Ron Wyden
DA total blast at the annual Greek Festival this weekend in NE Portland. Great community vibe, tasty food & wonderful reunions with long-time friends like Father Paul and so many others. https://t.co/9ZwjlvgMxQ
On a gorgeous fall Sunday here in Portland with a full slate of NFL games on TV, thousands & thousands of @trailblazers fans poured yesterday into the Moda Center to watch a preseason FanFest scrimmage. #RipCity proves once again it’s the NBA’s best fan base. https://t.co/jSIC76llHA
Nobody in America should be subject to warrantless surveillance by Flock cameras that track your movements from here in Clackamas County all across Oregon. With great allies like @chotzen4oregon & Jessica Maravilla of @ACLU_OR, we will stop these weapons of mass inspection. https://t.co/NgraMn4FE4
Few better ways to enjoy a beautiful fall Sunday morning than to cheer on all these impressive @PDXMarathon runners racing today through my neighborhood here in Portland. https://t.co/4DpFC668oQ
Nothing beats the energy with @PDXPrideNW at Portland’s Pride Plaza. Terrific seeing so many people come together to celebrate community this weekend. Oregon will always be a place where love wins and everyone is free to live authentically. https://t.co/CqWIXjdoyV
Great to be at El Tigre Fest yesterday in @TigardOR to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with friends like Mayor Hu. I know firsthand how immigrants enrich Oregon's culture, power our economy, and strengthen our state. That’s why I’ll always stand up for immigrant families. https://t.co/VNBkzPHFum
Can’t wait for the probes to exonerate Joe McCarthy & Al Capone.
Ask yourself, are you better off now than you were two years ago?
HUGE: My investigation discovered that Trump is hiding Epstein investigation evidence to protect Wall Street banks. Kash Patel and Todd Blanche must hand over this information or Democrats will subpoena it when we win back Congress.
Data Center Update: Yesterday I tried to pass my bill to ban data centers on public lands and Senate Republicans BLOCKED it. Republicans are all in on Trump’s plan to bulldoze YOUR public lands to build data centers.
Oregon senators: “Our constituents have expressed concerns about how the ongoing pause affects the local economies across the state where UAS testing takes place, and they seek a timely resolution” Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and its designated administrator of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) test sites in Pendleton, McMinnville and Tillamook for an update about the recent suspension of all flight operations at those three Oregon locales. The Oregon senators said their letter comes after operations at those three UAS test sites were paused on Sept. 11 due to concerns at the University of Alaska Fairbanks UAS test site, which serves as the FAA’s designated administrator to test and develop UAS technology, and to oversee operations for test sites across the West. “While we understand that the pause was necessary due to the FAA’s concerns regarding safety practices, oversight, and documentation, the situation has disrupted flight activity at all other test sites that operate under the University of Alaska Fairbanks,” Wyden and Merkley wrote FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford and Dr. Catherine F. Cahill, Director of the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft System Integration. “In Oregon, this pause delays testing and development for aerospace and defense contractors, federal customers, and commercial UAS companies who operate at the Pendleton UAS Range, Northwest UAV in McMinnville, and Tillamook UAS Test Range.” Wyden and Merkley wrote that the testing pause has created significant uncertainty for Oregon communities, noting for example that the Pendleton UAS range generates roughly $2.4 million annually for the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport -- roughly 82 percent of the airport’s total revenue at the airport. “Our constituents have expressed concerns about how the ongoing pause affects the local economies across the state where UAS testing takes place, and they seek a timely resolution,” the senators wrote. “We appreciate the FAA’s efforts to review safety practices and conduct oversight. We also recognize the timeliness and importance of resuming operations at all test sites that have been impacted by the pause.” The senators asked for responses to their letter by Oct. 7, given the significant economic uncertainty facing the test sites. The entire letter is here. Related Files
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore., today were joined by their colleagues Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, both R-Idaho, in introducing legislation that would extend funding for the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program for three years, and clarify congressional intention for distribution of funding for counties in Oregon with Bureau of Land Management lands. Funding for the program expired yesterday, September 30, 2026. “Secure Rural Schools is a lifeline for rural Oregon,” Wyden said. “I’ll be working as hard as I can to get this bill across the finish line, but the well-being of rural America shouldn’t be dependent on Congress getting its act together to renew this funding every few years. It’s past time to get rural communities off the financial rollercoaster and deliver a permanent funding solution.” “The SRS program provides crucial payments that are a lifeline for rural communities here in Oregon and across America—keeping schools open, maintaining roads, restoring watersheds, and providing funding for police officers and firefighters to keep families safe,” said Merkley. “A three-year extension of the program and these common-sense updates are critical to ensuring the federal government upholds its promise to our communities and that local governments can reliably access these important resources.” Wyden co-authored the SRS law in 2000, and it has brought nearly $4 billion to Oregon counties since then. Funding for the program lapsed in September 2023 and resumed two years later in September 2025, depriving rural counties across the country of critical funding for schools, law enforcement, and infrastructure projects. Legislative text of the three-year extension is here.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today led colleagues in demanding the Trump Administration abandon a plan that would prevent up to 700,000 Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and other tax-paying immigrants from claiming tax credits they are currently eligible to receive. The Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Treasury are proposing a rule change that would prevent hundreds of thousands of taxpayers from claiming the Adoption Tax Credit, the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. DACA and TPS recipients have been lawfully claiming these taxes for decades. “According to your own estimates, the proposed rule change could affect up to 700,000 taxpayers,” Wyden and the other senators wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and IRS CEO Frank Bisignano. “This would include more than 300,000 individuals living in households with a DACA recipient, two-thirds of whom are U.S. citizens and who have, on average, lived in the United States for over 28 years. The practical effect of these new regulations would be to deny tax credits to immigrants who are legally eligible for them and lawfully present in our country, and to create a byzantine and unworkable system for both tax preparers and taxpayers.” “The Administration has no legal authority to change congressionally enacted tax law via regulation…” the lawmakers continued, noting that no federal agency for more than three decades has interpreted refundable tax credits as federal public benefits restricted to qualified immigrants. “If Congress intended for refundable tax credits to be treated as federal public benefits, it has had over 30 years to clarify the statute.” “The proposed rule is clear regulatory overreach that would have disastrous impacts for lawfully present immigrants and their families who are legally eligible for refundable tax credits,” the lawmakers concluded. In addition to Wyden, the letter was led by U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill. The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Patty Murray, D-Wash.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Mike Crapo, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today celebrated the Senate’s unanimous approval of the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act. The legislation approved this week is a package of 65 bipartisan reforms to modernize the Internal Revenue Service, strengthen taxpayer rights and improve the agency’s ability to administer the tax code predictably and efficiently. “The Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act is the direct result of years of bipartisan work,” Wyden said. “This bill will help improve services for hardworking taxpayers while cracking down on predatory tax prep scammers that are taking advantage of low-income families to turn a quick profit. I’m grateful for the partnership of Chairman Crapo and the members of the Finance Committee that have worked to get this across the finish line.” “Taxpayers deserve a tax system that is competent, responsive and works for them,” said Crapo. “The Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act is designed to provide taxpayers with top-quality service and ensure their rights are protected. I thank Ranking Member Wyden and the members of the Finance Committee for their partnership in developing this bipartisan legislation and look forward to advancing these commonsense reforms across the finish line this Congress.” The Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act previously advanced out of the Finance Committee by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 26-1 and has earned the endorsement of the nonpartisan National Taxpayer Advocate. The full text of the bill is here.
DATA CENTER UPDATE: Trump is letting big tech bulldoze YOUR public lands so he can keep cashing their campaign checks.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today introduced and sought to pass legislation that would ban the sale or transfer of federally-owned public lands for the purpose of developing new data centers and associated infrastructure in Oregon and nationwide. Introduction of the bill follows recent reports that the Trump administration is considering the transfer of more than 17,000 acres of public land across Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah to build 12 new data centers. Further reporting confirms that the administration is eyeing a parcel of federal land in Eastern Oregon near Hermiston, Ore., for development. Wyden worked to pass his legislation on the floor earlier today through a fast-track legislative process, citing the urgent need for Congress to act before the administration sets this dangerous precedent. “Donald Trump and his allies have taken every opportunity to chip away at what belongs to the American people. All in an effort to boost profits for corporations and secure bigger campaign support for themselves,” Wyden said on the Senate floor. “Congress must not let the Trump administration establish a dangerous precedent that our public lands are a fire-sale inventory for development by the highest bidder.” Text of the legislation is here.
Oregon lawmakers demand an end to expedited “mega master” hearings in Portland, Tacoma, and other immigration centers. Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, Val Hoyle, Maxine Dexter and Janelle Bynum, today demanded the Trump administration end the practice of “mega master” immigration hearings that expedite the review of hundreds of immigrants’ cases in a day, resulting in a fast-track to removing immigrants without due process. “This unwarranted blitzkrieg of assaults on justice and fair treatment raises serious constitutional concerns and is unworthy of the oaths you swore to uphold,” the Oregon lawmakers wrote to Attorney General Todd Blanche, Sirce E. Owen, Acting Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review and David Venturella, Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “Over the past year, your agencies have increased the number of immigrants who must appear on little-to-no notice for so-called ‘mega master’ hearings on overcrowded dockets in front of Trump’s handpicked judges at courts across the country, all while stripping immigrants of their legal status, ramping up arrests and detention, and limiting their access to legal counsel for representation in court and fast-tracked asylum interviews,” they wrote. “These policy changes confuse and terrify law-abiding immigrants in our communities and prevent them from having a fair day in court.” The lawmakers wrote that the Portland Immigration Court in Oregon is now holding about two “mega master” hearings every week, in addition to maintaining its previously-scheduled docket hearings and individual merit hearings. That has forced immigrants anticipating court dates in 2027 or 2028 to suddenly show up on extremely short notice and scrambling both to figure out how to get to the court on time, and to find an attorney to represent them. “As if the changes at the Portland Immigration Court weren’t bad enough, the neighboring Tacoma Immigration Court has now had judges deciding in mid-August to stop allowing immigration attorneys across Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska from appearing remotely on behalf of their clients detained at the regional detention center,” the lawmakers continued. “Previously, the Tacoma Immigration Court allowed out-of-state attorneys to represent their clients by making court appearances through video conferencing technology. Now attorneys—and when applicable, expert witnesses— have to attend these hearings in person.” The new requirement for immigration attorneys to represent their clients in person comes as immigration judges allow Department of Homeland Security prosecutors to participate in hearings remotely. In other cases even the presiding judge is attending remotely as well, with attorneys sharing that remote appearances by judges happen in about half the cases that they must attend in-person at the Tacoma Immigration Court. These new in-person requirements also come as attorneys share that the court is sending “notices to appear” and setting hearings for that same morning giving the attorneys little time to prepare or make travel arrangements from out of state. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has also been routinely denying immigration attorneys access to their clients at detention centers, and transferring clients thousands of miles away to detention centers across the country. “Immigration court proceedings must uphold fairness and rule of law and not be politicized to satisfy Donald Trump’s arbitrary detention quotas. We call on the Trump administration to discontinue policies and tactics that undermine constitutional due process. Our legal system relies on accountability; therefore, we demand that you establish fair and meaningful hearings that provide a genuine day in court and uphold the integrity of our nation’s immigration system,” the lawmakers concluded. The lawmakers ended their letter demanding a written response by October 15th, 2026 detailing the steps that the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security will take to achieve the following: Terminate “mega master” hearings. Provide immigrants with sufficient notice of their proceedings. Reduce hardships on immigration attorneys. Ensure that immigration judges hear cases individually, free from political influence.
If you want to BUY midterm votes, maybe start by not gutting everyone's health care in the first place.
SCOTUS is rubber stamping the Trump administration’s grave human rights violations of sending refugees and victims of torture to dangerous countries without regard to due process.
Wyden bill follows public reporting that Trump administration is trying to transfer over 17,000 acres of public land in the West for data center development Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today introduced legislation that would ban the development, sale or transfer of federally-owned public lands for the purpose of constructing new data centers and associated infrastructure in Oregon and nationwide. Introduction of the bill follows recent reports that the Trump administration is considering the transfer of more than 17,000 acres of public land across Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah to build 12 new data centers. Further reporting confirms that the administration is eyeing a parcel of federal land in Eastern Oregon near Hermiston, Ore., for development. “Public lands belong to the taxpayers, not corporations, and especially not Donald Trump,” Wyden said. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my time in public service, it’s that when you come for Oregonians’ public lands, you’ll have hell to pay. My legislation is the ironclad path to ensuring that Trump – or any future administration – cannot hijack our treasured public lands to build data centers that use up water resources and jack up energy costs.” Earlier this year, Wyden unveiled a comprehensive proposal to ensure data centers start paying for the disruptions caused to communities like higher energy costs and water usage. ###
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representative Janelle Bynum, today announced $100,000 in federal awards to support displaced Oregonians and wildfire recovery efforts for Central Oregon communities that lost homes in the 2026 wildfires. “As wildfires in central Oregon and statewide set new records every year in size and intensity, the rural communities on the front lines of these fights are the most in need of resources for recovery efforts,” Wyden said. “I applaud this federal award that will support Central Oregon communities including Warm Springs residents who were forced to flee from their homes, and I will continue to fight for more resources to support wildfire prevention and recovery across Oregon.” “When disaster strikes, Oregon’s communities show up to help each other. These federal funds will help NeighborImpact provide critical support to Warm Springs families recovering from the devastating July wildfires, including emergency shelter, relocation assistance, and essential household supplies,” said Merkley. “I’ll keep fighting to bring federal resources home to Oregon so our communities have the support they need to recover and rebuild.” “No where to sleep. Only the clothes on your back. Food to go is the only option. All in the matter of one day,” said Rep. Bynum. “I’ve heard that story too many times from my constituents. People need help after an emergency, and the faster that help comes, the better shot they have of rebuilding what was lost. And by help I mean money to get the basics. That’s the difference this funding can and will make.” The $100,000 in federal awards from the NeighborWorks Disaster Grants program will be distributed to NeighborImpact, a central Oregon nonprofit that serves economically disadvantaged residents of Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Thousands of Warm Springs residents were forced to evacuate and several homes were lost in the July 2026 fires. The grant will support the Wildfire Recovery Fund that is used to provide emergency shelter, relocation assistance, provide/replace personal items such as baby supplies, hygiene products, houseware items, laundry and cleaning supplies.
Major congrats to the @pendletonrup_hc for earning this award from the National Rodeo Hall of Fame. #LetErBuck https://t.co/Rxbex8DUWX
Saving for retirement is harder than ever as the cost of daily necessities like rent and groceries continues to skyrocket. I just introduced legislation to give working Americans a leg up with saving for their futures, because everyone deserves to retire with dignity. https://t.co/Sy9VQgi3O2
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Oregon’s U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, and Oregon State Representative Cyrus Javadi announced that, thanks to their efforts, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $14,567,624 in federal funds for Clatsop County and Columbia Memorial Hospital (CMH) to build a tsunami-resilient hospital expansion in Astoria, featuring a vertical evacuation structure for 1,900 people. CMH had received an award for the expansion under the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program—which provides grants for hazard mitigation planning and projects that reduce risks posed by natural hazards to communities—but faced roadblocks to accessing the funding after the Trump Administration suspended the BRIC program in 2025. Following legal challenges and advocacy by Oregon lawmakers, CMH’s BRIC funding has finally been released. “You can’t wait for a disaster to happen to start preparing, and this funding finally moving forward will be transformative for disaster resiliency along the North Coast. Thanks to the partnership of state and local leaders, we held the Trump Administration accountable to deliver on the promise of this common-sense project to help Oregonians prepare for disasters and save lives,” said Senator Merkley. “I’ll keep pushing to get this project over the finish line and to deliver critical funding for disaster resiliency efforts in Oregon and communities across the country.” “This grant funding is long overdue for Columbia Memorial Hospital and everyone who lives on or visits the Oregon Coast,” said Congresswoman Bonamici. “The BRIC grant for this lifesaving vertical evacuation structure should never have been jeopardized, and we’ve fought long and hard for it to be released. I look forward to celebrating the completion of this important project with the community in Astoria.” “Ensuring that Oregon’s coastal communities have access to health care in the wake of natural disasters is absolutely essential,” said Senator Wyden. “I am thankful we were able to get critical funding released for the Columbia Memorial Hospital after it was illegally withheld under the Trump administration’s draconian funding cuts that are putting Oregon families at risk. I’ll continue to pull out all the stops to ensure our state has the resources it needs to keep families safe.” “This award is a critical investment in the North Coast’s ability to be resilient in the face of disasters,” said Governor Kotek. “This project can now move forward with confidence in its completion, and the families on the North Coast will benefit from reliable health care access when they need it most. Thank you to our Congressional delegation and community leaders for your persistence to get this done.” “Disaster relief should have never been held up over partisan politics,” said Attorney General Rayfield. “Oregonians’ safety is too important to play games with. That’s why we took immediate action to fight back and make sure this critically needed project will continue moving forward, providing peace of mind to the entire North Coast community.” “Natural disasters don’t care if you’re in a red state or a blue state - FEMA shouldn’t either. So when the Trump Administration went back on its word, I promised we’d keep fighting until Columbia Memorial got what it was owed. Today that fight paid off. This funding will help our community be ready when the ground shakes or the water rises,” said Representative Javadi. “We could not be more thrilled with the news that our BRIC grant funding has been restored! This $14 million grant completes our project budget and ensures that our community will receive a fully resilient, modern healthcare facility. The BRIC funds will help offset the cost of constructing a deep-pile foundation and a tsunami vertical evacuation structure capable of accommodating 1,900 people. The project will also locate critical infrastructure, generators, and the helipad on the roof of the new hospital—important features that will help ensure the facility can remain operational when our community needs it most. Our sincerest appreciation goes to Congresswoman Bonamici, Senator Merkley, Senator Wyden, Oregon Attorney General Rayfield, and all our state delegates for their unwavering support and tireless efforts to secure these funds. We are incredibly grateful,” said Erik Thorsen, Chief Executive Officer of Columbia Memorial Hospital. "Thanks to the tireless advocacy of Senator Merkley, Senator Wyden, Representative Bonamici, and Representative Bentz, this critical funding is returning to Clatsop County. This victory was made possible by a shared commitment from Governor Kotek, Attorney General Rayfield, Senator Weber, Representative Javadi, and the Oregon legislature's Joint Ways and Means Committee. Above all, it is a direct result of our community keeping this project front and center. I want to thank my fellow Commissioners, County Manager Don Bohn, Sheriff Matt Phillips, and Emergency Management Director Justin Gibbs, and of course the leadership of CMH and CEO Erik Thorsen. This truly was a team effort that showcased the undeniable power of local, state, and federal collaboration,” said Mark Kujala, Chair of the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners. ###
What Dame said about #RipCity