{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"OR\" and year = 2014 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/top-democrats-demand-boehner-follow-rules-of-the-house-for-controversial", "Top Democrats Demand Boehner Follow Rules of the House for Controversial Keystone Vote", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- Three leading House Democratic lawmakers called on Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) to use regular order for consideration of controversial legislation to approve construction of TransCanada\u2019s Keystone XL pipeline. In a letter sent yesterday, Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), ranking members-elect on the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce, and Natural Resources, respectively, urged Boehner not to bypass committee process to force a premature vote on an issue of such magnitude. The three committees have jurisdiction over Keystone XL pipeline legislation.\n\u201cIt is our understanding that you may schedule the House of Representatives to vote on a bill to approve TransCanada\u2019s Keystone XL pipeline during the first two weeks of the 114th Congress.\u00a0 Given the magnitude of this issue, we urge you not to bypass the committee process and regular order for consideration of this controversial legislation. This past November, 61 new Members of Congress were elected by the American people to represent their interests in the House.\u00a0 These new Members, and in fact all Members of the House, should have the opportunity to consider, debate, and propose their own ideas on this legislation through committee hearings and markups, before it is scheduled for House Floor consideration,\u201d the members write.\nAdditionally, the members highlight several key issues with the Keystone XL pipeline that should postpone any premature legislative action. The proposed route was declared null and void by the Nebraska District Court in February 2014. If Congress considers legislation in the next few weeks, Members of Congress would be asked to vote for approval without knowledge of the route.\u00a0\nThe members also highlight the need to evaluate potential economic impacts of the pipeline. The letter cites a December 2014 petroleum marketing report issued by the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy, which found that crude oil prices in the U.S. are the lowest they have been since 2010.\u00a0 The significant decrease in the price of gasoline in the United States illustrates the changed circumstances. The letter requests that the House has an opportunity to learn more about these changed circumstances as they weigh the economic costs and benefits of the pipeline.\nIn addition, the letter asks that new and returning Members of Congress have the ability to debate the short- and long-term effects of approving a project that could reverse the carbon pollution reductions and environmental and safety improvements achieved in the United States.\nThe letter adds, \u201cMr. Speaker, a new Congress represents new beginnings.\u00a0 We urge you to use this opportunity to recommit to the value of thoughtful deliberation.\u00a0 We urge you not to bypass the committee process and regular order for consideration of this controversial legislation.\u201d\nA copy of the letter is below.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nDecember 30, 2014\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe Honorable John A. Boehner\nSpeaker of the House\nH-232, The Capitol\nWashington, DC 20515\n\u00a0\nDear Mr. Speaker:\nIt is our understanding that you may schedule the House of Representatives to vote on a bill to approve TransCanada\u2019s Keystone XL pipeline during the first two weeks of the 114th Congress.\u00a0 Given the magnitude of this issue, we urge you not to bypass the committee process and regular order for consideration of this controversial legislation.\nThis past November, 61 new Members of Congress were elected by the American people to represent their interests in the House.\u00a0 These new Members, and in fact all Members of the House, should have the opportunity to consider, debate, and propose their own ideas on this legislation through committee hearings and markups, before it is scheduled for House Floor consideration.\u00a0 Moreover, the bill should be subject to a rule allowing for an open amendment process on the Floor.\u00a0 While past congresses have debated legislation to approve the pipeline, this new Congress has not had the opportunity to be a part of the process, a process that the Republican Leadership has vowed to uphold.\nJust five months ago, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy published an op-ed in the Washington Post promising, on the first day of his new job, to return to the committee process and regular order.\u00a0 He stated: \u201cIn Congress, committees act as idea factories for policies from both sides, and as majority leader I will commit to the committee process and regular order.\u201d\u00a0 He added a renewed commitment to work with Members on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation, stating \u201c\u2026a sense of mutual respect is necessary for constructive dialogue.\u201d\u00a0 We urge you to uphold this commitment.\nIn addition, we believe the committee process will provide Members with new information that has come to light since Congress previously considered Keystone XL legislation.\u00a0\nFirst, the proposed route of the Keystone XL pipeline remains unclear in the state of Nebraska.\u00a0 In February 2014, the Nebraska District Court declared that the Nebraska Governor\u2019s Keystone XL pipeline siting decision violated the Nebraska Constitution and, as such, the proposed route was null and void.\u00a0 The Nebraska Supreme Court is considering this issue on appeal and is expected to issue its decision in the coming weeks.\u00a0 We hope that we can all agree that Members of Congress deserve to know the route of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline prior to casting a vote on whether to approve it.\nSecond, over the past five years, production of crude oil in the United States has skyrocketed.\u00a0 As a result of this increased production, together with tempered global demand, crude oil prices have fallen precipitously.\u00a0 According to a December 2014 petroleum marketing report issued by the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy, crude oil prices in the U.S. are the lowest they have been since 2010.\u00a0 The significant decrease in the price of gasoline in the United States illustrates the changed circumstances.\u00a0 On December 22, AAA announced that gasoline prices declined for a record 88 days straight and 85 cents per gallon in the last year.\u00a0 Members of Congress should have an opportunity to learn more about these changed circumstances as they weigh the costs and benefits of TransCanada\u2019s proposed Keystone XL pipeline.\nThird, expansion of oil sands production in Canada, with or without the Keystone XL pipeline, is now uncertain.\u00a0 Alternative transportation methods have raised considerable challenges for producers, and a number of pipeline expansion projects have been halted due to significant opposition in the U.S. and Canada.\u00a0 While the Keystone XL pipeline continues to be the producers\u2019 preferred option for the delivery of oil sands, concerns regarding carbon pollution, impacts on natural resources and land use, and safety remain.\u00a0 New and returning Members of Congress should have the right to debate the short- and long-term effects of approving a project that could reverse the carbon pollution reductions and environmental and safety improvements that we have worked so hard to achieve in the United States.\nMr. Speaker, a new Congress represents new beginnings.\u00a0 We urge you to use this opportunity to recommit to the value of thoughtful deliberation.\u00a0 We urge you not to bypass the committee process and regular order for consideration of this controversial legislation.\nThank you for your consideration.\nSincerely,\n\u00a0\nPETER A. DEFAZIO\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 FRANK PALLONE, JR.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 RA\u00daL M. GRIJALVA\nRanking Member-Elect\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ranking Member-Elect\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ranking Member-Elect\nCommittee on Transportation \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Committee on Energy\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Committee on\u00a0\nand Infrastructure\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and Commerce\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Natural Resources\n\u00a0\ncc: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Kevin McCarthy, Majority Leader\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Steny H. Hoyer, Democratic Whip\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Bill Shuster, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Fred Upton, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Rob Bishop, Chairman-Elect, Committee on Natural Resources\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-kicks-off-new-year-with-seven-town-halls", "Wyden Kicks Off New Year With Seven Town Halls", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator Will Visit Deschutes, Clackamas, Multnomah, Marion, Washington, Benton and Lane counties\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 29, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tPortland, OR \u2013 Continuing his pledge since 1996 to hold a town hall each year in each of Oregon\u2019s counties, Senator Ron Wyden will begin the new year with town halls this week in seven counties.\r\nSenator Wyden starts his 20th year of holding annual town halls in each of Oregon\u2019s 36 counties with his 710th town hall in Deschutes County on Jan.\u00a0 2.\r\n\u00a0He will hold six more town halls through Jan. 5 before traveling to Washington DC later next week for the start of the 114th Congress.\r\n\u201cEven with all the great new ways of communicating with Oregonians on social media, I look forward every year to my traditional way of talking with people in all 36 counties--face-to-face in town halls,\u201d Senator Wyden said. \u201cThose conversations are essential every year and these seven town halls will allow me to talk with folks about my agenda for the year ahead and to hear what\u2019s on their minds.\u201d\r\n\u00a0Senator Wyden\u2019s town hall schedule for Jan. 2-5 is as follows:\r\n\r\n \r\nDESCHUTES COUNTY: Friday, Jan. 2, 10 am, Deschutes County Services Building, Barnes/Sawyer rooms, 1300 NW Wall, Bend\r\nCLACKAMAS COUNTY: Saturday, Jan. 3, 11 am, Camp Withycombe, 15300 SE Minuteman Way, Clackamas\r\nMULTNOMAH COUNTY: Saturday, Jan. 3, 2:30 pm, PCC Southeast Campus, Mt. Tabor Hall, 2305 SE 82nd and Division, Portland (Free parking available in the PCC lot off 82ndAve. No permit required.)\r\n \r\n \r\nMARION COUNTY: Sunday, Jan. 4, 1 pm, Marion County Courthouse, 555 Court St. NE, Salem\r\nWASHINGTON COUNTY: Sunday, Jan. 4, 4 pm, Beaverton City Library \u2013 Main Branch, Auditorium (basement), 12375 SW 5th St, Beaverton\r\nBENTON COUNTY: Monday, Jan. 5, 10 am, Philomath High School, 2054 Applegate St, Philomath\r\nLANE COUNTY: Monday, Jan. 5, 2 pm, Sheldon High School, 2455 Willakenzie Rd., Eugene\r\n \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tPress Contact\n\t\t\t\t\tHank Stern, 503-326-7539", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/merkley-to-lead-push-for-federal-lgbt-protection", "Merkley to lead push for federal LGBT protection", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley to lead push for federal LGBT protection \r\n\r\n     Plans to introduce anti-discrimination legislation in new Congress \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFriday, December 26, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Andrew Clevenger\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON \u2014 Earlier this month, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., announced his intention to introduce sweeping anti-discrimination legislation that would provide federal protections for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender individuals.\r\nThe bill, which Merkley plans to introduce sometime after the 114th Congress is sworn in Jan. 6, will be designed to protect members of the LGBT community from unequal treatment in such areas as employment, housing and access to public accommodations.\r\nAt an event at the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank in Washington, D.C., Merkley said most Americans would be shocked to realize how much discrimination is still legal in various states across the country.\r\n\u201cIn dozens of states across the country, LGBT Americans lack the basic nondiscrimination protections that so many of us take for granted,\u201d said Merkley at the event. \u201cIn North Carolina today, a gay man could be fired from his job just for being gay. In Michigan, a young couple could be denied the chance to buy their first home just because they\u2019re both women. In Pennsylvania, a transgender woman could be denied service and kicked out of a restaurant just for being who she is. And all of this would be perfectly legal.\u201d\r\nMerkley supported legislation during the term of Congress that just ended that would have made it illegal to fire someone based on sexual orientation, but it was not enacted into law. The new legislation aims to put broader protections into place for LGBT individuals.\r\nJann Carson, associate director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, said the ACLU strongly supports bringing a holistic approach to adding protections under the law for LGBT individuals.\r\n\u201cI think most Americans think it is wrong to discriminate against someone for who they are,\u201d she said.\r\nWhile prospects for Merkley\u2019s legislation may face an uphill climb in the next Congress when Republicans control both chambers, just the debate around it will keep the issue of equality under discussion, she said.\r\n\u201cThe need is there, so we shouldn\u2019t shy away from trying to advance civil rights for (LGBT) people just because it\u2019s a tougher climate, or because we might have to be more convincing,\u201d she said.\r\nWhile public opinion seems to have coalesced around acceptance of same-sex marriage, and the U.S. Supreme Court has hinted it will allow rulings in favor of same-sex marriage to stand, progress shouldn\u2019t end there, she said.\r\n\u201cWhat we\u2019re saying is: We want to reach the age where who you love doesn\u2019t become a lawful disqualifier for access to all of these other essentials in being able to live in America, to be able to get a job, to have housing,\u201d she said.\r\nPortland attorney Kevin Clonts, who serves as the co-chairman of OGALLA: The LGBT Bar Association of Oregon, said the organization supports extending the protections that already exist in Oregon to include the entire country.\r\nFederal law bans discrimination based on a person\u2019s gender, religion, national origin, race and ethnicity, he said.\r\n\u201cThose are national protections that have been around for many years, and it doesn\u2019t make any sense to exclude one minority,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t know why a line would be drawn to exclude national protections for LGBT people as is currently the case.\u201d\r\nEric Overby, the father of a transgender daughter, serves as the coordinator for the East County chapter of PFLAG Portland, a group built around the support of family and friends for the LGBT community. Merkley\u2019s proposed legislation is very necessary, he said.\r\nHe has seen firsthand how his daughter, who is still in transition changing her gender, has come home from interviews knowing she didn\u2019t get the job because she went dressed as a woman.\r\n\u201cShe wound up having to dress androgynously in order to get a second interview or even a job offer,\u201d said Overby, a former Navy recruiter.\r\nThe LGBT community shouldn\u2019t rest on its laurels after its victories in legalizing same-sex marriage in various states, he said.\r\n\u201cWe tend to think, especially on the national spectrum, that we are all protected, but in reality we\u2019re not. States have their own laws,\u201d he said. The issue of complete protections for LGBT individuals \u201cneeds to come to a larger stage, and I\u2019m proud that Senator Merkley is leading it in that direction.\u201d\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/monument-expansion-expected-to-increase-tourism-protect-resources", "Monument expansion expected to increase tourism, protect resources", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Monument expansion expected to increase tourism, protect resources \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFriday, December 26, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Jeff Duewel\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nYou won't see a different cave or a new chateau at the Oregon Caves National Monument.\u00a0But some are calling the expansion of the landmark, with legislation attached to a defense spending bill signed last week by President Obama, a monumental change.\r\nThe monument will be nearly 10 times its original 488-acre size, with 4,000 acres added. It will include the entire watershed above the caves, where scenic Bigelow Lakes lie below Mount Elijah \u2014 named after Elijah Davidson, who discovered the cave in 1874.\r\nRoger Brandt, historian and Illinois Valley tourism promoter, said the larger square on the map will bring more tourists.\r\n\"A lot of people completely miss this monument,\" Brandt said. \"You look at pink spots on the Oregon map that show where parks are, and you don't see it.\r\n\"There are bigger reasons for doing this than just getting a bigger spot on the map, but I think that's going to be what gets more attention.\"\r\nLee Webb, former biologist for the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, used to lead evening trips in the shadow of Mount Elijah looking for long-eared owls. It pleases him to see that area part of the monument now.\r\n\"Bigelow Lakes is one of my favorite spots on the forest,\" Webb said. \"The National Park Service wanted to control the drainage, and that makes sense. Geographic boundaries make sense.\"\r\nCattle are no longer grazing in the drainage because a buyout of a grazing right was negotiated, which should enhance the hike.\r\n\"Bigelow Lakes is one of the best loop trails in the valley,\" added Brandt.\u00a0\r\n\"With a monument like this, you get this inferred guarantee for a high-quality experience. If you go around the world, just about every country has national parks now, and that's what people travel to see.\"\r\n\"I think we'll see increased visitation,\" said Vicki Snitzler, superintendent at Oregon Caves since 2008. \"There are a lot of folks out there interested whenever parks get new designations or expansions.\"\r\nSnitzler said now that the National Park Service has taken over management from the U.S. Forest Service of the land added to the monument, it has 14 to 16 more miles of trails and 25 more miles of roads to maintain.\r\n\"The legislation didn't come with any new money or any new employees, so we'll be using what we currently have in our budget to try to make it stretch,\" Snitzler said.\r\nOne of the first tasks is dealing with hazard trees at a former Forest Service campground, now part of the park, that has been closed for two years. Snitzler said inclusion of the creek that flows through the cave \u2014 known as the River Styx \u2014 as the first underground Wild and Scenic river is another honor bestowed on the monument, along with the 80-year-old Chateau being named to the prestigious Historic Hotels of America program in 2014. It was already a National Historic Landmark.\r\nGreg Walter, another Illinois Valley historian and businessman, was thankful to U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio for pushing the legislation through. It's also timely, with the centennial of the National Park Service coming in 2016.\r\nBrandt said the expansion is another tourist victory, joining the ever-growing visitor highlights in the valley, which include the Illinois Valley Smokejumper Base and Museum at the airport and the Forks State Park that is undergoing improvements.\r\n\"In my opinion, it's not all about just the Illinois Valley,\" he said. \"It's about Josephine County and southwest Oregon. This will increase the flow of traffic into the area.\"\r\nExpansion of the monument was previously proposed by the National Park Service in 1939, 1949 and 2000.\r\n\"It seemed like the planets aligned and it finally happened,\" Snitzler said.\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/defazio-walden-fight-to-keep-rural-ambulance-service-intact", "DeFazio, Walden Fight to Keep Rural Ambulance Service Intact", "2014-12-24", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- Oregon Reps. Peter DeFazio and Greg Walden have called on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to delay a rule \u2013 scheduled to take effect next month - that could have a devastating impact on emergency medical services in rural communities across Oregon.\n  \n\tIn the letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, Reps. DeFazio and Walden brought attention to a possible technical error that reduces reimbursement rates to ambulance providers by reclassifying some rural areas as urban. Reducing these rates makes it very difficult for ambulance providers to serve rural communities without losing money.\nDeFazio and Walden have requested that CMS delay any reimbursement changes for one year so errors can be identified and ambulance providers have sufficient time to prepare for changes.\nThe letter from DeFazio and Walden states: \u201cThese payments allow ambulance services in rural areas to continue providing life-saving and life-sustaining services. We agree that as population demographics change over time, the designation of rural status should be updated. However, it is critically important that ambulance services, whose margins are on average negative without the add-ons, be given sufficient time to prepare for a change that could reduce their overall Medicare revenues by as much as 9 percent.\u201d\nThe full letter to CMS is below.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nDecember 23, 2014\nMarilyn Tavenner\nAdministrator\nCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services\n200 Independence Avenue, SW\nWashington, DC\u00a0 20201\n\u00a0\nDear Administrator Tavenner,\n\u00a0\nWe are writing to express our concern about the Final Ambulance Fee Schedule for Calendar Year 2015, and the devastating impact it will have on rural transports in our state and across the country. We are particularly concerned about the final changes to the designation of ambulance service from \u201crural\u201d to \u201curban.\u201d In the preamble to the proposed rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) indicated that only 122 ZIP codes (less than 0.3 percent) would change from rural to urban. Subsequently, in the final rule, issued in the Federal Register on November 13, the Agency indicated that the status of more than 3,000 ZIP codes would switch from rural to urban. This drastic change was alarming to our local ambulances due to the severe cut they would face come January 2015.\nFollowing inquiries from local stakeholders and concerned Members of Congress, the Agency found a technical error in its calculations and issued a revised list of ZIP codes that would change from rural to urban. As a result about 1,500 zip codes that would have changed to urban will remain rural. While we appreciate the effort the Agency put into making these updates, we are still concerned that rural ambulances in the remaining 1,600 ZIP codes still do not have adequate time to prepare for the change. In addition, we did not see any formal communication by CMS notifying ambulance service providers of the revised list.\u00a0 So while we are aware of it, a vast majority of ambulance services providers likely are not.\u00a0 It is crucial that ambulance service providers, especially those in the affected areas, be notified of such a significant change well prior to implementation.\nWe also believe that some of these ZIP codes may still be incorrectly designated as urban.\u00a0For example, in Josephine County, Oregon, there are five ZIP codes identified as urban even though the population did not change significantly in those ZIP codes and apparently changed only because neighboring Grants Pass was designated as a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).\u00a0Additionally, as Members of Congress representing Josephine County, our experiences with local economies and demographics lead us to question this urban designation. We do not know if this mistake is due to a technical error or an unfitting definition of \u201curban,\u201d but we do believe that the designation is incorrect and further time is needed to assess these changes.\nThe designation of rural status is extremely important to ambulance services.\u00a0 The GAO has recognized in two reports that the current Medicare rates without the add-ons reimburse ambulance services below the costs they incur to provide care.\u00a0 Congress has consistently recognized the need to increase the current payment rates, especially for rural ambulance services, through the extension of the ambulance add-ons.\u00a0 These payments allow ambulance services in rural areas to continue providing life-saving and life-sustaining services.\u00a0\nWe agree that as population demographics change over time, the designation of rural status should be updated.\u00a0 However, it is critically important that ambulance services, whose margins are on average negative without the add-ons, be given sufficient time to prepare for a change that could reduce their overall Medicare revenues by as much as 9 percent.\nCMS has simply not provided sufficient notice for the change to take effect in Calendar Year 2015.\u00a0 We appreciate that CMS believes that stakeholders would have had access to the data necessary to determine the impact of the proposed change and that the Agency revised the change for 1,500 ZIP codes.\u00a0 However, the preamble to the proposed rule was misleading at best.\u00a0 Any provider or supplier that took the Agency at its word would have seen no need to engage in further analysis of the proposal because the preamble clearly stated there would be no change in the status of rural providers or suppliers.\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Therefore, we strongly urge you to delay implementation of the changes for those zip codes which would switch from rural to urban until Calendar Year 2016.\u00a0 This delay will allow CMS and other stakeholders to assess the changes and make sure that the changes are indeed appropriate. Additionally, it will provide a path for ambulance service providers and suppliers to adjust to the changes from rural and urban status if that change is found to be warranted.\nAccess to ambulances can be the difference between life and death in rural areas. It is crucial to protect beneficiary access to ambulance services, which are a critical component of our health care system.\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We look forward to working with you on this issue and thank you for your consideration of our request.\nSincerely,\n\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t_________________________________\n\t\t\t\tPeter DeFazio\n\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t_________________________________\n\t\t\t\tGreg Walden\n\t\t\t\tMember of Congress\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-blumenauer-presidents-decision-normalize-relations", "Statement of Congressman Blumenauer on President's Decision to Normalize Relations with Cuba", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Normal\n  0\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  false\n  false\n  false\n  \n  EN-US\n  X-NONE\n  X-NONE\n  \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n  \n  MicrosoftInternetExplorer4\n  \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n  \n\n\n \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n \n /* Style Definitions */\n table.MsoNormalTable\n\t{mso-style-name:\"Table Normal\";\n\tmso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;\n\tmso-tstyle-colband-size:0;\n\tmso-style-noshow:yes;\n\tmso-style-priority:99;\n\tmso-style-qformat:yes;\n\tmso-style-parent:\"\";\n\tmso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;\n\tmso-para-margin-top:0in;\n\tmso-para-margin-right:0in;\n\tmso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;\n\tmso-para-margin-left:0in;\n\tline-height:115%;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:11.0pt;\n\tfont-family:\"Calibri\",\"sans-serif\";\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:\"Times New Roman\";\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}\n\n\n\tI was delighted with the President's decision to set in motion a dramatic shift away from our failed policies towards Cuba. His initial first steps, including reestablishing diplomatic relations, sets the stage for what must ultimately be done, which is lifting the embargo. It's also heartwarming that after five long years, AlanGrosshas finally been reunited with his family, who have fought bravely and tirelessly for his release ever since his wrongful imprisonment in Cuba.\n\n\tFor as long as I have been in Congress, I've been speaking out against this strategic mistake. The United States does not have a coherent sanctions policy, free of any mechanism to determine when it's time to reevaluate or eliminate them. \n\n\tThat would have meant that long ago there would have been a reevaluation of American's effort of isolating Cuba. In a rational world, and by any objective measure, the Cuban government is no more repressive than the Chinese, the Vietnamese, or some Middle Eastern countries. None of these countries, however, face sanctions as severe, and in most instances, enjoy normal trading status with us. \n\n\tExperts agree that had the United States been more open with Cuba, the force of our ideas  from freedom of speech to personal liberty to open markets  would have chipped away at the repressive Castro regime. Indeed, had that been our policy from the outset, it's quite possible that the Castro's would no longer be in power. What's for certain, however, is that the lives the Cuban people would be better off, and economic benefits would be shared between our two countries. \n\n\tI hope we can have the long overdue, broader discussion in this country and that Congress moves swiftly to reevaluate and ultimately abolish the embargo. There are plenty of other opportunities for us to influence the Cuban government while we strengthen ties with the Cuban people. It is abundantly clear that after 50 years, however, the embargo is not an effective one. \n\n\tToo often American foreign policy is driven by our domestic passions and leads to policies that are punitive in nature, but void of a broader strategy. Worse, often our actions prevent the very outcomes we desire. That has certainly been the case with Cuba. It's time for a reset, with eyes wide open, and the President set that in motion yesterday. It's time for Congress to follow through and right this historic misadventure in sanctions policy. \n\n\t\n\n\tPete Souza/The White House\n\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/merkley-outlines-plans-for-lgbt-civil-rights-bill", "Merkley outlines plans for LGBT civil rights bill", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley outlines plans for LGBT civil rights bill \r\n\r\n     Says Oregon leads, but other states lack basic protections \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFriday, December 19, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSenator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., joined Friday with Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian and Oregon LGBT leaders to announce his plan to push broad LGBT civil rights legislation in the next Congress. \u00a0\r\nMerkley laid out his rationale and plan for across the board protections for LGBT Americans and announced that he will be working with advocates and congressional partners in 2015 to draft and introduce such legislation.\r\n\u201cHere in Oregon it is different. Since historic legislation passed in 2007, LGBT Oregonians are protected from discrimination. However, in dozens of states across the country, LGBT Americans lack the basic nondiscrimination protections that so many of us take for granted,\u201d said Merkley.\r\n\u201cIn North Carolina today, a gay man could be fired from his job just for being gay. In Michigan, a young couple could be denied the chance to buy their first home just because they\u2019re both women. In Pennsylvania, a transgender woman could be denied service and kicked out of a restaurant just for being who she is. And all of this would be perfectly legal.\u00a0 Perfectly legal, but absolutely wrong.\r\n\"It\u2019s time for a comprehensive federal nondiscrimination act that will guarantee equality to every LGBT American,\u201d the senator said.\r\nCiting his work to advance LGBT rights in Oregon in the face of strong opposition, Merkley drew parallels to the fight for federal legislation.\u00a0 The legislation Merkley proposed would be the first comprehensive national non-discrimination bill introduced in four decades.\u00a0\r\nIn Oregon, Merkley as speaker of the Oregon House and Brad Avakian as state senator led the successful fight to pass a comprehensive LGBT nondiscrimination bill in 2007.\r\n\u201cOregon\u2019s equality act should serve as a model as Congress debates ensuring that more Americans are kept free from discrimination,\u201d said Avakian. \u201cThe law works for employees, business owners and communities around the state. I greatly appreciate the leadership of Senator Merkley as he fights for landmark non-discrimination protections for LGBT Americans to make our society stronger and more just.\u201d\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-coal-companies-must-stop-shortchanging-taxpayers", "Wyden: Coal Companies Must Stop Shortchanging Taxpayers", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wyden Calls Proposed Interior Dept. Rule a Common-Sense Step to Closing Loophole for Exported Coal\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 19, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., praised\u00a0the Interior Department announcement that it will\u00a0close loopholes\u00a0that have allowed mining companies to dodge royalties when federal coal is exported overseas.\r\nWyden called for an investigation of questionable royalty practice in January 2013, after a series of Reuters articles detailed how some companies were using financial arrangements \u2013 often selling coal to their own subsidiaries at a low price \u2013 to avoid paying full royalties on coal that was mined on federal and tribal lands and then shipped abroad.\r\n\u201cI said from the beginning that taxpayers must receive every penny they are owed when coal companies sell resources extracted from public lands,\u201d\u00a0Wyden said.\u00a0\u201cI applaud Interior Secretary Sally Jewell\u00a0beginning to take\u00a0common-sense steps\u00a0to make sure that happens.\u201d\r\nThe Department of the Interior also announced it will update 25-year-old guidelines that may have allowed coal mining companies to pay below-market rates to lease Bureau of Land Management lands,\u00a0another issue Wyden raised earlier this year. The new guidelines are expected to bring more consistency to the leasing process, and require BLM offices to take into account the potential that coal mined on federal land could be exported.\r\nThe Interior Department took a number of steps in response to Wyden\u2019s inquiry, including audits of past royalty payments, which are ongoing.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/defazio-applauds-federal-grant-to-help-local-families", "DeFazio Applauds Federal Grant to Help Local Families", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has awarded a grant totaling $1,636,645 to Kids & Company of Linn County. Congressman DeFazio strongly supports Head Start programs such as Kids & Company of Linn County, which ensure that children get the support and resources they need to succeed in the classroom.\n\u201cStudy after study confirms just how important early childhood education, nutrition, healthcare and family support services are for our nation's youth,\u201d DeFazio said. \u201cI've had the opportunity to visit a number of Head Start programs and it's easy to see what a valuable difference they make in children's lives. The programs are good for families, for communities and ultimately, the U.S. economy, which benefits from educated and healthy citizens.\u201d\nIn addition to Head Start, Congressman DeFazio supports increased federal funding for programs such as the Childcare Development Block Grant, and the Individuals with Disabilities (IDEA) Infants and Families and Preschool grants.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-slams-fed-volcker-delay-", "Merkley Slams Fed Volcker Delay", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Slams Fed Volcker Delay  \n\t\n\t\n\tThursday, December 18, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Federal Reserve announced that it will give banks broad exemptions in complying with the Volcker Rule for 2015, and that it is likely to continue those exemptions through July 2017:\r\n \r\n\u201cThe Wall Street Casino is alive and well.\u00a0 Last week it was Congress granting the big banks the right to keep trading on banned risky derivatives with government backing.\u00a0 Today it is the Fed granting big banks two more years to make big bets through direct ownership of private equity and hedge funds.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIt all amounts to the same thing \u2013 spineless accommodation of the big banks\u2019 desire to run taxpayer-subsidized hedge funds.\u00a0 This is wrong for taxpayers and it is wrong for the stability of our banking system.\u00a0 We expect more of the Federal Reserve.\u201d\r\n \r\nMerkley is one of the two co-authors of the Volcker Rule, along with retiring Senator Carl Levin (D-MI).\r\n###\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-statement-on-release-of-alan-gross-from-cuban-custody-and-resetting-us-policy-with-cuba", "Merkley Statement on Release of Alan Gross from Cuban Custody and Resetting U.S. Policy with Cuba", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Statement on Release of Alan Gross from Cuban Custody and Resetting U.S. Policy with Cuba \n\t\n\t\n\tWednesday, December 17, 2014\n\t\n\tPORTLAND, OR\u2014Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement today regarding the release of the humanitarian worker Alan Gross after five years of imprisonment in Cuba.\r\n \r\n\u201cI was relieved and pleased to learn of the release of Alan Gross, ending his five-year battle for freedom from Cuban custody.\u00a0 Mr. Gross\u2019 detention was unjust, unfair and tragic and an extraordinary price to pay for his humanitarian work. \u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis is a tremendous day for Mr. Gross and his family, who remained vigilant and worked tirelessly to end his imprisonment and bring him home.\u00a0 The timing of Mr. Gross\u2019 release during Hanukkah, a holiday commemorating hope in the face of struggle, makes Mr. Gross\u2019 freedom and this holiday even more meaningful and\u00a0joyous.\r\n\u201cToday also marked a big step forward in American efforts to pressure the Cuban regime towards greater individual freedom, respect for personal rights, and expanded economic opportunities. Giving the Cuban people greater access to the technological and economic resources necessary for individuals to share information, to start and grow small businesses, and interact with the world is a valuable step toward these strategic goals.\u00a0 I support the administration\u2019s steps towards normalization of our relations with Cuba to break beyond long-standing barriers and to put in place a strategy that will truly incentivize the Cuban government to improve the lives and rights of their people.\u201d\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/video/merkley-congress-must-deliver-for-the-klamath-basin", "Merkley: Congress Must Deliver for the Klamath Basin", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley speaks on the floor of the Senate on December 16, 2014 on the community-developed water agreements in the Klamath Basin and the...", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-statement-on-policy-changes-to-open-relations-with-cuba", "Wyden Statement on Policy Changes to Open Relations with Cuba", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wednesday, December 17, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today, praising President Obama\u2019s announcement of new steps to open up relations with the Cuban people:\r\n\u201cI applaud the President for today\u2019s announcement and for taking these historic steps to normalize relations with Cuba.\u00a0I have long believed that trade and engagement are liberalizing forces and I look forward to working with my colleagues and with our diplomats to bring about the progress in Cuba that we all want to see. I am also pleased to hear that imprisoned American citizen Alan Gross has been allowed to return to the United States, and that the U.S. and Cuba have separately agreed to an exchange of captured intelligence agents.\u00a0\r\nFor more than a half-century, the United States has sought to isolate Cuba diplomatically and economically and bring down the Castro regime.\u00a0 By any metric, that policy has failed. At some point, policy makers must put aside personal ideology, look at the historical record, and reassess.\u00a0 In my judgment, that point is now.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThere are some who will say that these steps do nothing but prop up a regime that cracks down on critics.\u00a0 And I want to be clear that I continue to have grave concerns about the repression of pro-democracy advocates in Cuba.\u00a0 One need look no further than the State Department\u2019s most recent Human Rights Report to read about the Cuban government\u2019s arbitrary arrests, selective prosecution, and use of violence, intimidation and detention \u201cto prevent free expression and peaceful assembly.\u201d\u00a0 When I visited Cuba nine years ago I saw the effects of this repression firsthand.\u00a0\r\nBut I also reject the cynical argument that America can only bring about positive change in Cuba by continued unilateral attempts to ostracize the country.\u00a0 And I reject the idea that I must choose between normalizing relations with Cuba on the one hand and continuing my support for freedom of thought, conscience, and expression on the other.\u00a0 I think history has shown that to be a false choice.\u00a0My hope is normalizing diplomatic ties will put more focus on improving human rights in Cuba and better protecting the environment in the Gulf of Mexico.\r\nIn light of today\u2019s developments, I am requesting that the International Trade Commission initiate a study of the economic impact on the United States of current U.S. restrictions on exports of goods and services as well as travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens.\u00a0 This study will provide a foundation for reevaluating the current U.S. economic relationship with Cuba.\u00a0\r\nAt a time when so many Americans are just getting by, we also cannot ignore the trade opportunities currently denied to American farmers, manufacturers, and service providers.\u00a0 U.S. trade restrictions must be appropriately calibrated to ensure that we do not unnecessarily leave American jobs on the table.\u00a0I look forward to working with the President to open up trade with the Cuban people.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/update-water-world-passes-senate", "UPDATE: Water for the World Passes Senate", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Last night, the United States Senate passed Congressman Earl Blumenauer's bill, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act. The bill will now head to President Obama's desk for his signature. \nCongressman Blumenauer released the following statement:\nAs we come to the very final day of the least productive Congress in the history of our country, Americans are searching for something, anything, to show that their leaders on Capitol Hill can find ways to put aside politics and do the right thing when needed. Last night, despite the odds, we saw such an achievement as the Senate passed the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act, my bipartisan legislation to improve global water, health, and sanitation and improve the lives of millions across the world. Since it passed the House unanimously last week, it will now head to the President's desk to become law.\nI have said for years that politics stops at water. Today, because of the dedicated efforts of champions in the House, like my co-lead Representative Ted Poe and House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, our Senate leads, Senators Durbin and Corker, and the advocacy community, we have proven that statement true.\nOnce the bill is fully enacted, it will help the U.S. more effectively deliver clean, potable water to the world's poorest, especially women and girls who spend countless hours, and place themselves at great risk of physical harm, to gather water from often polluted sources every day.\nThe legislation is historic, requiring the first ever U.S. Global Water Strategy, outlining how the U.S. can help the most vulnerable, while at the same time preventing water-related conflict. It will also increase access to toilets and other basic sanitation for the 2.5 billion people globally who currently live without, undercutting the spread of contagious, deadly diseases.\nI sincerely hope that the passage of the Water for the World Act is only a first glimpse of the bipartisan progress we will make in the 114th Congress once we concentrate on areas of common interest. We can build on this success and make the next two years more productive than the last two.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-demands-plan-to-address-radioactive-waste-leaks-at-hanford", "Wyden Demands Plan to Address Radioactive Waste Leaks at Hanford", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NEW GAO REPORT DETAILS ONGOING NUCLEAR WASTE LEAKS FROM HANFORD TANKS \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 16, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 Sen. Ron Wyden, D- Ore., today asked the Energy Department to come up with a plan and a strict timeline to address storage tanks leaking radioactive nuclear waste at the Hanford Site in Southeast Washington. Wyden requested the plan in response to a Government Accountability Office report released today that describes the continuing deterioration of Hanford tanks.\r\nThe GAO report found that both the older single-shell and newer double-shell tanks at Hanford are continuing to deteriorate. The agency recommended that DOE assess the integrity of all double-shell tanks, update the schedule for removing waste from the tanks and find other ways to create tank space to store the waste from deteriorating tanks, including building new double-shell tanks.\r\nIn a letter to Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz today, Wyden asked the Energy Department to implement, rather than just accept, the GAO\u2019s recommendations.\r\n\u201cAgreeing to recommendations is one thing, implementing them is another thing entirely,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cThe DOE\u2019s \u2018watch-and-wait\u2019 strategy for these tanks leaking nuclear waste into the soil is completely unacceptable. I\u2019m asking for a schedule and a plan of action within 90 days to implement the GAO\u2019s recommendations at Hanford.\u201d\r\nAlthough the DOE has increased monitoring of the tanks at Hanford, the report found that the Department has limited options for stopping the leaks due to lack of safe tank space and its current lack of capacity to treat the waste in the aging tanks.\r\nWyden requested the report on the safety of the tanks at Hanford after DOE announced additional tank leaks in February 2013. He has repeatedly called on the Department of Energy to improve the safety of the site.\r\nRead Wyden\u2019s letter to the DOE here and find the GAO report here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/bowman-dam-bill-passage-cheered", "Bowman Dam bill passage cheered", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bowman Dam bill passage cheered \r\n\r\n     Fish, Prineville area economy likely to benefit from water deal \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSaturday, December 13, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Andrew Clevenger\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON \u2014 Local officials and stakeholders expressed gratitude and relief Friday after the bill codifying the water sharing plan for the Crooked River zipped through both chambers of Congress on Thursday on the last day the House was in session.\r\nAfter almost four years and two sessions of Congress, it had appeared that the bill, which authorizes the release of unallocated water behind the Bowman Dam for various purposes, would fall short of passage yet again. Then suddenly, it had passed the House and Senate by unanimous consent and was headed for President Barack Obama\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m ecstatic,\u201d said Mayor Betty Rope of Prineville, which will benefit from the release of 5,100 acre-feet of water specified in the bill so the city can use it to offset water it needs to pump out of the river to add 500 homes to the city\u2019s water system, as well as economic development. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a real boon for the city of Prineville.\u201d\r\nRope praised Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, for working across the aisle to craft a compromise with bipartisan appeal that could appease party leaders in both chambers.\r\n\u201cIt wouldn\u2019t have happened without that,\u201d she said.\r\nTogether, Prineville, Crook County and local irrigation districts spent almost $1 million just to get the legislation passed, Rope said.\r\n\u201cThat\u2019s a lot of money. We could have bought water rights by drying up a ranch or a farm. We didn\u2019t want to do that,\u201d she said. Instead, all of the concerned parties gave in a little and received a lot in return, she said.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s great for our community,\u201d added Crook County Commissioner Seth Crawford. \u201cIt is going to be great for farmers, economic development.\u201d\r\nKimberly Priestley, a senior policy analyst for WaterWatch, a Portland-based environmental group that supports the bill, called the bill \u201ca significant step forward\u201d toward the goal of providing enough water to support healthy fish between Prineville Reservoir and Lake Billy Chinook. The compromise stays true to Merkley\u2019s initial vision for the legislation, which included authorizing the release of unallocated water for the benefit of fish downstream, she said. The inclusion of Merkley\u2019s framework was essential for conservation groups to embrace the deal, she said.\r\n\u201cThis water is going to be incredibly helpful to the fishery from Bowman Dam down to Opal Springs,\u201d she said.\r\nDavid Moryc, a senior director of river protection for American Rivers, said the bill, which authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to release enough water to keep the river flowing at around 80 cubic feet per second, is a vast improvement over the way the river\u2019s water flow is managed.\r\nOn a smaller scale, officials can monitor the river\u2019s status and release small amounts of water to keep the flow in the desired range. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is also empowered to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a long-term management plan for dry years, he said.\r\n\u201cCoupled together, that\u2019s an enormous improvement from what the status quo has been,\u201d he said.\r\nYancy Lind, conservation chairman for the Central Oregon Flyfishers, said the bill is a positive for anglers, whether they prefer flat water fishing in the reservoir or fly fishing in the river.\r\n\u201cTo the extent that water is available, it must be released for fish in a way that\u2019s beneficial to them,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a step forward.\u201d\r\nThe water will improve the 8-mile section of the Crooked River immediately below the reservoir designated as wild and scenic, he said. This portion is already very popular with trout fishermen, he said.\r\nAdditionally, it has the potential to improve the flows above Lake Billy Chinook, which would benefit steelhead and salmon trying to make their way farther upstream, he said.\r\n\u201cIt will dramatically increase the likelihood of (those fish being) reintroduced to Upper (Deschutes) Basin,\u201d he said. \u201cIf there\u2019s enough water to do all this, it\u2019s just a huge win.\u201d\r\nIf the fisheries improve, it could benefit the local economy as out-of-town anglers flock to the area and spend money, he said.\r\n\u201cThe Crooked River is known as a destination fishery for people all over the state,\u201d he said, and this bill will only bolster that reputation.\r\n\u2014\u2009Reporter Dylan Darling of The Bulletin contributed to this report.\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/walden-merkley-get-bowman-dam-right", "Walden, Merkley get Bowman Dam right", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Walden, Merkley get Bowman Dam right \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSaturday, December 13, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    The Bend Bulletin Editorial Board\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe designation of Bowman Dam near Prineville as \u201cwild and scenic\u201d reeked of nonsense. It earned its place in Valhalla as one of the worst jokes that the federal government has inflicted on Central Oregon.\r\nBut thanks to the efforts of Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., the nonsense seems nearly over.\r\nCongress declared in 1988 that 17-plus miles of the Crooked River was \u201cwild and scenic.\u201d Development was prohibited.\r\nThen in 1993, someone drew a line right through the middle of Bowman Dam declaring that was the beginning of the wild-and-scenic stretch of the Crooked River. The dam was in essence declared wild and scenic.\r\nThat illogic didn\u2019t really matter until 2003. That\u2019s when an Idaho company proposed building a hydropower plant at the dam. It couldn\u2019t. Hydro power plant and wild and scenic do not mix.\r\nThe Bureau of Land Management talked about moving the boundary line. It never did.\r\nIt was not a simple fix for Congress, either. There are competing needs for the water behind Bowman Dam.\r\nIrrigators want certainty. The city of Prineville has concerns about its future water supply. Boaters and other recreational users worry about the levels in the reservoir. And there is also habitat for fish and wildlife to be considered.\r\nStriking the right balance between those competing interests took years. Earlier proposals struck the wrong balance by declaring release of \u201call remaining stored water quantities for the benefit of downstream fish and wildlife.\u201d The new compromise legislation passed by the House and Senate on Thursday does much better.\r\nPlease sign the bill, President Obama.\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-statement-on-2015-spending-bill", "Merkley Statement on 2015 Spending Bill", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Statement on 2015 Spending Bill \n\t\n\t\n\tSaturday, December 13, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON -- Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Senate voted on passage of the 2015 spending bill.\r\n \r\n\u201cTonight the Senate voted on final passage of the 2015 spending bill. While there are many positive aspects of the bill, I voted \u2018no\u2019 because of my deep opposition to a provision that puts the Wall Street Casino back in business.\r\n\u201cThis provision allows big Wall Street banks to get back in the business of making risky and exotic bets with government backing. These bets have no place inside a bank, putting our financial system at risk. And they certainly don\u2019t merit government backing.\r\n\u201cJust six years ago, these types of bets melted down our entire economy with great losses in jobs and savings for middle-class Americans. We must not allow this to happen again. We can and must do better.\u201d\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://bonamici.house.gov/press-release/rep-bonamici-statement-passage-%E2%80%9Ccromnibus%E2%80%9D-funding-bill", "Rep. Bonamici Statement on Passage of Cromnibus Funding Bill", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013\u00a0Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed a bill to fund the government through September 2015.\u00a0\n\u201cWe should not be passing a funding bill that threatens the well-being of working families and the safety of the American public. Congress should make sure that the government continues to operate, but the bill the House passed today includes multiple provisions that will be harmful to Americans, especially those who are still struggling.\u00a0\n\u201cThis legislation is supposed to be a funding bill to keep the government operating, but it guts important consumer protections that are designed to prevent the kind of risky practices that caused the 2008 financial crisis. That is the wrong direction for our country. Additionally, the bill funds the Department of Homeland Security only until February of 2015, which puts the security of our nation at risk. Again, the wrong direction for our country. And the bill does not continue Oregon\u2019s important Secure Rural Schools program, which has provided desperately needed funds to many of our county sheriffs and public safety officers. This is the wrong direction for our country and for Oregon. Finally, this bill takes us backward in campaign finance reform by lifting a cap on donations and allowing big donors to write checks up to ten times the current limit. Definitely the wrong direction for our country.\n\u201cAt a time when too many still feel like they are struggling to get ahead, this bill favors a small number of Americans over the hard-working majority. It is unfortunate that my colleagues were not able to find common ground to fund our necessary federal agencies and programs without loading the bill with numerous flawed policies that favor a few. Our constituents and our country deserve better.\u201d\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/defazio-blasts-1600-page-cromnibus-for-its-giveaways-to-wall-street-and", "DeFazio blasts 1,600-page CROmnibus for its giveaways to Wall Street and wealthy campaign donors", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC-\u00a0 On Thursday, December 11, Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) released the following statement after voting no on H.R. 83, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, legislation to fund the government through the end of fiscal year 2015.\n\u201cOnly six years after reckless Wall Street gambling nearly brought the U.S. economy to its knees, some of my colleagues in Congress just voted to give Wall Street an early Christmas present.\u00a0By repealing a key provision of Dodd-Frank as part of the so-called CROmnibus, this Republican-led House will open the door to Wall Street gambling with taxpayers covering the losses, the very same behavior by Wall Street that tanked our economy in 2008.\u00a0This Congress demonstrated that it is working for the richest and most powerful citizens, and has no interest in protecting regular people from the reckless ways of Wall Street. This is an insult and an injustice to the millions of Americans who were hammered by the financial collapse. Another provision in the bill increasing campaign contribution limits enables the Wall Street robber barons to buy even greater access, further underscoring the misplaced priorities of this Congress.\n\u201cAs if favors for the rich and powerful weren\u2019t enough, this bill actually punishes low-income Americans by slashing the Pell grants that make a college education and a shot at the middle class possible. The bill also underfunds critical transportation investments, which we should be using to spur economic development and put hundreds of thousands of Americans back to work.\n\u201cI am also extremely disappointed that an extension of vital Secure Rural Schools payments was not included in this package. This is devastating for Oregon\u2019s timber-dependent counties on the brink of financial disaster. SRS is a critical lifeline that has kept sheriff\u2019s deputies on patrol and dangerous criminals in jail. Extending SRS must be a top priority when Congress reconvenes in January, and I will work with the delegation to ensure SRS is extended so our counties remain solvent.\u201d \u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/bennet-merkley-press-sec-to-finalize-crowdfunding-rules", "Bennet, Merkley Press SEC to Finalize Crowdfunding Rules", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bennet, Merkley Press SEC to Finalize Crowdfunding Rules \n\t\n\t\n\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\n\tWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) called on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to finalize its crowdfunding rules that will allow small businesses and start-ups to raise capital online and through social media.\r\nBennet and Merkley were lead sponsors along with former Republican Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown on the bipartisan CROWDFUND Act, which was passed on April 5, 2012 as part of the JOBS Act, which allows small businesses to raise start-up capital on the internet.\r\nIn a letter to SEC Chair Mary Jo White, the senators wrote:\r\n \r\n\u201cThe law directed the SEC to promulgate the necessary rules within 270 days of the enactment of the Act. The proposed rules, however, were not published for public comment until over 500 days later, on October 13, 2013. The comment period for the proposed rules closed on February 14, 2014. Despite the fact that finalizing the rules has been a stated Commission priority for all of 2014, the rules governing this crucial new source of financing have still not been finalized.\u201d\r\n \r\nThe crowdfunding provisions signed into law provide an alternative to the process for small businesses to raise capital. They allow companies to raise up to $1,000,000 annually through internet websites registered with the SEC.\r\nThe law requires the SEC to implement basic marketplace protections for the retail investors seeking to take advantage of this new marketplace. Websites seeking to list companies must register with the regulators and provide investors the basic information about the companies they list.\r\nCrowdfunding companies themselves must provide basic disclosures to investors and regulators.\r\nFull Text of the Letter:\r\n \r\nDecember 11, 2014\r\nRe:\u00a0 SEC Rule Proposal on Regulation Crowdfunding (File No. S7-09-13-Release Nos. 33-94-70, 34-70741)\r\nDear Chair White:\r\nWe write to urge the Securities and Exchange Commission (\u201cthe Commission\u201d) to work expeditiously to finalize Regulation Crowdfunding.\u00a0 The crowdfunding language in Title III of the JOBS Act secured 65 bipartisan votes in the Senate (\u201cthe Act\u201d).\u00a0 The Act\u2019s intent was to facilitate a trustworthy marketplace where entrepreneurs and small businesses could raise capital from small-dollar investors through online platforms, while protecting ordinary investors from fraud and the risks of large losses.\u00a0\r\nThe Act allows individuals to invest in small businesses and start- ups through online platforms designated either broker-dealers or funding portals.\u00a0 The developers of these innovative platforms are ready to provide crowdfunding services, and small businesses and entrepreneurs are eager to use crowdfunding to raise money and create jobs.\u00a0 In crafting the crowdfunding language, we sought to create a streamlined process so that small businesses and funding portals had the requisite flexibility to raise capital from retail investors while providing robust investor protections.\u00a0 These protections should provide individuals the necessary information to make informed investment decisions and ensure that the crowdfunding marketplace can be sustained over the long-term.\r\nThe law directed the SEC to promulgate the necessary rules within 270 days of the enactment of the Act.\u00a0 The proposed rules, however, were not published for public comment until over 500 days later, on October 13, 2013.\u00a0 The comment period for the proposed rules closed on February 14, 2014.\u00a0 Despite the fact that finalizing the rules has been a stated Commission priority for all of 2014, the rules governing this crucial new source of financing have still not been finalized.\u00a0\r\nGiven the heavy workload that the Commission still has before it has finalized the reforms of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, we are concerned that\u00a0 completing regulations for Title III of the JOBS Act may remain continuously delayed.\u00a0 We firmly believe the Commission needs to execute all of its statutory mandates in a timely manner.\r\nWe want to reiterate the importance of the Act and its strong bipartisan support.\u00a0 We hope that the Commission will work to finalize Regulation Crowdfunding as expeditiously as possible.\r\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-walden-deliver-crooked-river-victory-for-central-oregon", "Merkley, Walden Deliver Crooked River Victory for Central Oregon", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley, Walden Deliver Crooked River Victory for Central Oregon \n\t\n\t\t Bipartisan agreement will deliver greater water security and economic growth for Central Oregon \n\t\n\t\n\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 This holiday season, Central Oregon will have one more reason to celebrate: In the final moments of the 113th Congress, major legislation implementing improved water management in Central Oregon has been passed unanimously by both the Senate and the House, Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Greg Walden announced today.\r\nThe bill passed the Senate yesterday afternoon and the House late last night. With the legislation now cleared through both houses of Congress, it will go to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law, delivering Central Oregon a major victory in improved water certainty and a stronger foundation for economic growth and job creation. \u00a0\r\n \r\n\u201cThis is huge news for Prineville and the entire region,\u201d said Merkley.\u00a0\u201cAfter more than forty years of debate, we are now entering a new era in Central Oregon water management: one that will be known for collaboration, innovation, and job creation. With a community-driven plan that ensures water for economic growth and a healthy river, this agreement shows exactly how we should be getting things done, by working together and bridging divides to create a better future for all. My thanks go out to Congressman Walden and Senator Wyden, and most of all to the community members who brought us this bold vision for a win-win future and the determination to get it done.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Central Oregon jobs and water plan is now on its way to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law. The entire community\u2014including elected officials, community leaders, farmers, fishermen, tribes\u2014worked hard to get this done. The end result is more water certainty and more jobs for Prineville and the region as a whole. I\u2019ll continue working with Central Oregon\u2019s communities to grow the economy, create good paying jobs, and ensure water certainty,\u201d Walden said.\r\n \r\nSenator Merkley and Representative Walden have been working intensely to agree on legislation and, along with Senator Wyden, Senator Lisa Murkowski of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Rep. Doc Hastings of the House Natural Resources Committee, to secure passage in both houses of Congress. The legislation will implement the collaborative water management vision developed by stakeholders throughout the community.\r\n \r\n\u201cThe Senate\u2019s passage of this legislation shows everyone what we\u2019ve long known, Senator Merkley is a true Oregon leader,\u201d said Prineville Mayor Betty Roppe.\u00a0\u201cHis hard work with Congressman Greg Walden will benefit Oregon\u2019s economy and environment, especially here in Prineville.\u201d\r\n\"Greg Walden and Jeff Merkley have taken an incredible step forward with this legislation for our community,\u201d said Crook County Judge Mike McCabe. \u201cThis legislation will create jobs, attract investment and improve fish and wildlife habitat in the Crooked River. \u00a0These men are two of the best in Congress.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u201cCentral Oregon farmers and ranchers owe our thanks to Jeff Merkley and Greg Walden,\u201d said Ochoco Irrigation District Chairman Brian Barney. \u201cFor any farmer or rancher, the certainty of your water supply is critical. Their bill strengthens our water supply certainty not just for our generation, but for future generations to come, and it improves steelhead habitat. Their work together is impressive.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs applaud Senator Merkley\u2019s and Congressman Walden\u2019s tireless work to strike the right balance of water in the Crooked River,\u201d said Tribal Council Chairman Eugene Austin Greene.\r\n\u201cMany said it could not be done, but irrigators, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and conservationists came together to craft a uniquely collaborative solution to a 50 year-old challenge of water management in the Wild and Scenic Crooked River,\u201d said David Moryc of American Rivers.\u00a0 \u201cSenator Merkley, Senator Wyden, and Congressman Walden deserve credit for supporting this balanced approach, that provides certainty for water users while putting more needed water for recreation and trout in the Crooked River.\u201d\r\n\u201cWorking together, local stakeholders are making huge strides to restore salmon and steelhead to the Crooked,\u201d said Kate Miller of Trout Unlimited. \u201cThese native fish have incredible value for anglers, local communities, and our recreation economy and quality of life.\u00a0This legislation creates valuable new opportunities to improve conditions for these wild fisheries in a manner that supports local irrigators and enhances opportunities for local business and economic development. We thank Senator Merkley and Congressman Walden for their strong leadership in promoting collaborative solutions for the Crooked River.\u201d\r\n\u201cWaterWatch's vision for the Crooked River includes enough water released from Bowman dam to restore downstream flows for imperiled steelhead and other fish,\u201d said Kimberley Priestley of WaterWatch. \u201cThis bill paves a path forward to making this vision a reality.\u00a0We thank Jeff Merkley for his leadership and his dedication to this effort.\u201d\r\n \r\nThe legislation will provide numerous benefits to water users and the Central Oregon region by:\r\n \r\nMeeting the municipal water needs for the city of Prineville long into the future so the city can continue to attract new businesses like data centers that require reliable water supplies;\r\nProviding greater certainty for the agricultural community that depends on the Crooked River for irrigation;\r\nAllowing water to be released from Bowman Dam to help maintain healthy steelhead, salmon and trout fisheries, which are cherished by local fishermen;\r\nMoving the federal wild and scenic river boundary from the top of the dam, fixing an administrative error that has blocked efforts to retrofit Bowman Dam to generate clean hydroelectric power; and\r\nCreating a process to help better plan for dry years, in terms of the impact on fish habitat and fishing, as well as boating and other recreational activities.\r\n \r\n###\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://bonamici.house.gov/press-release/oregon-lawmakers-secure-provision-keep-newport-coast-guard-air-facility-open-until", "Oregon Lawmakers Secure Provision to Keep Newport Coast Guard Air Facility Open until January 2016", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Following their repeated calls to ensure the safety of residents in coastal areas, Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representatives Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader, Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici today announced the Congress has passed legislation that will keep the U.S. Coast Guard\u2019s air facility at Newport open through the coming year.\nThe Oregon lawmakers worked to include language in the Coast Guard reauthorization bill that would keep the Coast Guard\u2019s air stations open through January 1, 2016\u2014including the Newport facility. The Senate passed the short-term Coast Guard reauthorization bill earlier today, and the House of Representatives passed it tonight. \u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cThis bill buys us some much-needed time to keep fighting for Newport, for the air facility and for the continued safety of residents living and working along the Oregon coast,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cI will continue working with my Oregon colleagues to pursue every avenue to keep this facility in Newport.\u201d\n\u201cThe passage of this bill is a literal lifesaver for our coastal communities,\u201d Merkley said.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s essential to the safety of fishermen, recreational boaters, and tourists on our coast that we have lifesaving facilities nearby when the distress call comes.\u00a0 This is a huge win for the safety of our communities and the health of our economy. I\u2019m determined to keep the Newport helicopter right where it belongs: in Newport.\u201d\n\u201cIt is impossible to understate how critical this air station is not only to the hardworking men and women of Oregon\u2019s fishing industry, but for all coastal visitors and residents,\u201d DeFazio said. \u201cWhile I\u2019m encouraged that the Oregon delegation was able to keep the lights on for one more year in Newport, clearly we will need to keep up the fight in the coming months in order to ensure a permanent resolution.\u201d\n\u201cI know folks often get frustrated with Washington, DC for not getting things done that matter to them,\u201d Schrader said. \u201cBut this critical safety issue on our coast is an example of how a community, working with its elected officials can really make a difference, just like we did with NOAA and get something done. I\u2019m proud to be on a team with my colleagues in the House and Senate to make sure this helicopter remains in Newport.\n\u201cThe Newport Coast Guard Air Facility is critical to the safety and security of a key region of Oregon\u2019s coastal economy,\u201d Blumenauer said. \u201cClosing this facility will harm Oregon\u2019s tourism, research, and fishing industries and create longer response times in life or death situations.\u201d\n\u201cWithout this helicopter, far too many Oregonians who earn a living on our coast or enjoy its beautiful beaches would be at risk,\u201d Bonamici said. \"I\u2019m glad to see that the air facility and its helicopter will remain in Newport for the next year, and I will continue to work with my colleagues on a permanent solution.\u201d\nIn a letter last month, the Oregon lawmakers, along with South Carolina Senators Tim Scott, R-S.C. and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Representatives Mark Sanford, R-S.C., and Tom Rice, R-S.C., and Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., urged the Department of Homeland Security to reverse the Coast Guard\u2019s decision.\u00a0This letter came on the heels of a letter that Oregon lawmakers sent to the Commandant of the Coast Guard urging him to keep the helicopter in Newport.\u00a0\nWhile the Coast Guard claims that it would still be able to meet the national standard of a two-hour search-and-rescue response time, local fishermen and Central Coast residents who depend on the rescue helicopters say first-hand experience shows that closure of the base will lengthen response times and threaten the safety of local mariners.\u00a0\nNewport houses National Oceanic and Atmospheric vessels and Oregon\u2019s largest commercial fishing fleet, in addition to research vessels from Oregon State University. In response to repeated calls from Oregon lawmakers, the Coast Guard announced it would delay the December 1 closure of the Newport facility until December 15.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-walden-deliver-crooked-river-agreement-as-legislation-passes-senate", "Merkley, Walden Deliver Crooked River Agreement as Legislation Passes Senate", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley, Walden Deliver Crooked River Agreement as Legislation Passes Senate \n\t\n\t\t Bipartisan agreement is poised for passage in House; will deliver greater water security and economic growth for Central Oregon \n\t\n\t\n\tThursday, December 11, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Greg Walden announced they have reached an agreement on legislation to implement a collaborative vision for water management along the Crooked River, and that the bill passed the Senate unanimously this afternoon.\r\nThese developments set the stage for the bill to become law soon and deliver improved water certainty and a stronger foundation for economic growth and job creation in Central Oregon. \u00a0\r\n \r\n\u201cThis is a great victory for Central Oregon,\u201d Merkley said. \u201cThis collaborative plan, which reflects enormous contributions from throughout the community, resolves a 40-year fight over water. It\u2019s a win-win plan that will bring jobs and certainty to the region, ensuring water for economic development, farming, recreation, and healthy streams. My thanks go out to everyone in Central Oregon who helped make this plan a reality, as well as to Congressman Walden and Senator Wyden, and I look forward to seeing Central Oregon thrive with a win-win water management plan.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis bill is a win for jobs in Central Oregon,\u201d said Walden. \u201cIt provides much needed water to Prineville for city residents and economic development, ensures certainty for farmers, improves fish habitat for tribes and other fishermen, paves the way for energy generation at Bowman Dam, and protects recreation.\u00a0 I want to thank all stakeholders who worked in a collaborative way to get to this agreement which benefits the region as a whole. And I\u2019d like to thank Senator Merkley for stepping up and working hard in this effort. Barring any unforeseen delays, the House will soon pass this bill and send it to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\u201d\r\n \r\nSenator Merkley and Representative Walden have been working intensely to agree on legislation and to clear a path for passage in both houses of Congress. The legislation will implement the collaborative water management vision developed by local stakeholders in Central Oregon, including the City of Prineville, Crook County, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, American Rivers, Deschutes Basin Board of Control (representing the seven major irrigation districts in Central Oregon), NW Steelheaders, Ochoco and North Unit Irrigation Districts, Portland General Electric, Trout Unlimited, WaterWatch, and Central Oregon Flyfishers.\r\nThe legislation will provide numerous benefits to water users and the Central Oregon region by:\r\n \r\nMeeting the municipal water needs for the city of Prineville long into the future so the city can continue to attract new businesses like data centers that require reliable water supplies;\r\nProviding greater certainty for the agricultural community that depends on the Crooked River for irrigation;\r\nAllowing water to be released from Bowman Dam to help maintain a healthy steelhead, salmon and trout fisheries, which are cherished by local fishermen;\r\nMoving the federal wild and scenic river boundary from the top of the dam, fixing an administrative error that has blocked efforts to retrofit Bowman Dam to generate clean hydroelectric power; and\r\nCreating a process to help better plan for dry years, in terms of the impact on fish habitat and fishing, as well as boating and other recreational activities.\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/oregon-lawmakers-secure-provision-to-keep-newport-coast-guard-air", "Oregon Lawmakers Secure Provision to Keep Newport Coast Guard Air Facility Open until January 2016", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Following their repeated calls to ensure the safety of residents in coastal areas, Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representatives Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader, Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici today announced the Congress has passed legislation that will keep the U.S. Coast Guard\u2019s air facility at Newport open through the coming year.\nThe Oregon lawmakers worked to include language in the Coast Guard reauthorization bill that would keep the Coast Guard\u2019s air stations open through January 1, 2016\u2014including the Newport facility. The Senate passed the short-term Coast Guard reauthorization bill earlier today, and the House of Representatives passed it tonight. \u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cThis bill buys us some much-needed time to keep fighting for Newport, for the air facility and for the continued safety of residents living and working along the Oregon coast,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cI will continue working with my Oregon colleagues to pursue every avenue to keep this facility in Newport.\u201d \n\u201cThe passage of this bill is a literal lifesaver for our coastal communities,\u201d Merkley said.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s essential to the safety of fishermen, recreational boaters, and tourists on our coast that we have lifesaving facilities nearby when the distress call comes.\u00a0 This is a huge win for the safety of our communities and the health of our economy. I\u2019m determined to keep the Newport helicopter right where it belongs: in Newport.\u201d\n\u201cIt is impossible to understate how critical this air station is not only to the hardworking men and women of Oregon\u2019s fishing industry, but for all coastal visitors and residents,\u201d DeFazio said. \u201cWhile I\u2019m encouraged that the Oregon delegation was able to keep the lights on for one more year in Newport, clearly we will need to keep up the fight in the coming months in order to ensure a permanent resolution.\u201d\n\u201cI know folks often get frustrated with Washington, DC for not getting things done that matter to them,\u201d Schrader said. \u201cBut this critical safety issue on our coast is an example of how a community, working with its elected officials can really make a difference, just like we did with NOAA and get something done. I\u2019m proud to be on a team with my colleagues in the House and Senate to make sure this helicopter remains in Newport.\u201d\n  \u201cThe Newport Coast Guard Air Facility is critical to the safety and security of a key region of Oregon\u2019s coastal economy,\u201d Blumenauer said. \u201cClosing this facility will harm Oregon\u2019s tourism, research, and fishing industries and create longer response times in life or death situations.\u201d\n  \u201cWithout this helicopter, far too many Oregonians who earn a living on our coast or enjoy its beautiful beaches would be at risk,\u201d Bonamici said. \"I\u2019m glad to see that the air facility and its helicopter will remain in Newport for the next year, and I will continue to work with my colleagues on a permanent solution.\u201d\nIn a letter last month, the Oregon lawmakers, along with South Carolina Senators Tim Scott, R-S.C. and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Representatives Mark Sanford, R-S.C., and Tom Rice, R-S.C., and Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., urged the Department of Homeland Security to reverse the Coast Guard\u2019s decision.\u00a0This letter came on the heels of a letter that Oregon lawmakers sent to the Commandant of the Coast Guard urging him to keep the helicopter in Newport.\u00a0\nWhile the Coast Guard claims that it would still be able to meet the national standard of a two-hour search-and-rescue response time, local fishermen and Central Coast residents who depend on the rescue helicopters say first-hand experience shows that closure of the base will lengthen response times and threaten the safety of local mariners.\u00a0\nNewport houses National Oceanic and Atmospheric vessels and Oregon\u2019s largest commercial fishing fleet, in addition to research vessels from Oregon State University. In response to repeated calls from Oregon lawmakers, the Coast Guard announced it would delay the December 1 closure of the Newport facility until December 15.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/a-comprehensive-lgbt-nondiscrimination-bill-is-coming", "A Comprehensive LGBT Nondiscrimination Bill Is Coming", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A Comprehensive LGBT Nondiscrimination Bill Is Coming \r\n\r\n     At an event unveiling a \"landmark\" report on LGBT discrimination, a lawmaker will announce his plans to subsume ENDA in a much broader bill \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWednesday, December 10, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Katy Steinmetz\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA bill that would make it illegal to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in hiring and firing has been introduced in some form \u2014 and then failed to become law \u2014 in nearly every Congress for the past two decades. On Wednesday, a champion of that bill, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), will announce that rather than having another go in the upcoming session, he\u2019ll turbocharge it instead.\r\n\r\nDemocratic Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley will propose a much broader measure aimed at preventing discrimination against LGBT Americans, not just in employment but also with regard to public accommodations, housing, jury service and financial transactions. \u201cIt can\u2019t be right that people are thrown out of their rental housing because of their LGBT status or can be denied entry to a movie theater or to a restaurant,\u201d Merkley tells TIME. \u201cThat simply is wrong and we need to take on this broader agenda.\u201d He hopes to have a bill, complete with bipartisan co-sponsors, ready for introduction in four to six months.\r\n\r\nDespite the popular conception that such protections already exist \u2014one poll\u00a0put the number at 87% \u2014 there is no federal LGBT nondiscrimination law.\u00a0Twenty-one states\u00a0currently prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and 18 of those, as well as the District of Columbia, also include gender identity. State lawmakers in places like Florida, Virginia and Utah are gearing up to fight for such measures in the coming session, while lawmakers in Michigan are currently\u00a0in the throes\u00a0of that debate.\r\nMerkley\u2019s announcement will coincide with the unveiling of a comprehensive report on LGBT discrimination by the D.C.-based think tank Center of American Progress (CAP). Opponents of bills like ENDA, including House Speaker John Boehner, have argued that they\u2019re an\u00a0\u201cunnecessary\u201d\u00a0solution in search of a problem. The authors of the report, who spent four months compiling studies and research on the topic, say they hope this \u201clandmark\u201d study will put those objections to rest.\r\n\u201cThe reality is that LGBT people face pervasive discrimination in all areas of life throughout the country,\u201d says lead author Sarah McBride. \u201cMarriage equality is an incredibly important issue \u2026 At the same time, our country shouldn\u2019t be pacified by that progress. We shouldn\u2019t mistake that progress for victory.\u201d One of the report\u2019s catchiest, most poignant arguments is that in 11 states, a same-sex couple could now get married on Saturday and then be legally fired for being gay on Monday morning.\r\nThe report, titled\u00a0\u201cWe the People,\u201d\u00a0is packed with statistics to arm lawmakers in arguing for the passage of nondiscrimination laws: in the realm of employment, up to 28% of lesbian, gay and bisexual people report not getting a promotion because of their sexual orientation; and 47% of transgender workers say they\u2019ve been fired, not hired or denied a promotion because of their gender identity. Gay men may make one-third less than heterosexual men working similar jobs, the report adds, and the rate of poverty experienced by transgender people is nearly four times that of the general population.\r\nArguments over nondiscrimination bills often get heated when it comes to public accommodations \u2014 shorthand for the businesses and services available to the public. The proverbial scenario (based in reality) has become a gay couple who goes to a baker for a wedding cake and is turned down because a shop owner\u2019s religious beliefs include opposition to gay marriage. Under nondiscrimination laws, such shop owners could be subject to legal penalties, and Merkley says that\u2019s how it should be. \u201cIf you choose to be the proprietor of a restaurant, you should be expected to operate that restaurant in a fashion that does not embrace discrimination,\u201d he says. Lawmakers in\u00a0places like Kansas\u00a0have disagreed with that notion and attempted to protect such business owners from liability.\r\n\r\nThe CAP report reveals that up to 27% of LGBT consumers have experienced \u201cinappropriate treatment\u201d or hostility in a place of public accommodation, while 6% have been denied service outright. Up to 70% of transgender people report experiencing some form of harassment when trying to use a public restroom, which is another hot-button area and has led state lawmakers to\u00a0propose billsmandating that people only use the restroom that aligns with the sex on their birth certificate.\r\nIn 2013, ENDA reached a historic milestone, passing the Senate in a bipartisan vote 64-32. Though the House did not take up the bill, Merkley says it helped propel President Barack Obama to issue anexecutive order\u00a0in June that created LGBT nondiscrimination protections for roughly 28 million federal contractors and employees. \u201cThe sky didn\u2019t fall,\u201d Merkley says. \u201cThis is a positive thing. It\u2019s positive for the employers. It\u2019s certainly positive for the individuals involved. It\u2019s certainly positive for the overall economy.\u201d Proponents of nondiscrimination bills argue that in order to capitalize on the best possible talent, LGBT workers need to feel welcome and protected no matter the company or state.\r\nThe CAP report details discrimination in medical care, homeless shelters, law enforcement, rental housing and myriad other fields. The authors also have to admit that there\u2019s data lacking, in parts where discrimination is treated more as a possibility than a fact. McBride says LGBT people will only file complaints after nondiscrimination laws are in place, while many government forms and medical forms don\u2019t ask questions about sexual orientation or gender identity that would help fill in those gaps.\r\nSome state lawmakers are trying to do their own research. In Virginia, state delegate Marcus Simon is working with advocacy groups to test the rental market, having \u201csame-sex\u201d and \u201cmarried\u201d couples call and inquire about the same property. Early results, he says, show there is a difference in treatment about 30% of the time. That\u2019s data he\u2019ll use to bolster a LGBT nondiscrimination housing measure he plans to introduce in the coming weeks.\r\nA federal bill like the one Merkley is proposing has several obstacles to overcome. One is finding a way for a Congress with two Republican-controlled chambers to actually take it up. Another is fighting the notion that with the scales tipping so far in favor of same-sex marriage, LGBT Americans have already achieved equal status in all spheres. Lawmakers and LGBT rights advocates argue that the legalization of marriage will lead to more people being public about their sexual orientation and therefore afford more opportunities for conflict, meaning bakers could only be posed with an order for a same-sex wedding cake if same-sex marriage is legal in the first place. \u201cIt is going to become more and more obvious who the LGBT people are, and that\u2019s a good thing,\u201d McBride says. \u201cBut it also is going to mean there might be more instances where people are discriminated against.\u201d\r\nMcBride acknowledges that getting a comprehensive nondiscrimination bill passed is going to be an \u201cuphill battle.\u201d Advocates like Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, say there\u2019s no \u201cclear path\u201d to passing ENDA or a broader measure in the next two years, but believe the votes are there if those proposing the bills can get them to the floor.\r\nMerkley, taking a long view, seems cautiously optimistic. He worked to pass a similar measure as a state lawmaker in Oregon and ran on supporting same-sex marriage in 2008 when it was legal in only two states. \u201cNo one imagined that within this six-year span that I\u2019ve been in the Senate, my first term in the Senate, that we would be on the verge of ending marriage discrimination across the country, yet here we are,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s very important to recognize how fast the world is changing, and another two years will bring additional changes as well, as people come to terms and understand this discrimination is wrong and it needs to end.\u201d\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/newport-coast-guard-helicopter-station-gets-a-reprieve-will-remain-open-until-january-2016", "Newport Coast Guard helicopter station gets a reprieve, will remain open until January 2016", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Newport Coast Guard helicopter station gets a reprieve, will remain open until January 2016 \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWednesday, December 10, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Mike Francis\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMembers of Oregon's and South Carolina's congressional delegations found a way around the U.S. Coast Guard's internal budgeting process Wednesday, passing a bill that blocks the agency from closing its helicopter air stations at Newport and Charleston, S.C.\r\nSen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., called the Coast Guard authorization bill \"a literal lifesaver,\" saying the helicopter search-and-rescue operations are \"essential to the safety of fishermen, recreational boaters and tourists.\"\r\nWith the Coast Guard vowing to close the Newport Air Station by next week, members and their staffers embarked on\u00a0\"a full-court press\"to get the new language inserted in the authorization bill, said Merkley spokesperson Martina McLennan.\r\nThe bill, which passed the Senate Wednesday morning and the House Wednesday evening, requires the Coast Guard to keep its air stations open through Jan. 1, 2016. Its passage\u00a0was announced\u00a0by Merkley, Sen. Ron Wyden, Reps. Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader and Suzanne Bonamici.\r\nThe Coast Guard announced earlier this fall that it planned to save money by ending its practice of sending a helicopter and a crew from southern Oregon to operate out of Newport. The announcement alarmed fishermen and elected officials, who argued that the search and rescue capability was an essential backstop to the central coast's commercial and recreational fishing industries.\r\nNewport Fishermen's Wives, a Newport nonprofit, along with the city of Newport and others, sued the Coast Guard in federal court in Eugene, asking a judge to block the Coast Guard's plans.\r\n\"The litigation was all about giving the delegation time to solve this problem politically,\" said\u00a0Mike Haglund, the Portland lawyer who's representing the Fishermen's Wives.\r\nA hearing had been scheduled on the injunction request in Eugene Thursday and Haglund said he will continue to seek the injunction to insure there are no gaps in the helicopter's presence in Newport. Late Wednesday, Judge Michael McShane canceled the hearing and scheduled a telephone conference with the lawyers.\r\nJennifer Schock Stevenson, president of Newport Fishermen's Wives, said she was \"very surprised and very excited\" to learn the Coast Guard helicopter would continue to fly from the Newport air station. She said she hoped the reprieve would give the Congressional delegation time to have a continuing conversation with the Coast Guard about keeping the station permanently in place.\r\nStevenson, who grew up in a fishing family and whose husband is a commercial fisherman, said a delayed rescue effort could be \"the difference between life and death.\"\r\nWhen she visits Newport's memorial to fishermen lost at sea, \"I know the names on that memorial.\r\n\"I don't want to put any more names on that memorial.\"\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/sen-merkley-doubles-down-on-lgbt-nondiscrimination-law", "Sen. Merkley doubles down on LGBT nondiscrimination law", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sen. Merkley doubles down on LGBT nondiscrimination law \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWednesday, December 10, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Anna Staver\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRather than trying again to pass a law banning workplace discrimination, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley plans to introduce a broader measure in 2015 to outlaw discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in employment, housing and public accommodations.\r\n\u201cOregon and the nation are on a trajectory towards equality, and it is my goal to continue pushing this,\u201d Merkley told reporters during a conference call Wednesday. \u201cSurely the time has come to right this wrong.\u201d\r\nThe bill, which Merkley hopes to introduce during the first half of 2015, would be similar to Oregon\u2019s nondiscrimination law \u2014 which he shepherded through as Speaker of the House in 2007.\r\nMerkley\u2019s law would prohibit employers from refusing to hire someone on the basis of sexual orientation, but it would also prohibit lenders from refusing to give gay couples loans and restaurants or bakeries from refusing service to LGBT people.\r\nOregon is one of 21 states that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and it\u2019s one of 18 states that includes a provision for gender identity. However, there is no federal LGBT nondiscrimination law.\r\nContinue reading at the Statesman Journal\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-announces-plan-for-sweeping-lgbt-civil-rights-legislation", "Merkley Announces Plan for Sweeping LGBT Civil Rights Legislation", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Announces Plan for Sweeping LGBT Civil Rights Legislation \n\t\n\t\t Oregon Senator keynotes Center for American Progress event\u2014calls for end to discrimination and unveils plan for action \n\t\n\t\n\tWednesday, December 10, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley announced his plan to push broad LGBT civil rights legislation today before a meeting of the Center for American Progress (CAP).\u00a0 In his keynote speech for the event \u201cWe The People: Why Congress Must Pass a Comprehensive LGBT Non-Discrimination Act,\u201d Merkley laid out his rationale and plan for across the board protections for LGBT Americans and announced that he will be working with advocates and congressional partners in 2015 to draft and pass such legislation.\r\nThe event featured the rollout of a major CAP report detailing the harmful effects LGBT discrimination has on individuals and communities throughout the nation.\r\n \r\n\u201cIn dozens of states across the country, LGBT Americans lack the basic nondiscrimination protections that so many of us take for granted,\u201d said Merkley. \u201cIn North Carolina today, a gay man could be fired from his job just for being gay. In Michigan, a young couple could be denied the chance to buy their first home just because they\u2019re both women. In Pennsylvania, a transgender woman could be denied service and kicked out of a restaurant just for being who she is. And all of this would be perfectly legal.\r\n\u201cAmericans would be shocked to realize how much discrimination is still legal in our nation today. It\u2019s time for a comprehensive federal nondiscrimination act that will guarantee equality to every LGBT American.\u201d\r\n \r\nCiting his work to advance LGBT rights in Oregon in the face of strong opposition, Merkley drew parallels to the fight for federal legislation and called for the first comprehensive national non-discrimination legislation in four decades, and the first that would be fully inclusive of both sexual orientation and gender identity.\u00a0\r\nIn Oregon, Merkley led the successful fight as Speaker of the Oregon House to pass a comprehensive LGBT nondiscrimination bill in 2007.\r\n \r\n\u201cI firmly believe that, like Oregon, the Unites States is on a trajectory toward equality,\u201d Merkley said. \u201cAs Lyndon B. Johnson said, it is time now to write the next chapter \u2013 and to write it in the books of law.\u201d\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/oregon-lawmakers-secure-provision-to-keep-newport-coast-guard-air-facility-open-until-january-2016", "Oregon Lawmakers Secure Provision to Keep Newport Coast Guard Air Facility Open until January 2016", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oregon Lawmakers Secure Provision to Keep Newport Coast Guard Air Facility Open until January 2016 \n\t\n\t\t Life-Saving Rescue Helicopters Had Been Scheduled for Removal by Dec. 15 \n\t\n\t\n\tWednesday, December 10, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Following their repeated calls to ensure the safety of residents in coastal areas, Oregon's Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Representatives Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader, Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici today announced the Congress has passed legislation that will keep the U.S. Coast Guard\u2019s air facility at Newport open through the coming year.\r\nThe Oregon lawmakers worked to include language in the Coast Guard reauthorization bill that would keep the Coast Guard\u2019s air stations open through January 1, 2016\u2014including the Newport facility. The Senate passed the short-term Coast Guard reauthorization bill earlier today, and the House of Representatives passed it tonight. \u00a0\u00a0\r\n \r\n\u201cThe passage of this bill is a literal lifesaver for our coastal communities,\u201d Merkley said.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s essential to the safety of fishermen, recreational boaters, and tourists on our coast that we have lifesaving facilities nearby when the distress call comes.\u00a0 This is a huge win for the safety of our communities and the health of our economy. I\u2019m determined to keep the Newport helicopter right where it belongs: in Newport.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis bill buys us some much-needed time to keep fighting for Newport, for the air facility and for the continued safety of residents living and working along the Oregon coast,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cI will continue working with my Oregon colleagues to pursue every avenue to keep this facility in Newport.\u201d\r\n\u201cIt is impossible to understate how critical this air station is not only to the hardworking men and women of Oregon\u2019s fishing industry, but for all coastal visitors and residents,\u201d DeFazio said. \u201cWhile I\u2019m encouraged that the Oregon delegation was able to keep the lights on for one more year in Newport, clearly we will need to keep up the fight in the coming months in order to ensure a permanent resolution.\u201d\r\n\u201cI know folks often get frustrated with Washington, DC for not getting things done that matter to them,\u201d Schrader said. \u201cBut this critical safety issue on our coast is an example of how a community, working with its elected officials can really make a difference, just like we did with NOAA and get something done. I\u2019m proud to be on a team with my colleagues in the House and Senate to make sure this helicopter remains in Newport.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe Newport Coast Guard Air Facility is critical to the safety and security of a key region of Oregon\u2019s coastal economy,\u201d Blumenauer said. \u201cClosing this facility will harm Oregon\u2019s tourism, research, and fishing industries and create longer response times in life or death situations.\u201d\r\n\u201cWithout this helicopter, far too many Oregonians who earn a living on our coast or enjoy its beautiful beaches would be at risk,\u201d Bonamici said. \"I\u2019m glad to see that the air facility and its helicopter will remain in Newport for the next year, and I will continue to work with my colleagues on a permanent solution.\u201d\r\n \r\nIn a letter last month, the Oregon lawmakers, along with South Carolina Senators Tim Scott, R-S.C. and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Representatives Mark Sanford, R-S.C., and Tom Rice, R-S.C., and Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., urged the Department of Homeland Security to reverse the Coast Guard\u2019s decision.\u00a0This letter came on the heels of a letter that Oregon lawmakers sent to the Commandant of the Coast Guard urging him to keep the helicopter in Newport.\u00a0\r\nWhile the Coast Guard claims that it would still be able to meet the national standard of a two-hour search-and-rescue response time, local fishermen and Central Coast residents who depend on the rescue helicopters say first-hand experience shows that closure of the base will lengthen response times and threaten the safety of local mariners.\u00a0\r\nNewport houses National Oceanic and Atmospheric vessels and Oregon\u2019s largest commercial fishing fleet, in addition to research vessels from Oregon State University. In response to repeated calls from Oregon lawmakers, the Coast Guard announced it would delay the December 1 closure of the Newport facility until December 15.\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t  \n          \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/oregon-lawmakers-secure-provision-to-keep-newport-coast-guard-air-facility-open-until-january-2016", "Oregon Lawmakers Secure Provision to Keep Newport Coast Guard Air Facility Open until January 2016", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Life-Saving Rescue Helicopters Had Been Scheduled for Removal by Dec. 15\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 10, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Following their repeated calls to ensure the safety of residents in coastal areas, Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representatives Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader, Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici today announced the Congress has passed legislation that will keep the U.S. Coast Guard\u2019s air facility at Newport open through the coming year.\r\nThe Oregon lawmakers worked to include language in the Coast Guard reauthorization bill that would keep the Coast Guard\u2019s air stations open through January 1, 2016\u2014including the Newport facility. The Senate passed the short-term Coast Guard reauthorization bill earlier today, and the House of Representatives passed it tonight. \u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis bill buys us some much-needed time to keep fighting for Newport, for the air facility and for the continued safety of residents living and working along the Oregon coast,\u201d\u00a0Wyden said.\u00a0\u201cI will continue working with my Oregon colleagues to pursue every avenue to keep this facility in Newport.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe passage of this bill is a literal lifesaver for our coastal communities,\u201d\u00a0Merkley said.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s essential to the safety of fishermen, recreational boaters, and tourists on our coast that we have lifesaving facilities nearby when the distress call comes.\u00a0 This is a huge win for the safety of our communities and the health of our economy. I\u2019m determined to keep the Newport helicopter right where it belongs: in Newport.\u201d\r\n\u201cIt is impossible to understate how critical this air station is not only to the hardworking men and women of Oregon\u2019s fishing industry, but for all coastal visitors and residents,\u201d\u00a0DeFazio said.\u00a0\u201cWhile I\u2019m encouraged that the Oregon delegation was able to keep the lights on for one more year in Newport, clearly we will need to keep up the fight in the coming months in order to ensure a permanent resolution.\u201d\r\n\u201cI know folks often get frustrated with Washington, DC for not getting things done that matter to them,\u201d\u00a0Schrader said.\u00a0\u201cBut this critical safety issue on our coast is an example of how a community, working with its elected officials can really make a difference, just like we did with NOAA and get something done. I\u2019m proud to be on a team with my colleagues in the House and Senate to make sure this helicopter remains in Newport.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Newport Coast Guard Air Facility is critical to the safety and security of a key region of Oregon\u2019s coastal economy,\u201d\u00a0Blumenauer said.\u00a0\u201cClosing this facility will harm Oregon\u2019s tourism, research, and fishing industries and create longer response times in life or death situations.\u201d\r\n\u201cWithout this helicopter, far too many Oregonians who earn a living on our coast or enjoy its beautiful beaches would be at risk,\u201d\u00a0Bonamici said.\u00a0\"I\u2019m glad to see that the air facility and its helicopter will remain in Newport for the next year, and I will continue to work with my colleagues on a permanent solution.\u201d\r\nIn a letter last month, the Oregon lawmakers, along with South Carolina Senators Tim Scott, R-S.C. and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Representatives Mark Sanford, R-S.C., and Tom Rice, R-S.C., and Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., urged the Department of Homeland Security to reverse the Coast Guard\u2019s decision.\u00a0This letter came on the heels of a letter that Oregon lawmakers sent to the Commandant of the Coast Guard urging him to keep the helicopter in Newport.\u00a0\r\nWhile the Coast Guard claims that it would still be able to meet the national standard of a two-hour search-and-rescue response time, local fishermen and Central Coast residents who depend on the rescue helicopters say first-hand experience shows that closure of the base will lengthen response times and threaten the safety of local mariners.\u00a0\r\nNewport houses National Oceanic and Atmospheric vessels and Oregon\u2019s largest commercial fishing fleet, in addition to research vessels from Oregon State University. In response to repeated calls from Oregon lawmakers, the Coast Guard announced it would delay the December 1 closure of the Newport facility until December 15.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-rural-counties-lose-out-after-county-payments-left-out-of-spending-bill", "Wyden: Rural Counties Lose Out After County Payments Left Out Of Spending Bill", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "House Republican Leaders Have Rejected Lifeline for Rural Counties In End-Of-Year Legislation\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 10, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Today\u00a0House Republican leaders rejected Sen. Ron Wyden\u2019s efforts to\u00a0fund and\u00a0pass county payments\u00a0for one more\u00a0year. The decision will leave cash-strapped Oregon counties with\u00a0little\u00a0money to fund law-enforcement, schools and roads.\r\n\u201cRural Oregonians deserve better than to have politics put on hold this essential lifeline for funding roads, firefighters and schools,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cI will not stop fighting for Oregon\u2019s rural counties. I\u2019ll be back at it when Congress returns\u00a0in January.\u201d\r\nMore than 700 counties in 41 states receive Secure Rural Schools funding. Last year, Oregon counties received more than $107 million through the Secure Rural Schools\u00a0program\u00a0and more than $17 million from Payments in Lieu of Taxes\u00a0(PILT).\u00a0 It appears that PILT may be funded, but Secure Rural Schools remains on the cutting room floor.\r\nUnless Republican leaders change their stance, counties will be forced to close jails and libraries, leading to fresh layoffs in the communities that can least afford to lose jobs and essential public services. \u00a0\r\nWyden authored the Secure Rural Schools and County Self-Determination Act with Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, in 2000, and successfully renewed it several times, most recently last year. To date, Oregon counties have received more than $2.8 billion from SRS.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/defazio-secures-house-passage-of-western-oregon-tribal-lands-package", "DeFazio Secures House Passage of Western Oregon Tribal Lands Package", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- \u00a0Today, the House passed legislation from Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee Peter DeFazio (D-OR), that would consolidate tribal lands and eliminate bureaucratic red tape for Western Oregon tribes. The DeFazio legislation, the Western Oregon Indian Tribal Lands Act (H.R. 5701), establishes land bases for the Coos and Cow Creek tribes and gives the Coquille Tribe the same forest management authority that all other tribes have across the nation. The legislation also streamlines federal rules to eliminate unnecessary delays that have unfairly burdened the Siletz and Grand Ronde tribes when dealing with the Department of the Interior.\n\u201cFor too long, federal policies have unfairly disadvantaged Indian tribes in Western Oregon. Chaotic federal policy has deprived Oregon tribes of their land bases, diminished a tribe\u2019s sovereignty over its forest, and created unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles for tribes dealing with federal agencies. This legislation is a long overdue, common sense bill that will go a long way in helping resolve some of the problems the Federal government and its haphazard policy shifts have created for the Western Oregon tribes. Passing this unique, Oregon specific tribal package is a big deal for Oregon Indian Country and I am hopeful that Senators Wyden and Merkley can quickly pass it in the Senate before the close of session,\u201d said DeFazio.\u00a0\n(Video of Rep. DeFazio\u2019s House floor speech here.)\nBACKGROUND\nH.R. 5701, the Western Oregon Indian Tribal Lands Act, is a long overdue, no-cost, common sense, bill that will go a long way to helping resolve some of the problems the Federal government and its haphazard policy shifts have created for the Western Oregon tribes. This package also enjoys bipartisan, bicameral support.\nThis legislation clarifies on-reservation land-into-trust procedures for the Grand Ronde and Siletz Tribes so the tribes don\u2019t have to face egregious delays in dealing with the Department of the Interior.\u00a0 The bill also makes good on decades-old promises to restore land bases for the Coos and Cow Creek Tribes, and it puts the Coquille Tribe\u2019s forest on equal footing with those of other Indian tribes nation-wide.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/senate-dems-to-epa-make-climate-rule-stronger", "Senate Dems to EPA: Make climate rule stronger", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senate Dems to EPA: Make climate rule stronger \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTuesday, December 9, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Laura Barron-Lopez\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA group of Senate Democrats are pressuring the administration to make its controversial climate regulation on carbon pollution from existing power plants stronger.\r\nIn a\u00a0letter\u00a0to Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy on Tuesday, the senators called on the administration to strengthen the requirements in its proposed rule and finalize a much stronger one that would result in steeper reductions to greenhouse gas emissions.\r\nThe current proposal, which the EPA hopes to finalize by June 2015, mandates the nation\u2019s fleet of existing power plants cut carbon dioxide emissions 30 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels.\r\n\u201cWhile the emission reduction goals of the Clean Power Plan are laudable, we believe that with modest changes to reflect real-world market and technological conditions, the plan can, and should, achieve even greater emissions reductions,\u201d the letter states.\r\nDemocratic Sens. Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), along with a few others, said the EPA should require more renewable energy and energy efficiency deployment under certain building blocks of the rule.\r\n\u201cThe Clean Power Plan will be the single most significant step this country has ever taken to tackle greenhouse gas emissions in the power sector, so it is essential that it be done right,\u201d the letter states.\r\n\u201cFor the Clean Power Plan to be a success, it must achieve the level of emissions reductions that the science calls for to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change,\u201d it adds.\r\nThe EPA wrapped up its public comment period on the carbon pollution proposal earlier this month.\r\nRepublicans, and the oil and coal industry, are among the greatest opponents of the proposal, arguing it would kill jobs, hurt the economy, and potentially harm the electric grid.\r\nWhen Republicans take control of the Senate next year they plan to attack the president\u2019s climate plan, specifically the carbon pollution rule and efforts by the administration to work with other nations fighting climate change.\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-push-epa-for-stronger-carbon-pollution-reductions-in-clean-power-plan", "Senators Push EPA for Stronger Carbon Pollution Reductions in Clean Power Plan", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators Push EPA for Stronger Carbon Pollution Reductions in Clean Power Plan \n\t\n\t\t \u201cFor the Clean Power Plan to be a success, it must achieve the level of emissions reductions that the science calls for to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change.\u201d \n\t\n\t\n\tTuesday, December 9, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) led eleven Senators in calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen its proposed Clean Power Plan to achieve even greater reductions of carbon pollution. In the first major congressional call to further strengthen the plan from its existing targets, the Senators emphasized that it is essential for the plan to hit the target levels of emissions reductions necessary to avoid the most harmful effects of climate change.\r\nMerkley and Schatz were joined by Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).\r\nIn a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, the Senators wrote: \u201cThe Clean Power Plan will be the single most significant step this country has ever taken to tackle greenhouse gas emissions in the power sector, so it is essential that it be done right.\u00a0 For the Clean Power Plan to be a success, it must achieve the level of emissions reductions that the science calls for to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change.\u201d\r\nThe Senators emphasized that current technology and market conditions make it possible to deploy renewable energy more aggressively to cut carbon pollution even further from the first draft of the Clean Power Plan. In a detailed appendix to the letter, the Senators laid out specific areas within the proposal where the draft rule can be strengthened.\r\nThe text of the letter can be read below and a signed copy of the letter and full appendix can be found here.\r\n###\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\r\nDecember 9, 2014\r\nThe Honorable Gina McCarthy\r\nAdministrator\r\nEnvironmental Protection Agency\r\n1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW\r\nWashington, D.C. 20460\r\nDear Administrator McCarthy:\r\nWe commend the EPA for using its authority under the Clean Air Act to propose the Clean Power Plan\u2014a flexible and practical approach to reduce carbon emissions from the electrical generation sector.\u00a0\u00a0The need for national action to reduce carbon emissions is essential to the United States taking responsibility for curbing its carbon emissions.\u00a0\r\nWhile the emission reduction goals of the Clean Power Plan are laudable, we believe that with modest changes to reflect real-world market and technological conditions, the plan can, and should, achieve even greater emissions reductions.\u00a0 Specifically, this letter includes recommendations in its Appendix that would result in more renewable energy (under Building Block Three) and energy efficiency (under Building Block Four) being deployed than is currently accounted for under the draft plan.\r\nThe Clean Power Plan will be the single most significant step this country has ever taken to tackle greenhouse gas emissions in the power sector, so it is essential that it be done right.\u00a0 For the Clean Power Plan to be a success, it must achieve the level of emissions reductions that the science calls for to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change.\u00a0\u00a0 Maximizing the deployment of cost-effective renewable energy and energy efficiency will be the key to achieve the necessary emissions reductions. EPA\u2019s proposed Clean Power Plan can meet these objectives by making the modifications to the plan outlined in this letter. \u00a0\r\nWe look forward to continue to work with you on this important and historic proposal to combat climate change. Attached is an appendix that provides greater detail on the recommendations made in this letter.\r\nSincerely,\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-senate-report-shows-cia-torture-did-not-work-and-america-should-never-torture-again", "Wyden: Senate Report Shows CIA Torture Did Not Work and America Should Never Torture Again", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Exhaustive Senate Intelligence Committee Study Finds CIA Leaders Repeatedly Misled Congress and The Public About Brutal Interrogation Techniques and their Effectiveness; Torture Did Not Improve U.S. National Security\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 9, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today responded to the release of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on torture by the Central Intelligence Agency.\r\n\u201cFollowing the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, a small number of CIA officials decided to listen to the advice of outside contractors who told them that the way to quickly get important information from captured terrorist suspects was by using coercive interrogation techniques that had been developed and used by communist dictatorships during the Cold War, despite years of evidence that torture is not effective,\u201d Wyden said.\r\n\u201cIn fact, these techniques were not effective. While I understand this is a dangerous world and am grateful to the rank-and-file intelligence professionals that keep our country safe, the facts show that torture did nothing to protect America from foreign threats.\r\n\u201cThe current CIA leadership has been alarmingly resistant to acknowledging the full scope of the mistakes and misrepresentations that surrounded this program for so many years. I hope this report is the catalyst CIA leaders need to acknowledge that torture did not work and close this disgraceful chapter in our country\u2019s history.\u201d\r\nWyden pushed to launch the investigation in 2009, and played a critical role in ensuring the report came to light, despite a campaign to delay its release and obscure critical details. Along with Chairman Dianne Feinstein and others on the committee, Wyden succeeded in reversing a number of unnecessary redactions that did nothing to protect intelligence assets.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://bonamici.house.gov/press-release/rep-bonamici-introduces-bill-improve-student-assessments", "Rep. Bonamici Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Student Assessments", "2014-12-08", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Congressman Jim Gerlach (PA-06) introduced the \u201cSupport Making Assessments Reliable and Timely\u201d (SMART) Act today to address the proliferation of unnecessary tests in our nation\u2019s classrooms.\u00a0\n\u201cWe don\u2019t need more tests, we need better tests,\u201d Congresswoman Bonamici said. \u201cThe SMART Act will help states and school districts align high-quality assessments and eliminate assessments that are unreliable or redundant. Assessments should provide useful information that informs instruction and promotes student achievement, but current testing regimens often don\u2019t meet this standard. Excessive and redundant testing has become a distraction that reduces both instructional time and creative educational opportunities in our classrooms. The SMART Act will provide federal backing to states and school districts to design assessment systems that help educators teach and students learn.\u201d\nThe SMART Act includes a grant for states to audit their assessments and eliminate poor-quality or redundant tests. The Council of Chief State School Officers and the Council of the Great City Schools have recently committed to this effort, and the SMART Act will provide much-needed federal support.\nThe bill also requires states and local education agencies to outline plans to improve the use of assessment data. These plans might include more time for educators to design instruction based on test results and steps to speed the delivery of test data to students and families.\n\u201cWe were pleased to work with Rep. Bonamici on this legislation. It is absolutely critical that students have time to learn and teachers have time to teach. Our students deserve schools that provide one on one attention in an environment that inspires their natural curiosity and desire to learn,\u201d National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia said. \u201cWe look forward to working with Rep. Bonamici to change federal policies that overemphasize one size fits all standardized testing at the expense of teaching and learning.\u201d \u201cThis year I\u2019ve visited every school district I represent, and many education professionals and students confirmed that excessive testing has created a stressful environment in our classrooms and does not lead to better educational outcomes. Of course reliable assessments aligned to high standards are important tools that help educators and families monitor students\u2019 progress, but not if teachers don\u2019t have time to use the results or if the assessments are poorly aligned to what students are studying. Streamlining and refining assessment systems will refocus our educational goals on student learning rather than test-taking,\u201d Congresswoman Bonamici said. \u201cThe SMART Act gives states and school districts the tools to ensure that the assessment systems are focused on improving learning. I look forward to continued bipartisan discussions with my colleagues to improve education for all our students.\u201d\nSUPPORTERS: National Education Association, the Education Trust, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCR), Center for American Progress, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Council of La Raza, Democrats for Education Reform, National Parent Teacher Association\nWatch Congresswoman Bonamici\u2019s remarks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdOlrXAsAkU&feature=youtu.be\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-poe-water-world-act-passes-house-representatives", "Blumenauer, Poe Water for the World Act Passes House of Representatives", "2014-12-08", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2901, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act authored by Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Ted Poe (R-TX). The Senate is expected to take action quickly on the bill, sending it to the President's desk.\n\n\t\n\n\tOnce made law, the Water for the World Act will strengthen and refine the implementation of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act to ensure that water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programming is not only elevated in a way that helps leverage the impact of other development assistance, but that it is targeted to help the world's poorest, and is more effective, with long-term, sustainable impacts.\n\n\t\n\n\tIt's been almost a decade since we passed the Water for the Poor Act, which has helped millions of people around the world access clean water and sanitation, said Blumenauer. Since then, we have worked nonstop in a purely bipartisan fashion to expand and improve international water aid. Working with my friend, Ted Poe, and dedicated advocates, we have shown that politics stops at water and that Congress can come together to pass meaningful, substantive bills when put aside our differences for the good of the country and the world.\n\n\t\n\n\tIt is unacceptable that in the year 2014 there are women who are still forced to walk miles to fetch water from polluted rivers infected with waste, parasites and other insects, said Poe. This ought not to be. Water is key to just about every kind of development. If we don't get water right, it doesn't matter how many schools we build or vaccines we pass out. I commend my colleagues in the House on both sides of the aisle for passing this bipartisan bill that will make U.S. water aid more efficient and effective. We have it within our power to fix this and make water a priority in any development discussion- like it should be. Today Congress took one step further towards doing so.\n\n\t\n\n\tThe global safe drinking water and sanitation challenge is 100% solvable, said John Oldfield, CEO of WASH Advocates. This pivotal piece of legislation - passed with strong bipartisan support - ensures that water and sanitation programs will be implemented in a fashion that is increasingly viable in technical and financial terms over the long run. More children will carry schoolbooks instead of water, and more people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America will lead longer, healthier lives.\n\n\t\n\n\t\"Through our work in poor countries around the world, WaterAid has seen the transformative impact of access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, said Lisa Schechtman, director of policy and advocacy for WaterAid. These services are basic, lifesaving, efficient and effective. Yet, much more needs to be done to meet the needs of 2.5 billion people living without a decent toilet, and sufferingtheconsequences--from watching children die of preventable diarrhea, to heightened risk of sexual violence. Thanks to the leadership of Congressmen Poe and Blumenauer, the House has taken a huge step in passing Water for the World. We cannot let this momentum go to waste.\"\n\n\t\n\n\tThe Water for the World Act is a critical piece of the poverty puzzle, ensuring that the United States stays focused on helping those who don't have access toclean water, proper sanitation and hygiene, said Lisa Bos, senior policy advisor for World Vision. World Vision and its advocates, who have been mobilizing in support of H. R. 2901 for the last year and a half, are grateful for the House's support of this bill and urge swift action in the Senate.\n\n\t\n\n\t\"Global Citizens have taken tens of thousands of actions over the past year in support of the Water for the World Act. Today we were thrilled to see House leadership hold a vote on the bill and hear Members of Congress to raise their voices in support of increased access to water and sanitation for people around the world, said Justine Lucas, US Country Director of the Global Poverty Project.\n\n\t\n\n\t\"We commend Reps. Blumenauer and Poe for their tireless efforts to ensure that U.S. foreign aid programs bring effective water, sanitation and hygiene programming to the poorest individuals around the globe, said Sam Worthington, President and CEO, of InterAction.In an era plagued by seemingly endless political gridlock, their bipartisan leadership is a reminder that current global challenges can be addressed in a meaningful way. The U.S. Senate now must act quickly and follow suit.\"\n\n\t\n\n\tCurrently, nearly 800 million people lack access to clean water. An astounding 2.5 billion people worldwide live without access to proper sanitation. This adds to the spread of disease, such as Ebola, and death as much as any other factor in the world. Every day, women and girls spend a combined 200 million hours collecting water, keeping them from school, work, and family.\n\n\t\n\n\tThere are over 260 river basins that cross at least one international border, making the management of this finite resource  without conflict  one of our greatest national security challenges. We need only look at the very recent history in Syria for proof, where severe droughts played a key role in the initial uprisings.\n\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/oregon-selected-for-pilot-program-helping-schools-and-farmers", "Oregon Selected for Pilot Program Helping Schools and Farmers", "2014-12-08", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wyden introduced the program supporting schools\u2019 efforts to procure more local fruits and vegetables\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 8, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Oregon Senator Ron Wyden today announced that Oregon has been chosen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as one of eight states in a pilot project that will allow them to increase purchases of locally-grown fruits and vegetables for their school meal programs.\r\nThe Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables, was introduced by Senator Wyden as an amendment to the Agricultural Act of 2014, also known as the Farm Bill.\r\n\u201cToday\u2019s news is a win for communities and school districts across Oregon who can now offer meals made with the locally grown produce we\u2019re famous for, from apples to zucchini, blueberries to tomatoes and everything in between,\u201d Senator Wyden said. \u201cThis is a win for the local farmers who will gain new customers to buy their fruits and vegetables. And this is a win for the school children who will grow up knowing what fresh produce really tastes like.\u201d\r\nUSDA Foods \u2013 provided by the USDA to schools \u2013 make up about 20 percent of the foods served in schools.\u00a0 States use their USDA Foods allocation to select items from a list of 180 products including fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, poultry, rice, low fat cheese, beans, pasta, flour and other whole grain products.\u00a0 This pilot program will allow the selected states to use some of their USDA Foods allocation to buy unprocessed fruits and vegetables directly, instead of going through the USDA Foods program.\r\n\u201cThese demonstration projects will help schools source healthy, local fruits and vegetables for the breakfasts, lunches, or snacks served to students,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cIt is more important today than ever to ensure America\u2019s children have fresh, healthy eating options when they are increasingly exposed to unhealthy, processed foods.\u201d\u00a0\r\nStates were selected based on their demonstrated commitment to farm-to-school efforts, including prior efforts to increase and promote farm-to-school programs in the state, the quantity and variety of growers of local fruits and vegetables in the state on a per capita basis, and the degree to which the state contains a sufficient quantity of local educational agencies of various population sizes and geographic locations.\u00a0\r\nOregon farmers and school officials said the pilot project will grow the existing relationships between farmers and schools, with children being the ultimate beneficiaries.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m thrilled Oregon has been chosen because it will help our schools continue to diversify their local foods purchasing portfolio,\u201d said Michelle Ratcliffe, PhD, Director of Market Development for Farm to Table Initiatives at Truitt Family Foods. \u201cThe happy result is that the pilot will help Oregon's students to achieve, farmers to prosper and communities to thrive.\u201d\r\nOther states chosen for the pilot besides Oregon are California, Connecticut, Michigan, New York, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. For more information about USDA\u2019s efforts, go here. \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tPress Contact\n\t\t\t\t\tHank Stern, 503-326-7539", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-ensure-fair-trade-for-oregon-workers-and-businesses", "Wyden: Ensure Fair Trade for Oregon Workers and Businesses", "2014-12-08", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Trade Commission Hears Testimony from Wyden, Others on SolarWorld Case\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 8, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., testified today before the International Trade Commission to ensure fair trade practices and a level playing field for Oregon workers and businesses, including SolarWorld.\r\nThe commission is examining the impact of unfair trade practices by Chinese and Taiwanese businesses as a result of a trade case filed by SolarWorld. The Oregon-based business successfully demonstrated that China was providing illegal subsidies to its solar producers, and filed a second case with the ITC after Chinese companies evaded tariffs imposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce by obtaining solar panel parts from Taiwan.\r\n\u201cThe solar industry is an anchor of Oregon\u2019s manufacturing base and is a central driver of Oregon\u2019s innovation economy. It supports high-skill, high-wage jobs that are critical to helping attract investment and new economic opportunities for the 21st century economy,\u201d Wyden said.\r\n\u201cWhen I visited SolarWorld three years ago, I sounded the alarm.\u00a0 I said that China was taking America\u2019s manufacturing jobs and the trade laws needed to be enforced. I am back today to ask that this Commission secure the integrity of its original findings and conclude that Chinese and Taiwanese unfair trade has resulted in material injury and threatens additional material injury to U.S. producers, including those in Oregon.\u201d\r\nWyden has testified in similar cases in an effort to enforce U.S. trade laws to protect\u00a0businesses and their workers. SolarWorld recently announced it would expand its Hillsboro operations, saying it could do so in part because of trade remedies following the commission\u2019s decision in the first trade case.\r\nListen to an audio clip of Wyden\u2019s testimony here and read his full remarks here, as prepared for delivery.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-petri-reagan-call-congress-raise-gas-tax-fully-fund", "Blumenauer, Petri... Reagan Call on Congress to Raise the Gas Tax, Fully Fund Transportation Infrastructure", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Today, Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) and Tom Petri (WI-06) stood together to call on Congress to raise the nation's gas tax in order to save the failing Highway Trust Fund, which funds the United States transportation infrastructure. The event coincided with the one-year anniversary of Blumenauer's introduction of the Update, Promote and Develop America's Transportation Essentials (UPDATE) Act and with Congressman Petri joining Congressman Blumenauer as a cosponsor of the legislation earlier in the week. The UPDATE Act would phase in a 15 cent increase to the gas tax over a period of three years and would index it to inflation.\n\n\t\n\n\tThe Congressmen were joined by a cutout of former President Ronald Reagan, who called on Congress to raise the gas tax during his Thanksgiving Day Address in 1982. Blumenauer played a few excerpts from President Reagan's speech.\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\n\tI want to thank Tom for his leadership on this issue and for joining me on this bill, said Blumenauer. He has been a champion for common sense for many years in Congress. Like President Reagan, he knows that that transportation funding was not, and should never be, a partisan issue. We all use our roads, bridges and rail, whether we're Republicans or Democrats, rural or urban. Reagan also knew that the gas tax is actually a user fee, which means that those who use the roads the most are the ones paying for them. This should be our last gas tax increase ever, as we look for fairer and more sustainable funding methods, but it's necessary to bridge the gap and keep our country moving.\n\n\t\n\n\t\"I am cosponsoring Rep. Blumenauer's bill because we need a first rate transportation system and the responsible thing to do is pay for it. For too long we have watched unmet infrastructure needs increase and the regular funding source to meet these needs become less and less relevant over time. We have to ask ourselves what is the more fiscally responsible route to take--budget gimmicks that fool taxpayers into thinking we have offset spending but that, in reality, put more debt in the hands of future generations? Or, restoring purchasing power to the Trust Fund so we can meet our transportation needs now and in the future?\n\n\t\n\n\t\"Ronald Reagan supported raising the gas tax back in 1982 because he believed in funding American infrastructure in a responsible way. I think he was right, and it's the best course of action we can take at this time.\n\n\t\n\n\tThe American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that the United State's surface transportation infrastructure requires more than $2 trillion of investment in order to remain economically competitive. In 2011, the Federal Highway Administration estimated that over $70.9 billion worth of repairs were needed merely to maintain safe bridges. Even just to maintain current infrastructure funding levels, the CBO estimates that the Highway Trust Fund will need $100 billion in addition to current tax receipts for the period from FY15-FY20.\n\n\t\n\n\tIf Congress cannot find a way to make the Highway Trust Fund solvent, this continued disinvestment will mean a more than 30% drop in federal transportation spending by 2024.\n\n\t\n\n\tWhile we haven't seen much action from Congress since the gas tax was raised 21 years ago, there have been a few voices of common sense and rationality, said former United States Secretary for Transportation, Ray LaHood. The loudest and most persistent of these has been Earl Blumenauer, who introduced the first bill in the House to raise the gas tax since President Clinton's first term. It's one thing to recognize the crumbling state of America's infrastructure, but another to stand up and call for Congress to show some political courage. Congress should pass Earl's bill to fully fund our roads, highways, and bridges.\n\n\t\n\n\tI'm pleased to see that Congressman Petri has joined Congressman Blumenauer in endorsing the idea of gradually restoring the purchasing power of the federal gas tax to ensure that we can continue to maintain and invest in our nation's roads, bridges, and transit systems, said Senator Tom Carper of Delaware. Ever since I had responsibility for a state transportation system as governor of Delaware, I've been convinced that user fees like the gas tax are the most efficient and fairest way to pay for infrastructure investments. Both Congressman Petri and Congressman Blumenauer are leaders who carry clout on this issue, in particular, and I hope that their voices, along with the chorus of varied groups calling for passing and funding a long-term transportation bill, will get us that much closer to action in Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/media-center/photos/good-morning-oregon_-december-2014", "Good Morning Oregon - December 2014", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t About\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeet Jeff \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIssues \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOregon Stories \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t News\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPress Releases \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn the News \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVideo & Audio \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhotos \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHelp with Federal Agencies \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor Veterans \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor Students \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFlag Requests \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVisit Washington DC \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmail Jeff \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet Jeff's Updates \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin Jeff for Coffee \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTown Halls \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFollow Jeff \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOffice Locations \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\n\n \n\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\r\t\r\t \n\r\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\r\t\r\t\r\t \n\t\n \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Good Morning Oregon - December 2014 \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\n   \n   \t\t\n   \t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n   \t\t \n   \t\t\t\n   \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAbout\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNews\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHelping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tConnect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOffice Locations", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-statement-on-grand-jury-decisions-in-missouri-and-new-york", "Merkley Statement on Grand Jury Decisions in Missouri and New York", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Statement on Grand Jury Decisions in Missouri and New York \n\t\n\t\n\tThursday, December 4, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the grand jury decisions in Ferguson, MO and Staten Island, NY:\r\n \r\n\"The deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner are tragic, and my thoughts are with their families and friends during this difficult time. Their deaths, and those of too many others, mostly men and youth of color, have sparked a broader conversation about race and justice in America. This is a conversation that is greatly needed, and that we should all use as a catalyst to reflect on our current criminal justice system and how we can better work together to protect all Americans. Justice should be blind, but these kinds of tragedies and the raw statistics make clear that we have far to go, which is why I support the Justice Department's independent investigations into the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.\u00a0 I also fully support the President's call for expanded use of body cameras, but we also must realize that fixing our society requires more of us than any single policy solution. I hope that out of this conversation, we are able to work together as communities and create change that will advance equality and make our communities safer for all -- not just in Ferguson or New York, but all across America.\"\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-introduces-bill-to-ban-government-mandated-backdoors-into-americans-cellphones-and-computers", "Wyden Introduces Bill To Ban Government-Mandated Backdoors Into Americans’ Cellphones and Computers", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Electronic Backdoors Trample Privacy Rights and Threaten U.S. Cybersecurity\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, December 4, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced the Secure Data Act to protect Americans\u2019 privacy and data security. The bill prohibits government mandates to build backdoors or security vulnerabilities into U.S. software and electronics.\r\nU.S. government officials have recently proposed to compel companies to build backdoors in the security features of their products. These proposals threaten to undermine the development and deployment of strong data security technologies and the overwhelming economic and national security interest in better data security.\r\n\u201cStrong encryption and sound computer security is the best way to keep Americans\u2019 data safe from hackers and foreign threats. It is the best way to protect our constitutional rights at a time when a person\u2019s whole life can often be found on his or her smartphone. And strong computer security can rebuild consumer trust that has been shaken by years of misstatements by intelligence agencies about mass surveillance of Americans,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cThis bill sends a message to leaders of those agencies to stop recklessly pushing for new ways to vacuum up Americans\u2019 private information, and instead put that effort into rebuilding public trust.\u201d\r\nGovernment-driven technology mandates to weaken data security for the purpose of aiding government investigations would compromise national security, economic security and personal privacy:\r\n \r\nCyber vulnerabilities weaken cybersecurity.\u00a0 Once a backdoor is built in a security system, the security of the system is inherently compromised.\u00a0 For example, in 2005 it was revealed that an unknown entity had exploited a \u201clawful intercept\u201d capability built into Greek cellphone systems and had used it to listen to users\u2019 phone calls, including those of dozens of senior government officials.\r\n \r\n \r\nTechnology mandates thwart innovation.\u00a0 Companies have less incentive to invest in the development and deployment of strong new data security technologies if they are required to compromise them from the outset.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nMandating weak security would further erode trust in American products and services.\u00a0 Information technology companies are working to regain the trust of consumers upset by revelations of government intrusions into their personal communications.\u00a0 A mandate requiring companies to facilitate additional government surveillance would undermine those efforts.\r\n \r\nSenator Wyden\u2019s legislation builds on a bipartisan effort in the U.S. House of Representatives, which approved an amendment by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., to prohibit electronic vulnerability mandates on a 293-123 vote in June 2014.\u00a0\r\nClick for the bill text and a one-page summary.\r\n###\r\n \r\nRetweet to stand with me and tell the government no mandating backdoors into Americans\u2019 technology. #EndThisDragnet http://t.co/diANe5eE7a\r\n\u2014 Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) December 4, 2014", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/defazio-pushes-forest-service-to-reconsider-wolf-sport-kills-on-public", "DeFazio Pushes Forest Service to Reconsider Wolf Sport Kills on Public Lands", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell, requesting that he stop a coyote and wolf hunting derby planned on public National Forest System (NFS) lands until proper environmental analysis can determine the impact on gray wolf populations. Last December, a group called \u201cIdaho for Wildlife\u201d organized a two-day Coyote and Wolf Derby, with prize money for the largest wolf killed. Unlike the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Forest Service did not require a permit or environmental review before allowing the sport killing on public lands.\n\u201cI urge the Forest Service to require the organizers of the aforementioned killing contest to apply for a special use permit or other permit before considering whether the contest should take place on NFS land, as the BLM has required for the same activity on land it manages. I also urge the Forest Service to prohibit the event from taking place on NFS land this year, to ensure there is time to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement of the event and permit application,\u201d DeFazio writes.\nIn 2013, despite the fact that much of the derby was to occur within the NFS, the Forest Service determined that the contest was not a commercial event and that no special use permit was required. In his letter, DeFazio questions that determination and asks that Tidwell revisit it.\u00a0 The Federal government has spent millions of dollars to recover wolf populations in the United States, and DeFazio has repeatedly question the rationale for allowing Federal lands and resources to be used to once again decimate the species.\nLast week, the Department of the Interior\u2019s BLM revoked a special use permit it had issued to Idaho for Wildlife to conduct the killing Derby on BLM land because the agency\u2019s Environmental Assessment (EA) of the permit was inadequate. The BLM has determined that the event requires a permit and also warrants development of a thorough environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act to assist in evaluating the permit application. \u00a0\nDeFazio\u2019s letter can be found below.\n\u00a0\nDecember 2, 2014\nThe Honorable Tom Tidwell  \n\tChief  \n\tUnited States Forest Service  \n\t1400 Independence Ave.  \n\tWashington, DC 20250\nDear Chief Tidwell:\nI am writing today to express serious concerns about the U.S. Forest Service\u2019s stewardship of wildlife resources on lands under the Committee\u2019s jurisdiction. Last December, a group called \u201cIdaho for Wildlife\u201d organized a two-day Coyote and Wolf Derby, with separate prize money for the largest wolf killed.\u00a0 Despite the fact that much of the hunting was to occur within the National Forest System (NFS), the Forest Service determined that the contest was not a commercial event occurring on NFS land, and, therefore, no special use permit was required. This determination was questionable at the time, and I ask that you revisit it in light of recent events.\nSpecifically, the Department of the Interior\u2019s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently revoked a special use permit it had issued to Idaho for Wildlife to conduct the killing Derby on BLM land because the agency\u2019s Environmental Assessment (EA) of the permit was inadequate. BLM\u2019s experience shows not only that such an activity require a permit, but also that it warrants development of a thorough environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to assist in evaluating the permit application.\nI urge the Forest Service to require the organizers of the aforementioned killing contest to apply for a special use permit or other permit before considering whether the contest should take place on NFS land, as the BLM has required for the same activity on land it manages. I also urge the Forest Service to prohibit the event from taking place on NFS land this year, to ensure there is time to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement of the event and permit application.\nThank you for your attention to this matter. If you have questions, please contact Matt Strickler on the House Natural Resources Committee Democratic Staff at (202) 225-6065. I look forward to your response.\nSincerely,\n\u00a0Peter A. DeFazio  \n\tRanking Member  \n\tHouse Committee on Natural Resources", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/defazio-secures-major-oregon-victories-in-national-defense-bill", "DeFazio Secures Major Oregon Victories in National Defense Bill", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- Today, Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee Peter DeFazio (D-OR) announced the inclusion of several critical Oregon-focused bills in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). A package of natural resources measures was included in the NDAA after negotiations involving the Chairs and Ranking Members of the House Natural Resources and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committees in an effort to clear a years-long backlog.\nIn addition to provisions sponsored by more than two dozen of his House Democratic colleagues, DeFazio secured the inclusion of the REFI Act, legislation that will save West Coast fishermen millions of dollars by refinancing expensive, high-interest federal loans. DeFazio also included legislation to expand the Oregon Caves National Monument which will boost Southwest Oregon\u2019s economy, and increase tourism and the recreation economy in the area. The NDAA is expected to be approved by the House later this week.\nREFI\nDeFazio was able to add the bipartisan H.R. 2646, the REFI Act, to NDAA. DeFazio has been working for five years on the issue, and first sparked interest in refinancing unfair government \u201cpay day\u201d loans to West Coast fishermen with a letter to the Secretary of Commerce in 2009.\u00a0 DeFazio helped draft H.R. 2646, is an original co-sponsor, and earlier this year offered the bill as an amendment to Magnuson-Stevens legislation. H.R. 2646 is sponsored by Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) and Jared Huffman (D-CA).\u00a0\n\u201cThe West Coast buyback loan has been an albatross around fishermen\u2019s necks. Fishermen have been charged an excessively high interest rate and the tab skyrocketed after their repayment plan was delayed through no fault of their own. The original terms of the loan were bad and implementation was worse. The passage of this bill will allow the fishermen to refinance, save money, and keep the fishery competitive\u2014and the American taxpayers will get a fair shake. This is great news for the entire West Coast. After five years of hard work, I am grateful that it was included in the NDAA authorization to get it across the finish line,\u201d said DeFazio.\nOregon Trawl Commission Director Brad Pettinger, who testified before the House Natural Resources Committee in April in support of the REFI Act, commended DeFazio for his work to pass this legislation.\n\u201cI want to thank the entire Northwest Delegation for this bipartisan effort to help West Coast fishermen and their families.\u00a0 This is a big deal.\u00a0 In particular, I want to single out Peter DeFazio.\u00a0 His tireless efforts and advocacy for our fishermen has made the difference in getting this legislation \u2013 this relief \u2013 through Congress.\u00a0 We are grateful for his leadership,\u201d said Pettinger. \u00a0\nAdditional background on REFI can be found here.\nOREGON CAVES\nDeFazio also secured legislation that will expand the Oregon Caves National Monument, which will boost the local economy with additional tourist dollars and create needed jobs in southern Oregon. The legislation, pushed by DeFazio and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), expands the Oregon Caves National Monument by 4,070 acres and designates the River Styx \u2013the underground stream running through Oregon Caves- as the first subterranean Wild and Scenic River in the nation. The expansion will also allow for additional activities, including hiking and other recreational opportunities.\n\u201cThe Oregon Caves National Monument is a special place that pumps millions of dollars into the local economy.\u00a0 This expansion will ensure we protect this incredible caves system, from the rustic and charming 1930s Chateau, to the miles of trails with unforgettable views of the Siskiyou Mountains. This legislation will expand the monument to attract more visitors and support local businesses, and protect the first underground river under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. I congratulate the more than fifty local businesses, and the community members who worked so hard on this expansion,\u201d said DeFazio.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nMore than 70,000 tourists visit Oregon Caves each year, generating $4.8 million in local revenues and supporting 70 local jobs in economically hard-hit Josephine County and Cave Junction.\nAdditional background can be found here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/us-labor-issues-anti-discrimination-rule", "U.S. Labor issues anti-discrimination rule", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Labor issues anti-discrimination rule \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWednesday, December 3, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Tom Raum\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWashington \u2022 The Labor Department issued a rule Wednesday to protect employees of federal contractors from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.\r\nThe rule would carry out terms of a workplace anti-discrimination law signed by President Barack Obama on July 21.\r\n\"Americans believe in fairness and opportunity. No one should live in fear of being fired or passed over or discriminated against at work simply because of who they are or who they love,\" Labor Secretary Thomas Perez said in announcing the rule. \"Laws prohibiting workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity are long overdue, and we\u2019re taking a big step forward today to fix that.\"\r\nThe final rule issued Wednesday will become effective 120 days after its publication in the Federal Register and will apply to workers of all federal contractors from that date forward.\r\nEighteen states, the District of Columbia and many small and large businesses already offer such workplace anti-discrimination protections.\r\n\"We are building on the work of presidents and members of Congress from both parties who have expanded opportunities for America\u2019s workers,\" said Patricia A. Shiu, who will oversee enforcement of the new requirements as director of the Labor Department\u2019s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.\r\nFred Sainz, vice president of the Human Rights Campaign, said his organization is \"pleased that the president\u2019s executive order is one step closer to implementation. We look forward to final regulations that will ensure that employees of federal contractors are protected from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and general identity.\"\r\nSen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., a sponsor of the anti-discrimination law, called the new Labor Department rule \"an important step forward toward an America where discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity will no longer be tolerated.\"\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-statement-on-new-federal-lgbt-workplace-protection-rules", "Merkley Statement on New Federal LGBT Workplace Protection Rules", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Statement on New Federal LGBT Workplace Protection Rules \n\t\n\t\n\tWednesday, December 3, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley, released the following statement today upon the announcement of new rules released by the U.S. Department of Labor requiring equal protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans who work for the federal government or federal contractor:\u00a0\r\n \r\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement is an important step forward toward an America where discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity will no longer be tolerated.\u00a0\u00a0Millions of Americans will no longer have to fear for their jobs simply because of who they are or who they love. Expanded equality will make our nation\u2019s workplaces more productive and successful drivers of our economy.\r\n\u201cToday\u2019s ruling moves us in the right direction, but we still have more work to do.\u00a0 We must continue to pursue full equality for all Americans, not just those who happen to work for federal contractors or live in certain states.\u00a0 I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and our partners in the LGBT community so that our laws reflect our values and guarantee equal treatment for all Americans.\u201d\r\n \r\nMerkley has been a leading voice in Congress calling for an executive order to ban discrimination among federal contractors on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Earlier this year, he led over 200 members of the House and Senate in calling for such an executive order.\u00a0Senator Merkley was\u00a0the lead Senate sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and the leading congressional advocate for an executive order to bar federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT Americans in the workplace.\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-statement-on-oregon-caves-and-hermiston-agricultural-research-bills-as-they-move-toward-becoming-law", "Merkley Statement on Oregon Caves and Hermiston Agricultural Research Bills as They Move Toward Becoming Law", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Statement on Oregon Caves and Hermiston Agricultural Research Bills as They Move Toward Becoming Law \n\t\n\t\n\tWednesday, December 3, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON -- Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement Wednesday after two Oregon bills were included in a lands package that is expected to pass Congress and be signed into law before the end of the year. One bill will help preserve the Oregon Caves for future generations with a National Monument and Wild and Scenic River designations, and the other will help OSU and the city of Hermiston to relocate their agricultural research center while freeing up land to accommodate growth in the city of Hermiston.\r\n \r\n\"Oregonians know the importance of preserving our natural treasures for future generations, and the Oregon Caves are one of those special and unique places that we should preserve and pass down to our children and grandchildren. In addition, this lands package will allow Oregon State University to continue conducting important agricultural research, while also freeing up land to accommodate growth in Hermiston. It's great news that these provisions are moving forward and are on the cusp of becoming law.\"\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/filibuster-reform-one-year-later", "Filibuster reform, one year later", "2014-12-01", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Filibuster reform, one year later \r\n\r\n     Merkley praises increased pace of judicial confirmations \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMonday, December 1, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Andrew Clevenger\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    The Bend Bulletin\r\n    \r\n    \r\n\r\nWASHINGTON \u2014 In the year since Senate Democrats \u2014 led by Oregon\u2019s Jeff Merkley \u2014 changed the rules on filibustering executive nominees, including federal judges below the U.S. Supreme Court, the number of empty judgeships has dropped to the lowest level since the first year of Barack Obama\u2019s presidency.\r\nAs of Friday, there were 56 vacancies, the lowest total since the month Obama took office, according to the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts. Only 19 of those were considered judicial emergencies, a designation for vacancies that have sat empty so long or in very busy courts as to create oversized caseloads for the remaining judges. That matches the lowest total since January 2009.\r\nFor most of Obama\u2019s administration, the number of judicial vacancies has been 90 or higher, said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond who is an expert on judicial nominations.\r\n\u201cThe numbers are much better than they were, and I think that\u2019s substantially attributable to the (rules) change,\u201d said Tobias. \u201cThat enabled the Democrats to overcome the obstruction by the Republicans.\u201d\r\nIf too many judgeships sit empty, the administration of justice is impaired, he said.\r\n\u201cBasically, it slows everything down. It imposes more duties and more work on fewer judges,\u201d he said. Criminal cases get priority because the Speedy Trial Act imposes time limits, he said, so civil cases have trouble securing trial dates and often experience postponements and long delays.\r\nFrustrated with what he viewed as a dysfunctional Senate, Merkley has worked with Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., to improve the upper chamber\u2019s productivity since their early days in the Senate. Several times, the would-be reformers were rebuffed by Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who preferred striking deals with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to secure highly contested confirmations rather than changing Senate rules.\r\nFor Reid and other Democrats, the tipping point came when Republicans blocked two Obama nominees in November 2013, including Patricia Ann Millett for one of three vacant seats on the Washington, D.C., Circuit Court of Appeals. Using the \u201cnuclear option\u201d to change Senate rules with only 51 votes \u2014 so-called because critics suggested that using it would lead to devastation for both those in the majority and minority \u2014 Democrats made it so that it no longer took 60 votes to advance and confirm nominees other than those to the U.S. Supreme Court.\r\n\u201cProviding a fair Senate vote on President Obama\u2019s nominees to fill three vacancies on the D.C. Circuit Court \u2014 the second most important court in the country \u2014 was crucial to restoring the Court\u2019s integrity,\u201d said Merkley in a prepared statement. \u201cThe Senate has also more than doubled the pace of votes on judicial nominations. Enabling these nominees to receive fair up-or-down votes will have profound effects on issues that affect Americans every day, from clean air to women\u2019s health to keeping Wall Street in check.\u201d\r\nAccording to Merkley\u2019s office, the pace of judicial confirmations has doubled in the year since filibuster reform went into effect. In the year since the change, the Senate has confirmed 79 judges, compared with 43 in the 11 months leading up to the change. With the September confirmation of Jill Pryor to a seat on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the number of vacancies for appellate judges was reduced to seven, the lowest total since the end of Ronald Reagan\u2019s first term as president.\r\nThe Senate is also poised to conclude its most productive two-year period of judicial confirmations since the Clinton administration. During 1993-94, the Senate confirmed 128 judges, while the current Senate has confirmed 122 since January 2013. With more confirmations likely during the current lame-duck session, breaking the modern record is possible.\r\nStarting in January, Republicans will hold the majority of seats and will thereby be in a position to block any and all judicial nominations if they so choose.\r\nLena Zwarensteyn, deputy director of strategic engagement for the American Constitution Society, a progressive legal policy organization, said she doesn\u2019t expect judicial confirmations to come to a screeching halt in 2015.\r\n\u201cAll senators have a deep interest in ensuring that Americans can access the courts and the federal courts in their states and across the country are well-functioning,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is not a time for senators to play games. We have seen Republicans obstruct the process and slow-walk nominations, but Republicans have an opportunity to demonstrate the cooperation they\u2019ve promised and judicial nominations are a great place to start.\u201d\r\nAlternatively, Republicans could try to slow the pace of judicial confirmations and run out the clock on the remaining two years of Obama\u2019s presidency, said the University of Richmond\u2019s Tobias.\r\n\u201cAs long as they think they are going to win the White House in 2016, they just have no incentive to move his nominees,\u201d he said.\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-statement-on-newport-helicopter-weekend-rescue", "Merkley Statement on Newport Helicopter Weekend Rescue", "2014-12-01", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Statement on Newport Helicopter Weekend Rescue \n\t\n\t\n\tMonday, December 1, 2014\n\t\n\tWashington, DC \u2013 Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley made the following statement after the U.S. Coast Guard helicopter in Newport helped rescue five fisherman off the Oregon Coast this weekend.\r\n \r\n\u201cThis weekend\u2019s rescue of five fishermen off the Oregon Coast is just another example of why the U.S. Coast Guard\u2019s decision to close the Newport helicopter facility is short sighted. Today marks the opening of the dangerous crab fishing season and now is the time when our fishing families need to know that there are lifesaving resources nearby.\r\n\u201cFortunately, we were able to push the date of the closure back by a few weeks, but to make sure that tragedy doesn\u2019t strike in the future, we have to find a way to permanently save this facility. I\u2019m continuing to work on keeping this helicopter facility open so that when that mayday call comes in, a helicopter is nearby to aid in the rescue.\u201d\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t  \n          \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://bonamici.house.gov/press-release/rep-bonamici-highlights-local-businesses-small-business-saturday", "Rep. Bonamici Highlights Local Businesses on Small Business Saturday", "2014-11-29", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hillsboro, OR \u2013 Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) highlighted the benefits of shopping local today while visiting stores in downtown Hillsboro on Small Business Saturday.\nHillsboro City Council President Aron Carleson joined Congresswoman Bonamici, and the two met business owners and spoke with shoppers who were out on the annual shopping holiday.\n\u201cAs we start the holiday shopping season, it\u2019s important to remember our local businesses and the role they play in cities like Hillsboro,\u201d Congresswoman Bonamici said. \u201cMoney spent at small businesses stays in our communities. Washington County is home to many new manufacturing companies, restaurants, and tech startups, all of which bring jobs to the region.\u201d\nMore than 99 percent of companies in the United States are considered small businesses, and over the last 15 years small businesses were responsible for creating 64 percent of net new jobs. \u00a0\n\u201cHillsboro\u2019s small businesses provide vital economic stimulus for the city. Supporting local stores strengthens our community, creates jobs, and helps connect residents,\u201d City Council President Carleson said. \u201cEvents like Small Business Saturday highlight the unique shops and restaurants Hillsboro has to offer and serve as a reminder of the importance of community investment. As Hillsboro continues to grow, shopping local is critical for our businesses and neighborhoods to continue to thrive.\u201d\nCongresswoman Bonamici is a cosponsor of H. Res. 728 to designate November 29, 2014 as Small Business Saturday and increase awareness of the value of locally-owned small businesses.\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-makes-statement-ferguson-grand-jury-verdict", "Blumenauer Makes Statement on Ferguson Grand Jury Verdict", "2014-11-26", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The tragedy that was Ferguson, Missouri continues.\n\n\t\n\n\tWe hoped that the Grand Jury deliberations in Ferguson would have helped to clarify and calm while bringing about justice. Like many, I was dismayed by the outcome, troubled by the way it was handled by the prosecuting attorney conducting the Grand Jury, and of course, appalled at violent reaction by some.\n\n\t\n\n\tAt some level it is understandable that notoriously unreliable eye witnesses have starkly different memories and disagree as to the facts. The long, drawn out process, and the way it was handled probably did more to obscure the truth than to clarify what actually happened. It certainly did not appear from a distance to have been impartial.\n\n\t\n\n\tHowever, what is not in dispute is that there is good reason for African Americans in Ferguson to feel that they are not treated fairly by the system, that they are underrepresented, and over-arrested. But this is not unique to Ferguson. The evidence nationally is that African Americans are arrested too often, convicted more, and sentenced to longer terms in prison. I hope that the Department of Justice takes this opportunity now that the Grand Jury has issued its verdict, to examine whether there is a pattern of discriminatory behavior on the part of the authorities in Ferguson in terms of practice and patterns. I strongly suspect systematic problems will be revealed and that the Department of Justice has reason to weigh in.\n\n\t\n\n\tThis is yet another wake up call to communities across this great nation that we have a long ways to go in securing equal treatment under the law. While the violent reaction by some is to be deplored and resisted at every turn, it is imperative that people who would act recklessly are not emboldened or empowered as a result of systematic failures in our system of justice.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-makes-statement-ferguson-grand-jury-verdict-0", "Blumenauer Makes Statement on Ferguson Grand Jury Verdict", "2014-11-26", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The tragedy that was Ferguson, Missouri continues.\n\n\t\n\n\tWe hoped that the Grand Jury deliberations in Ferguson would have helped to clarify and calm while bringing about justice. Like many, I was dismayed by the outcome, troubled by the way it was handled by the prosecuting attorney conducting the Grand Jury, and of course, appalled at violent reaction by some.\n\n\t\n\n\tAt some level it is understandable that notoriously unreliable eye witnesses have starkly different memories and disagree as to the facts. The long, drawn out process, and the way it was handled probably did more to obscure the truth than to clarify what actually happened. It certainly did not appear from a distance to have been impartial.\n\n\t\n\n\tHowever, what is not in dispute is that there is good reason for African Americans in Ferguson to feel that they are not treated fairly by the system, that they are underrepresented, and over-arrested. But this is not unique to Ferguson. The evidence nationally is that African Americans are arrested too often, convicted more, and sentenced to longer terms in prison. I hope that the Department of Justice takes this opportunity now that the Grand Jury has issued its verdict, to examine whether there is a pattern of discriminatory behavior on the part of the authorities in Ferguson in terms of practice and patterns. I strongly suspect systematic problems will be revealed and that the Department of Justice has reason to weigh in.\n\n\t\n\n\tThis is yet another wake up call to communities across this great nation that we have a long ways to go in securing equal treatment under the law. While the violent reaction by some is to be deplored and resisted at every turn, it is imperative that people who would act recklessly are not emboldened or empowered as a result of systematic failures in our system of justice.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-encourages-oregonians-to-support-small-businesses-over-holiday-weekend-", "Merkley Encourages Oregonians to Support Small Businesses over Holiday Weekend", "2014-11-25", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Encourages Oregonians to Support Small Businesses over Holiday Weekend  \n\t\n\t\t Senator visits small businesses and highlights local shopping campaign Little Boxes \n\t\n\t\n\tTuesday, November 25, 2014\n\t\n\tPortland, OR \u2013 Oregon\u2019s Senator Merkley helped kick off the holiday shopping season today when he visited small businesses in Northwest Portland today to encourage Oregonians to support small business during the holiday season. Senator Merkley also highlighted a local small business campaign called Little Boxes that encourages Oregonians to shop Portland\u2019s small businesses to earn discounts and win prizes.\r\n \r\n\u201cTaking the time to shop locally during the holidays is a simple step to help our small businesses thrive,\u201d said Senator Merkley. \u201cSmall businesses are key to our economic success, and I encourage everyone to spend Thanksgiving celebrating family and friends and then take some time during the weekend to explore and shop Oregon\u2019s small businesses.\u201d\r\n \r\nDuring today\u2019s event Senator Merkley visited four small businesses that are part of the Little Boxes campaign.\u00a0 Senator Merkley was joined today by Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish and co-founder of Little Boxes, Will Cervarich. Little Boxes is a city-wide shopping event and prize raffle on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. For the two days after Thanksgiving, Little Boxes encourages shoppers to discover the quality and variety of Portland\u2019s local retail shopping scene.\r\n \r\n\u201cLittle Boxes is a uniquely Portland event-- and has quickly become an annual celebration of local small business,\u201d said Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish. \u201cNeighborhood small businesses are the backbone of our local economy. They employ half of Portland\u2019s workforce, and for every dollar we spend at a local small business, almost 70 cents stays in the local economy.\u201d\r\n\u201cWe started Little Boxes to amplify the profile of Portland\u2019s independently owned, specialty retailers during the kick off to the holiday shopping season,\u201d said Will Cervarich,\u00a0co-founder of Little Boxes and co-owner of betsy & iya. \"It can be difficult to compete in the noisy world of holiday marketing, so we founded Little Boxes to pool the resources of what\u2019s now become 215 shops citywide to create a fun way to experience Portland's vibrant\u00a0local shopping scene on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday.\u201d\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-asks-faa-to-update-unmanned-aircraft-rules", "Wyden Asks FAA to Update Unmanned Aircraft Rules", "2014-11-25", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "New standards can encourage innovation and ensure safety of unmanned aerial systems\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, November 25, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to speed up approvals for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) test permits, and to ensure the agency\u2019s plans to regulate these aircraft don\u2019t fall behind schedule, in a letter sent today.\r\nThe FAA created six test sites across the country to study unmanned aircraft in response to a request from Congress in 2012 to craft regulations that meet the unique safety challenges posed by UAS. The agency, which is responsible for overseeing the safety of U.S. airspace, has until September 2015 to create a strategy to integrate unmanned aircraft into U.S. airspace.\r\n\u201cIn light of recent reports, I am concerned that proposed regulations on small, commercial unmanned aircraft will be costly, needlessly restrictive and hinder research and development for the growing UAS industry,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cThe FAA needs to act quickly to alleviate these concerns and issue guidelines for developers and operators of unmanned aircraft that will give certainty to the UAS industry and ensure the safety and privacy of Americans.\u201d\r\nWyden, along with Senators Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., asked the FAA to streamline its process for allowing UAS operators to test their aircraft at designated sites. Obtaining a Certificate or Waiver of Authorization can take from two months to a year, according to the FAA.\r\nOregon houses three UAS test ranges: the Warm Springs Indian Reservation and airspace outside Pendleton and Tillamook.\r\n\u201cWe remain concerned about the impacts that continued delays in the process are having on the American UAS industry and the national economy, and the safety risk posed by expanding unlicensed operations,\u201d the senators wrote in the letter.\r\nCommercial unmanned aircraft use is a growing industry with the potential to contribute significantly to the U.S. economy. The senators noted the possible chilling effect on creative developments in unmanned aircraft technologies without clarification from FAA on how to proceed.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis industry cannot continue to grow without further direction and guidance from the FAA on its planned regulations,\u201d they wrote.\r\nRead the full letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-burr-39-other-senators-urge-funding-solution-for-lwcf", "Wyden, Burr, 39 Other Senators Urge Funding Solution for LWCF", "2014-11-25", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tuesday, November 25, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Richard Burr, R-N.C., and a bipartisan coalition of 39 of their Senate colleagues urged Senate leaders Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to work with them to find a permanent funding solution for the Land and Water Conservation Fund before the end of the current Congress on Dec. 31, in a letter sent yesterday.\r\nThe LWCF program, which helps ensure access to outdoor recreation areas by providing funding to protect public lands and matching state grants, is set to expire in September 2015. In the 50 years since Congress created the program, the LWCF has helped conserve land for national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness, monuments, and civil war battlefields, and served as a resource for creating and developing state and local parks in all 50 states.\r\n\u201cThe Land and Water Conservation Fund guarantees a prosperous and vital future for the next generation while preserving our uniquely American way of life across this nation,\u201d the senators wrote in the letter. \u201cAccordingly, we urge you to enact a permanent and comprehensive solution for this vital program before the 113th Congress adjourns.\u201d\r\nThe LWCF is funded almost entirely by oil and gas leasing along the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Congress authorized the fund at $900 million through the end of the fiscal year, on Sept. 30, 2015.\r\nOther senators who signed the letter include: Senators Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., John Walsh, D-Mont., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Tom Udall, D-N.M., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Joe Manchin, D-W.V., Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Angus King, I-Maine, Kay Hagan, D-N.C., Jon Tester, D-Mont., Ben Cardin, D-Md., Tim Johnson, D-S.D., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Al Franken, D-Minn., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Chris Coons, D-Del., Robert P. Casey, Jr., D-Penn., Ed Markey, D-Mass., Mark Pryor, D-Ark., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Tom Harkin, D-Iowa., Bob Menendez, D-N.J., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Mark Udall, D-Colo., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.\r\nRead the letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-applauds-presidents-action-immigration", "Blumenauer Applauds President's Action on Immigration", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The President's bold action is the right path forward, bringing millions out of the shadows, strengthening families, and growing our economy. This is no substitute for comprehensive immigration reform, but, until then, this is a critical step in the right direction.\n\n\n\t\n\n\tThroughout this year, House Republicans have stonewalled on immigration reform and refused to work with Democrats. The Speaker refused to allow even a vote on the bipartisan immigration reform bill since it passed the Senate nearly a year and a half ago\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\tIt's a sign of our times that a Congress that has failed to act on comprehensive immigration reform for political reasons is concerned with the President's political motivations. Will it help or hurt Democrats and Republicans going forward in the future? A lot of ink and air time is devoted to making the case that one party or the other is going to suffer.\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\tInstead, our focus should be on the millions of people whose families will benefit from this action and on the potential to break the log jam to finish the job for comprehensive reform, strengthening families and the economy.\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\tIt is ultimately that test rather than the pundits and the pollsters that should be given more attention. I continue to be optimistic that, in the aftermath of this important decision, cooler heads will prevail and will be able to craft a longer term solution that doesn't leave out millions of others.\n\n\n\t\n\n\tThe loudest voices on Capitol Hill have sat on their hands and turned their backs on our businesses, our faith leaders, law enforcement, and hard-working immigrant families. \n\n\t\n\n\tThe President's action is not without precedent. Over the years, there have been dozens of executive actions taken on immigration matters, including from five Republican presidents. \n\n\t\n\n\tWe cannot afford to lose billions in economic growth, and $1 trillion over the next 20 years, that economists estimate the federal budget will lose as a result of our failed immigration policies. \n\n\t\n\n\tWe should celebrate this moment and then we must build on the President's actionand the advocacy that inspired itto enact comprehensive emigration reform. There is no other solution.\n\n\t\n\n\tI am eager to continue our work together to make it happen", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141124070347/http://bonamici.house.gov:80/press-release/rep-bonamici-statement-president-obama%E2%80%99s-action-immigration", "Rep. Bonamici Statement on President Obamas Action on Immigration", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Bonamici Statement on President Obama\u2019s Action on Immigration                                           \n              Nov 20, 2014      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n          \n                                          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    Washington, D.C. \u2013\u00a0Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) released the following statement in response to President Obama\u2019s action on immigration. \u00a0\n\u201cAfter spending more than a year urging Speaker Boehner to take up the Senate\u2019s bipartisan comprehensive immigration bill, I am pleased that President Obama is taking action to bring millions of aspiring Americans out of the shadows to contribute to our country\u2019s future. Across NW Oregon constituents talk about the need for policy changes on immigration. Business owners need reform to eliminate uncertainty surrounding their workforce. Technology companies want an updated Visa process to keep skilled workers in the United States. And families long for the opportunity to build their lives and keep their relatives together.\n\u201cThe President\u2019s action is a meaningful first step, but it is limited and temporary. A bipartisan \u00a0comprehensive immigration reform bill passed the Senate 511 days ago; it is long past time for the House to take action. It is our responsibility to address this important issue and pass permanent reform.\u201d\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/lawmakers-lambaste-new-york-fed-chief-on-lax-oversight", "Lawmakers Lambaste New York Fed Chief on Lax Oversight", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Lawmakers Lambaste New York Fed Chief on Lax Oversight \r\n\r\n     Dudley Defends Regulator, as Democrats Accuse Officials of Kowtowing to Big Banks \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFriday, November 21, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Ryan Tracy\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    The Wall Street Journal\r\n    \r\n    \r\n\r\nWASHINGTON\u2014The head of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York defended the regulator\u2019s oversight of large financial firms amid tough questioning from Senate Democrats, who accused the Fed of kowtowing to the biggest banks.\r\nWilliam Dudley\u00a0, the New York Fed\u2019s president appearing at a Senate hearing, denied his institution has serious cultural problems but said it could always improve on how it oversees big Wall Street banks.\r\n\u201cThe Federal Reserve has made significant changes to the substance and process of supervision,\u201d Mr. Dudley told the Senate Banking Committee. \u201cAs a result, the financial system is unquestionably much stronger and more stable now than it was five years ago.\u201d\r\nThe hearing came amid criticism of the Fed\u2019s oversight in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. In September, a former New York Fed examiner said her desire to stand up toGoldman Sachs Group\u00a0Inc. was suppressed by supervisors. In October, the Fed\u2019s inspector general said the New York Fed missed an opportunity to ferret out risk-taking in\u00a0J.P. Morgan Chase\u00a0& Co.\u2019s chief investment office before it lost about $6 billion in the \u201cLondon whale\u201d trading debacle.\r\n\u201cWe\u2019re not seeing anything close to a rigorous accountability for conflicts of interest and failures of oversight,\u201d said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D., Ore.).\r\nMr. Dudley pushed back against that assessment, saying the New York Fed hadn\u2019t failed in its oversight duties. He also addressed a series of recordings made by the former Fed employee that painted the Fed as a lax regulator, saying he disagreed.\r\n\u201cI don\u2019t accept the characterization that those tapes show the Federal Reserve is not working correctly,\u201d Mr. Dudley said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t repress [the issues in the tapes]. We didn\u2019t table them. We investigated those issues.\u201d\r\nMr. Dudley\u2019s comments did little to appease Senate Democrats, who at times expressed incredulity at his responses. In particular, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) lashed out at Mr. Dudley over lax oversight, at one point suggesting Mr. Dudley should be replaced if the New York Fed doesn\u2019t improve.\r\n\u201cEither you need to fix it, Mr. Dudley, or we need to get someone who will,\u201d she said.\r\nNo Republican senators attended the hearing.\r\nSen. Warren, along with Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio), and others questioned the New York Fed\u2019s independence, pressing Mr. Dudley to explain why the New York Fed didn\u2019t stop certain risky behavior, including the missed opportunity over the \u201cLondon whale.\u201d\r\nAn internal Fed recommendation to examine the J.P. Morgan office involved in the trades \u201cwas not a recommendation that came up to me to my approval,\u201d Mr. Dudley said. He said staffing was overstretched in 2009, when the recommendation was made, and that the bank had enough loss-absorbing capital to weather the episode.\r\n\u2014Victoria McGrane contributed to this article.\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-on-senate-commodities-report-extremely-disturbing-regulators-must-act", "Merkley on Senate Commodities Report: “Extremely Disturbing,” Regulators Must Act", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley on Senate Commodities Report: \u201cExtremely Disturbing,\u201d Regulators Must Act \n\t\n\t\n\tFriday, November 21, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released a report and held hearings finding that Wall Street banks have become heavily involved in the ownership and control of physical commodities, raising the potential for market manipulation. The commodities involved touch nearly every consumer and every corner of the American economy, such as oil, natural gas, and aluminum.\r\n \r\n\u201cThis report is extremely disturbing and raises many questions about why financial regulators were not aggressively investigating and acting on these issues long before now.\r\n\u201cIf a bank owns enough of a commodity to control the supply and demand of a product, and at the same time is profiting from trades on that product, it\u2019s obvious that there\u2019s a massive potential for market manipulation. Now we know it\u2019s not just potential, but reality. As this report reveals, Goldman Sachs manipulated the supply of aluminum at the same time as they were trading it. This type of market manipulation has real costs for our businesses and consumers, and it\u2019s unacceptable. Big banks shouldn\u2019t be able to rig the economic playing field in their favor at the cost of our economy and our middle class families.\r\n\u201cThere are many other alarming details contained in this report, including banks\u2019 extensive involvement in the energy sector and the massive risks that banks\u2019 positions in physical commodities could pose to their own stability and to our economy as a whole. This report should serve as a serious wake-up call to regulators to get our banks out of the oil tanker and aluminum warehouse business and back into the banking business, taking deposits and making loans to families and businesses.\u201d\r\n \r\nMerkley highlighted banks\u2019 involvement in commodities in Oregon in 2012, and earlier this year sent a comment letter to the Fed urging them to close the loopholes that allow banks to own physical commodities.\r\nIn a separate hearing today, Merkley questioned William Dudley, the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, on whether the Federal Reserve should continue to allow banks to own and control physical commodities. Video of that hearing can be found here.\r\n###\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/one-year-after-senate-rule-change-merkley-celebrates-confirmation-of-nearly-300-nominees", "One Year After Senate Rule Change, Merkley Celebrates Confirmation of Nearly 300 Nominees", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "One Year After Senate Rule Change, Merkley Celebrates Confirmation of Nearly 300 Nominees \n\t\n\t\n\tFriday, November 21, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement celebrating the one-year anniversary of the rule change that allows nominations to be confirmed with a simple majority vote, as envisioned in the Constitution. In the year since the rule change, more than 290 nominees have been confirmed by the Senate.\r\n \r\n\u201cA year ago, our nation and our democracy were threatened by partisan obstruction that was packing our courts and preventing our agencies from doing their jobs. Thanks to this fight and to the historic rule change, there's\u00a0a cop on the beat to stand up for consumers against Wall Street, putting billions of dollars back in the pockets of ordinary consumers. A functioning National Labor Relations Board is giving workers across the country access to justice that otherwise would be denied.\r\n\u201cMoreover, providing a fair Senate vote on President Obama\u2019s nominees to fill three vacancies on the D.C. Circuit Court \u2013 the second most important court in the country \u2013 was crucial to restoring the Court\u2019s integrity. The Senate has also more than doubled the pace of votes on judicial nominations. Enabling these nominees to receive fair up-or-down votes will have profound effects on issues that affect Americans every day, from clean air to women\u2019s health to keeping Wall Street in check.\u00a0\r\n\u201cWith nearly 300 executive and judicial nominees confirmed this past year, we\u2019ve made a real difference and are breaking through the gridlock to help restore a government that works for working Americans.\u201d\r\n \r\n###\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t  \n          \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-release-merkley-grills-new-york-fed-president-on-too-big-to-jail", "VIDEO RELEASE: Merkley Grills New York Fed President on Too Big To Jail", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "VIDEO RELEASE: Merkley Grills New York Fed President on Too Big To Jail \n\t\n\t\n\tFriday, November 21, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, as the Senate Banking Committee held a hearing on whether banking regulators have become too close to the banks they oversee, Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley grilled the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on whether a lack of individual prosecutions at big banks shows they are still \u201cToo Big To Jail.\u201d\r\nMerkley highlighted the case of Credit Suisse\u2019s tax evasion, in which the bank pled guilty to criminal charges, yet no individuals responsible for the criminal behavior were prosecuted or sent to prison.\r\n \r\n\u201cI think ordinary Americans would find it fascinating that this plea agreement, which basically involved a financial penalty, a fine, constitutes somehow ending \u2018Too Big To Jail\u2019 if nobody\u2019s going to jail,\u201d Merkley said.\r\n \r\nAt another point, Merkley questioned whether regulators were \u201casleep at the switch,\u201d given that the tax evasion was brought to light by a Senate investigation and not by the regulators who are tasked with overseeing the banks on a day-to-day basis.\r\nA video clip from the exchange can be accessed here. The full transcript of the exchange follows below.\r\n\r\nMERKLEY: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Chair.\r\nAnd Mr. Dudley, you referred to the Credit Suisse arrangement as ending Too Big To Jail. Credit Suisse was involved in an operation that involved creating secret off-shore accounts in the names of sham entities and foundations.\r\nHow many of the names of the Americans who were involved in creating those accounts were turned over as part of that criminal prosecution?\r\nDUDLEY: I don't know the answer to that, Senator.\r\nMERKLEY: You don't know the answer to that?\r\nDUDLEY: No.\r\nMERKLEY: Well, the answer is none. And can you explain why that is?\r\nDUDLEY: I can't explain how -- why that is, Senator.\r\nMERKLEY: That's just a fundamental fact of that case that you're presenting as Too Big To Jail. How many of the Americans who created these secret accounts were prosecuted?\r\nDUDLEY: I don't know, Senator.\r\nMERKLEY: Well, the answer's none because no names were turned over.\r\nThe -- did the information related to that prosecution, which you said shows the Fed is now involved in ending Too Big To Jail, did the information come from the Fed that led to that prosecution?\r\nDUDLEY: I don't know, Senator.\r\nMERKLEY: It's hard to imagine since the casual reader of the newspaper would know that it came from Senator Levin's hearings and the report that his committee put out that had extensive disclosure that led to this investigation.\r\nSo, the basic information on that case is that hundreds of Credit Suisse employees were involved in the scheme to create these secret offshore accounts in the name of sham entities. So if we\u2019ve ended too-big-to-jail, how many of those hundreds of the Credit Suisse employees have been indicted for criminal activity?\r\nDUDLEY: I don't know the answer to that.\r\nMERKLEY: Would you be surprised if the answer is zero?\r\nDUDLEY: Probably. I'd be surprised.\r\nMERKLEY: Well, I find it fascinating that you're presenting this as the end of too-big-to-jail. How many people are actually in jail right now because of that investigation?\r\nDUDLEY: It's end of too-big-to-jail for the corporation which pled guilty -- the corporation pled guilty...\r\nMERKLEY: You don't put corporations in jail.\r\nDUDLEY: There was no -- the argument that was made a year ago or a year-and-a-half ago was that large financial institutions could not plead guilty to crimes because this could destabilize those institutions, which could lead to problems. And the view was that was unfair because the view was why should these entities be too big to jail. Why should they be able to escape guilty pleas because of their size?\r\nAnd I think we've actually set a new precedent over the last year where no bank is too big to be found guilty if they commit -- if they've committed a crime.\r\nMERKLEY: OK, but that doesn't involve jail. Jail involves putting people in jail. I just -- I think ordinary Americans would find it fascinating that this plea agreement, which basically involved a financial payment, a fine, constitutes somehow ending Too Big To Jail if nobody's going to jail.\r\nThere may have been some folks go to jail. There were some eight folks three years earlier who were indicted. I don't know the outcome of those cases. But that would be a small touch on this. And the -- I just think it -- isn't it ironic that it took a U.S. Senate investigation by Carl Levin to provide the facts that led to this particular case getting handled?\r\nDUDLEY: I don't have a good way of judging that.\r\nMERKLEY: But you're the regulator. Shouldn't the regulator have discovered these facts? Why did it take the U.S. Senate committee to find out the facts? If you're the regulator, why didn't the regulator find out these facts?\r\nDUDLEY: I don't know the answer.\r\nMERKLEY: Doesn't this indicate you're just asleep at the switch?\r\nDUDLEY: I don't -- I don't agree with that characterization.\r\nMERKLEY: Well, then why didn't you find out these issues? If the U.S. Senate committee, long -- far removed, could find out this information and you have all kinds of people daily reviewing activities, how is it possible you could fail to see the information that the U.S. Senate committee came up with?\r\nDoes this disturb you? Do you think there needs to be some change in practices? You presented a very glib presentation of everything being wonderful. But doesn't this set of facts say that maybe there's need for some fundamental reform?\r\nDUDLEY: We -- Senator, we're continuing to try to see how we can do our job better. But I think especially for foreign institutions where we only have insight into the U.S. entity, it's very hard to know what's happening globally. So I would say...\r\nMERKLEY: ... activities of the U.S. entity -- is that really an excuse? That it's -- I mean, this is a U.S. subsidiary of the foreign entity. Is that really an excuse? I mean, if the U.S. Senate can find out the activities of a U.S. subsidiary, can't your regulators who are there on a daily basis find out?\r\nDUDLEY: Senator, I think that when we focus on supervision, our orientation is towards safety and soundness of the firms that we supervise and the financial stability of the global financial system. I don't think that we have spent -- ever spent a tremendous amount of resources on issues of tax evasion.\r\nMERKLEY: Are you familiar with the settlement involved granting Credit Suisse an exemption from federal law that requires a bank to hand over its investment adviser license?\r\nDUDLEY: I believe that they were granted an exemption.\r\nMERKLEY: OK. Well, it might be an appropriate part of the story to present. And also that the plea agreement was deliberately announced when the markets were closed. There was an awful gentle touch in even how this plea agreement was handled. And I just want to have a coherent picture for the public to see those are parts of the story. I'll conclude there. Thank you.\r\n###\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/video/senator-merkley-questions-ny-fed-president-on-too-big-to-jail", "Senator Merkley Questions NY Fed President on Too Big To Jail", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley questions William Dudley, the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, on whether financial regulators have truly end...", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-rohrabacher-introduce-bipartisan-veterans-equal-access-act", "Blumenauer, Rohrabacher Introduce Bipartisan Veterans Equal Access Act to Expand Medical Marijuana Access to our Nation's Heroes", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC Today, Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), along with ten bipartisan cosponsors, introduced the Veterans Equal Access Act, which would make it easier for qualified veterans to access medical marijuana.\n\n\t\n\n\tCurrently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) specifically prohibits its medical providers from completing forms brought by their patients seeking recommendations or opinions regarding a Veteran's participation in a state medical marijuana program. The Act would authorize VA physicians and other health care providers to provide recommendations and opinions regarding the use of medical marijuana to veterans who live in medical marijuana states.\n\n\t\n\n\tPost traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury are just as damaging and harmful as any injuries that are visible from the outside, said Blumenauer. Sometimes even more so because of the devastating effect they can have on a veteran's family. We should be allowing these wounded warriors access to the medicine that will help them survive and thrive, including medical marijuana, not treating them like criminals and forcing them into the shadows. It's shameful.\n\n\t\n\n\tOur antiquated drug laws must catch up with the real suffering of so many of our veterans, said Rohrabacher. This is now a moral cause and a matter of supreme urgency. It is unconscionable that a VA doctor cannot offer a full range of treatments, including medical marijuana, which in many cases has been shown to have worked, to an American veteran who fought valiantly for our country. Conscience dictates that we not coldly ignore these desperate men and women, and that we remove government from its paternalistic stance between patient and doctor.\n\n\t\n\n\tOver 20 percent of the 2.8 million American veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTS and depression. In addition, a recent study found that of the nearly one million veterans who receive opioids to treat painful conditions, more than half continue to consume chronically or beyond 90 days. Another study found that the death rate from opiate overdoses among VA patients is nearly double the national average. In states where patients can legally access medical marijuana for painful conditions, often as a less addictive alternative, the hands of VA physicians should not be tied.\n\n\t\n\n\tVeterans For medical Cannabis Access is very proud to stand by Congressman Blumenauer and support the Veterans Equal Access Act, said Michael Krawitz, executive director of Veterans For Medical Cannabis Access. \"The Veterans Health Administration has made it very clear that, as federal employees, they lack the free speech necessary to write the recommendations for Veterans to comply with state programs. This legislation is needed to correct that legal situation and repair this VA doctor patient relationship.\"\n\n\t\n\n\tThe status quo has numerous harmful effects, continued Blumenauer. It forces veterans into the black market to self-medicate. It prevents doctors from giving their best and honest advice and recommendations. And it pushes both doctors and their patients toward drugs that are potentially more harmful and more addictive. It's insane and it has to stop.\n\n\t\n\n\tThe bill is also cosponsored by Justin Amash (R-MI), Paul Broun (R-GA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Sam Farr (D-CA), Walter Jones (R-NC), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Beto O'Rourke (D-TX), Jared Polis (D-CO), Steve Stockman (R-TX), and Dina Titus (D-NV)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/epa-reconsidering-biomass", "EPA reconsidering biomass", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "EPA reconsidering biomass \r\n\r\n     May have minimal impact on climate change as energy source, agency says \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThursday, November 20, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Andrew Clevenger\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON \u2014 The Environmental Protection Agency signaled Wednesday that it may be more open to considering timber byproducts and other biomass as an energy source that fits within the Obama administration\u2019s efforts to reduce carbon emissions.\r\nIn a memo to all of the agency\u2019s regional air directors, Janet G. McCabe, acting assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation, wrote that the agency is developing a framework to evaluate the carbon dioxide emissions from biomass, with the expectation there will be climate policy benefits to using biomass to generate energy.\r\n\u201cInformation considered in preparing the second draft of the Framework, including the (Science Advisory Board) peer review and stakeholder input, supports the finding that use of waste-derived feedstocks and certain forest-derived industrial byproducts are likely to have minimal or no net atmospheric contributions of biogenic C02 emissions, or even reduce such impacts, when compared with an alternate fate of disposal,\u201d McCabe wrote.\r\nThe memo also opens the door for harvesting timber to burn to generate power, so long as the forests are sustainably managed.\r\n\u201cIn many cases, the generation of sustainably sourced bioenergy products can be an integral part of regimes that promote conservation and sustainable forest management,\u201d the memo states.\r\nNorman Johnson, a professor of forestry at Oregon State University, said the EPA should be applauded for trying to reflect the uniqueness and complexity of forestry in its emissions policy.\r\nIn part, the agency is recognizing that the waste produced during logging, called the slash, is often burned on-site if there isn\u2019t an economically viable alternative, such as hauling it to a mill where it can be turned into wood pellets, he said. When disposed of in a burning pile, the same amount of CO2 is released, but there is no energy-producing benefit, he said.\r\nAdditionally, the EPA would consider granting exemptions from the emissions limit if the source of the fuel is a sustainably managed forest.\r\n\u201cThey\u2019ve decided, by sustainably managed, they mean managed for the long run,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThey mean that the forest comes back,\u201d and the land isn\u2019t converted into something besides a healthy, viable forest.\r\nWithin the scientific community, there is debate on whether burning biomass for energy contributes to climate change. The answer often depends on the time frame considered, Johnson said.\r\nIn the short term, biomass compares unfavorably with natural gas, because it doesn\u2019t produce as much energy for the same amount of CO2 produced. But when the CO2 absorbed by the trees that regrow is factored in, biomass can outperform fossil fuels in terms of carbon emissions, he said.\r\nSen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said Wednesday\u2019s announcement helps alleviate some of the uncertainty for companies that want to invest in using biomass, such as the byproduct produced by forest thinning projects that reduce hazardous fuel loads.\r\n\u201cI believe that today is a significant step forward,\u201d he said. \u201cEPA appears to be fully heading towards (some types of biomass) being considered carbon neutral.\u201d\r\nAdding an energy component to forest sustainability will make thinning and hazardous fuel reduction more economically viable, he said. This can lead to healthier forests and reduced risk of wildfire.\r\nMerkley contrasted Wednesday\u2019s announcement with Tuesday\u2019s Senate vote on the Keystone XL pipeline, which would help transport oil in Canada\u2019s tar sands across America to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico. Merkley was one of 41 Democrats who voted against approving the controversial pipeline, which failed to advance by one vote.\r\nTo keep global warming to a modest increase of 2 degrees centigrade, four-fifths of the world\u2019s fossil fuels need to be left in the ground, he said.\r\n\u201cThat means you should not be turning the tap on to move the reserves of fossil fuels of the tar sands,\u201d which is some of the dirtiest oil available, he said. \u201cBut it means you should be taking advantage of biofuels, which don\u2019t add to the carbon dioxide global warming problem.\u201d\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-defazio-elected-top-democrat-on-house-transportation-infrastructure", "Rep. DeFazio Elected Top Democrat on  House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) issued the following statement after his selection as Ranking Member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee in the 114th Congress:\n\u201cFor far too long, Congress has taken the easy way out when it comes to investing in our nation\u2019s transportation infrastructure, relying on short-term patches for long-standing problems. But we can\u2019t afford to merely kick the can down the road yet again. We are approaching a critical juncture concerning transportation issues in our country, and with that in mind, I am especially honored to have the strong support of my colleagues to lead the caucus as the new Ranking Member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.\n\u201cWhile the jurisdiction of the Committee includes areas of great importance to my home state of Oregon - including the Coast Guard, highways and transit, water resources, railroads, aviation and economic development \u2013 every state and territory in our country is profoundly affected by the decisions made in this committee. After all, transportation infrastructure is at the heart of the U.S. economy. Our communities and our businesses, both big and small, depend on safe and efficient roads, rails, ports, planes, pipelines and mass transit. Millions of American jobs are directly tied to infrastructure. It is not acceptable to keep shortchanging future generations by allowing our infrastructure to deteriorate to third world status. There are nearly 150,000 structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges on our roads today; trucks are being rerouted because of weight restrictions; and people are wasting time and gasoline in traffic. The U.S. must do better.\n\u201cAs Ranking Member, I will be a tireless advocate for the kind of infrastructure investment that results in job creation, increased efficiency and strategic growth. Two key vehicles for this investment include the Federal Aviation Administration and surface transportation authorization bills, both of which I plan to tackle immediately in a bipartisan fashion with Chairman Bill Shuster. Together, we can lay the groundwork for infrastructure investment that delivers for generations to come.\u00a0\n\u201cAs I take this position, I\u2019d like to thank Congressman Nick Rahall of West Virginia for his leadership and 38 years of service to this committee and our country. I look forward to continuing his legacy of bipartisanship by working closely with all members of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.\u201d\nBACKGROUND\nBoth the Steering and Policy Committee and the Democratic Caucus voted unanimously today to recommend DeFazio for the Ranking Member position.\nDeFazio has served as a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee since he first entered Congress in 1987. During his time on the Committee, he has served as Chairman or Ranking member of four of the six subcommittees: Aviation, Coast Guard, Highways and Transit, and Water Resources and Environment. DeFazio has taken a lead role on several multi-billion dollar surface transportation and FAA reauthorization bills, and worked to strengthen Buy America standards.\nEarlier this year, DeFazio served as a conferee to reconcile difference between the House and Senate versions of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, where he successfully secured funding for America\u2019s small ports.\nDeFazio currently serves as the Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, where he advocates for the economic security and sustainability of rural communities in Oregon and across the U.S., offers common-sense solutions to promote forest health and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, and champions legislation to protect some of the country\u2019s most incredible natural treasures.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-poe-call-swift-passage-water-world-act-improved-global", "Blumenauer, Poe Call for Swift Passage of Water for the World Act, Improved Global Sanitation", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) and Ted Poe (TX-02) held a press conference to promote the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act, HR 2901, and to celebrate World Toilet Day.\n\n\t\n\n\tCurrently, nearly 800 million people lack access to clean water. An astounding 2.5 billion people worldwide live without access to proper sanitation. Every day, women and girls spend a combined 200 million hours collecting water, keeping them from school, work, and family. Water for the World elevates water, sanitation, and hygiene programs and leverages the impact of other development assistance, ensuring that they are targeted to help the world's poorest, and are more effective, with long-term, sustainable impacts.\n\n\tThis is a truly bipartisan effort, supported by good people on all sides of the political spectrum, said Blumenauer. Congressman Poe and I have always said that politics stops at water, and we hope to prove that right over the coming weeks. The swift passage of this bill this Congress would be a signal that we can come together to improve America's security, global health, and the lives of women and children without burdening taxpayers or making enemies abroad. We're committed to working with House leadership to get this bill onto the floor and then through the Senate as soon as possible.\n\n\t\n\n\tIt is unacceptable that in the year 2014 there are women who are still forced to walk miles to fetch water from polluted rivers infected with waste, parasites and other insects, said Poe. This ought not to be. Water is key to just about every kind of development. If we don't get water right, it doesn't matter how many schools we build or vaccines we pass out. This bipartisan bill will make U.S. water aid more efficient and effective. We have it within our power to fix this and make water a priority in any development discussion- like it should be.\n\n\t\n\n\t\"We are proud to support the Water for the World Act and work to increase access to water and sanitation around the world, said Justine Lucas, U.S. Country Director of the Global Poverty Project. Global Citizens across the United States have raised their voices calling on Congress to pass the Water for the World Act this year.\"\n\n\t\n\n\tWater for the World is a critical opportunity to support poor communities to build their own resiliency, improve their health, and better prevent crises like the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa, said Lisa Schechtman, director of policy and advocacy for WaterAid. With all these benefits, it's no wonder the bill has such strong bipartisan support on the drive to the President's desk.\n\n\t\n\n\tThe lack of access to safe water and sanitation facilities and of appropriate hygiene impacts women and girls the most, said Lisa Bos, senior policy advisor at WorldVision. We must and can do better and the Water for the World Act helps get us there. Women and girls are the future in the developing world and the basics of water, sanitation and hygiene are essential to ensuring that future is realized.\n\n\t\n\n\tThe 2012 Intelligence Community Assessment on Global Water Security found that during the next 10 years, many countries important to the United States will experience water problems, and that the developing world will look to the U.S. to lead the global community toward the development and implementation of sound policies for managing water resources. The Water for World Act makes important strides in that direction, said John Oldfield, CEO of WASH Advocates. It's also important to recognize that thousands and thousands of Americans - churches, Rotarians, nonprofits, school kids - in all 50 states are working actively to get safe drinking water to people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. What you see here today on the steps of the Capitol is just the tip of the iceberg.\"\n\n\t\n\n\tThe US has become a leader in helping poor people get access to safe drinking water and sanitation, but only in recent years, said John Sparks, director of advocacy and communications at Millennium Water Alliance. Before 2005, US tax dollars in this area did not have the priority and focus that were needed to make a big difference. Now, US aid is playing the role that Americans across the political spectrum, in poll after poll, say they want it to do. Safe water and sanitation are intuitively supported by the great majority of Americans, whatever their political identification, and Congress can recognize that priority when it passes the Water for the World Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141206004440/http://bonamici.house.gov/press-release/rep-bonamici-statement-passage-legislation-will-undermine-science-research", "Rep. Bonamici Statement on Passage of Legislation that Will Undermine Science Research", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) released the following statement after the House passed two bills that will undermine the research and scientific integrity of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).\n\u201cI applaud my colleagues\u2019 effort to improve transparency at the EPA, but unfortunately neither of these bills will do that. Instead, these bills place unnecessary requirements on the agency and hinder its ability to protect public health and the environment.\n\u201cThe \u2018Secret Science Reform Act\u2019 (H.R. 4012) requires that all EPA action be based on reports for which the underlying data is publicly available and capable of being reproduced. These requirements would exclude countless studies that rely on personal medical information. This will significantly limit the research\u00a0available to EPA and hamper its ability to protect human health through rational regulation.\n\u201cThe second piece of legislation, the EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act (H.R. 1422), will restructure the panel of experts responsible for assessing studies and advising the EPA. The bill will depart from current practice by allowing industry representatives who have financial conflicts of interest to serve on the board if their conflict is disclosed. At the same time, the bill will preclude service by the best and brightest scientists because it includes new provisions that bar anyone who participated in a study that was even indirectly reviewed by the EPA. The bill would also delay Board action by requiring duplicative proceedings and written Board response to substantial public comments.\n\u201cI support making scientific research more accessible and making the Science Advisory Boards more transparent, but these bills limit the science on which EPA can base its decisions, and threaten the ability of the agency to fulfill its mission.\u201d\nWATCH Congresswoman Bonamici\u2019s remarks about H.R. 4012: http://bit.ly/1F1d61v.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-statement-on-epa-proposed-accounting-framework-for-biogenic-co2-emissions", "Merkley Statement on EPA Proposed Accounting Framework for Biogenic CO2 Emissions", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Statement on EPA Proposed Accounting Framework for Biogenic CO2 Emissions \n\t\n\t\t \"We can help rural economies and help address climate change by making good use of the biomass in our forests.\" \n\t\n\t\n\tWednesday, November 19, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON -- Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement on the EPA's proposed accounting framework for biogenic CO2 emissions, which will help provide more certainty and encourage job creation in the biomass industry in Oregon:\r\n \r\n\u201cThe new draft accounting framework and guidance memo released by the EPA today are important steps toward providing greater clarity to our mills that have invested in biomass boilers, and to our forestland owners who are providing a sustainable source of energy.\u00a0 All across Oregon, our forests are building up fuel loads as a result of a century\u2019s worth of fire suppression. We can put Oregonians to work by not only removing these hazardous fuels, but using that biomass to make energy.\u00a0 We can help rural economies and help address climate change by making good use of the biomass in our forests.\u201d\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-black-send-letter-cms-socioeconomic-status-and-risk", "Blumenauer, Black Send Letter to CMS on Socioeconomic Status and Risk-Adjustment in Medicare Advantage", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Reps.Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03) andDiane Black (R-TN-06) and a bipartisan group of 32 of their House colleagues wrote to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator, Marilyn Tavenner, asking for appropriate adjustments to the Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment system and the star rating and quality bonus program for Medicare's most vulnerable population. The text of their letter is below, or for a digital copy, click here.\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\n\tThe Honorable Marilyn Tavenner\n\n\tAdministrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services\n\n\tU.S. Department of Health and Human Services\n\n\t7500 Security Boulevard\n\n\tBaltimore, MD 21244\n\n\t\n\n\tDear Administrator Tavenner:\n\n\t\n\n\tWe write today to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to take appropriate measures to ensure Medicare's most vulnerable populations will continue to have access to the high quality care provided through the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. The MA program plays an important role in helping 16 million beneficiaries access high-quality health care, including delivering coordinated care to dually-eligible beneficiaries and other low-income seniors who often experience higher rates of chronic illness, disability and mental illness. \n\n\t\n\n\tIt is well established that social determinants of health, including socioeconomic status, are important drivers of health outcomes. Dually-eligible individuals are amongst Medicare and Medicaid's most vulnerable beneficiaries and those most in need of the additional benefits and services, care management, and coordination across providers that MA offers. We are, therefore, concerned that the current MA quality and resultant payment system does not capture the social determinants of health that these beneficiaries may face.\n\n\t\n\n\tWe appreciate CMS's recent interest in the impact of such social determinations, including low-income status on performance ratings, and believe the Request for Information released on September 8, 2014 is an important first step in examining this issue. The current MA payment systemspecifically the risk adjustment payment model and the star ratings and quality bonus programdoes not adequately recognize the types of high-cost interventions and care management required to provide high-quality care to the unique and specific needs of dually-eligible beneficiaries. \n\n\t\n\n\tEven with additional resources and the best efforts of health care providers, improved health outcomes tend to occur at a slower rate for the most disadvantaged beneficiaries. This, in turn, leads to lower quality ratings for the plans serving these populations and ultimately, lower funding to these plans. Thus, our current system perpetuates a downward funding and quality spiral for the populations who may need the most help. \n\n\t\n\n\tThe possibility that a transfer of resources would be made away from the very beneficiaries most in need of such investments is deeply concerning. We want to hold all MA plans to high standards, but we also need to better measure patient outcomes and hold plans accountable for the risks and challenges faced by vulnerable beneficiaries and provide the right resources to help address those risks. \n\n\t\n\n\tThe MA payment system should recognize the differences necessary to improve health outcomes for all populations, not discourage it. Any improvement to the risk adjustment model should consider MedPAC's recommendations to use two years of condition data in the risk adjustment formula, include the number of conditions as an adjustment factor, and include variables for partial and full dual status.  In addition, the star ratings should be adjusted to reflect the challenges plans and providers face in caring for the most vulnerable populations. \n\n\t\n\n\tThe National Quality Forum (NQF) has recognized the impact that socioeconomic factors have on health outcomes and finalized recommendations to adjust quality measures for such factors on a trial basis.  We applaud NQF for their efforts to address this issue, and we strongly encourage CMS to take these recommendations into account as you consider improvements to the Medicare Advantage program.\n\n\t\n\n\tWe appreciate the recent effort of CMS to consider this important issue, and respectfully request that CMS make the necessary adjustments in the short term to ensure that both the risk-adjustment system and the star rating and quality bonus program accurately reflect the challenges in caring for vulnerable, dually-eligible individuals. We look forward to further working with CMS to further ensure Medicare's risk adjustment and quality measurement system is as accurate as possible.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-black-send-letter-cms-socioeconomic-status-and-risk-0", "Blumenauer, Black Send Letter to CMS on Socioeconomic Status and Risk-Adjustment in Medicare Advantage", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Reps.Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03) andDiane Black (R-TN-06) and a bipartisan group of 32 of their House colleagues wrote to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator, Marilyn Tavenner, asking for appropriate adjustments to the Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment system and the star rating and quality bonus program for Medicare's most vulnerable population. The text of their letter is below, or for a digital copy, click here.\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\n\tThe Honorable Marilyn Tavenner\n\n\tAdministrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services\n\n\tU.S. Department of Health and Human Services\n\n\t7500 Security Boulevard\n\n\tBaltimore, MD 21244\n\n\t\n\n\tDear Administrator Tavenner:\n\n\t\n\n\tWe write today to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to take appropriate measures to ensure Medicare's most vulnerable populations will continue to have access to the high quality care provided through the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. The MA program plays an important role in helping 16 million beneficiaries access high-quality health care, including delivering coordinated care to dually-eligible beneficiaries and other low-income seniors who often experience higher rates of chronic illness, disability and mental illness. \n\n\t\n\n\tIt is well established that social determinants of health, including socioeconomic status, are important drivers of health outcomes. Dually-eligible individuals are amongst Medicare and Medicaid's most vulnerable beneficiaries and those most in need of the additional benefits and services, care management, and coordination across providers that MA offers. We are, therefore, concerned that the current MA quality and resultant payment system does not capture the social determinants of health that these beneficiaries may face.\n\n\t\n\n\tWe appreciate CMS's recent interest in the impact of such social determinations, including low-income status on performance ratings, and believe the Request for Information released on September 8, 2014 is an important first step in examining this issue. The current MA payment systemspecifically the risk adjustment payment model and the star ratings and quality bonus programdoes not adequately recognize the types of high-cost interventions and care management required to provide high-quality care to the unique and specific needs of dually-eligible beneficiaries. \n\n\t\n\n\tEven with additional resources and the best efforts of health care providers, improved health outcomes tend to occur at a slower rate for the most disadvantaged beneficiaries. This, in turn, leads to lower quality ratings for the plans serving these populations and ultimately, lower funding to these plans. Thus, our current system perpetuates a downward funding and quality spiral for the populations who may need the most help. \n\n\t\n\n\tThe possibility that a transfer of resources would be made away from the very beneficiaries most in need of such investments is deeply concerning. We want to hold all MA plans to high standards, but we also need to better measure patient outcomes and hold plans accountable for the risks and challenges faced by vulnerable beneficiaries and provide the right resources to help address those risks. \n\n\t\n\n\tThe MA payment system should recognize the differences necessary to improve health outcomes for all populations, not discourage it. Any improvement to the risk adjustment model should consider MedPAC's recommendations to use two years of condition data in the risk adjustment formula, include the number of conditions as an adjustment factor, and include variables for partial and full dual status.  In addition, the star ratings should be adjusted to reflect the challenges plans and providers face in caring for the most vulnerable populations. \n\n\t\n\n\tThe National Quality Forum (NQF) has recognized the impact that socioeconomic factors have on health outcomes and finalized recommendations to adjust quality measures for such factors on a trial basis.  We applaud NQF for their efforts to address this issue, and we strongly encourage CMS to take these recommendations into account as you consider improvements to the Medicare Advantage program.\n\n\t\n\n\tWe appreciate the recent effort of CMS to consider this important issue, and respectfully request that CMS make the necessary adjustments in the short term to ensure that both the risk-adjustment system and the star rating and quality bonus program accurately reflect the challenges in caring for vulnerable, dually-eligible individuals. We look forward to further working with CMS to further ensure Medicare's risk adjustment and quality measurement system is as accurate as possible.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/senator-merkley-argues-against-keystone-pipeline-on-senate-floor", "Senator Merkley Argues Against Keystone Pipeline on Senate Floor", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator Merkley Argues Against Keystone Pipeline on Senate Floor \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTuesday, November 18, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    KBND.com\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. -- The controversial Keystone Pipeline Vote in the Senate Tuesday went down to defeat by one vote. \u00a0The vote would've allowed Canada to build a piepline thorugh the U.S. to the Gulf of Mexico. \u00a0Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu is in a tight December runoff and had hoped to push the measure through.\r\nOregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley has been a staunch opponent of the pipeline and spoke against it on the Senate floor. \u00a0\r\n \r\n\"And the argument goes that this will strengthen our national security by decreasing our dependnce on oil in the MIddle East. But they're overlooking the fact that this is not American oil, It's Canadian oil and it's being sent down to the gulf to be exported. \u00a0The Tar Sands do nothing more for the U.S. as if it were exported through Canada to the world market.\"\r\n \r\nMerkley says the pipeline would turn on the faucet for the dirtiest fossil fuels on the planet and would increase global warming.\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/bipartisan-bicoastal-group-of-lawmakers-calls-on-coast-guard-to-keep-facilities-open", "Bipartisan, Bicoastal Group of Lawmakers Calls on Coast Guard to Keep Facilities Open", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bipartisan, Bicoastal Group of Lawmakers Calls on Coast Guard to Keep Facilities Open \n\t\n\t\t South Carolina Congressional Members Join Oregon Lawmakers in Urging Coast Guard to Reverse Course  \n\t\n\t\n\tTuesday, November 18, 2014\n\t\n\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 In a continued effort to ensure the safety of residents living and working in coastal areas, members of Congress from South Carolina today joined Oregon lawmakers in calling on the U.S. Coast Guard to keep facilities in Oregon and South Carolina from closing next month.\r\nSenators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Representatives Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Mark Sanford, R-S.C., and Tom Rice, R-S.C., signed the letter urging the Coast Guard to reverse its abrupt announcement from October that it would close facilities in Newport, Oregon and Charleston, South Carolina. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., chairman of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, also signed the letter.\r\n \r\n\u201cWe believe that the United States Coast Guard\u2019s decision to close air facilities in Newport, Oregon and Charleston, South Carolina would needlessly endanger mariners in our respective states and we urge you to prevent the Coast Guard from doing so,\u201d the lawmakers wrote in the letter.\r\n \r\nWhile the Coast Guard claims that it will still be able to meet the national standard of a two-hour search-and-rescue response time, the lawmakers argue that fewer assets could lengthen response times and threaten the safety of local mariners.\u00a0\r\n \r\n\u201cWhile we strongly support efforts to spend federal dollars more efficiently, we cannot support budget cuts that needlessly jeopardize the lives of our constituents.\u00a0 We therefore urge you to reevaluate the Coast Guard\u2019s decision and to prevent the Coast Guard from closing these air facilities,\u201d they wrote.\r\n \r\nIn response to previous calls from Oregon and South Carolina lawmakers, the Coast Guard announced it would delay the December 1 closure of the Newport and Charleston facilities until December 15. Newport houses National Oceanic and Atmospheric vessels and Oregon\u2019s largest commercial fishing fleet, in addition to research vessels from Oregon State University. Charleston is one of the nation\u2019s busiest cargo ports, and is home to a robust tourism industry as well as large shrimp, crab and oyster fleets.\r\nRead the full letter here.\u00a0\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t  \n          \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-applauds-senate-confirmation-of-us-ambassador-to-timor-leste_", "Merkley Applauds Senate Confirmation of U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Applauds Senate Confirmation of U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste   \n\t\n\t\t Calls confirmation \u2018good step forward\u2019 in dialogue regarding Stacey Addison \n\t\n\t\n\tTuesday, November 18, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley applauded the Senate confirmation of Karen Stanton to be the U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste and expressed his hope for expanded talks with the Timorese government regarding Dr. Stacey Addison. \u00a0The Oregon veterinarian has been imprisoned for weeks even though, according to reports, she has not been charged with a crime and appears to have no connection other than as a witness to criminal activity.\u00a0 Yesterday\u2019s confirmation of Karen Stanton comes just a week after Senators Merkley and Wyden sent a letter to Senate leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell urging them to schedule a vote on this nomination. Dr. Addison\u2019s case highlights the importance of having high-level representation in the form of our ambassadors.\r\n \r\n\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m hopeful that the confirmation of Karen Stanton will be a good step forward in advancing our dialogue with the Timorese government and will help to encourage a fair and speedy process for Dr. Addison,\u201d said Senator Merkley.\r\n \r\nSenator Merkley met with the Ambassador of Timor-Leste last week to discuss Dr. Addison\u2019s case and his staff has been working with the State Department to offer assistance to Dr. Addison and her family.\u00a0\r\n###\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-release-senate-rejects-keystone-xl-pipeline-as-merkley-helps-lead-senate-opposition", "VIDEO RELEASE: Senate Rejects Keystone XL Pipeline as Merkley Helps Lead Senate Opposition", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "VIDEO RELEASE: Senate Rejects Keystone XL Pipeline as Merkley Helps Lead Senate Opposition \n\t\n\t\t Merkley: \u201cWe absolutely should not build the Keystone Pipeline, which would turn on the faucet for the dirtiest fossil fuels on the planet.\u201d \n\t\n\t\n\tTuesday, November 18, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Senate voted to reject a bill to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline. Merkley has been an outspoken opponent of the project and spoke on the Senate Floor earlier today to urge his colleagues to vote no.\r\n \r\n\u201cClimate change already threatens our farming, fishing and forestry industries, and with them our middle class jobs across rural Oregon and rural America. This is unacceptable and it is important that we strive to tackle the carbon pollution driving global warming. To do so, we need to dramatically reduce the global consumption of fossil fuels and invest heavily in renewable energy. We absolutely should not build the Keystone Pipeline, which would turn on the faucet for the dirtiest fossil fuels on the planet.\u201d\r\n \r\nA video clip from Merkley\u2019s floor speech is available here.\u00a0\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/video/merkley-speaks-out-against-keystone-xl-pipeline", "Merkley Speaks Out Against Keystone XL Pipeline", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley speaks on the Senate Floor opposing a bill to fast-track construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline and explaining why the pipeli...", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/bipartisan-bicoastal-group-of-lawmakers-calls-on-coast-guard-to-keep-facilities-open", "Bipartisan, Bicoastal Group of Lawmakers Calls on Coast Guard to Keep Facilities Open", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "South Carolina Congressional Members Join Oregon Lawmakers in Urging Coast Guard to Reverse Course \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, November 18, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 In a continued effort to ensure the safety of residents living and working in coastal areas, members of Congress from South Carolina today joined Oregon lawmakers in calling on the U.S. Coast Guard to keep facilities in Oregon and South Carolina from closing next month.\r\nSenators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Representatives Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Mark Sanford, R-S.C., and Tom Rice, R-S.C., signed the letter urging the Coast Guard to reverse its abrupt announcement from October that it would close facilities in Newport, Oregon and Charleston, South Carolina. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., chairman of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, also signed the letter.\r\n\u201cWe believe that the United States Coast Guard\u2019s decision to close air facilities in Newport, Oregon and Charleston, South Carolina would needlessly endanger mariners in our respective states and we urge you to prevent the Coast Guard from doing so,\u201d the lawmakers wrote in the letter.\r\nWhile the Coast Guard claims that it will still be able to meet the national standard of a two-hour search-and-rescue response time, the lawmakers argue that fewer assets could lengthen response times and threaten the safety of local mariners.\u00a0\r\n\u201cWhile we strongly support efforts to spend federal dollars more efficiently, we cannot support budget cuts that needlessly jeopardize the lives of our constituents.\u00a0 We therefore urge you to reevaluate the Coast Guard\u2019s decision and to prevent the Coast Guard from closing these air facilities,\u201d they wrote.\r\nIn response to previous calls from Oregon and South Carolina lawmakers, the Coast Guard announced it would delay the December 1 closure of the Newport and Charleston facilities until December 15. Newport houses National Oceanic and Atmospheric vessels and Oregon\u2019s largest commercial fishing fleet, in addition to research vessels from Oregon State University. Charleston is one of the nation\u2019s busiest cargo ports, and is home to a robust tourism industry as well as large shrimp, crab and oyster fleets.\r\nRead the full letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-statement-on-usa-freedom-act-vote", "Wyden Statement on USA Freedom Act Vote", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tuesday, November 18, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after the Senate failed to advance its version of the USA Freedom Act:\r\n\u201cToday\u2019s vote showed a strong bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate is ready to debate intelligence reform and start the process of ending the mass surveillance dragnet,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cThey join a chorus of Americans who oppose these programs, which violate the privacy of millions of Americans without making our country safer. Although I\u2019m disappointed that debate won\u2019t happen this week, those who value civil liberties and the U.S. Constitution will not rest until there is true reform that ends this unnecessary overreach. \u201c", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141117174852/http://bonamici.house.gov/press-release/rep-bonamici-emphasizes-economic-benefits-region-after-house-reauthorization-estuary", "Rep. Bonamici Emphasizes Economic Benefits to Region after House Reauthorization of Estuary Program", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) emphasized the environmental and economic benefits to Oregon from the House\u2019s reauthorization of the National Estuary Program, which funds important habitat restoration work and other projects in and around the lower Columbia River estuary.\n\u201cFishing, trade, and research depend on the lower Columbia River estuary, and I\u2019m glad that Congress passed the legislation to protect this valuable resource. The National Estuary Program achieves the important goals of supporting the health of the river, a vital economic engine, while also putting our community to work,\u201d Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici said.\nThe lower Columbia River estuary is one of 28 estuaries recognized as nationally significant. The Environmental Protection Agency distributes funds from the National Estuary Program to community-based organizations that serve each of the 28 estuaries. In the Pacific Northwest, the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership oversees the distribution of the federal funds and works with local stakeholders on projects to improve salmon habitat and water quality while educating community members about the ecological importance of the estuary.\nAccording to the Partnership, every dollar of federal funding from the National Estuary Program generates nine dollars of economic activity in the region. This year, the partnership received $538,000, resulting in more than $5 million in economic activity in Oregon and Washington.\n\u201cThis program is a strong economic stimulus for our region,\u201d Congresswoman Bonamici said. \u201cIt creates jobs in construction, biology, and engineering, and it contributes to the sustainability of our fragile ecosystems. Since 2000, the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership has leveraged its federal funds to complete nearly 200 projects to restore more than 20,000 acres of federal lands. It is an effective and efficient program that I am committed to preserving.\u201d The bill awaits passage in the Senate.\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/klamath-bills-pass-senate-committee", "Klamath bills pass Senate committee", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Klamath bills pass Senate committee \r\n\r\n     Water pact, forestry act take a step forward \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFriday, November 14, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Lacey Jarrell\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA settlement aimed at solving decades-old water conflicts in the Klamath Basin moved one step closer to becoming a reality Thursday.\r\nThe Klamath Water Recovery and Economic Restoration Act, Senate Bill 2379, passed through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The vote was 17-5.\r\n\r\nOfficials hope the bill, which encompasses the Klamath Basin Restoration Act and Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement, and the Upper Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, will be approved by Congress before the legislative session ends in late December.\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cI\u2019m delighted that it came out of the committee,\u201d said Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. \u201cTo have the support of all the Democrats and five of the Republicans is a very strong bipartisan vote on a very complicated natural resource issue.\u201d\r\n\r\n\r\nThe bill will have to pass the Republican-controlled House before it reaches the President\u2019s desk.\r\n\r\n\r\nSB 2379 authorizes the implementation of the three Klamath Basin water agreements, which strive to produce collaborative solutions for Klamath Basin water management.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe legislation is a cooperative water plan to protect fish and wildlife, while providing predictable water amounts to farmers and ranchers, according to Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, who sponsored the bill.\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cI think it is going to be a model for how to deal with contentious water issues around the country. It has been done with a direct spending score of zero, and it has been done with bipartisan support,\u201d Wyden said.\r\n\r\n\r\nKlamath Tribes Chairman Don Gentry said the committee\u2019s action is a positive step in efforts to move the legislation forward.\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s wonderful that it was such a show of bipartisan support,\u201d Gentry said.\r\n\r\n\r\nMatt Vickery, deputy director of the Klamath Water Users Association, said he is pleased that committee members recognized the Basin\u2019s urgent water issues.\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cWe\u2019re very encouraged by the committee\u2019s response and anxious for the rest of the legislative process,\u201d Vickery said.\r\n\r\n\r\nLisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she is committed to finding the $500 million in funding the bill requires over the next 10 years.\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cFinding an extra $50 million a year is going to be hard,\u201d Murkowski said.\r\n\r\n\r\nSen. Jeff Flake noted that the Hoopa Valley tribe of Northern California and members of the Intertribal Council of Arizona oppose the bill.\r\n\r\n\r\nMerkley said with so little time left in this legislative session, he doesn\u2019t believe the SB 2379 can pass the Senate as a standalone bill.\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cMy hope is we can get this into some other bill that\u2019s moving in the final months of this legislature, get it in partnership with the House and get it to the president\u2019s desk,\u201d he said.\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cBoth Sen. Wyden and I are going to do everything in our power to try to create that moment. We have to get it done.\u201d\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-bill-to-implement-landmark-klamath-basin-agreement-passes-energy-committee", "Wyden Bill to Implement Landmark Klamath Basin Agreement Passes Energy Committee", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Challenge Now Moves to the Full Senate\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, November 14, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 Legislation by Oregon Senator Ron Wyden to implement landmark water resources agreements in the Klamath Basin passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today. It now moves to the full Senate.\r\nThe Klamath Water Recovery and Economic Restoration Act (S. 2379) would comprehensively settle water rights disputes in favor of collaborative solutions to water management in the basin. The bill provides an end to the water wars that made the Klamath Basin a national symbol of natural resources conflicts more than a decade ago.\r\n\u201cThis consensus bill is the work of irrigators, tribes and local officials who put in the work to find a real solution to the basin\u2019s long-running resources conflict. Congress owes them nothing less than to pass this bill into law,\u201d said Wyden, who thanked the bill\u2019s cosponsor, Sen. Jeff Merkley, for working to iron out the bill\u2019s final details in recent weeks.\r\nThe bill implements a historic agreement that was the result of more than nine months of good-faith efforts from members of the Klamath Tribes, Basin water users and Interior officials to develop solutions to water issues affecting the region. Efforts began in 2002 and gained new momentum following a hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that Wyden led last year. A draft Agreement was released in December for public review. The final agreement, completed in April, details water management and restoration measures planned for the Klamath Basin and reflects the commitment and hard work of people throughout the region.\r\nThe bill passed on Thursday included a handful of changes to generate additional support, including:\r\n- \u00a0Further reducing the cost of the bill \u2013 once projected at hundreds of millions of dollars \u2013\u00a0so it will generate no new direct government spending.\r\n- \u00a0To ensure states are onboard with decisions about removal of Klamath Basin dams, the bill gives the Governors of Oregon and California and the Secretary of Interior joint authority to approve or deny dam removal proposals.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-white-house-contribution-to-climate-fund-sets-the-bar-high", "Wyden: White House Contribution to Climate Fund \"Sets the Bar High”", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Friday, November 14, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after it was reported that the White House will contribute $3 billion to a United Nations fund to help developing countries combat climate change:\r\n\u201cI commend the President on this significant commitment to support the world\u2019s poorest countries in tackling climate change through a public-private partnership that carries forward work begun by the Bush Administration,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cThis sets the bar high for other developed countries to realize it\u2019s in all our interests to make similar contributions and join the United States in leading global efforts on climate change.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-discusses-state-marijuana-ballot-initiative-victories", "Blumenauer Discusses State Marijuana Ballot Initiative Victories", "2014-11-13", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) hosted a press conference with Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jared Polis (D-CO) and Dana Rohrabacher to discuss the recent ballot initiative victories on marijuana in Oregon, the District of Columbia, and Alaska, and Congress's path forward. Below are Congressman Blumenauer's prepared remarks.\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\n\tRepresentatives Earl Blumenauer, Jared Polis, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Dana Rohrabacher\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\n\tThere were many close elections across America last week, but there was one clear winner: ending our failed prohibition of marijuana and instead legalizing, regulating, and taxing adult marijuana use. Alaska and the District of Columbia voters joined Colorado and Washington from 2 years earlier with strong votes to legalize. Nowhere was that more emphatic than in Oregon. \n\n\t\n\n\tMarijuana legalization passed in Oregon by a greater margin than it had in Washington and Colorado. It got more votes than our U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, who was overwhelming reelected, in a low-turnout, non-presidential year which experts predicted would depress the yes vote.\n\n\t\n\n\tPerhaps just as important as these votes that passed was one to legalize medical marijuana that failed in Florida, but garnered 57% of statewide voters, again in a low-turnout, non-presidential election. Because it was a constitutional amendment that required 60% to pass, it was not approved this time, but there is no question that medical marijuana is in the immediate future for Floridians. If it is back on the ballot in a presidential year it will exceed the 60% threshold.\n\n\t\n\n\tIn the meantime, we are going to be working hard to implement the Oregon law and take advantage of the next two years to learn from the experience from others and refining our approach. We need to act in Congress now to solve two serious problems, not just for those states and jurisdictions that have legalized adult recreational use, but the 23 states and counting that have legalized medical marijuana.\n\n\t\n\n\tFirstly, a narrow reading of the federal banking regulations requires that marijuana business be operated with cash only. Congress must fix this by passing HR 2652, the Marijuana Businesses Access to Banking Act, because restricting them from having bank accounts is unwise, and may lead to more criminality. Secondly, I have legislation, HR 2240, The Small Business Tax Equity Act, that would permit marijuana businesses legal under state law to deduct their business expenses from their income tax. Because of a quirk in federal law, commonly known as 280E, small and emerging businesses face punitive federal taxation that is unfair.\n\n\t\n\n\tPassing these bills will help treat this emerging sector of the economy fairly and further protect the public. I am hopeful that as the reality of these elections and future changes set in, we'll be able to do a better job of permitting them to operate and allow this rapidly emerging area of commerce to serve the public and thrive.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/media-center/photos/good-morning-oregon_-november14", "Good Morning Oregon - November 2014", "2014-11-13", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t About\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeet Jeff \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIssues \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOregon Stories \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t News\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPress Releases \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn the News \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVideo & Audio \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhotos \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHelp with Federal Agencies \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor Veterans \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor Students \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFlag Requests \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVisit Washington DC \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmail Jeff \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet Jeff's Updates \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin Jeff for Coffee \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTown Halls \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFollow Jeff \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOffice Locations \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\n\n \n\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\r\t\r\t \n\r\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\r\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\r\t\r\t\r\t \n\t\n \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Good Morning Oregon - November 2014 \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\n   \n   \t\t\n   \t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n   \t\t \n   \t\t\t\n   \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAbout\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNews\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHelping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tConnect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOffice Locations", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/klamath-water-bill-passes-senate-committee", "Klamath Water Bill Passes Senate Committee", "2014-11-13", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Klamath Water Bill Passes Senate Committee \n\t\n\t\n\tThursday, November 13, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today passed legislation implementing water agreements in the Klamath Basin, moving the legislation one step closer to becoming law.\r\nGiving the legislation further momentum, the bill \u2013 the Klamath Basin Water Recovery and Economic Restoration Act \u2013 was passed, including an amendment that brought bipartisan support. Oregon\u2019s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have spearheaded the effort to move the legislation forward, and Merkley negotiated across the aisle to bring Republicans as well as Democrats on board.\r\nMerkley applauded the committee passage and vowed to push for quick floor action in the lame duck session in November and December.\r\n \r\n\u201cFolks in the Klamath Basin have come together to bridge longstanding differences and forge agreement on a better path forward,\u201d said Merkley. \u201cThey\u2019ve stuck together through several tough droughts and have focused on a vision of a stronger, more vibrant Klamath Basin. Now Congress must act. Today\u2019s committee passage is great news, and I will do all I can to get this legislation to the President\u2019s desk.\u201d\r\n \r\nThe Klamath Basin Water Recovery and Economic Restoration Act authorizes the implementation of three Klamath Basin water agreements \u2013 the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA), the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA), and the Upper Klamath Basin Comprehensive Agreement. The three agreements jointly envision a collaborative approach to natural resource management and economic and environmental restoration as the means of settling one of the West\u2019s most contentious water wars. They settle decades of water rights disputes and other litigation over natural resources in the region and provide water for both farming and fishing.\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/energy-committee-passes-wyden-oandc-bill-that-significantly-boosts-timber-harvests", "Energy Committee Passes Wyden O&C Bill that Significantly Boosts Timber Harvests", "2014-11-13", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Timber harvest projected above 400 million board feet annually for 50 years; Bill locks in protections for drinking water and old growth; Adds more than 250 miles of wild and scenic rivers\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, November 13, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u00a0\u2013 Washington, D.C.\u00a0 \u2013Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden\u2019s O&C forestry bill passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today, with new provisions to dramatically increase timber harvests, ensure unprecedented certainty for timber sales and create the strongest legislative protection ever for Northwest old growth.\r\n\u201cI am proud to announce this bill is now expected to generate more than 400 million board feet every year for 50 years on O&C lands \u2013 more than doubling current harvests and creating the kind of certainty that Western Oregon mills have sought for decades,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cThis legislation won\u2019t make everybody happy, but after years of working with stakeholders from every side of this complex issue, I\u2019m confident this bill at last will deliver everyone in the O&C counties what they need.\u201d\r\nThe bill now can move to the Senate floor. Wyden pledged to do everything in his power to pass the O&C Act of 2014 this year.\r\nCrafted over the course of two years of discussions with stakeholders, a public Senate hearing, and countless drafts of the legislation, Wyden\u2019s latest version of the bill includes new wins for forestry as well as environmental protection. Highlights include:\r\n-\u00a0\u00a0Expands the land base to 2.8 million acres, up from 2.1 million in the original draft, and 2.4 million acres in the August bill.\r\n-\u00a0\u00a0Increases the harvest to 400 million board feet per year over 50 years, more than doubling current O&C harvests, according to modeling by the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service. Previous drafts were expected to produce 300-350 million board feet annually.\r\n- \u00a0Provides unprecedented certainty for harvests, by allowing harvests in stands less than 80 years of age, reducing environmental review timelines by more than a year, reviewing five years\u2019 worth of timber sales at once and putting strict limits on legal challenges to timber sales that have gone through the environmental review process.\r\n-\u00a0\u00a0Allows for more intensive harvests on some stands under 85 years old that are less ecologically valuable (e.g. have already been harvested, are outside riparian areas, etc.)\r\n- \u00a0Increases protection for old growth by protecting all stands over 85 years old, and individual trees over 150 years old. Previous versions of the bill protected stands over 120 years. This is the most comprehensive legislative protection for old growth in the Northwest.\r\n- \u00a0Locks in ironclad protections for clean water, by creating legislative protections for streams and drinking water supplies.\r\n-\u00a0\u00a0Protects Oregon\u2019s treasures, by creating 87,000 acres of new wilderness and 252 miles of new wild and scenic rivers.\r\nConservation groups, including The Wilderness Society, Trout Unlimited, Pew\u2019s Campaign for America\u2019s Wilderness, the Pacific Rivers Council and the Wild Salmon Center endorsed Sen. Wyden\u2019s bill this week.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/marine-hydropower-bill-passes-committee", "Marine Hydropower Bill Passes Committee", "2014-11-13", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wyden-Authored Bill Encourages Development of Non-Traditional Hydropower\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, November 13, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced that his bill to encourage development of electricity from the water power in oceans, rivers and lakes took a step forward when it passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today.\r\nThe Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Act of 2014 (S. 1419) facilitates marine hydrokinetic (MHK) technologies that generate emissions-free renewable energy from ocean tides and waves, and the free-flowing water in rivers and lakes. The Department of Energy estimates that there is enough potential energy in these unconventional forms of hydropower to one day power millions of homes.\r\n\u201cAs anyone who\u2019s ever felt the pounding ocean surf off the coast of Oregon knows, there is tremendous energy in water,\u201d\u00a0Wyden said.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m thrilled that the committee recognizes the need to get marine and hydrokinetic power projects into the water so they can move a step closer to contributing to U.S. energy production.\u201d\r\nThe bill reauthorizes the Department of Energy\u2019s national marine renewable energy research, development and demonstration centers around the country, one of which is run by Oregon State University. It also allows developers seeking to invest in and deploy small MHK pilot projects to cut through regulatory red tape by designating the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as the lead agency responsible for coordinating the permitting of such projects, and setting a goal of issuing pilot licenses within 12 months.\r\nThe bill passed by a voice vote and now goes to the full Senate for consideration. Wyden introduced the bill last year with Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. Wyden is the former chairman and remains the senior Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141111202557/http://bonamici.house.gov/press-release/rep-bonamici-statement-commemorate-veterans-day", "Rep. Bonamici Statement to Commemorate Veterans Day", "2014-11-11", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013\u00a0Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) released the following statement in commemoration of Veterans Day.\n\u201cVeterans Day is a time to reflect on and appreciate the millions of men and women who served all over the world and fought in battles to secure the freedom we continue to enjoy. Our veterans served this country bravely, and America is stronger because of their courage and sacrifice. We honor and thank them for their service, and we recommit to the enduring promise that the United States makes to all veterans: that they have the support they need to succeed after their service ends.\n\u201cThis Veterans Day marks the 70th anniversary of the GI Bill, which has been supporting military families for decades. It has propelled service members into the middle class by helping them get an education, buy homes, and build their lives. The GI Bill is a powerful example of how investing in our veterans is an investment in the success of the United States. We must continue to support our veterans so that none struggle to find a job, a place to live, or to access their benefits. Today we honor their service, but we also recognize the importance of our duty to them.\u201d\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-applauds-major-us-china-climate-agreement", "Merkley Applauds Major U.S.-China Climate Agreement", "2014-11-11", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Applauds Major U.S.-China Climate Agreement \n\t\n\t\n\tTuesday, November 11, 2014\n\t\n\tWashington, D.C. -- Oregon's Senator \u200eJeff Merkley released the following statement after the announcement that the United States and China have reached a major climate change agreement that will result in significant reductions in carbon pollution by the two nations:\r\n \r\n\"The economic security of American middle class families depends on tackling climate change, which is why today's announcement that the two largest economies in the world are committing together to cutting carbon pollution is so important.\r\n\"Climate change is a global problem, and it requires a global solution.\u00a0\u200eThis agreement is a good start to taking on the carbon pollution that threatens our way of life and our natural resource economy in rural America, and particularly in our West. We can't bury our heads in the tar sands any longer. Catastrophic climate change is already harming our economy, particularly industries such as our farming, fishing and forestry in Oregon. It's time for action, and this is an important step forward.\"\r\n \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-and-oregon-library-association-urge-fcc-to-protect-net-neutrality", "Wyden and Oregon Library Association urge FCC to protect net neutrality", "2014-11-10", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Equal access critical to libraries\u2019 work providing resources to Oregonians\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, November 10, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and Oregon Library Association President Candice Watkins, in an op-ed in the East Oregonian, call for Oregonians to join in their fight to ensure equal access to the Internet.\r\nThe governing principle of the Internet to date has been net neutrality \u2014 bits are bits, and Internet service providers should not prioritize content delivery based on ability to pay.\r\nNet neutrality ensures that all Internet users can seek out and find information from all points of view without discrimination. It has generated substantial benefits for consumers, entrepreneurs and the users at every one of Oregon\u2019s more than 120 public libraries, as well as hundreds more school and college libraries.\r\nAs the president of the Oregon Library Association and as Oregon\u2019s senior U.S. senator, we share the view that the Internet must remain neutral if it is to continue to support freedom of speech, open new educational frontiers and spur economic growth. That is why industry schemes to create pay-to-play Internet fast lanes have librarians and lawmakers alike sounding the alarm.\r\nInternet providers want to charge an extra fee to content providers to move their information at the fastest speeds. They call this scheme \u201cpaid prioritization.\u201d In other words, if you can\u2019t afford to pay up, your data will be relegated to the slow lane. This means that startups, which sometimes get their start at public libraries, won\u2019t be able to compete on the same terms as companies that can afford access to the fast lane.\r\nHere are some other ways that paid prioritization harms Internet users:\r\nFirst, content providers that pay a fast lane surcharge will likely pass the cost on to their subscribers. This will be a financial burden for public libraries, which, according to statistics provided by the Oregon State Library, provide Internet access to thousands of Oregonians every year. Ultimately, it undermines our best efforts to ensure that all Americans have equal access to the information and opportunities created by the Internet economy.\r\nSecond, materials such as ebooks, digital music and research databases that Oregon libraries provide to the general public will be delivered at slower speeds. Libraries can\u2019t afford to spend more tax dollars to pay Internet providers for fast-lane delivery, which means the materials they make available to serve the public interest will be harder to access than commercially developed content. Paid prioritization would make the Internet a pay-to-play field, and everyone who can\u2019t pay will end up losing.\r\nSo who are the people that get hurt? All the people with modest incomes who are using a library Internet connection to research job opportunities or start new businesses. All the high school or college students who are using library-provided research materials for homework projects. The bottom line is that all Oregonians, regardless of income, should be able to access high quality, online information at the same speed and not face painfully slow service.\r\nRural Oregon is especially dependent on libraries for reliable and accessible Internet connections. According to data provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 40 percent of Oregon\u2019s libraries are in rural areas. Providing equal Internet access to Oregonians, wherever they live, is vital to local economies and community development.\u00a0\r\nFor example, the Hood River County Library District recently upgraded its internet connection to a fast 100Mbps. That investment, however, would lose its value if significant portions of the web are slowed. And that\u2019s just one example among many at Oregon public libraries that thousands of Oregonians use each year.\r\nAll the good work that libraries are doing to provide high speed Internet access and trustworthy information to Oregonians could crumble if the FCC allows Internet broadband access providers to segment the Internet according to ability to pay. This is a critical time in the fight for net neutrality.\r\nThe Federal Communications Commission is writing new rules right now that will decide the fate of the open Internet. It is more important than ever for the public to let the FCC know that Oregonians won\u2019t stand for an Internet that is split between haves and have-nots.\r\nNet neutrality levels the playing field and allows everyone equal access to the flow of information on the Internet. That\u2019s why we\u2019re asking you to join us in fighting to preserve a level playing field online. To learn more about what you can do to support an open Internet and net neutrality, visit the Oregon Library Association\u2019s toolkit for communities at\u00a0http://tinyurl.com/p7ujdtv.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/defazio-applauds-federal-grant-for-eugene-innovator", "DeFazio Applauds Federal Grant for Eugene Innovator", "2014-11-06", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- Rep. Peter DeFazio is pleased to announce the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has awarded a $100,000 grant to mAbDx Inc., an early stage Eugene-based technology firm founded by former University of Oregon science researcher, Michael Marusich, Ph.D.\u00a0 The company is on the forefront of biomarker research and immunoassay development and conducting several important projects, ranging from aquaculture to cancer research. (Read more about mAbDx here.)\nThis grant supports efforts\u00a0to provide Northwest hatchery managers real-time feedback to prevent shellfish losses and is part of a larger $18 million program NIFA awards to small businesses nationwide through its Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR). Winners are identified as having high-quality, advanced research and development that will lead to technological innovations and solutions for American agriculture.\nPrior to founding mAbDx, Marusich co-founded MitoSciences, another UO spinout company and the leading developer of anti-mitochondrial antibodies, mitochondrial assays, and products and services for mitochondrial toxicity screening. MitoSciences and mabDx were incubated in the UO\u2019s Riverfront Research Park.\n\u201cSmall businesses like mAbDx Inc. are integral to developing the groundbreaking research that makes America a global academic leader and an economic powerhouse,\u201d Rep. DeFazio said. \u201cI am proud to support our nation\u2019s innovators, and I\u2019m especially proud to see this kind of work associated with the University of Oregon and Oregon State University. Our research universities play a critical role in spurring innovation.\u201d\n\u201cWe congratulate mAbDx on this well-deserved grant, which will help Dr. Marusich\u2019s second startup company take groundbreaking discoveries from our region to the next level,\u201d said Charles Williams, the UO\u2019s associate vice president for innovation.\n\u201cThe collaboration between Dr. Marusich and OSU on this SBIR is further evidence that the South Willamette Valley offers a robust regional community where locally developed innovations and UO spinout companies like mAbDx can succeed, contributing to the economic vitality of Oregon, the United States, and global society,\u201d Williams added.\nHoused in a private, custom-built biotechnology lab in the Lewis Integrative Science Building at the University of Oregon as part of company incubator space sponsored in part by Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI), mAbDx will conduct work on a rapid simple test to detect bacterial contamination in shellfish hatcheries.\n\u201cOSU applauds mAbDx for winning this highly competitive award from NIFA, and we are excited\u00a0to continue our partnership with this company through Dr. Mark Leid in our College of Pharmacy and Dr. Claudia Hase in the College of Veterinary Medicine,\u201d said Brian Wall, assistant vice president for research, commercialization, and industry partnerships for Oregon\u00a0State University. \u201cThrough the OSU Advantage, we are allocating an additional $10,000 in support of this important work at OSU to ultimately provide Northwest hatchery managers real-time feedback to prevent shellfish losses.\u201d\nSince 1983, the SBIR program has awarded more than 2,000 research and development grants to American-owned, independently operated, for-profit businesses with 500 employees or fewer.\nUO and OSU support projects at university-related start-up companies like mAbDx through the University Venture Development Fund (UVDF), a state supported program stimulating donor giving to innovation and research efforts. The Oregon Legislature will consider renewal of the UVDF during the 2015 legislative session.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-tours-university-oregons-apparel-innovation-lab", "Blumenauer Tours University of Oregon's Apparel Innovation Lab", "2014-11-06", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "PORTLAND, OR  Today, Congressman Earl Blumenauer met with leaders in Portland's fashion and apparel community at the University of Oregon Innovation Lab at the White Stag Campus.\n\n\t\n\n\tFor decades Portland has long been a magnet for footwear and apparel companies, especially in the outdoor and activewear categories. More recently, Portland's attractiveness to young, creative workers and artisans has led to growth in high-end and custom fashion (including, of course, bow-ties). However, the fashion industry faces the same challenges as other young and growing areas: securing start-up capital, scaling up production, and finding skilled labor. Today's meeting was to address these challenges and opportunities.\n\n\t\n\n\tMy experience is that Portlanders excel in areas requiring creativity and hard work, which sums up the fashion and apparel industry perfectly, said Blumenauer. Companies from our area are global leaders when it comes to sportswear and outdoor gear, and I'm confident that we can recreate that success in other types of apparel. When the name of your city has become synonymous with hip' and cool,' it's time to ensure the designers and makers driving that image have the tools they need to succeed.\n\n\t\n\n\tJoining Congressman Blumenauer at the meeting was:\n\n\t\n\n\tNancy Hales  The First Lady of Portland.\n\n\tDawn Yanagihara, Owner, Kiriko\n\n\n\tTito Chowdhury, Executive Director, FashioNXT\n\n\n\tEllen Schmidt-Devlin, Program Leader, University of Oregon", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-and-wyden-urge-senate-leaders-to-vote-on-nomination-for-us-ambassador-to-timor-leste", "Merkley and Wyden Urge Senate Leaders to Vote on Nomination for U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste", "2014-11-06", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley and Wyden Urge Senate Leaders to Vote on Nomination for U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste \n\t\n\t\t Help for Oregonian detained in Timor-Leste is hindered by lack of Ambassador \n\t\n\t\n\tThursday, November 6, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today wrote to Senate leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell to urge them to schedule a vote this month, on the nomination of Karen Stanton to be the U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste. This request is based on the case of Dr. Stacey Addison, an Oregon veterinarian who has been detained and imprisoned in Timor-Leste awaiting an investigation that could take a year or more.\r\n \r\n\u201cWe appreciate the resolve the U.S. Embassy in Timor-Leste has shown in supporting Dr. Addison and communicating with our offices.\u00a0 We also know that any embassy\u2019s ability to speak directly to the most senior foreign officials is limited in the absence of a U.S. Ambassador,\u201d wrote the Senators. \u201cDr. Addison\u2019s case highlights the real costs of our inability to confirm ambassadorial nominees and we urge you to schedule votes on Ms. Stanton\u2019s nomination and the other qualified nominees awaiting their turn.\u201d\r\n \r\nThe offices of Senator\u2019s Merkley and Wyden have been in contact with the State Department about Dr. Addison\u2019s case and are working to do everything they can to assist Dr. Addison and her family to bring this terrible situation to a quick and positive resolution.\r\nText of the letter follows:\r\nNovember 6, 2014\r\nThe Honorable Harry Reid\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nMajority Leader\r\nUnited States Senate\r\nWashington, DC 20510\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe Honorable Mitch McConnell\r\nMinority Leader\r\nUnited States Senate\r\nWashington, DC 20510\r\nDear Majority Leader Reid and Minority Leader McConnell:\r\nWe write to bring the case of Dr. Stacey Addison to your attention as a real example of how the Senate\u2019s failure to confirm qualified diplomatic nominees limits our ability to help Americans abroad.\u00a0 When the Senate returns on November 12, we urge you to schedule votes on the many qualified ambassadorial nominees who have been waiting, including the nomination of Karen Stanton to be the U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste.\u00a0\r\nDr. Addison is a resident of Portland, Oregon and a veterinarian who decided to spend a year traveling the world and volunteering.\u00a0 In early September, she crossed from Indonesia into Timor-Leste and split a private taxi to Dili, the Timorese capitol.\u00a0 The taxi already had a passenger, which press reports say is common for Timor-Leste.\u00a0 When the driver stopped to allow the other passenger to pick up a package, Timorese police raided the car and arrested everybody.\u00a0 Dr. Addison learned only later that the package contained illicit drugs.\u00a0\r\nThe Timorese authorities initially jailed Dr. Addison for five days and, though she was not charged with any crime, they confiscated her passport upon releasing her.\u00a0 Without her passport, she has remained effectively imprisoned in Timor-Leste awaiting an investigation that could take a year or more.\u00a0 Worse, in a dramatic and unexpected turn of events, Timorese authorities rearrested Dr. Addison last week and committed her to the women\u2019s prison at Gleno, where she remains.\u00a0 We have been told that she could remain there, held without charge, for the duration of the Timorese government\u2019s investigation.\u00a0\r\nWe appreciate the resolve the U.S. Embassy in Timor-Leste has shown in supporting Dr. Addison and communicating with our offices.\u00a0 We also know that any embassy\u2019s ability to speak directly to the most senior foreign officials is limited in the absence of a U.S. Ambassador.\u00a0 What Dr. Addison\u2019s case needs now is strong leadership in Dili.\u00a0 As Secretary of State John Kerry wrote in July, \u201c[w]e simply cannot lead if we are not represented.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\r\nIn July 2013, the President nominated Karen Stanton, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, to serve as America\u2019s Ambassador to Timor-Leste.\u00a0 Ms. Stanton\u2019s nomination is neither controversial nor partisan; she has served her country honorably for more than 25 years, in places like Beijing and Islamabad, and as director of the State Department\u2019s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.\u00a0 She was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 15, 2014, without any objection.\u00a0 Despite all of this, her nomination has been pending for more than 460 days.\u00a0\r\nWe share your belief that the United States Senate is at its best when serving as a forum for deliberation and debate.\u00a0 We also hope you share our belief that the entire country suffers when partisan or ideological disagreement prevents the Senate from confirming qualified, noncontroversial nominees.\u00a0 Dr. Addison\u2019s case highlights the real costs of our inability to confirm ambassadorial nominees and we urge you to schedule votes on Ms. Stanton\u2019s nomination and the other qualified nominees awaiting their turn.\u00a0\r\nSincerely,\r\nJeffrey A. Merkley\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ron Wyden\r\nUnited States Senator\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 United States Senator\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/uhs-robotics-team-gets-a-visit-from-sen-jeff-merkley", "UHS robotics team gets a visit from Sen. Jeff Merkley", "2014-11-04", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "UHS robotics team gets a visit from Sen. Jeff Merkley \r\n\r\n     Senator Jeff Merkley visited Umatilla High School Sunday afternoon to get a look at the school's robotics team. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTuesday, November 4, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Maegan Murray\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nUmatilla High School wasn\u2019t originally a stop on his 50-town tour in the state of Oregon, but when U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley was invited by Umatilla Superintendent Heidi Sipe to see the UHS robotics program, he couldn\u2019t pass up the opportunity.\r\nOn Sunday, Merkley ventured out to UHS to chat a bit with the students of the UHS robotics team \u201cConfidential\u201d about their program and the success they have enjoyed since starting up three years ago. During his visit, Merkley and the team members, ranging from freshmen to seasoned veteran seniors, talked about everything from how they all got interested in robotics to the basics of building and driving a robot.\r\nSenior Anabel Moreno said she has been participating in the group since it was started three years ago and has seen for herself how the group has grown.\r\n\u201cWe have improved significantly since then,\u201d she told the senator.\r\nJunior Antonio Moreno walked Merkley through the stages of how they built their robot and the basics that go into designing the electrical system and how to drive it.\r\n\u201cWe have to build the robot in six weeks,\u201d he told Merkley.\r\nAs part of last year\u2019s challenge, Moreno told Merkley the team had to construct a robot able to shoot a 2-foot ball through goal areas both on and above the ground. During his visit, Merkley got to drive the robot and launched the ball into the air by himself.\r\n\u201cOh, hey, that\u2019s slick,\u201d he said after driving the robot for the first time. \u201cThat\u2019s a lot of fun.\u201d\r\nAfter discussing the basics of robotics, Merkley then talked with the students about the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and how he is trying to provide more opportunities for students in rural areas.\r\nHe said STEM opportunities are key for students as those are the skills that will be required for the jobs of today and tomorrow.\r\n\u201cWhen I talk about what it takes for us to be the leaders of today \u2026 a lot of that is high technology,\u201d Merkley said. \u201cThis is great preparation and team building for that. I totally applaud it.\u201d\r\nMerkley said he was pleased to visit UHS to get a look at the program and was even more pleased the UHS team has spurred the beginnings of other robotics programs at districts throughout the county.\r\n\u201cThis is a huge victory for our area,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is a need for a lot more students that have these high-tech skills \u2026 It\u2019s a superb program. Plus, it\u2019s just a lot of fun. It puts smiles on a lot of people\u2019s faces.\u201d\r\nSipe said Merkley and his staff have always been supportive of the robotics program and the promotion of STEM education in rural communities.\r\nSipe said Merkley\u2019s staff connected organizers with Deb Mumm-Hill, who helped the high school identify the NASA and the State of Oregon grants, which it received to fund the program the first year. The team has since qualified and competed at the world championships for the last two years.\r\n\u201cYou really do work hard to help kids in rural areas,\u201d Sipe said to Merkley. \u201cHe has been a really great support for the team. We appreciate the time he is able to give.\u201d\r\nBoth UHS robotics coaches, Kyle Sipe and John Fisher, agreed. Fisher said Merkley has shown the team a level of support that he feels is not normal for a senator.\r\n\u201cThe opportunities that Sen. Merkley have opened for us have been incredible,\u201d Kyle Sipe said. \u201cNow, there is no excuse for these kids not to excel. He has empowered these kids to embrace the opportunities and get things done.\u201d\r\nThe students were equally thrilled to have the opportunity to show Merkley what they know and do on a daily basis.\r\n\u201cIt is amazing that we are getting this kind of recognition in a small town like Umatilla,\u201d Anabel Moreno said. \u201cI can\u2019t even process it.\u201d\r\nSophomore Rebekah Potts agreed.\r\n\u201cThree years ago, we wouldn\u2019t be thinking we would be talking to a senator,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s cool to see, how word is getting out and how it is expanding.\u201d\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/day-after-tomorrow-what-congress-needs-accomplish-year", "The Day After Tomorrow: What Congress Needs to Accomplish This Year", "2014-11-03", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tomorrow, the election will be over, and while the next Congress is still two months away, we have a massive amount of work that remains for us before the end of the year. During this period, I will focus on issues that should be moved forward quickly, and which don't need to be partisan.\n\n\t\n\n\tHere at home, the mounting transportation infrastructure crisis in our country, with bridges and roads in severe disrepair and traffic congestion costing the average American family $1,700 a year, needs to be immediately addressed. Falling oil and gas prices represents a unique opportunity. We can raise the gas tax to keep up with inflation and meet the challenges of our failing infrastructure without increasing the financial burden on American motorists, who are enjoying a dramatic reduction in gasoline prices.\n\n\t\n\n\tPassing my legislation to raise the gas tax in the lame duck session would solve our problem, jump start the economy, and demonstrate our resolve to invest in our future.\n\n\t\n\n\tWe can also improve Americans' lives by reforming our archaic drug policies. If, as I hope, Oregon becomes the next state to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use, it represents a signal for Congress to move toward reforming federal marijuana policy in a rational and thoughtful way. Medical or recreational marijuana is now legalized under state law for almost half the nation's population.\n\n\t\n\n\tCongress should take simple steps such as allowing legal marijuana businesses to deduct their business expenses from their taxes like any other small business, and giving marijuana businesses access to banking services so they are not dealing all in cash - a sure way to lead to more fraud, waste, and crime. Nothing is served but with punitive levels of taxation and forcing it to be an all-cash business.\n\n\t\n\n\tThere is a strong, bipartisan effort expand American global leadership by passing \"Water for the World\" legislation that I introduced with Rep. Ted Poe. Nothing is more fundamental to global health than access to clean water and sanitation. This bill would take an enormous step toward ensuring sustainable and equitable access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene for the nearly 800 million men, women and children who don't have it, and the 2.5 billion without even the most basic sanitation services. This spreads disease with terrifying quickness and lethality and can contribute to outbreaks such as the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.\n\n\t\n\n\tA lack of clean water has a disproportionate effect on women and girls, who, in developing countries, walk an average of 3.7 miles every day to get water. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 40 billion working hours are lost each year in Africa alone to gather water. A study by Doctors Without Borders found that 82 percent of women treated for rape in West and South Darfur were attacked while gathering water, firewood, or thatch. This bill has broad support from both parties in the House and Senate. It is time to act.\n\n\t\n\n\tAnother important part of sustaining our global leadership and ensuring national security is protecting our allies. We have the opportunity to build on modest success earlier this Congress to make sure we are not leaving behind Afghan and Iraqi translators who bravely served US forces to suffer torture and execution at the hands of the Taliban, Al-Qaida, or ISIS. The Special Immigrant Visa program seeks to provide safe refuge for Iraqi and Afghan men and women who have provided \"faithful and valuable service\" to the U.S. Government and face an \"ongoing serious threat\" as a consequence of that service. However, we're in serious danger of running out of visas by the end of the year.\n\n\t\n\n\tBacklog and delay means not just weeks or months, but years, for those who risked their lives to help the U.S. mission. They live in fear and hiding, knowing they or their families could be killed at any moment. We need to authorize more SIVs and make sure the ones that we have are getting out in a timely manner. We can't wait any longer.\n\n\t\n\n\tOur allies in other war torn regions, specifically the devastated areas around Gaza, require our immediate attention. The water and sanitation infrastructure in the region is severely damaged, and the continued pumping of rapidly depleting ground water from wells has set the stage for another humanitarian crisis. This one will occur in a matter of months, not years.\n\n\t\n\n\tThis water crisis poses a threat not just to 1.7 million people in Gaza, but to Israel. Raw sewage flowing into the Mediterranean will contaminate the water Israel uses for desalinization. Outbreaks of disease won't be confined to national borders. The same cooperation we have seen by Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanians with the restoration of the open sewer that is the Jordan River, can be replicated in Gaza. It won't be easy, but the United States can and should play a constructive role in saving lives while helping with the peace process.\n\n\t\n\n\tNone of these items are particularly controversial, but represent simple ways that we can save lives, save money, and make laws fairer. It's too early to call it quits for the year -- it will be even more difficult to get anything done next year with half of the Senate running for president. And maybe, just maybe, if we can make progress on some of these issues in a bipartisan, rational way, we can carry that momentum into the next Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/my-college-degree-is-worthless", "My college degree is worthless", "2014-11-02", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "My college degree is worthless \r\n\r\n     Students across the country are shelling out tens of thousands of dollars for degrees that end up being completely worthless. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSunday, November 2, 2014\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Blake Ellis\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRosalyn Harris, an unemployed single mother who had never gone to college, thought getting a degree would be the ticket to a new life. So at age 23, she enrolled in a two-year criminal justice program at for-profit Everest College in Chesapeake, Va.\r\nBut the wealth of job opportunities the school had touted never transpired, and all she ended up with was more than $22,000 in student loan debt. She said classes were terrible, she didn't receive any of the training she needed, and as a result, she spent months after graduation searching for criminal justice jobs without ever getting a call back.\r\nDesperate to start paying some of her bills, Harris eventually applied for any entry-level job she could find. A full year after she graduated, she finally found a minimum wage job stocking shelves at Victoria's Secret.\r\n\"My sole purpose of going to school was bettering my life for me and my son,\" she said. \"But now I wish I had never gone.\"\r\nEverest is a member of for-profit behemoth Corinthian Colleges, which has been\u00a0accused by federal agencies\u00a0of operating a predatory lending scheme, preying on low-income students and falsely inflating job placement numbers. Corinithian is currently closing and selling its schools, leaving thousands of graduates on the hook for loans they took out.\r\nA Corinthian spokesman confirmed\u00a0that Johnson graduated in good standing, but it was unable to place her in a job. He said the school did provide her with career assistance and claims the criminal justice program has a 75% job placement rate, which he said is \"a strong outcome for any educational program.\"\r\nHe also disputed the allegations against the school, noting that Corinthian's student loan default rate (of up to 27% for its Everest College campuses) is lower than other community colleges and its graduation and job placement rates are higher.\r\nAnd while Corinthian has a particularly bad reputation, the\u00a0for-profit college industry\u00a0as a whole is often criticized for luring low-income students with false promises and failing to provide educations that qualify students for jobs.\r\nNot only that but for-profit schools are generally double or triple the cost of public institutions like community colleges, and the\u00a0default rate\u00a0(19% last year) was the highest of all sectors.\r\nVantrell Echols, a 36-year-old from Georgia, wishes he never received a phone call from for-profit Lincoln College of Technology back in 2008. He said the school spent six months convincing him to enroll -- promising to provide all the training and help he needed to find a high-paying computer science job. He had been unemployed for more than a year and he was desperate, so he gave it a shot.\r\nBut upon enrolling in the computer science program, he said the quality of education \"was a complete joke\" and job assistance was nonexistent.\r\n\"They sold many of us dreams about helping us, getting us qualified to work, to help us with jobs, [but] I had to ask fellow students to help me because the teachers wouldn't. Many of us graduated with honors but didn't learn anything in our fields,\" he said.\r\nLincoln Educational Services president Scott Shaw defended the school's reputation to CNNMoney, touting its 75% job placement rate and pointing to examples of successful graduates like the CEO of VMWare (who graduated in 1979).\r\nBut Echols said that after accumulating more than $20,000 in debt to attend the one-year program, he wasn't able to find a single job in computer science. He's still unemployed, is now homeless -- and he is convinced he'd be better off without the degree even listed on his resume.\r\nHe says multiple employers have told him that they don't view his degree as credible because of the for-profit industry's reputation and because other people they've hired from the school haven't had the necessary skills for the job.\r\n\"They've ruined my life and the lives of many of my classmates,\" he said.\r\nShaw said extensive career assistance was provided to Echols and that he isn't sure why Echols couldn't find a job. \"There's only so much we can do -- at some point the student has to partake,\" he said.\r\nBut these kinds of stories are popping up so often that even the Obama Administration took action this week. Going forward, for-profit colleges will risk losing federal student aid if average loan payments of graduates exceed 20% of discretionary income or 8% of total earnings.\r\n\"Too many hard-working students find themselves buried in debt with little to show for it,\" Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a statement.\r\nSenators Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Tom Harkin of Iowa are pushing for legislation that goes a step further. They argue that a loophole in federal laws allow some institutions to offer programs that aren't licensed or accredited at the state or federal level. That means graduates end up with degrees that may sound legitimate but are meaningless to many employers.\r\nThe two senators introduced legislation last month aimed at cracking down on these \"worthless degrees.\" The legislation would require courses to be licensed before allowing schools to accept federal money like student loan dollars or financial aid.\r\n\"Passing this bill will ensure that a college can no longer charge thousands of dollars for a degree that does not prepare them to work in the field they were promised\u200e,\" according to a statement about the bill.\u00a0\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-cia-demand-to-black-out-torture-report-details-would-be-unprecedented", "Wyden: CIA Demand To Black Out Torture Report Details Would Be Unprecedented", "2014-10-31", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Has Long History of Using Pseudonyms to Protect Agents\u2019 Identities; Redacting All Pseudonyms Buries the Facts, Doesn\u2019t Improve National Security\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, October 31, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013The Central Intelligence Agency\u2019s call to black out all pseudonyms from the Senate Intelligence Committee\u2019s report on torture would be unprecedented \u2013 and represents an unacceptable effort to obscure key facts, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today.\r\n\u201cThis report is about mistakes, misdeeds and falsehoods that were repeated over a period of years. \u00a0If you don\u2019t know whether they were repeated by different officials each time, or by the same officials over and over, you really don\u2019t know the full story,\u201d Wyden said.\u00a0\u201cA lot of officials are intent on burying the full story, but getting the truth out is the only way to keep all of this from happening again.\u201d\r\nWyden believes strongly that undercover agents\u2019 identities must be protected. That\u2019s why he worked with former Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., to double the criminal penalty for government employees who knowingly expose a covert agent. And Wyden and other Intelligence Committee members agree that undercover agents\u2019 real names should not be made public.\r\n\u201cIt is entirely appropriate to redact specific identifying information that would reveal an undercover officer\u2019s secret identity \u2013 that\u2019s not what\u2019s at issue here,\u201d Wyden said.\u00a0 \u201cThe CIA is demanding that every single pseudonym in this report be blacked out.\u00a0That would be unprecedented and unacceptable.\u201d\u00a0\r\nThe CIA\u2019s current opposition to using pseudonyms runs contrary to decades of precedent.\u00a0 U.S. government agencies have used pseudonyms to protect agents\u2019 identities in public reports going back decades, including:\r\n \r\nReview of the FBI\u2019s Involvement in and Observations of Detainee Interrogations in Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, and Iraq (2008) \u2013 Refers to FBI Special Agents involved in detainee interrogations using pseudonyms such as\u00a0 \u201cThomas\u201d and \u201cGibson.\u201d\u00a0\r\nThe 9/11 Commission Report (2004) \u2013 Refers to agents involved in hunting Osama Bin Ladin and other sensitive operations using pseudonyms such as \u201cMike,\u201d \u201cRichard,\u201d \u201cJeff.\u201d Pages 110, 112, 113, 114, 130, 131, 133, 138, 142, 204.\r\nThe Investigation of the Abu Ghraib Detention Facility (2004) \u2013 Refers to CIA employees at the Abu Ghraib prison using pseudonyms such as \u201cOther Agency Employee01,\u201d \u201cOther Agency Employee02,\u201d etc. Pages 53, 54, 55, 76\r\nFinal Report of the Assassination Records Review Board \u2013 (1998) \u2013 Includes the names of some CIA officers, and notes that \u201cin some cases pseudonyms are used instead of an individual\u2019s true name.\u201d (p. 52)\u00a0 Also notes that \u201cthe Review Board would not agree to CIA\u2019s request for blanket postponements of CIA names.\u201d Page 48.\r\nReport of the Congressional Committees Investigating the Iran-Contra Affair (1987) \u2013 refers to a CIA station chief in Central America using the pseudonym \u201cTomas Castillo. \u201c Pages pp. 139, 142, 143, 144, 146, 147, 505-510.\r\nAlleged Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders \u2013 (1975) \u2013 Report authored by the Church Committee notes that \u201cWe believe that the public is entitled to know what instrumentalities of their Government have done,\u201d and that \u201cthe Committee, on occasions, resorted, on balance, to the use of an alias or a general description of the individual or his position.\u201d Page 2.\r\n \r\nLast week Sen. Wyden renewed his call for CIA\u2019s leadership to stop trying to bury key facts about torture.\r\n \r\nBlacking out #torturereport details would be unprecedented & does not improve national security http://t.co/M0cnjT9SJh\r\n\u2014 Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) October 31, 2014", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-defazio-joins-hospital-workers-on-picket-line-in-springfield", "Rep. DeFazio Joins Hospital Workers on Picket Line in Springfield", "2014-10-29", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Springfield, OR- Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) today joined approximately 75 McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center workers on the picket line during day two of a 72-hour strike. Rep. DeFazio strongly supports the workers\u2019 call for a fair contract with the for-profit hospital.\nThe contract dispute arose after McKenzie-Willamette management proposed increasing employee healthcare costs even as the hospital posted a 31 percent increase in profits between 2012 and 2013. At the same time, McKenzie-Willamette ranked second to last for spending on care for the neediest Oregonians.\nMcKenzie-Willamette is owned by Tennesse-based Community Health Systems, which owns 206 hospitals across 29 states and reported nearly $13 billion in net revenues in 2013.\n\u201cI came out to the picket line today because our country needs more leaders who go to bat for the average American worker,\u201d DeFazio said. \u201cRight here, in my hometown of Springfield, we have a for-profit medical company that is experiencing significant growth and paying its CEO $8.6 million a year. Yet the corporation wants to force workers making between 11 and 15 dollars an hour to dig deeper into their own pockets to pay more for healthcare coverage. I met a woman today who has worked here seven years, but at $12 an hour, she said it will be a huge hardship to pay increased healthcare costs for her and her children. This is hugely symbolic of what\u2019s wrong with corporate America today. I\u2019m outraged. Anyone who believes in the need for a thriving middle class in America should be outraged.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141030200118/http://bonamici.house.gov/press-release/merkley-wyden-and-schrader-persuade-coast-guard-delay-newport-helicopter-closure", "Merkley, Wyden and Schrader Persuade Coast Guard to Delay Newport Helicopter Closure", "2014-10-28", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Portland, OR \u2013 Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Congressman Kurt Schrader today spoke with the Commandant of the Coast Guard and got assurance from him that the November 30th\u00a0date previously set for the closure of the Newport helicopter facility would be extended to December 15th. The Coast Guard agreed that this additional time would allow for a more extensive and thorough discussion of the risks to recreational fishing, commercial fishing and other activities on the Central Coast of Oregon.\u00a0During today\u2019s call the Oregon delegation members declared their intent to use every possible advocacy path to keep the helicopter in Newport, conveying to the Coast Guard that the safety of thousands is at stake.\u00a0\nThis comes after Senator Merkley, Congressman Schrader and Congresswoman Bonamici held a press conference earlier today with members of the Newport Fishermen\u2019s Wives, commercial fishermen and coastal first responders in calling on the U.S. Coast Guard to reverse the decision to close the Newport helicopter facility. The three lawmakers have joined with Senator Wyden, Congressman Peter DeFazio and Congressman Earl Blumenauer since the Coast Guard made its closure announcement earlier this month to strongly urge the decision be reversed and to delay the closure to provide more time to seek a long-term solution.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 597, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "OR", "p2": "2014"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=OR&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 597, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=OR&year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=OR&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 597, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=OR&year=2014&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=OR&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "OR", "label": "OR", "count": 597, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=OR&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "2014", "label": "2014", "count": 597, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=OR", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2014-10-28,https~3A~2F~2Fweb~2Earchive~2Eorg~2Fweb~2F20141030200118~2Fhttp~3A~2F~2Fbonamici~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fpress-release~2Fmerkley-wyden-and-schrader-persuade-coast-guard-delay-newport-helicopter-closure", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=OR&year=2014&_next=2014-10-28%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fweb~2Earchive~2Eorg~2Fweb~2F20141030200118~2Fhttp~3A~2F~2Fbonamici~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fpress-release~2Fmerkley-wyden-and-schrader-persuade-coast-guard-delay-newport-helicopter-closure&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 163.1365199573338, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}