WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colorado, issued the following news release: * * * Bennet, Schiff, Wyden Demand Answers from USFS on Stalled Hazardous Fuel Reduction Projects * Washington, D.C. Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, California U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, and Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden sent a letter to United States Forest Service (USFS) Chief Tom Schultz demanding information on the number of hazardous fuels projects that have completed environmental reviews  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management issued the following news release: * * * BLM approves lithium exploration in southeast Oregon * VALE, Ore. The Bureau of Land Management recently approved the expansion of lithium exploration activities in southern Malheur County, about 20 miles west of McDermitt, Nev. With this approval, HiTech Minerals, Inc. is authorized to conduct lithium mineral exploration activities over the course of five years. Li  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following report (No. USDL-25-1558) on Dec. 11, 2025, entitled "State Employment and Unemployment - September 2025": * * * Unemployment rates were higher in September in 8 states, lower in 2 states, and stable in 40 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Eighteen states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 9 states h  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Blumenthal, Moran, Hirono & Boozman Lead Effort to Expand Veterans' Access to Lifesaving Breast Cancer Screenings * [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) and U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and John Boozman (R-AR) introduced the Mammography Access for Veterans Act bipartisan legislation to expand   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Bynum Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Help Firefighters Combat Wildfires * Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) and Congressmen Eli Crane (AZ-02), Joe Neguse (CO-02), and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) introduced the bipartisan Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act to support wildfire response operations by addressing the impact of unauthorized drones flying in restricted airspace during   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, issued the following news release: * * * Cantwell Requests Oversight Hearing on the National Weather Service's Ongoing Weather Readiness, Staffing Challenges * "The American public depends on NWS's ability to deliver accurate, timely forecasts and warnings, especially as extreme storms, fires, and hurricanes become more frequent and severe."; A record-breaking atmospheric river flooding communities in the PNW highlights the urgent nee  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Democrats Block Ernst Effort to Return Unused COVID Dollars to Taxpayers * WASHINGTON - Today, Democrats blocked Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst's (R-Iowa) bill to claw back billions of unused COVID dollars and return them to taxpayers. Ernst's Returning Unspent COVID Funds Act identifies $65.5 billion currently sitting in outdated COVID slush funds that should be returned to the American people in  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release: * * * EEOC Sues Little Caesars Franchise for Racial Harassment and Retaliation * Federal lawsuit says Mount Vernon, Washington location allowed rampant use of racial slurs targeting African American employees SEATTLE - Target Market Enterprises, Inc. (TME), a franchise owner of Little Caesars restaurants in Western Washington, violated federal law when it allowed employees to use derogator  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration has proposed to establish controlled Class E airspace above Providence Seaside Hospital Heliport, Oregon, to enhance the safety and management of aircraft operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) at the facility. The proposal aims to create Class E airspace extending upwards from 700 feet above the ground. This airspace would fully contain the Area Navigation (RNAV) (Global Positioning Syst  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of War issued the following news: * * * Guard Keeping Streets Safe, Protecting Federal Property, Say DOW Leaders * War Department leaders provided an update during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington today on the National Guard's mobilization and responsibilities in supporting homeland defense. Currently, the National Guard is deployed under both Title 10 and Title 32 authorities, providing support for missions, including feder  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Merkley, Schiff, Underwood Lead Push to Increase Nursing Education and Workforce Support * Washington, D.C. - Today, Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, California's U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, and Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) introduced the bicameral Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN) Act. In an effort to address nursing workforce shortages around the country, the FAAN Act wo  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * REP. HOYLE STATEMENT ON TODAY'S VOTE TO NOT TABLE IMPEACHMENT * WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) released the following statement after she voted against tabling the impeachment resolution: "It is undeniable that this administration has abused its power and acted unconstitutionally. It is also true that any serious effort to impeach requires bipartisan support and we do not ha  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * REP. HOYLE STATEMENT ON VOTING AGAINST IRRESPONSIBLE MILITARY SPENDING * WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) released the following statement after she voted against allowing more unchecked Pentagon spending in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) yesterday evening: "I voted no on the NDAA as this legislation enables more irresponsible military spending, adding a sta  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Panetta Joins California Colleagues to Condemn Administration's Proposal for Oil Drilling Along California's Coastline * Monterey, CA - United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) joined the two Senators and 25 House members of the California Democratic Congressional delegation in condemning the Trump Administration's official draft 2027-2032 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasi  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Senate Republicans Block Merkley's Bill to Prevent War with Venezuela * Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked consideration of his Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025, which would block federal funds from being used for military actions in Venezuela: "As the Constitution so clearly says,   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, issued the following news release: * * * Senator Schmitt Defends National Guard Deployment, Condemns Surge in Violence Against Law Enforcement * Schmitt Blasts Democrat Rhetoric Fueling 1,000% Surge in Attacks Against ICE WASHINGTON Today, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) defended the Trump administration's National Guard deployment and strongly condemned rhetoric from the other side of the a  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Van Hollen, Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Aid Workers in Conflict Zones * WASHINGTON - Today, on Human Rights Day, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced legislation to protect humanitarian aid workers operating in conflict zones. The lawmakers' legislation, the Commitment to Aid Workers Act, would strengthen U.S. efforts t  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-California, issued the following news release: * * * What They're Saying: LaMalfa Legislation to Protect Rural Areas from Fires Passes House * Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman LaMalfa's (R-Richvale) bill, the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act, passed the House as part of a larger permitting reform package, the PERMIT Act. The bill ensures that aerial fire retardant remains available for wildfire suppression efforts without be  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden Applauds House Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Reauthorize Secure Rural Schools Program * Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today applauded the House passage of his bipartisan legislation introduced with Senators Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and James Risch, R-Idaho, to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program and ensure rural, forested communities across Ore  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden, Colleagues Slam Trump Administration Over Plans to Slash Social Security Field Office Visits * Lawmakers raise alarm about whether Trump administration is seeking to "quietly kill field offices," implement backdoor benefits cuts Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he is joining his Senate colleagues in pressing the head of Social Security on reports about a new goal of slashing  more