WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement regarding the current situation with Iran and the Senate's debate of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Merkley is teaming up with Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) to push for a proposed amendment to the NDAA that would prevent the Trump administration from entering int  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), James Langevin (D-RI), and Elise Sefanik (R-NY) introduced two bills to promote creativity and innovation by integrating art and design into programs that support STEM education. Bonamici, Langevin, and Stefanik are all advocates for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education. They introduced the Building STEAM Education Act and STEM t  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release: Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), and 51 Members sent a letter to the President and CEO of Amtrak expressing concerns over possible cuts to Amtrak's Police Department (APD) that will result i  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the Veterans Health Administration's oversight of Veterans Integrated Service Networks. The report (GAO-19-462) is titled "Veterans Health Administration: Regional Networks Need Improved Oversight and Clearly Defined Roles and Responsibilities". The report was sent to Rep. Julia Brownley, D-California, chair, Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Florida, ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs subcommittee on Health, Rep. Pet  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Today the House passed an amendment offered by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) to provide funding for the Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board to scrutinize a proposed rule that would force the Agency to ignore valuable scientific information. Bonamici, a member of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, offered the amendment  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release: Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO), Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), and Ranking Member Bob Gibbs (R-OH) introduced bipartisan legislation to authorize funds for, reinforce, and suppo  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release: Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), and Chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), announced the Subcommittee will hold a roundtable titled, "Examining the Role of Mobility on Demand (MOD) in Surface Transportation Policy." The purpose of this r  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release: Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), and Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), announced the Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "Protecting and Restoring America's Iconic Waters." The purpose of this hearing is to review the s  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 116-110) on legislation (H.R. 367) making appropriations for Coast Guard pay in the event an appropriations act expires before the enactment of a new appropriations act. The report was advanced by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, on June 11. Excerpts of the report follow: Purpose of Legislation The purpose of H.R. 367, as amended, the Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2019, is to amend title 14,   more

WASHINGTON, June 22 -- The House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Highways and Transit issued the following hearing information: Roundtable on: Examining the Role of Mobility on Demand in Surface Transportation Policy at 2167 Rayburn House Office Building at 2 p.m. on June 25: Agenda Roundtable Participants * Scott Bogren, Executive Director, Community Transportation Association of America * Faye Dastgheib, Senior Policy Analyst, District Department of Transportation * Mich  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Sackler family profited from promoting OxyContin and misleading the public about its addictiveness, helping fuel today's opioid epidemic * * * Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley today called on the Smithsonian Institution to remove the Sackler name from its Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. His call for the name's removal follows recent revelations that members of the Sackler fa  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Following disturbing reports about migrant children being held in appalling conditions at a Border Patrol facility in Clint, Texas, Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley today pushed Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kevin McAleenan for an immediate plan to fix these abusive and harmful conditions. Lawyers inspecting the Clint facility recently found unsanitary conditions, poor nutrition, signif  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - The Department of Education has failed to fulfill legal obligation to review loan relief claims * * * Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley today pressed the U.S. Department of Education over prolonged inaction regarding federal student loan discharge requests, and urged Secretary Betsy DeVos to stand up for victims of predatory college scams, many of which were perpetrated by for-profit colleges. Under t  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following statement after the House passed the legislation (H.R. 3253) that would extend Medicaid programs including the Community Mental Health Services Demonstration program: This program created Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHSs), which are currently in operation in eight states, including Oregon. Currently, the program is expected to expire June 30, 2019. This bill would extend funding for the Community Me  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Decision will eliminate need for on-board human observers, ease onerous burdens on fishermen * * * Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) today applauded the decision by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to allow groundfish vessels in the Pacific Northwest to monitor their catch restrictions electronically instead of using expensive on-board human observers. "I've been pushing for years to get rid  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) today applauded the reversal of the Trump administration's decision to transfer oversight of the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers (CCCs) from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the Department of Labor (DOL), effectively ending the program. "I am glad Secretaries Perdue and Acosta finally came to their senses and cancelled their plans to end these critical programs," sa  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Legislation Will Act as a Check on President Trump's Authority, Uphold Constitution * * * Following reports that President Trump is considering military action in Iran, Congressman Peter DeFazio (OR-04) today introduced the War Powers Amendments of 2019, H.J. Res 66, comprehensive legislation that clarifies under the Constitution that President Trump must seek congressional authorization prior to   more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) today announced more than $3.8 million in Airport Improvement (AIP) grants for the Cave Junction and North Bend Airports from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Illinois Valley Airport in Cave Junction will receive $150,000 to rehabilitate the runway and reconstruct the aging taxiway. The Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend will receive $3.7 million to ins  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on the Trump administration's cancellation of an air strike on Iran: "The ongoing situation with Iran is dangerous and rapidly evolving. The President's decision to abort a retaliatory air strike that would have led to hundreds of civilian casualties was indeed the right one. However, this is not a time to engage in reckless diplomacy via Twitter. We must rely on strategy and work with our global allies to make   more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks at the Subcommittee on Health hearing entitled "Strengthening Health Care in the U.S. Territories for Today and Into the Future": "Today marks an important step forward in our work to address the health care challenges faced by our Territories. "We have the honor of having before this committee a representative from each of the U.S. terri  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks at the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing entitled "Protecting Title X and Safeguarding Quality Family Planning Care": "The Title X family planning program has played a critical role in ensuring access to a broad range of family planning and preventive health services for nearly 50 years. While the Title X program is the   more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following floor remarks in support of the Empowering Beneficiaries, Ensuring Access and Strengthening Accountability Act (H.R. 3253) to strengthen the health care safety net: "I rise today in strong support of this bipartisan bill that extends several key Medicaid programs. H.R. 3253: The Empowering Beneficiaries, Ensuring Access, and Strengthening Accountability A  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Subcommittee Will Markup Legislation Next Week * * * Today, Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) unveiled bipartisan legislation, the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act to stop illegal robocall practices. "Americans deserve to be free of the daily danger and harassment of robocal  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, and Representative Deb Haaland, Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus and one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, today applauded the passage of an amendment to protect tribal cannabis programs they introduced as part of the Fiscal Year '20 Department of Justice (DOJ) fundin  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Reps. Peter A. DeFazio, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rick Larsen, D-Washington, chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation, issued the following opening remarks at a hearing entitled "Status of the Boeing 737 MAX: Stakeholder Perspectives": Chair DeFazio: "Thank you, Chair Larsen, for calling our second hearing on the Boeing 737 MAX. Today's hearing is an important next step in the Committee's oversight work and will prov  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Following a conversation with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley today announced that federal Civilian Conservation Center (CCC) Job Corps sites will remain open and operated by the U.S. Forest Service. This news follows the Trump administration's prior attempts to shut down CCC sites and end the program in its current form. "Today's news is a huge victory for the people of Ore  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following statement after voting against a package to provide funding for the Trump administration's activities at the U.S.-Mexican border: "There is no doubt that we are facing a difficult and dire situation at the border. The administration's actions and President Trump's repeated threats to close the border have created a surge in people legally seeking asylum at our borders, generating overcrowded facilities, poor health servic  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee that oversees the United Nations, issued the following statement after the hearing on Ambassador Kelly Craft's nomination as Ambassador to the U.N.: "At a time when climate chaos is the greatest global challenge we face, it's incredibly disturbing that President Trump has nominated a UN Ambassador with deep personal ties to and a financial stake in the coal industry. "Our ambassador  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Letter also expresses concern with State Department policies failing to promote LGBTQI rights * * * Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced that he has joined 16 of his Senate colleagues in opposition to the State Department decision to reject requests from four embassies to fly a rainbow flag on embassy flagpoles in recognition of Pride month. N  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Senators say Trump administration guidance "ignores the will of Americans across the country" * * * U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today led nine of his Senate colleagues in calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prevent implementation of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) guidance considering cannabis-related activiti  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- The Senate Finance Committee issued the following statement by Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, at a hearing on President Trump's 2019 trade policy agenda and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement": "The Finance Committee meets this morning to discuss the administration's trade agenda. "First, on China. The president likes to say that, "trade wars are good and easy to win." The situation on the battlefield says otherwise. "China's market is more closed off to American-mad  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on the National Taxpayer Advocate's annual report: "The National Taxpayer Advocate's report highlights the harm caused by a decade of Republican budget cuts. "In addition to plummeting audits of the wealthy, IRS customer service is woefully inadequate, particularly when taxpayers with complex issues want to speak to a live person. "While our Taxpayer Firs  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., this week joined 11 of his colleagues in introducing a bill to guarantee Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients access to federally-backed home loans. The Homeownership for Dreamers Act clarifies DACA beneficiaries - also known as Dreamers - cannot be denied federally-backed mortgage loans solely because of their immigration status. "To deny individuals the op  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Senators say Trump administration guidance "ignores the will of Americans across the country" * * * U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today led nine of his Senate colleagues in calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prevent implementation of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) guidance considering cannabis-related activities   more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- The U.S. Senate received the nomination of six individuals for positions in the Trump Administration on June 18: Andrew George Biggs, of Oregon, to be a Member of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico for the remainder of the term expiring August 30, 2019. Jose Baldomero Carrion, of Puerto Rico, to be a Member of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico for the remainder of the term expiring August 30, 2019. Carlos M. Garcia, o  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Trade, issued the following news release: * * * - Opportunities and Challenges for an Improved North American Free Trade Agreement * * * House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) announced today that the Subcommittee is holding a hearing titled "Mexico's Labor Reform: Opportunities and Challenges for an Improved NAFTA." The hearing will take place on Tues  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Following Sen. Merkley's announcement yesterday that the Trump administration will back down from their plan to close Civilian Conservation Center (CCC) Job Corps sites, leaders from communities in Oregon and across the nation are celebrating the good news. Here's what they're saying: "One of the greatest obstacles facing efforts to restore forests and reduce the risk of fire to homes and communities is dev  more

WASHINGTON, June 20 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today co-sponsored legislation that would help protect U.S. elections from foreign interference by requiring candidates, campaign officials and their family members to notify law enforcement if offered illegal assistance by a foreign national. "It shouldn't take a law for candidates to know they need to tell the FBI when foreigners try to illegally influence our elections," Wyden said. "But   more

WASHINGTON, June 22 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Oregon senator says renewable energy bill creates big opportunities for large state reservoir of geothermal power * * * U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) this week introduced legislation that would promote the growth of geothermal energy. Wyden and Cortez Masto said their Geothermal Energy Opportunities (GEO) Act would develop stronger public-private geothermal partner  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Aid would help Curry, Douglas, Grant, Linn, Umatilla and Wheeler counties * * * U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Greg Walden and today sought federal disaster assistance for spring storms that hit Curry, Douglas, Grant, Linn, Umatilla and Wheeler counties over a two-week stretch in April. The bipartisan letter from the Oregon lawmakers to the White House comes  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Aid would help Curry, Douglas, Grant, Linn, Umatilla and Wheeler counties * * * U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Greg Walden and today sought federal disaster assistance for spring storms that hit Curry, Douglas, Grant, Linn, Umatilla and Wheeler counties over a two-week stretch in April. The bipartisan letter from the Oregon lawmakers to the White House comes in  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Aid would help Curry, Douglas, Grant, Linn, Umatilla and Wheeler counties * * * U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Greg Walden and today sought federal disaster assistance for spring storms that hit Curry, Douglas, Grant, Linn, Umatilla and Wheeler counties over a two-week stretch in April. The bipartisan letter from the Oregon lawmakers to the White House come  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Resources will help Lincoln County port's Shipyard Vocational Training * * * U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader today announced that the Port of Toledo has earned a federal grant of $261,285 for its Shipyard Vocational Training Lab. The three Oregon lawmakers said the Transportation Department resources for the port's training lab are critical to maritime professiona  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Resources will help Lincoln County port's Shipyard Vocational Training Lab * * * U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader today announced that the Port of Toledo has earned a federal grant of $261,285 for its Shipyard Vocational Training Lab. The three Oregon lawmakers said the Transportation Department resources for the port's training lab are critical to maritime profession  more