PORTLAND, Oregon, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Sept. 15, 2023: Today, Congressman Earl Blumenauer announced he secured a $703,046 grant for the Feed'em Freedom Foundation to support the Black Community Food Center. The earmarked funding comes after Blumenauer successfully included it in Fiscal Year 2023 Congressionally Directed Funding. "The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity in our most vulnerable communities. It is clear the fede  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: During National Arts in Education Week, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced legislation to increase access to the arts for students. Bonamici's Arts Education for All Act - introduced with Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) - will help close gaps in access to arts education by supporting and encouraging arts education and programming for young children, K-12 stud  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Representative Bobby Scott (VA-3), Ranking Member of the Hous  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) and Summer Lee (PA-12) introduced the bipartisan DIRECT Care for the Homeless Act. The new proposal, which comes as homelessness continues to rise across the United States at a record-setting rate, requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a pilot program that would help provide health care services directly to home  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 -- Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) recently introduced the bipartisan Special Forest Products Program Reauthorization Act, which would allow for the sustainable harvest of special forest products on lands in the National Forest System (NFS). "Our national forests are full of resources that Oregonians, including tribal residents, benefit from and enjoy. The Special F  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on Sept. 12, 2023: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., will convene a business meeting on Thursday, September 14, to favorably report the U.S.-Taiwan Expedited Double Tax Relief Act. The meeting will take place at 10:00 a.m. in Room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The legislation, sponsored by Wyden and Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Cra  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) and U.S. Representative Mike Thompson (CA-04) led a bipartisan letter to Secretary Cardonaurging the U.S. Department of Education to reconsider its interpretation of a provision in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), which has resulted in the potential halting of federal funding for archery and hunting safety programs in schools, directly impacting rural communitie  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) teamed up with Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Maine's U.S. Senator Angus King to introduce the bicameral Help Our Kelp Act. Over the last 50 years, the changing climate, poor water quality, and overfishing have damaged between 40-60 percent of our kelp forests. Kelp forest ecosystems not only provide food and habitat for hundre  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Maine's U.S. Senator Angus King teamed up with Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) to introduce the bicameral Help Our Kelp Act. Over the last 50 years, the changing climate, poor water quality, and overfishing have damaged between 40-60 percent of our kelp forests. Kelp forest ecosystems not only provide food and habitat for hundreds of fish and   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Maryland's U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollenissuedthe following joint statement after the announcement of the establishment of a "comprehensive strategic partnership" between the United States and Vietnam, during a visit by President Biden to Vietnam: "The foundation to a strong working relationship between our two nations is addressing the painful wartime legacy and promo  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be awarding the City of Echo $450,000 to replace water service connections that are over 30 years old and create a digital mapping system. "Outdated and underfunded water infrastructure is at a greater risk of failing, leaving community members and businesses without  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be awarding the City of Echo $450,000 to replace water service connections that are over 30 years old and create a digital mapping system. "Outdated and underfunded water infrastructure is at a greater risk of failing, leaving community members and businesses without cl  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding three Oregon Tribes a combined total of $1,104,088 for projects to improve water and air quality and reduce pollution. "Tribal families and community members rely on clean air and water for the health, safety, and the economic growth of their communities," said  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding three Oregon Tribes a combined total of $1,104,088 for projects to improve water and air quality and reduce pollution. "Tribal families and community members rely on clean air and water for the health, safety, and the economic growth of their communities," said Se  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (WA-04) announced today that the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport will be awarded $2,965,213 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for airport infrastructure improvements under the FY23 Airport Improvement Program. "The Columbia Gorge Regional Airport is an important hub serving community members, businesses,  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (WA-04) announced today that the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport will be awarded $2,965,213 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for airport infrastructure improvements under the FY23 Airport Improvement Program. "The Columbia Gorge Regional Airport is an important hub serving community members, businesses, and   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (WA-04) announced today that the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport will be awarded $2,965,213 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for airport infrastructure improvements under the FY23 Airport Improvement Program. "The Columbia Gorge Regional Airport is an important hub serving community memb  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Sept. 12, 2023: * * * Today, Congressional Animal Protection Caucus (CAPC) Co-Chairs Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), and Mike Quigley (D-IL) released the following statement after the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) released two new reports detailing an investigation into the racehorse fatalities that took place at Churchill Downs Racetrack and new protocols  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Sept. 15, 2023: * * * Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06), a leader in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and one of the first Latinas to represent Oregon in Congress, released the following statement in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month: "I'm proud to commemorate the start of Hispanic Heritage Month today. For Latinos in Oregon and across the country, this is a month of recognition, cel  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Sept. 13, 2023: Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $375,000 to Tualatin Together as part of its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) grant opportunity for projects of regional and national significance. "As a member of Congress and the mother of a teenager, protecting our children is of paramo  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Sept. 13, 2023: Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) delivered a letter to Speaker Kevin McCarthy, calling on him to reject attempts by the far-right House Freedom Caucus to politicize the Appropriations Process. Specifically, Salinas points out that partisan attempts to inject the Fiscal Year 2024 Defense Appropriations Bill with anti-LGBTQ2SIA+ and anti-choice "riders" will stall th  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Sept. 15, 2023: Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced that the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Forest Service will award two essential grants for Oregon's Sixth District: $1 million to the City of Salem, and $22,857,196 to the Oregon Department of Forestry. These grants will be used to help plant and maintain more trees, combat extreme heat and climate change,  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Sept. 15, 2023: Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06), a member of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, introduced the Helping Out Patients for Emotional (HOPE) and Mental Wellbeing Act. This legislation requires the Medicare and Medicaid programs to provide three behavioral health visits per year at no cost to participants in the program. "Like so many other states, Oregon is facing a  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on Sept. 12, 2023: * * * Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement after the U.S. Census Bureau released new data showing child poverty more than doubled after the expiration of the enhanced child tax credit: "Today's devastating news shows in numbers what Democrats have said all along -- the enhanced child tax credit works.   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on Sept. 14, 2023, at a finance committee markup of U.S.-Taiwan tax bill: * * * The Finance Committee has convened today to vote on bipartisan tax legislation, the U.S.-Taiwan Expedited Double Tax Relief Act. This legislation relieves double taxation on investment between the United States and Taiwan, strengthening our nations' partnership. Today's legislation has been d  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following floor remarks to mark the beginning of Medicare negotiation to lower the cost of prescription drugs: * * * I come to the floor to mark a key milestone in the effort to lower the price of prescription drugs for American seniors and families. While most Americans were preparing for Labor Day weekend in late August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the first te  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) joined Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) to announce the first bipartisan, bicameral push in decades to reform the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, which has not been updated in nearly 40 years and currently punishes older and disabled Americans for saving for emergencies and their fu  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Chuck Grassley, R- Iowa, Ben Cardin, D-Md, and Todd Young, R-Ind., are continuing their years-long push for accountability in the U.S. organ procurement and transplant system. New letters led this week by the senators mark a powerful push to crack down on serious potential financial conflicts of interest and abuse of taxpayer money by se  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today reintroduced legislation that would restore federal protections of Social Security benefits to prevent the federal government from garnishing them for the repayment of all non-tax federal debt --such as student loans. "It is plain wrong to take away the Social Security benefits seniors earned through a lifetime of work because of the increasing burden of student   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and Senate colleagues today wrote to nine of the nation's leading companies developing and deploying artificial intelligence technology to call on them to answer for the working conditions of their data workers. "Despite the essential nature of this work, millions of data workers around the world perform these stressful tasks under constant surveillance, with low wages  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley and Senate colleagues this week introduced legislation that would prevent individuals convicted of violent misdemeanor hate crimes from buying or possessing firearms. "Congress needs to pass commonsense gun legislation that keeps guns away from criminals who have been convicted of violent hate crimes," Wyden said. "That's why I'm proud to introduce legis  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs will receive $70,000 in federal funds for regional economic development. "Investing in Tribal communities is vital to spur economic prosperity in reservations across Oregon and nationwide," Wyden said. "This federal investment will help strengthen the economy of the Warm Springs Reser  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs will receive $70,000 in federal funds for regional economic development. "Investing in Tribal communities is vital to spur economic prosperity in reservations across Oregon and nationwide," Wyden said. "This federal investment will help strengthen the economy of the Warm Springs Reservat  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties will receive $750,000 for legal assistance to aid immigrant and refugee survivors of domestic violence. "Survivors of domestic violence deserve access to comprehensive legal services for legal matters arising out of that violence," Wyden said. "This grant will provide much needed legal  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport in Pendleton will receive $150,000 in federal aid for safety improvements. "Eastern Oregon residents and small businesses count on Pendleton's airport to travel, transport goods and medical supplies, and contribute to their quality of life," Wyden said. "I'm gratified these federal infrastructure fun  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport in Pendleton will receive $150,000 in federal aid for safety improvements. "Eastern Oregon residents and small businesses count on Pendleton's airport to travel, transport goods and medical supplies, and contribute to their quality of life," Wyden said. "I'm gratified these federal infrastructure   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Oregon has earned more than $58 million in federal grants from the Inflation Reduction Act to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to nature in cities, towns and suburbs. "Sweltering heat and record-breaking temperatures harm public health and create huge energy demands that drive up  more