WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following statement on Oct. 15, 2021, on the federal indictment of Boeing's ex-737 MAX technical pilot Mark Forkner: * * * "Senior leaders throughout Boeing are responsible for the culture of concealment that ultimately led to the 737 MAX crashes and the death of 346 innocent people--Mark Forkner's indictment should not be the end of the accountability for this   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on Oct. 18, 2021: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) announced the subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "Three Years After Lion Air 610: FAA Implementation of the 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act."   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Washington, chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation, issued the following opening statement at an Oct. 21, 2021, hearing entitled "Three Years After Lion Air 610: FAA Implementation of the 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act": * * * Chair DeFazio: Thank you, Chair Larsen, for calling today's hearing on the FAA's implementation  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on Oct. 22, 2021: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Dina Titus (D-NV) announced the subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "Are FEMA's Assistance Programs Adequately Designed to Assist Comm  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 21, 2021: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today made the case for how his National Prescribed Fire Act would reduce wildfire risks in Oregon and nationwide, during a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the bill and other pending legislation. Witnesses on behalf of the Biden administration voiced support for the legislation as a key tool to reduce fire risks nationwide. "These ar  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following statement: * * * Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after Senate Republicans refused to proceed to debate and filibustered the first Senate vote on the Freedom to Vote Act. Merkley has been helping to lead negotiations within the Senate on legislation that would protect Americans' freedom to vote, stop billionaires from buying elections, and end partisan gerrymandering, and is a lead sponsor  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 22, 2021: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced that his legislation, the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act, has passed the U.S. House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support on a vote of 276-149. The PUMP Act would expand a 2010 law authored by Merkley and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12), which provides space and time for hourly employees to pu  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 -- Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 22, 2021: Yesterday, during a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario) called on United States Attorney General Merrick Garland to prioritize and direct more federal resources to local law enforcement in places like southern Oregon where county officials are combatting drug cartel operations including illegal marijuana farms and human trafficking. In Congressman   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 21, 2021: U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)--the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade--led his colleagues on the Ways and Means and Foreign Affairs Committees today in a roundtable discussion with trade ministers from throughout Africa to discuss key issues impacting U.S-Africa trade and economic cooperation, including trade equity, product diversification, and the future  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Washington, issued the following news release on Oct. 19, 2021: Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler today sent a letter to Governor Jay Inslee highlighting the example set by New Jersey's Democrat Governor who has pledged to block New York's congestion pricing plan that would unfairly charge his state's commuters for using existing infrastructure, and asking Inslee to do the same. In a July 2018 visit to Vancouver, Governor Inslee pledged th  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on Oct. 20, 2021: Bipartisan legislation to help expedite disaster recovery efforts, particularly in small and rural areas, was introduced today by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) in the House of Representatives. Joining Graves as co-leads on the bill are Transportation and Infrastructure Committ  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 20, 2021: Bipartisan legislation to help expedite disaster recovery efforts, particularly in rural areas, was introduced today by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO). The Small Project Efficient and Effective Disaster (SPEED) Recovery Act updates the threshold for what qualifies as a "small project" under the Robert T. St  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 19, 2021: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Suzanne Bonamici today called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take all statutory eligibilities into account when distributing the $10 billion in aid to agricultural producers hit hard by extreme heat, drought, and wildfires this summer. The letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack from the Oregon   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on Oct. 18, 2021: In response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcing a proactive plan to reduce polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution in the nation's waters, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Grace F  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 22, 2021: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced key provisions in education and health care in the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education bill that will fund programs that support frontline health care workers and educators, who have suffered through the strain of a global pandemic for nearly two years. The bill is the basis for negotiations with the House, as Congress works to fun  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 21, 2021: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced that he has used his seat on the prestigious Senate Appropriations Committee to secure investments that will support critical housing and transportation services and projects across the state. The bill is the basis for negotiations with the House, as Congress works to fund the government for fiscal year 2022. "This funding tackles some of th  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 22, 2021: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced key provisions in the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill that will fund critical programs supporting economic development, research, and the safety of vulnerable populations in communities across Oregon. The bill is the basis for negotiations with the House, as Congress works to fund the government for fiscal year 2022. "Our c  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 20, 2021: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced that he has used his seat as Chair of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds the Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to secure vital investments in the annual spending bill for the subcommittee that will help make Oregon's forests more resilient, support rural communities, protect public lands, bolster important prog  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement at an Oct. 20, 2021, hearing on health insurance coverage: * * * Senate Democrats are on the cusp of moving major legislation that will transform American health care, helping consumers get relief from getting clobbered at the pharmacy window, promoting innovations, and delivering quality, cost effective home- and community-based services to older people and people with dis  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement at an Oct. 19, 2021, hearing on the nomination of Chris Magnus to lead the U.S. Customs and Border Protection: * * * I want to thank Chief Magnus for joining the committee today and for his willingness to take on this extraordinarily difficult job. Chief Magnus is the Chief of Police in Tucson, Arizona. He started out in Lansing, Michigan, and his career in public safety h  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on Oct. 19, 2021, on Democrats' revised proposal on the tax system: * * * Thank you to Senator Warren for joining me today to provide an update as to where we are on the information reporting proposal and respond to the torrent of lies we're seeing from Republicans and industry. First, let's set the table. IRS Commissioner Rettig--a Republican appointee--came before the Fi  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Oct. 22, 2021: * * * U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement in response to the Federal Trade Commission report documenting how Big Cable companies sold detailed personal information about their customers' browsing history to advertisers: "If Congress needed any more proof that America desperately needs a consumer privacy law, the Federal Trade Commission's report about internet ser  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Citing the recent announcement by Bi-Mart that it's begun closing 56 pharmacies in Oregon and the Northwest, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden this week urged the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to review pharmacy closures nationwide in the last five years with a focus on how fees imposed by Medicare Part D plans and middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers are driving those closures -- many of  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on Oct. 21, 2021: Citing the recent announcement by Bi-Mart that it's begun closing 56 pharmacies in Oregon and the Northwest, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden this week urged the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to review pharmacy closures nationwide in the last five years with a focus on how fees imposed by Medicare Part D plans and middlemen known as phar  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 22, 2021: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that federal grants totaling nearly $19 million will come to Oregon to assist with recovery efforts from last year's wildfire disasters. "During my visit to Santiam Canyon and other areas in the aftermath of their devastating wildfires, it was clear the damages to our forests, rural neighborhoods, and community infrastructure   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 19, 2021: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that several major grants will be going from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help tribal communities in Oregon improve water quality and restore wetland habitats. Merkley chairs the Senate's Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds the EPA and the grant programs that awarded this funding to Oregon tri  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 19, 2021: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that several major grants will be going from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help tribal communities in Oregon improve water quality and restore wetland habitats. Merkley chairs the Senate's Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds the EPA and the grant programs that awarded this funding to Oregon tribes  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following joint statement with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Oct. 22, 2021: * * * U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today issued the following statement in response to U.S. Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Washington Governor Jay Inslee announcing a joint federal-state process on salmon recovery in the Columbia River Basin and the Pacific Northwest: "Ensuring the long-term viability of the Columbia River Basin is essential t  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 19, 2021: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Suzanne Bonamici today called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take all statutory eligibilities into account when distributing the $10 billion in aid to agricultural producers hit hard by extreme heat, drought, and wildfires this summer. The letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack from the Oreg  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Suzanne Bonamici today called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take all statutory eligibilities into account when distributing the $10 billion in aid to agricultural producers hit hard by extreme heat, drought, and wildfires this summer. The letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack from the Oregon lawmakers as well   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 19, 2021: U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Suzanne Bonamici today called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take all statutory eligibilities into account when distributing the $10 billion in aid to agricultural producers hit hard by extreme heat, drought, and wildfires this summer. The letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack from the Oregon lawm  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that seven Oregonians will be interviewed by the selection committee assembled by the senators to be the next U.S. Attorney for Oregon. The seven candidates under consideration by the selection committee are as follows, in alphabetical order: * Craig Gabriel * John Hummel * Joseph Huynh * Vivek Kothari * Vamshi Reddy * Rachel Sowray * Natalie Wi  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 19, 2021: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that seven Oregonians will be interviewed by the selection committee assembled by the senators to be the next U.S. Attorney for Oregon. The seven candidates under consideration by the selection committee are as follows, in alphabetical order: * Craig Gabriel * John Hummel * Joseph Huynh * Vivek Kothari * Vamshi Reddy * Rachel Sowray  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., with Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., asked the Federal Communications Commission to take action in response to national security risks posed by foreign companies that manage and service U.S. wireless phone networks. Although the U.S. government has responded forcefully to risks from Chinese hardware manufact  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 22, 2021: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today issued the following statement in response to U.S. Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Washington Governor Jay Inslee announcing a joint federal-state process on salmon recovery in the Columbia River Basin and the Pacific Northwest: "Ensuring the long-term viability of the Columbia River Basin is essential to the Pacific Northwest and all who liv  more