WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON DC [10/18/23] - Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), Kim Schrier (D-WA), and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) led 10 Senators and Representatives in a bipartisan call for federal support for Pacific NW maple syrup producers. The lawmakers urged the Department of Agriculture to maintain a level playing field in its Acer Access and Development (Acer) Program. The Acer prog  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) is urging U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg to review several key problems with the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) process for implementing tolling. Outlining several areas of concern shared by local officials and residents, Chavez-DeRemer's new letter shines a light on Oregonians' specific concerns with to  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 -- Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) and Linda Sanchez (CA-38) introduced the Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act. This bipartisan proposal would provide schools with the resources needed to educate students on the dangers posed by synthetic opioids, including fentanyl. "Fentanyl continues to pose a serious threat to our children and young adults. Since they spend a lot of time in the cla  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), with House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-Massachusetts), formally introduced legislation to relieve double-taxation of investments between the U.S. and Taiwan. "Without question, deepening ties with Taiwan and its vibrant democracy is in our nation's best interests,  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- The U.S. Government Publishing Office issued the following news release: The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) names the State Library of Oregon and Portland State University Library as the Federal Depository libraries of the year for increasing access to Government information throughout the Pacific Northwest. Both libraries worked together over the last couple of years to make more than 37-thousand Government documents accessible to the public, as part of the Fede  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Oregon, chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries, issued the following statement on Oct. 18, 2023: * * * The Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on three bills that will reauthorize several conservation programs under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) issued the fo  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit issued the following information for a hearing entitled "Running on Empty: The Highway Trust Fund" at 10 a.m. on Oct. 18, 2023, at 2167 Rayburn House Office Building: Witness List: * Mr. Kris Strickler, Director, Oregon Department of Transportation * Dr. Chad Shirley, Ph.D., Principal Analyst, Microeconomics Studies Division, Congressional Budget Office * Mr. Jeff Davis, Senior Fellow, Eno  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement today: "The Hamas assault on Israeli towns was a horrific terrorist attack, killing and taking hostage innocent Israeli civilians. Israel has every right to pursue a targeted campaign to eliminate Hamas and prevent future attacks. "At the same time, we all carry the   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after the committee held a hearing to consider the nomination of former U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew to serve as United States Ambassador to Israel: "Every day that goes by without a confirmed United States Ambassador to Israel is a lost opportunity for America at   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - Today, Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved TC Energy's proposal for a major expansion of methane gas infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest: "Today's decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to rubber stamp the GTN Xpress pipeline is outrageous. According to FERC's own analysis the e  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 16, 2023: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, with U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined a fishery disaster for 2018, 2019, and 2020 Oregon Chinook salmon ocean commercial fisheries in the state. This d  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, with U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined a fishery disaster for 2018, 2019, and 2020 Oregon Chinook salmon ocean commercial fisheries in the state.   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) reintroduced bicameral legislation to protect patients from the long-term financial harms of high health care costs. Despite medical debt being an unreliable indicator of creditworthiness, it appears on the credit reports of tens of millions of American households. The Medical Debt Relief Act would ban all medical debt from appearing on credit   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 16, 2023: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today that he and Senate colleagues are urging federal agencies to act to reduce energy costs in Oregon and nationwide through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). In a letter from Wyden and 27 senators to Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, the lawmakers urged the Biden Ad  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee issued the following testimony by Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative President and CEO Jules Bailey involving a hearing on Sept. 28, 2023, entitled "Examining Solutions to Address Beverage Container Waste": * * * Dear Members of Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, I sit before you today representing what can happen when collaboration between the public and private sector works. The results: partnership o  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on Oct. 18, 2023: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., will convene a committee hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023 titled "Exploring Paid Leave: Policy, Practice, and Impact on the Workforce." The hearing will take place at 10:00 a.m. in Room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The witnesses at Wednesday's hearing will be: * Ben Verhoeven, Presid  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on Oct. 18, 2023, at a finance committee hearing on protecting seniors from marketing middlemen during Medicare advantage annual enrollment: * * * This morning the Finance Committee gathers to discuss an emerging trend in Medicare Advantage - marketing middlemen. There is a long history of rip off artists in the private sector trying to take advantage of seniors who depen  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on Oct. 17, 2023: * * * U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement on the IRS announcement it will begin to offer free direct online tax filing in 13 states next year. "All Americans deserve a free and easy way to file their taxes directly online with the IRS and I'm glad to hear a pilot is slated to launch in time for next year's filing season. I  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on Oct. 20, 2023: * * * Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement in response to the Internal Revenue Service update on its use of Inflation Reduction Act funds to go after wealthy tax cheats and improve customer service for regular tax filers: "Investing in the IRS is already paying off with better customer service for taxpay  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Bob Casey, D-Pa., urged the Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide additional information on the scope and magnitude of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries who had their benefits suspended and were assessed an overpayment due to receiving Economic Impact Payments (EIPs). "We are deeply co  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), with House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-Massachusetts), formally introduced legislation to relieve double-taxation of investments between the U.S. and Taiwan. "Without question, deepening ties with Taiwan and its vibr  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, with House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., and Ranking Member Richard Neal, D-Mass., formally introduced legislation to relieve double-taxation of investments between the U.S. and Taiwan. "It's a no-brainer for U.S. jobs and for America's national security to strengthe  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- The Senate Judiciary Committee issued the following information for an executive business meeting at 10 a.m. on Oct. 19, 2023, at 216 Hart Senate Office Building: AGENDA I. Nominees * Mustafa Taher Kasubhai, to be United States District Judge for the District of Oregon * John A. Kazen, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas * Eumi K. Lee, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California * Shanlyn A.S. Park, to   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, joined by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), today urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to reject a proposal from TC Energy for a major expansion of methane gas infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest, as FERC is scheduled to take up the proposal at a Thursday meeting. The Senators pointed to a my  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 18, 2023: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined U.S. Senators Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., in introducing legislation to ensure Medicare Advantage plans protect seniors from unexpected health care costs and maintain accurate provider directories. "When Americans are purchasing and using their health insurance, they have the right to know whether their doctors are covered by th  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, and Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Massachusetts, issued the following joint statement on Oct. 19, 2023: * * * U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Edward J. Markey today released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission voted to issue its proposed rule to reinstate net neutrality rules and reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act: "The COVID-19 pandemic clearly demonstrated that   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 18, 2023: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley as well as U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Val Hoyle today announced that Oregon State University has secured a $500,000 federal grant to assess the impact of backshore dune environments to sea level rise in the Pacific Northwest. Backshore dune environments are the part of the seashore between the beach and the coastline covered by water only during sto  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 19, 2023: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today that they and Senate colleagues have introduced a resolution supporting the 150,000 members of United Auto Workers bargaining for a better contract with automakers. The resolution calls on the "Big Three" automakers to negotiate in good faith and offer workers a fair contract. UAW has around 34,000 of its members on strike from production line  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today that they and Senate colleagues have introduced a resolution supporting the 150,000 members of United Auto Workers bargaining for a better contract with automakers. The resolution calls on the "Big Three" automakers to negotiate in good faith and offer workers a fair contract. UAW has around 34,000 of its members on strike from production  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 19, 2023: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they welcomed the Biden administration announcement that Oregon will receive about $449.5 million in federal assistance to modernize the power grid, bolstering its ability to withstand fires, bad weather, natural disasters and more. "Whether it's been wildfires, windstorms, ice storms or other calamities, Oregon communities in recent years hav  more