.5 trillion plan to rebuild American infrastructure that includes legislation from Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) to help more people enter good-paying jobs in infrastructure and fight the climate crisis. The Moving Forward Act, H.R. 2, invests in roads, bridges, and transit systems, and also in schools, child care, housing, broadband access, and more. Bonamici spoke in support  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release: The U.S. House of Representatives voted 233-188 to pass H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, comprehensive legislation that invests more than $1.5 trillion in our Nation's roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports and harbors, schools, housing, broadband, drinking and wastewater systems, postal service, clean energy sector, health care infrastructure  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, released a statement following the inclusion of several of his signature policy initiatives in the Congressional Action Report released yesterday by the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. "The climate emergency is a threat to our very existence, yet the United States, a leading contributor of carbon emissions,  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), the only member of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis from the Pacific Northwest, joined her colleagues in releasing their Climate Action Plan. The comprehensive report, "Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America," outlines a science-based path to address the climate crisis   more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on June 29 on the Supreme Court's decision upholding abortion rights in the case of June Medical Services LLC vs. Russo: "I am relieved that today the Court landed on the side of reproductive choice and respect for precedent. "This will not be the last threat to reproductive rights, but women in Louisiana and across the country can draw hope and strength from this victory. "I remember the days before Roe v.  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) led 66 of her colleagues in calling on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to extend the eviction moratorium for tenants living in federally supported housing. Without further action, the current moratorium established by the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will expire on July 25. The members of Congress ur  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Jim Banks (R-IN) re-introduced the bipartisan Retirement Savings Lost and Found Act to modernize the retirement system to protect Americans' savings by creating a national, online "lost and found" for Americans to track their retirement accounts as they move between jobs. "I'm gla  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: The Moving Forward Act, transformative infrastructure legislation drafted and spearheaded by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (OR-04), passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 233-188. "Passage of this bold, forward-thinking infrastructure bill is proof that finally, there is a majority of us in Congress who won't accept the status quo and instead are willing to fight f  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- 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) released the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) letter announcing that its relaxa  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a statement after the Department of Interior (DOI) awarded $23,321,995 to Oregon under the 2020 Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program to support essential services in rural Oregon. "PILT funding is critical for Oregon's rural communities to provide essential services, which is why I worked with my colleagues in the House to fully fund this program," said Wa  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement after the House passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act (H.R. 1425): "At a time when the entire world is counting on the great United States innovators to find a vaccine and treatments for COVID-19, the Speaker doubled down on the Democrats' partisan drug pricing scheme that kills American research jobs and results in f  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following floor statement on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act (H.R. 1425) on June 29: Our constituents are looking for us to put aside partisan politics, stop playing political games, and find common ground to address the unprecedented. deadly challenges caused by COVID-19. We need to work together to lower prescription drug prices; aid s  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) secured a provision in the House Infrastructure bill to ensure access to federal funding to improve safety for vehicles, pedestrians and bikers across the Bridge of the Gods. "The Bridge of the Gods in the Columbia River Gorge is an important regional transportation link and a vital, but dangerous, connection on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)," said Walden. "Residents a  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement on July 1 after the House passed the infrastructure package (H.R. 2): "Today is another day Democrats in Congress could have put down their political swords and found common ground with Republicans who have offered proposals to make American energy infrastructure more resilient and safeguard it from cyberattacks. Republicans have proposed more th  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- 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 Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sent a letter to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requesting the OIG initiate an investigation into whether or not five states - California, Michigan, New  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: This week, House Democrats put forth their 'Moving Forward Act,' yet another partisan messaging exercise with radical policies that has no chance of becoming law. Democratic leaders who led the bill deemed it "the application of the principles of the Green New Deal." As Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden said after t  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- 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), Energy Subcommittee Republican Leader Fred Upton (R-MI), and Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee Republican Leader John Shimkus (R-IL) announced the release of several energy infrastructure bills aimed to ensure continued U.S. energy independence. "U.S. energy indepe  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following floor remarks at a Subcommittee on Health hearing entitled "High Anxiety and Stress: Legislation to Improve Mental Health During Crisis" on June 30: I'd like to thank Chairwoman Eshoo and Ranking Member Burgess for convening this hearing today to examine several measures to make meaningful improvements to mental health services in this country. The Committ  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following floor statement on the INVEST in America Act (H.R. 2): I want to start by thanking Chairman DeFazio for working with me on an amendment that will come up tomorrow that will allow the Port of Cascade Locks to compete for funds to add a path on the Bridge of the Gods to provide a safer place for hikers and horseback riders on the Pacific Crest Trail to cross  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: This week Vice President Mike Pence spoke with the leaders of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps about the newly authorized Ready Reserve Corps. This advancement in the USPHS came from United States Public Health Service Modernization Act of 2019, a bipartisan bill from Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Republican  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: On Wednesday, Ranking Members Greg Walden (R-OR) and Kevin Brady (R-TX) joined Republican Whip and Ranking Member of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Steve Scalise (R-LA) to set the record straight in response to the release of Senate Democrats' report blaming the Trump Administration for America's nursing home crisis in clea  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on July 1: Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Republican Leader Brett Guthrie (R-KY) today released the second pillar of the Second Wave Preparedness Project with recommendations officials should consider in order to better prepare to produce and distribute a vaccine  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following joint statement on July 1 with Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, regarding the enforcement of the California Consumer Privacy Act:. "The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the need for Americans to be able to trust their personal information is protected online, especially as our  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 2: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley applauded the Senate's unanimous agreement to include his amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would extend a ban on the export of crowd control equipment to the Hong Kong Police Force. The Senate's move today comes as China's ruling Communist Party's new security law goes into effect--a serious escalation in the erosion of Hong Kongers'   more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: As coronavirus cases nationwide surge to record levels, Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led 15 colleagues in demanding Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell bring the House-passed Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or the HEROES Act to the Senate floor before recess, saying that failing to do so would be an abdication of our most basic responsibilities. "Since the House vote on t  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08) are introducing in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, respectively, the Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act--legislation that would create jobs and help reduce energy costs for small and medium-sized manufacturers. "If we don't make things in America, we won't have a middle class in America," Merkl  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden co-sponsored an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would require Donald Trump and the Trump Organization to disclose full financial information for foreign properties owned by Trump's family business. That information would include the total income earned by the Trump Organization from any licensing agreements. "This isn't complicated - the Ameri  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., co-sponsored legislation that would provide $1.2 billion to ensure federally-assisted senior housing facilities have the resources to protect residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Seniors in Oregon and across the country face serious dangers from both COVID-19 and inaction from the federal government to protect them," Wyden said. "Congress must ensure seniors can remain in thei  more

WASHINGTON, July 4 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced his co-sponsorship of the COVID-19 as a Presumptive Disease in Wildland Firefighters Act to protect firefighters during the COVID-19 public health emergency. "Every year our wildland firefighters put their lives on the line to protect our communities in Oregon and nationwide from destruction and dangerous wildfire smoke. In the face of COVID-19, a disease that threatens the  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has joined colleagues in introducing the Coronavirus Housing Counseling Improvement Act to expand access to critical information, assistance programs and services for millions of families struggling to remain in their homes because of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic fallout. "COVID-19 is forcing families in Oregon and across the country to make tough decisions - balancing how to g  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following floor statement on on July 1 on extending supercharged unemployment assistance: Madam President, I'm here on the floor this morning with Leader Schumer to call on the Senate to extend supercharged unemployment benefits for as long as our economy is suffering under the COVID-19 pandemic. Let me explain why this ought to be a no-brainer. Tens of millions of Americans ar  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement at a hearing on the oversight of the Internal Revenue Service: The Finance Committee meets for its annual oversight hearing on the tax filing season. This year it also involves the COVID-19 response. I want to start on that issue, because when it comes to active cases, this country appears to be right back where it was in the spring. Tens of thousands of newl  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on the Congressional Budget Office analysis of characteristics of people receiving unemployment benefits: "CBO's report concludes that Black and Hispanic Americans are more likely to be receiving unemployment benefits, reflecting the disproportionate effects of this economic crisis on communities of color. "Economic pain has overwhelmingly been concentrat  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement after Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley released an op-ed on drug pricing legislation, including claims that Democrats were no longer supporting the bill: "Democrats have not walked away from the table on drug pricing - Republicans never showed up in the first place. The House passed a bill with Republican votes last year, while Mitch McConnell has yet to ta  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on the June jobs report: "Millions of Americans going back to work is good news, but the topline number in the jobs report masks ominous trends. The report shows that only one-third of those who lost their jobs have gone back to work, and permanent job losses have increased. "Importantly, the report shows the unemployment rate for Black men increased, as did  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on President Trump's record on the U.S.-China trade deal: "What has Donald Trump done to crack down on China's repressive behavior? Worse than nothing - he has condoned China's behavior, selling out American values in the process, in return for the promise to buy a few more soybeans. "Make no mistake, China's censorship, internet blocking and digital interfe  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on July 1 on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement: "After 25 years, NAFTA needed a whole new approach to make sure that all Americans benefit from our trade relationships in North America, and to update it for the trade issues we face today. "Congressional Democrats did not waver in their demands for a revised agreement that puts the interests of workers and co  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden joined with 11 colleagues in calling on federal health officials to act in response to nursing homes evicting residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) cites New York Times reports that nursing homes have evicted more than 6,400 residents since the beginning of the pandemic. "Such  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- 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., requested answers to allegations that the Trump administration bargained away trade concessions in exchange for political favors from China, in a letter to White House trade advisor Peter Navarro. Former National Security Advisor John Bolton alleges that Trump asked Chinese leaders for political favors,   more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Oregon's first publicly reported cases of COVID-19 at a child care center in the state: "Tragically, this issue is not unique to Oregon or to this specific center, as child care centers across America are grappling with how to keep children and families safe. Like most businesses, child care centers have lost revenue with kids staying home and higher operational costs to keep their centers safe. "As the country   more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Senate passage of legislation to extend the Paycheck Protection Program loan application deadline through August 8. The legislation advances to the House for consideration: "Oregon's small businesses are struggling to stay afloat as the COVID-19 public health emergency continues,". "The Paycheck Protection Program has proven to be a lifeline for these businesses and the workers they employ. This deadline extensi  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following statement: Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement, after Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., pulled the EARN IT Act and replaced it with an entirely new bill, one day before a scheduled markup in the Senate Judiciary Committee. * * * "After widespread condemnation of the EARN IT Act as a dangerous attack on encryption and free speech, the bill's authors are attempting to replace thei  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news: The Senate by unanimous consent passed the Emergency Aid for Returning Americans Affected by Coronavirus Act authored by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. The legislation temporarily raises the cap for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) repatriation program from $1 million to $10  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 1: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Southwest Oregon Regional/Coos County Airport District will receive $6.5 million in federal funding to construct a 12,863-square-foot aircraft rescue and firefighting building. "As our communities continue fighting to keep the lights on while slowing the spread of the coronavirus, it's critical that we focus on doing everything we can  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 1: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Southwest Oregon Regional/Coos County Airport District will receive $6.5 million in federal funding to construct a 12,863-square-foot aircraft rescue and firefighting building. "As our communities continue fighting to keep the lights on while slowing the spread of the coronavirus, it's critical that we focus on doing everything we   more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that Oregon will receive nearly $200,000 in Farm to School grants to support partnerships between local farms and school districts. The funding will allow farms to supply schools with local produce, support hands-on agricultural education, and promote healthy eating through family programming, including cooking demonstrations and farm work parties. The   more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that Oregon will receive nearly $200,000 in Farm to School grants to support partnerships between local farms and school districts. The funding will allow farms to supply schools with local produce, support hands-on agricultural education, and promote healthy eating through family programming, including cooking demonstrations and farm work parties. T  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Senate has passed a critically needed fix to the 2018 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that will provide relief to Klamath Basin irrigators who have been hard-hit by drought. In 2018, WRDA included language that was essential for irrigators in the Klamath Basin to effectively use $10 million in drought relief funds that the lawmakers had  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Senate has passed a critically needed fix to the 2018 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that will provide relief to Klamath Basin irrigators who have been hard-hit by drought. In 2018, WRDA included language that was essential for irrigators in the Klamath Basin to effectively use $10 million in drought relief funds that the lawmakers   more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: As the Trump administration keeps working to dismantle the health care law that provides coverage for millions of Americans, Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have joined 45 of their Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution condemning that reckless effort. The senators also demanded the Department of Justice (DOJ) defend existing law in court, and halt its efforts to repeal the health care  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: As the Trump administration keeps working to dismantle the health care law that provides coverage for millions of Americans, Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have joined 45 of their Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution condemning that reckless effort. The senators also demanded the Department of Justice (DOJ) defend existing law in court, and halt its efforts to repeal the health care pr  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) were joined by Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in introducing the Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act. This bipartisan legislation would provide those Hong Kongers who peacefully protested Beijing's corrupt justice system, and have a well-founded fear of persecution, to be eligible for Priority 2 Refugee status. The bill is a  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news on June 30: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., and Cory A. Booker, D-N.J., today introduced legislation to support the economic recovery by immediately financing six months of wages and supportive services for unemployed workers. "The economy is   more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced a bill to ensure that millions of Americans can access essential broadband access in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Broadband Connections Act - sponsored by 26 Senate Democrats - would provide a $50/month benefit to workers who have been laid off or furloughed during th  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) led their Senate Finance Committee colleagues in a letter urging Trump administration officials to immediately distribute further supplemental economic impact payments to those who are in need rather than make them wait until tax time next year. The senators wrote in their letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley co-sponsored legislation that would extend the federal eviction moratorium by nearly eight months to March 27, 2021, and expand it to cover nearly all renters. The Protecting Renters from Evictions and Fees Act extends the federal eviction moratorium from July 24, 2020 to one year after the March 27, 2020 enactment of the CARES Act, and would also prohibit fees, fines and e  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced legislation to help communities in Oregon and across the West experiencing high levels of drought. Their bill will improve water access for agriculture and conservation by funding projects that improve dam safety, create more resilient watersheds and benefit agricultural and urban water users. "At a time when the nation is suffering increased droughts tha  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced legislation to help communities in Oregon and across the West experiencing high levels of drought. Their bill will improve water access for agriculture and conservation by funding projects that improve dam safety, create more resilient watersheds and benefit agricultural and urban water users. "At a time when the nation is suffering increased droughts   more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Following the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Ga., which held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBTQ workers from discrimination, Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined their colleagues to demand the Department of Justice (DOJ) reverse its anti-LGBTQ position that federal law does not shield transgender workers. In a letter to Attorney Ge  more

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Following the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Ga., which held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBTQ workers from discrimination, Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined their colleagues to demand the Department of Justice (DOJ) reverse its anti-LGBTQ position that federal law does not shield transgender workers. In a letter to Attorney  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced the Greater Eastern Oregon Development Corporation (GEODC) has earned a $400,000 federal economic development aard that would help the Pendleton-based private non-profit cover costs for staff, planning, training and equipment in support of rural and frontier communities hit hard by COVID-19. The $400,000 award is part of the funding allocated by the Coronavirus Aid  more