WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32), and Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) sent a letter to Robinhood questioning their recent decision to allow customers to bet on the results of the presidential election. "It appears that Robinhood has capitalized on election betting to expand its profits, which could come at the  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) today celebrated the passage of their bipartisan bill designating U.S. Highway 20 between Newport, Oregon, and New England as the "National Medal of Honor Highway." "Idaho's veterans enrich our communities through service past and present. Medal of Honor recipients have acted well beyond the call of duty, and many continue to do so long after they leave mil  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Today, Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17), Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (GA-01), along with Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), were joined by Paris Hilton in celebrating the passage of the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act in the House. The legislation, which passed the Senate last week by unanimous consent, will head to the President's desk to be signed into law. Paris  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the bipartisan Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act, legislation to restore vehicle owners' control over their personal data in an era of rapidly advancing automotive technology. With connected vehicles projected to make up 95% of all new vehicles on the road by 2030, this bill ensures Americans retain the right to privacy and autonomy over their vehic  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) today led the reintroduction of the Keep It in the Ground Act--comprehensive legislation to stop new fossil fuel extraction on public lands and in public waters. "Climate chaos is the most significant risk humanity faces. The earth is telling us how much trouble we're in," Merkley said. "The last five years were the hottest on reco  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the Prineville Airport and Pendleton's Eastern Oregon Regional Airport received a combined $1,329,000 in federal funds from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for infrastructure and safety improvements. "Oregon's regional airports serve as vital hubs for our communities supporting local businesses, connecting travelers to world-cl  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service is funding projects that will assist Tribes, nonprofits, and private forest landowners in Oregon with their efforts to manage forests sustainably and permanently conserve private forests in partnership with the state. "Oregon's forestlands--public and private--need investments to remain healthy, an  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is receiving $33,182,188 in federal funding to construct the Mariposa Preserve Wildlife Crossing over I-5 in Southern Oregon through the heart of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Once complete, the wildlife crossing will be among the largest in the nation to significantly improve the mo  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today a $4,419,306 grant for high-speed broadband internet infrastructure in Lane County. This federal investment for Pioneer Telephone Cooperative will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to provide high-speed internet. This network will benefit 75 people, 12 businesses, and eight farms in Lane County. The funding is provided through t  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $19,742,170 to revitalize and modernize manufactured housing and eligible manufactured housing communities across Oregon. "As communities and Tribes in every corner of the state face their biggest housing affordability crises in decades--with rents dramatically outpacing i  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that critical projects and policy initiatives for Oregon included in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024 have passed Congress and now head to the president's desk to be signed into law. Their authorization sets the stage for Oregon to secure essential water infrastructure funding. "Water is the lifeblood of our state. Updating a  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: "Today, I voted to keep the government open so that our servicemembers will continue to get paid, farmers will get the assistance they deserve, and families will be able to put food on the table this Christmas. I am relieved that we were able to avoid a shutdown and pass a bare minimum extension of the Farm Bill. At the same time, I am deeply disappointed in Speaker Johnson's failure to pass a bipartisan d  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: The legislation would amend the Commodity Exchange Act(link is external)--a law that regulates the trading of commodities and futures in the U.S.--to prohibit political election wagering of any kind. "Elections betting sets a dangerous precedent, incentivizing bad actors to try and influence or interfere with our elections systems. We cannot play roulette with our democracy by allowing this kind of wagerin  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Dec. 19, 2024: The U.S. Senate today advanced the EXPLORE Act, a bipartisan bill that includes key provisions authored by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to make the outdoors more accessible and to support the recreation economy in Oregon and nationwide. The bill now heads to the president's desk to be signed into law. "As an Oregonian, I know the power of outdoor recreation in uplifting rural economies. From  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Dec. 18, 2024: * * * U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after voting against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): "This bill gives our military servicemembers a needed raise. And I support efforts to bolster our democratic allies and partners in Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine. "But I cannot greenlight wasteful defense spending that will do more harm than good. "While the Pen  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on Dec. 18, 2024: * * * Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued a statement after legislative text was released for year-end spending legislation, which includes several health care policies championed by Wyden and the Finance Committee. "Health care is far and away the leading political issue for many American families, and it's the reason I went in  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 19, 2024: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the findings of the Committee's investigation into eight hospitals that reportedly delayed and denied women emergency reproductive health care in potential violation of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) post-Dobbs. The Committee's report, "Practicing Amid 'a Min  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 16, 2024: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released draft legislation today to close a tax loophole that allows the ultra-rich to shelter tens of billions of dollars in income from taxes through the use of private placement life insurance (PPLI) contracts. PPLI policies are related in name only to the typical life insurance policies commonly held   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following remarks on Dec. 18, 2024: * * * This morning the Senate Finance Committee meets to consider three nominees to serve on the International Trade Commission: James Bernard Coughlan, of Illinois, and Halie L. Craig, of Pennsylvania. There is one piece of Committee business I'd like to address before I get to these nominations. Today is Senator Kim's first hearing since joining the Finan  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- 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 Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) wrote today to two organizations seeking information about the involvement of former Congressman Billy Long, Trump nominee for IRS Commissioner, in the sale of advice related to the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), a fraud-ridden program that has cost taxpayers hundreds of   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 18, 2024: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Senator Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., and Senator Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., urged the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the costs of implementing the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program, which the state has used to limit access to Medicaid coverage. Only 4,231 Georgians have enrolled through this  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Bill Text (PDF) | Section By Section (PDF) Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, along with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02), today introduced the Nautical Oversight Safety and Protection of Inflammable Liquids by Law in the Sea (NO SPILLS) Act, which would strengthen the review process by which the Mari  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service is funding projects that will assist Tribes, nonprofits, and private forest landowners in Oregon with their efforts to manage forests sustainably and permanently conserve private forests in partnership with the state. "Oregon's forestlands--public and private--need investments to remain healthy, and t  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Dec. 19, 2024: * * * U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz issued the following joint statement today about their work to pass bipartisan legislation for the Owyhee Canyon Lands in Eastern Oregon: "You cannot get an acre of wilderness, an ounce of Tribal protection, or any meaningful grazing reforms for ranchers in the Owyhee without black-letter law passed by Congress. So we want Oregonians to hear us   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and John Fetterman, D-Pa., urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to swiftly release its proposed rule to upgrade the security of electronic cards used by low-income families to receive food benefits at grocery stores. The USDA has not made any security upgrades to these cards since 2010. With older and more insecure magnetic strips remaining in Supplemental Nutrition   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., today reintroduced their bipartisan bill to protect the confidentiality of email communications between incarcerated individuals and their attorneys. Despite mail, phone calls, and in-person meetings at federal prisons being protected against government surveillance, current federal policies require that inmates at Bureau of Prison facilities must al  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Dec. 17, 2024: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the Columbia Gorge Education Service District and Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation have been selected to receive a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant to create the Columbia Gorge Early Learning and Resilience Center in The Dalles. "Early education, childcare, workforce development, and places for communities to ga  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Dec. 16, 2024: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have introduced legislation that would address the growing threat of abandoned offshore oil and gas infrastructure to marine ecosystems and the environment. "Neglected oil wells off our coasts are a ticking time bomb that threaten our coastal communities and environment in Oregon and nationwide," Wyden said. "It's unacceptable that Big O  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell said today they are asking the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to answer questions about the financial impact to consumers in the Pacific Northwest from its upcoming decision whether to join the California Independent System Operator extended day-ahead market or the Southwest Power Pool Markets+ day-ahead market. These markets provide   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Dec. 18, 2024: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Mike Crapo today celebrated the passage of their bipartisan bill designating U.S. Highway 20 between Newport, Ore. and New England as the "National Medal of Honor Highway." "It's fitting that our country's longest continuous highway, stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic, is now dedicated to our veterans who have continuously served and protected our country fr  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Bipartisan Letter Criticizes Auto Industry Fearmongering "The industry has raised concerns about data sharing with independent repair shops to justify opposing right-to-repair, while earning profits from sharing large amounts of personal data with insurance companies." Text of Letter (PDF) Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the leaders of each of th  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Federal grant funds will be used to create Early Learning and Resilience Center in The Dalles Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the Columbia Gorge Education Service District and Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation have been selected to receive a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant to create the Columbia Gorge Early Learning and Resilience Center in The Dalles. "Early   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: The Bureau of Reclamation award will benefit projects by The Klamath Tribes, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Karuk Tribe, Modoc Nation, Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People, and Yurok Tribe. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of $4.6 million for six Klamath Basin Tribes to support 14 projects aimed at combating drought and building resilience in Tribal communities across the region. "Res  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Idle and abandoned offshore oil and gas infrastructure increase chances of oil leaks and pose environmental risks to marine ecosystems "Neglected oil wells off our coasts are a ticking time bomb that threaten our coastal communities and environment in Oregon and nationwide," Wyden said. "It's unacceptable that Big Oil has dodged responsibility to clean up drilling sites and pollution. This legislation will p  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Senators: "Ultimately, it is imperative that BPA's electricity market choice improves the reliability, the affordability, and reduces the greenhouse gas emissions of our energy system." Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell said today they are asking the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to answer questions about the financial impact to consumers in the Pacific Northwest from  more