WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA) and Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a review of the impact the Indian Health Service's (IHS) aging infrastructure has on patient access to quality h  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., hailed the passage of the new NAFTA trade agreement, by a wide bipartisan vote. The updated agreement with Mexico and Canada includes strong new enforcement provisions by Wyden and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, along with modern digital trade rules to advance innovation and free speech, and new environment  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the General Services Administration leasing. The report (GAO-20-181) is entitled "Improving Stakeholder Outreach and Lease Model Evaluation Could Enhance Competition". The report was sent to Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman, and Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Jan. 17, 2020. Here are excerpts of summaries associated with the report. Wh  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on 2019 tax filing. The report (GAO-20-55) is entitled "IRS Successfully Implemented Tax Law Changes but Needs to Improve Service for Taxpayers with Limited-English Proficiency". The report was sent to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, chairman, and Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking member of the   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the national maritime strategy. The report (GAO-20-178) is entitled "DOT Is Taking Steps to Obtain Interagency Input and Finalize Strategy". The report was sent to Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, chairman, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation, Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, chairman, Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Armed   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: The House passed bipartisan legislation co-led by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Chair of the Education and Labor Committee's Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee, to protect older workers from age discrimination in the workplace. The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA), which passed the House with bipartisan support, restores anti-discrimination protections under  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Chair of the Education and Labor Committee's Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee, supported a House vote to block a Trump administration rule that would hurt students who have been defrauded by unscrupulous for-profit institutions. Hundreds of thousands of students, including thousands in Oregon, were left with burdensome loans and useless degrees after the  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: The Education and Labor Committee approved bipartisan legislation sponsored by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (HR 2694). This bill establishes the right of pregnant workers to reasonable accommodations on the job without facing discrimination or retaliation in the workplace. Video of Bonamici's remarks in support of the legislation can be found here. (https://you  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to the President and CEO of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Ian Jeffries, asking for follow up after an article in The Atlantic. The article suggested AAR's commitment to combatting climate change is a farce and that in reality, AAR's members help finance campaigns to deny the realities of climate  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following joint statement: Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) released the following statements regarding the newly-released report on the certification process for the Boeing 737 MAX. "Our Committee's investigation has already revealed multiple junctures at which the current certification process failed, and as  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following remarks on Jan. 14: The following are opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) during today's hearing titled: "The Path to a Carbon-Free Maritime Industry: Investments and Innovation." Chair DeFazio: Thank you, Chairman Maloney, I commend you for taking up the topic of "green shipping" as the first hearing in the new year for   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following remarks on Jan. 15: The following are opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) during today's hearing titled: "Oversight of Working Conditions for Airline Ground Workers." Chair DeFazio: Thank you, Chair Larsen, for calling today's hearing on working conditions for the tens of thousands of employees who are intrinsic to the ope  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Ted Yoho (R-FL) introduced the bipartisan H. Res. 794 to designate January 2020 as "National One Health Awareness Month" to promote awareness of organizations focused on public health, animal health and environmental health collaboration throughout the United States and to recognize the critical contributions of those organizations to the future of the United States. "Veterina  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following remarks on Jan. 15 at a Health Subcommittee hearing titled, "Cannabis Policies for the New Decade": "At today's hearing, we will have the opportunity to review initiatives aimed at improving federally-sanctioned research on cannabis. Reps. Burgess, Griffith, Rodgers and I sent a letter requesting this hearing last month, and I'd like to thank the Majority  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following remarks on Jan. 14 at a House Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee hearing entitled: "Promoting American Innovation and Jobs: Legislation to Phase Down the Use of Hydrofluorocarbons": This morning's hearing will examine a bill that would mandate a rapid phase down, in the United States, of the use of hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs. These substances,   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following remarks on Jan. 15 at a Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing titled, "Lifting Voices: Legislation to Promote Media Marketplace Diversity." "Welcome to today's hearing on promoting media diversity. While we have traditionally talked about promoting media diversity as it relates to the FCC's quadrennial review of media ownership regulations, t  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following remarks on Jan. 14 at a House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing, entitled: "A Public Health Emergency: State Efforts to Curb the Opioid Crisis": For many years, the Energy and Commerce Committee--and this Subcommittee in particular--has been at the forefront of the Congressional effort to address the opioid crisis, as well as substance use  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Yesterday, Representative Greg Walden (R-OR), spoke at an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing entitled, "Cannabis Policies For The New Decade." The hearing comes after Walden, along with Representatives Michael Burgess (R-TX), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) sent a letter to the Chairman of the Committee requesting the hearing so that Congress could finally have the opp  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) called for continued progress to end the opioid crisis during an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing. Walden started the hearing off by noting that the opioid epidemic continues to impact people across the country, including those in the Second District of Oregon. "As I was preparing for this, I noticed in my biggest county in my   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Committee, sent letters to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon regarding concerns over reports of increased use of stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, i  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, issued the following news release on Jan. 14: Representative Greg Walden (R-OR) announced that he is reactivating an investigation into the role of top opioid manufacturers in the ongoing opioid crisis. Walden was joined by Representatives Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA) in sending letters to Insys Therapeutics, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, and Purdue Pharma, pressing for further answers from the manufacturers following an Augu  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Bipartisan Energy and Commerce Committee leaders wrote to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon regarding their concerns over reports of increasing use of stimulants, such as cocaine an  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Republican Leader Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Representative Morgan Griffith (R-VA) are renewing an investigation into the role of top opioid manufacturers in the ongoing opioid crisis. In letters to Insys Therapeutics, Mallinckrodt Ph  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - The School Food Recovery Act Would Establish Grant Programs to Reduce Estimated 530k Tons of Food Wasted in Schools * * * Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) along with Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) introduced H.R. 5607, the bipartisan School Food Recovery Act. The bill will create a new program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Science Shows That Healthy Wetlands, Tidal Marshes, and Seagrasses Are Powerful Natural Climate Solution * * * Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL), Congressman Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D-VA), and Congressman Brian Mast (R-FL) introduced the bipartisan Blue Carbon for Our Planet Act. The legislation is designed to capture the power of our ocean and estuaries for eff  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Jan. 17: Reps. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) participated in a Congressional delegation trip to Brownsville, TX and Matamoros, Mexico to investigate the Trump Administration's Remain in Mexico policy and the use of tent court facilities to adjudicate Remain in Mexico asylum cases. "I've visited refugee camps around the world, and what I saw today is a disgrace to the United States of   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Jan. 17: Reps. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) participated in a Congressional delegation trip to Brownsville, TX and Matamoros, Mexico to investigate the Trump Administration's Remain in Mexico policy and the use of tent court facilities to adjudicate Remain in Mexico asylum cases. "I've visited refugee camps around the world, and what I saw today is a disgrace to the United States   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Washington, chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation, issued the following opening remarks on Jan. 15 at a hearing entitled, "Oversight of Working Conditions for Airline Ground Workers": Chair DeFazio: Thank you, Chair Larsen, for calling today's hearing on working conditions for the tens of thousands of employees who are intrinsic to the operations of  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Washington, chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation, issued the following statements regarding the report on the certification process for the Boeing 737 MAX: "Our Committee's investigation has already revealed multiple junctures at which the current certification process failed, and as I've made clear, I intend to propose legislative fixes to ensur  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Reps. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Sean Patrick Maloney, D-New York, chair of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, issued the following opening remarks at a hearing entitled: "The Path to a Carbon-Free Maritime Industry: Investments and Innovation": Chair DeFazio: Thank you, Chairman Maloney, I commend you for taking up the topic of "green shipping" as the first hearing in the new   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on Jan. 14: Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after voting for the revised U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement in the Senate Environment and Public Works and Senate Budget Committees this morning: "I come from a blue collar family, and I still live in the same blue collar community I grew up in. I firmly believe that if we don't make things in America, we won't have a middle c  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Letter comes amid reports that Iranian Americans have been subject to delays, enhanced screenings by Customs and Border Protection * * * Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today joined 19 of his Democratic colleagues in the U.S. Senate to press Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Mark A. Morgan for answers regarding recent reports that officers detained travelers, including Amer  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - 30 Senators write to new FDA Commissioner criticizing weak tobacco policy with huge loopholes * * * Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have joined 28 colleagues in sending a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn criticizing the Trump administration's decision to break its promise to clear all nontobacco flavored e-cigarette products from the market.   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Jan. 15: * * * - Senators' request follows failure by the agency to provide answers to Wyden and Merkley letter on issue * * * U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., led a bipartisan group of his colleagues requesting a meeting with Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson to get answers on why the agency has failed to protect tenants living in federally subsidized housing from the cance  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley called on the Trump administration to take immediate action after the FBI revealed in a newly declassified document that the government of Saudi Arabia is assisting its citizens accused of serious crimes in fleeing the United States. The document was declassified thanks to the Wyden-authored Saudi Fugitives Declassification Act, which became law in December. Wyden   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on phase one of the U.S.-China trade deal: "Addressing China's lengthy track record of predatory commercial practices -- including intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer and economic espionage -- is critical for American workers. "The stakes could not be higher for the future of the U.S. economy. "While I want this deal to resolve our fu  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on the announcement of a proposed rule by the Trump administration that would remove existing U.S. Health and Human Services Department's requirements that faith-based providers let individuals know alternative providers are available to access services: "Since day one, the Trump administration has been obsessed with imposing taxpayer-funded discrimination u  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Jan. 17: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and U.S. Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Calif., demanded the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigate Envestnet for possibly violating the law by recklessly selling Americans' personal data. Envestnet operates Yodlee, the largest consumer financial data aggregator in the United States. Financial technology apps, banks and other companies use Yod  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Jan. 16: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., hailed the passage of the new NAFTA trade agreement, by a bipartisan 89-10 vote. The updated agreement with Mexico and Canada includes strong new enforcement provisions by Wyden and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, along with modern digital trade rules to advance innovation and free speech, and new environmental protections. "The version of NAFTA  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news: * * * - Investigation follows Trump administration regulations giving billions in additional tax cuts to big companies * * * Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Senator Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr., D-Pa., Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., launched an investigation of   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have joined 28 colleagues in sending a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn criticizing the Trump administration's decision to break its promise to clear all nontobacco flavored e-cigarette products from the market. Earlier this month, the administration announced a weak policy that includes huge exceptions regarding menth  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley called on the Trump administration to take immediate action after the FBI revealed in a newly declassified document that the government of Saudi Arabia is assisting its citizens accused of serious crimes in fleeing the United States. The document was declassified thanks to the Wyden-authored Saudi Fugitives Declassification Act, which became law in December. Wyd  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Senators concerned proposed rules will make the transportation of LNG by rail less safe, put local communities at-risk for derailments * * * Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley expressed concerns over the Trump administration's proposed rules on the transportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by rail. In a letter to Administrator Howard Elliott, head of the Pipeline and Hazardous Mate  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: Energy and Commerce Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Republican Leader Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Health Subcommittee Republican Leader Michael Burgess M.D. (R-TX) sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Brenda Destro, Director of Ce  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news: * * * - Republicans requested Alexandra Chalupa's computer and smartphone data as part of their effort to advance potential Russian propaganda about Ukraine * * * In a letter to Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., expressed his strong opposition to Senate Republicans' extr  more