WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Florida, chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, issued the following news release on July 28, 2022: The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis will hold a field hearing titled "Building Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities: Perspectives from Oregon's State, Local, and Tribal Partners" on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. (PDT) / 1:00 p.m. (EST). The hearing will take place in Patriot Hall at Clatsop Community College ( more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on July 27, 2022: The following are opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Salud Carbajal (D-CA) during today's hearing titled, "Enhancing Personnel Resources to Support a S more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis issued the following information for a hearing entitled "Building Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities: Perspectives from Oregon's State, Local, and Tribal Partners" at 10 a.m. on Aug. 3, 2022, at Patriot Hall, Clatsop Community College, 1650 Lexington Avenue Astoria, Oregon: This hearing will examine challenges facing Oregon's coastal communities and ecosystems due to the climate crisis and opportunities for the federal g more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following statement on July 28, 2022: * * * Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) released the following statement upon the Senate passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022. "I applaud the Senate for passing the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 today by an impressive vote of 93 to 1.  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release and letter on July 26, 2022: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and 56 representatives wrote to the Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in support of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) proposed  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 28, 2022: Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) joined the House in passing historic bipartisan legislation to invest in U.S. economic competitiveness by strengthening the nation's scientific enterprise and supply chains. The bill has already passed the Senate. The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act will support domestic semiconductor manufacturing, accelerate research and development, create  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, chairing the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment, issued the following opening statement at a hearing on July 19, 2022, entitled "The History and Continued Contributions of Tribal Colleges and Universities": * * * Thank you to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and to the witnesses for being here this morning. Today we are meeting to discuss the unique history and value of Tribal Colle more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 26, 2022: The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act with 325 votes. The legislation will encourage research on marijuana and its potential benefits by streamlining the application process for researchers and removing FDA barriers. Congressmen Blumenauer (D-OR), Harris (R-MD) and Senators Feinstein (D-CA), Grassley (R-IA), and Sch more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced updated legislation to help student loan borrowers avoid default. The bipartisan Streamlining Income-driven, Manageable Payments on Loans for Education (SIMPLE) Act will help prevent student loan defaults by automatically enrolling struggling borrowers in income-driven repayment plans so they can repay based on fina more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 28, 2022: Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced bipartisan legislation to help schools and colleges make dramatic advancements in teaching and learning by creating a national center that advances high-risk, high-reward education research projects. The New Essential Education Discoveries (NEED) Act would create a National Center for Advanced more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release and letter on July 27, 2022: Yesterday, Reps. Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Drew Ferguson (GA-03), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Ken Buck (CO-04) and David Cicilline (RI-01) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting information regarding how the Department is exercising their expanded authorities to crack down on anticompetitive practices within the health insurance industry. DeFazio's bipartisan Co more PR

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 29, 2022: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced critical investments in housing, health care, mental health, and education for Oregon families through FY23 Senate Appropriations bills. "At a time when working families are struggling with rising prices on everything from rent to prescription drugs to gas and groceries, it's critical that our nation prioritizes quality, affordable health ca more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 28, 2022: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced major investments to support Oregon communities, strengthen forest health, protect public lands and the environment, tackle climate chaos, boost important programs for tribes, and more through the FY23 Senate Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. As the Chair of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, Merkl more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on July 27, 2022: * * * Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement celebrating the Senate passage of essential legislation to lower costs, boost innovation, and protect our national security with investments in semiconductor manufacturing and domestic supply chains. "Strengthening manufacturing in America is a win-win. If we don't make things in America, we won't have a middle class in Am more PR

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release statement on July 25, 2022: * * * Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley -- a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a leading voice on supporting democracy and human rights in Burma -- issued the following statement after the Burmese military executed four pro-democracy leaders. "The execution of revered pro-democracy leaders Ko Jimmy, Phyo Zayar Thaw, Hla Myo Aung, and Aung Thura Zaw followi more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release and letter on July 27, 2022: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led 19 colleagues in a letter to Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee Chair, Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), requesting the committee support President Biden's use of the Defense Production Act to strengthen the U.S. solar panel supply chain by including funding to the maximum extent possible in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Energy and Water A more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 28, 2022: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced Senate passage of critical priorities for Oregon that were included in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022. "For much of Oregon, our coast and our rivers are the beating heart of our communities, and whether the ports, levees, dams, and other water infrastructure are up to snuff can dictate whether families and  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release and letter on July 27, 2022: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today demanded Merck and Abbott comply with the Senate Finance Committee's investigation into the tax practices of Big Pharma. The companies have thus far stonewalled the committee and refused to provide specific information related to where it books profits from U.S. drug sales. This includes more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 27, 2022: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today led colleagues in the introduction of legislation to prevent further loss of native grasslands and sagebrush shrub-steppe systems, strengthen grassland and rangeland health and management, improve biodiversity and habitat, provide increased recreation and hunting opportunities, and address the climate crisis by mitigating the threats of wildfire and drought  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on July 28, 2022, at a Finance committee hearing to consider USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator nominee: * * * The committee meets this morning to discuss the nomination of Mr. Doug McKalip to serve as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator within the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Mr. McKalip brings nearly 30 years of federal public service to his nominati more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 27, 2022: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement after today's Senate vote on the domestic semiconductor legislation. "Today's Senate vote takes a huge step forward to cement Oregon's leadership in the domestic chip industry by allowing companies in our state to invest in both R&D and manufacturing here in America," said U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee and a co-c more PR

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and Senate colleagues introduced legislation this week to combat the increased use and proliferation of dangerous gun conversion devices. "The ease with which a semi-automatic weapon can become a fully-automatic weapon of mass murder is sickening. Period. Full stop," said Wyden. "Congress must urgently tackle the proliferation of illegal gun conversion devices head on to keep our communit more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release and letter on July 28, 2022: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today joined Senate colleagues to call on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to immediately offer abortions and abortion-related services to veterans and eligible dependents. "Last month's disastrous Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization...makes it even more critical that veterans receive access to the reproductive care to  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 27, 2022: Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., re-introduced the Espionage Act Reform Act today to rewrite the hundred-year-old law governing when reporters and whistleblowers can be prosecuted for discussing government secrets. The Wyden-Khanna-Massie legislation reaffirms First Amendment protections for journalists who publish classified information, and ensu more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on July 28, 2022: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., will convene a hearing on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, to address the need to repair the U.S. organ procurement and transplant system. The hearing will take place at 2:30 p.m. in Room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The witnesses at Wednesday's hearing will be: * Brian Shepard, Chief Executive  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 28, 2022: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced Senate passage of critical priorities for Oregon that were included in the Water Resources Development Act?(WRDA) of 2022. "For much of Oregon, our coast and our rivers are the beating heart of our communities, and whether the ports, levees, dams, and other water infrastructure are up to snuff can dictate whether families and bus more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 27, 2022: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) approval of a $52 million purchase of Pacific Northwest seafood products. This purchase will support our State's seafood industry which has been hit hard by COVID-19 and climate chaos. "Not only do our fisheries deliver incredible products all around the world, they have been the  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 27, 2022: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) approval of a $52 million purchase of Pacific Northwest seafood products. This purchase will support our State's seafood industry which has been hit hard by COVID-19 and climate chaos. "Not only do our fisheries deliver incredible products all around the world, they have been the lif more PR

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 29, 2022: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they secured funding for essential community projects across Oregon in the Fiscal Year 2023 Senate Appropriations bills. A total of 111 Oregon community-initiated projects were included in the FY23 federal funding bills that will help meet critical needs in every corner of the state, including investing in wildfire and drought more PR

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release and a July 28, 2022, letter: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, ahead of the federal student loan payment pause set to expire at the end of next month, joined a bicameral letter led by Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), alongside Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.-14), Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.-29), and Ayanna Pressl more PR

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 25, 2022: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Oregon will receive a combined nearly $8.5 million in federal emergency rental assistance funds. "The pandemic's deep economic impact, including the challenges it placed on the consistent need to pay rent, continues to ripple even as Oregonians go back to work," said Wyden. "Housing is a human right, so I'm glad to see more federa more PR

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 25, 2022: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Oregon will receive a combined nearly $8.5 million in federal emergency rental assistance funds. "The pandemic's deep economic impact, including the challenges it placed on the consistent need to pay rent, continues to ripple even as Oregonians go back to work," said Wyden. "Housing is a human right, so I'm glad to see more federal f more PR

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 28, 2022: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today welcomed approval by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) of Oregon's rules and regulations for a state meat inspection program that meets USDA standards. The USDA approval follows a letter from Wyden and Merkley to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, as well as months of follow-up and discussion, pressing for a review of the state  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release and letter on July 25, 2022: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined Senate colleagues to express support for the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) proposed rules that would ban menthol in cigarettes and flavored cigars. Menthol numbs the throat and mitigates the harshness of tobacco smoke, making menthol cigarettes more appealing to youth and people beginning to smoke. "By increasing youth s more PR

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release and letter on July 25, 2022: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined Senate colleagues to express support for the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) proposed rules that would ban menthol in cigarettes and flavored cigars. Menthol numbs the throat and mitigates the harshness of tobacco smoke, making menthol cigarettes more appealing to youth and people beginning to smoke. "By increasing youth smok more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley with colleagues have introduced legislation that would codify the right to contraception, which the Supreme Court first recognized more than half a century ago in its decision in Griswold v. Connecticut. The introduction follows Justice Clarence Thomas' concurring opinion last month in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization -- overturning Roe v. Wade -- in which more PR

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley with colleagues have introduced legislation that would codify the right to contraception, which the Supreme Court first recognized more than half a century ago in its decision in Griswold v. Connecticut. The introduction follows Justice Clarence Thomas' concurring opinion last month in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization -- overturning Roe v. Wade -- in which he more PR

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 29, 2022: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined colleagues to reintroduce legislation that prohibits banks and other financial institutions from discriminating in Oregon and nationwide on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. "It's appalling that in the 21st century, Americans still experience discrimination while opening a bank  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 29, 2022: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined colleagues to reintroduce legislation that prohibits banks and other financial institutions from discriminating in Oregon and nationwide on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. "It's appalling that in the 21st century, Americans still experience discrimination while opening a ba more PR

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on July 25, 2022: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that airports in Corvallis, Pendleton and Klamath Falls will receive a combined nearly $17.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for crucial safety improvements to runways. "Small airports' reliable air service in rural areas is crucial for Oregonians and our state's economy," Wyden said. "I am gratified to see these do more PR