WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following joint statement on Nov. 30, 2022, with 11 senators: * * * Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) on Wednesday issued the following joint statement after the U.S. Hou  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Dec. 2, 2022: * * * Congressman Earl Blumenauer, founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, released the following statement in celebration of President Biden signing his Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act and encouraging the Senate to move a meaningful end-of-year legislative cannabis package. "In my decades long fight to end the failed war on drugs and the misguided   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2022: Today Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced legislation to make child care more accessible to people who live in affordable housing. The Build Housing with Care Act would provide $500 million to help construct child care centers and support home-based child care providers connected with affordable housing buildings. Funding would be prioritized for projects located in child car  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release and letter on Dec. 2, 2022: Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-53); and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Chair of the Education and Labor Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services; are leading more than half of the House Democratic Caucus - 121 House colleagues - in a push to double the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding in the end-of-year omnibus package. In a letter to House an  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-2nd), together with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Alan Lowenthal (D-CA-47th), introduced the Protecting Communities from Plastics Act, legislation that addresses the plastic production crisis that is fueling climate change and perpetuating environmental injustice. With plastic production and consumption on track to   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Dec. 2, 2022: * * * Cannabis Caucus Co-Chairs Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Dave Joyce (R-OH), and Brian Mast (R-FL) released the following statement in celebration of President Biden's signing of the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act. "For decades, the federal government has stood in the way of science and progress--peddling a misguided and discriminatory approach to c  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: This week, Congressman Russ Fulcher was elected by members of the House Republican conference to serve on the Republican Policy Committee for the 118th Congress. He joins the Committee as the Representative for Region 12, which includes the states Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and the territories Guam and American Samoa. "I am honored to have been elected by my colleagues to s  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2022: The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today held a hearing on U.S. Senator Ron Wyden's legislation to provide Malheur County with much-needed economic development opportunities by developing scenic loop roads and by maintaining and improving rangeland to support local ranchers and protecting the Owyhee River Canyonlands and surrounding public lands for ranching, recreation and   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release and letter: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken ahead of Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC)'s first session taking place this week. The Senators' letter highlights the clear and present threat plastic pollution poses to public health, national security, and the f  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Oregon Zoo is receiving $459,655 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to support the care of the many animals and endangered species at the zoo. "The Oregon Zoo is a critical local resource, doing research and education on local species, and leading important conservation efforts for e  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden invite Oregonians to participate and comment on a plan to protect key conservation areas in the middle and southern sections of the Willamette Valley. The plan, implemented by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), encompasses habitats for the iconic Western monarch butterfly, the Fender's blue butterfly, and the Oregon white oak. "We've all experienced the mo  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 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 Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Salud Carbajal (D-CA) announced the subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "U.S. Coast Guard's Leadership on Arctic Safety, Security, and Environmental Responsibility." The purpose  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release and letter: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee Rick Larsen (D-WA) sent a letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Nolen expressing their concern over the FAA's decision to allow certain airline dispatchers to continue to wo  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- 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 Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following statements after the House passed H.J. Res. 100 to impose the Railway Labor Tentative Agreement and also voted to add seven da  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- 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 Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following statements during House Floor debate on H.J. Res. 100, imposing the Railway Labor Tentative Agreements: Chair DeFazio: We're  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: As our nation continues to face a crisis of housing affordability, Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act, a piece of legislation aimed at ending Wall Street ownership of residential housing. While aspects of the housing crisis-- including a supply shortage--will take years to remedy, others can be addressed immediately, including a ban on hedge funds and  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Nov. 29, 2022: * * * Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley shared the following statement after the United States Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act, which protects federal marriage equality for same-sex and interracial couples in the United States of America. "Nobody should face the gut-wrenching pit in their stomach with the possibility that some politically motivated Supreme Court justices might sudd  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2022: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Senate Finance Committee members Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Richard Burr, R-N.C., today released a discussion draft including policies aimed at improving mental health parity in Medicare and Medicaid and helping to put access to mental health and substance use  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release and letter: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and 19 bipartisan members raised Constitutional concerns about the process to approve and implement the proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), as well as the need for the administration to increase consultation and transparency. In a letter to Presid  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Nov. 29, 2022: * * * U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today voted in support of the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation to protect the rights of all Americans to marry who they choose. The Senate passed the bill, and it now advances to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration. * * * Senator Wyden released the following statement. "By passing the Respect for Marriage Act, the Senate has reaffirmed   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Nov. 28, 2022: * * * M. President, a little later on today the Senate is going to vote on the Respect for Marriage Act. This vote is an affirmation that the United States Senate will stand up and protect the right of all Americans to marry the person they love. Although this is about codifying rights that same-sex couples already enjoy, this is still an important step in a long-running struggle for equality.   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Nov. 29, 2022, and letters: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., sought answers from the six largest cryptocurrency exchanges on the risks consumers face when investing on their platforms, including whether the exchanges provide any protections for customers if the company fails. Wyden's inquiry comes after the bankruptcy of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange and news reports indicating widespread mismanagement and mi  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on Nov. 29, 2022: * * * Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement on the new Treasury Department guidance on the Inflation Reduction Act worker protections: "One of our top priorities in drafting the Inflation Reduction Act was ensuring clean energy jobs are good-paying jobs and we train the workers needed to fill openings in t  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a vote on the nomination of Oregon Supreme Court Associate Justice Adrienne Nelson to the U.S. District Court in Oregon. Justice Nelson received a vote of 12-10. Her nomination will next be considered by the full U.S. Senate. "We are pleased to see Justice Nelson's nomination clear this major hu  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a vote on the nomination of Oregon Supreme Court Associate Justice Adrienne Nelson to the U.S. District Court in Oregon. Justice Nelson received a vote of 12-10. Her nomination will next be considered by the full U.S. Senate. "We are pleased to see Justice Nelson's nomination clear this major  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2022: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the City of Gates will receive a $400,000 Rural Development grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to install a backup power source at their reservoir for fire-resilient municipal water service. "Gates, like many towns in Oregon, has made tremendous progress recovering from the catastrophic fire event in September of 2  more