press: releases: 1,422 rows where state = "OR" and year = 2017 sorted by date descending

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1,422 rows where state = "OR" and year = 2017 sorted by date descending

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url	title	date ▲	year	month	party	chamber	state	member_name	bioguide_id	domain	date_source	text	has_text	collected_at	updated_at
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/defazio-capuano-request-ptc-status-update-from-chao-plan-to-introduce	DeFazio, Capuano Request PTC Status Update from Chao, Plan to Introduce PTC Legislation in January	2017-12-29	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Michael Capuano (D-MA) sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao requesting a detailed status update on where the railroads are in fully implementing critical Positive Train Control (PTC) technology and when railroads will meet the PTC implementation deadline. We believe it is high time that the railroads implement PTC. It has been nearly a decade since passage of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which required freight, commuter, and intercity passenger railroads to implement PTC by December 31, 2015. That deadline was later extended to December 31, 2018. We understand that PTC is complex but there is no excuse for it taking this long and for some railroads to be lagging so far behind, as indicated in the progress reports submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration, wrote the Members. According to the Federal Railroad Administrations (FRA) website, only seven railroads will not meet the 2018 deadline. However, many railroads have failed to progress in equipping locomotives, completing track segments, installing radio towers, training employees, acquiring spectrum, installing back office servers, and submitting safety plans for FRAs review and approval. While the Rail Safety Improvement Act allowed DOT to extend the PTC deadline for up to 24 months if the railroads meet certain criteria that Congress insisted upon, the extension was intended to be used in limited circumstances. However, a new graphic on the FRA website seems to suggest that the Department of Transportation is tracking railroad efforts to meet the 2020 extension rather than holding them accountable for meeting the 2018 deadline. DeFazio and Capuano will introduce legislation in early January to address the significant funding gap for PTC and to push the railroads to implement PTC. A full copy of the letter is below. December 28, 2017 T…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/year-in-review	Year-in-Review: Greg Waldens top seven legislative wins for Oregon in 2017	2017-12-29	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Year-in-Review: Greg Waldens top seven legislative wins for Oregon in 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released a list of top seven legislative wins for Oregon in 2017. Walden authored important bills that have been signed into law and passed in the House of Representatives this year to support Americas military and veterans, protect Oregons public lands and grow family wage jobs in local communities, modernize the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), improve forest management to prevent catastrophic wildfire, and helped pass major tax reform to bring much-needed relief for middle class families in Oregon. According to www.congress.gov, Walden leads the Oregon House delegation with 23 bills passed through the House of Representatives this year. Walden also leads the House delegation with five pieces of legislation sent to the President in 2017. Walden has assisted over 1,200 Oregonians this year with problems they were having with federal agencies, including 500 veterans and military service members, and over 120 Oregonians with their Social Security and Medicare benefits. If you or someone you know is having difficulty with a federal agency such as the Veterans Administration (VA) or Internal Revenue Service (IRS), you can all Waldens office toll free from Oregon at 800-533-3303. Walden bill to protect Mt. Hood, boost family wage jobs sent to Presidents desk Click here or on the image above to view Waldens floor speech Bipartisan legislation authored by Oregon Reps. Greg Walden and Earl Blumenauer, and Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkleyto help protect the local water source for the City of Hood River and upper Hood River Valley, while promoting economic growth and family wage jobs for the local communities, is heading to the Presidents desk. The Mt. Hood-Cooper Spur Land Clarification Act passed the House of Representatives in February on a 415-1 vote, and passed the Senate in December. Walden has worked closely over the years with Rep. Earl Blumenauer to protect Oregons public lands a…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congress-extends-critical-medical-marijuana-protections-through-january	Congress Extends Critical Medical Marijuana Protections Through January 19	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Earl Blumenauer	B000574	blumenauer.house.gov	legacy	Washington, D.C. Congress voted to extend protections for state medical marijuana programs through January 19. The provision, known as the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, was continued in legislation to fund the government for a month. Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus and champion of the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, released the following statement: Patients around the country who rely on medical marijuana for treatmentand the businesses that serve themnow have some measure of certainty. Our fight, however, continues to maintain these important protections in the next funding bill passed by Congress. ###	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-oregon-delegation-congratulate-oregon-state-university-673000-federal	Members of Oregon Delegation Congratulate Oregon State University on $673,000 Federal Grant to Study Ocean Health	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	Senator Ron Wyden and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, and Kurt Schrader congratulated Oregon State University on securing a $673,000 federal grant through NOAA Fisheries to study the effects of ocean acidification on the shellfish industry. OSU is one of three universities to receive two-year grants through a competitive, merit-based process under the new Ocean Acidification Regional Vulnerability Assessment Competition. OSU has been at the forefront of ocean acidification research nationally. Coastal communities and the fishing industry are uniquely vulnerable to ocean acidification, especially the 3,200 people employed in the West Coast shellfish industry. Oregons economy depends on the health of our oceans and coastal communities,said Congresswoman Bonamici.Ocean acidification threatens our valuable fisheries and thousands of jobs. Thankfully scientists at Oregon State University are leading the way in understanding this challenge and how we can best address it. I am grateful to OSU for investing in research that will directly benefit coastal communities and help us better understand and respond to ocean acidification. Ocean acidification is one of the earliest signs of climate change, and the Pacific Northwest is already feeling its effects on our dwindling shellfish stocks, said Senator Wyden. Our region is a canary in the coal mine for these very real environmental challenges, but thankfully, Oregon State University is leading impressive research to better understand and mitigate the impacts of ocean acidification on ecosystems as well as Oregons coastal economy. Oregons economic health is tied to our oceans healthin order to preserve our regions shellfish, recreation and tourism industries, we musttake steps to protect against ocean acidification and other effects of climate change, said Representative DeFazio. These funds will help our top scientists at OSU continue to lead in the research and response to this challenge. The Pacific Northwest has much to lose when it come…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/western-oregon-tribal-restoration-bill-passes-senate-goes-to-president-s	Western Oregon Tribal Restoration Bill Passes Senate, Goes to Presidents Desk to Become Law	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	Legislation authored by Representatives Peter DeFazio (OR-04) and Greg Walden (OR-02) and U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., to address western Oregon tribal priorities passed the Senate unanimously last night. The bill now goes to the president to be signed into law. The Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act would place 17,519 acres of federal land currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) into trust for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and 14,742 acres of federal land into trust for the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians. It would also amend the Coquille Restoration Act to require the Interior Department to manage the Coquille Indian Tribes forest lands in the same way as other tribal forest lands. While there is still much work to be done to correct our nations injustices towards Native Americans, the passage of the Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act is an encouraging move towards progress,DeFazio said. This legislation will finally grant the Coos, Cow Creek and Coquille Tribes the long-deserved opportunity to manage their own economic development and exercise their own authority over tribal lands. The passage of this bill is an important step for these three tribes. The Cow Creek and Coos tribes see a restoration of lands and the Coquille will finally be able to manage their forest lands the same way as other tribes,Walden said.This bill ensures these tribes can sustainably manage these lands to benefit the environment and local economy, creating jobs in their communities. I am proud to have worked alongside my colleagues to pass this long-overdue bill out of Congress, and look forward to the President signing it into law. While more can and must be done to rectify the injustices that tribes have long faced, passing this bill into law marks an important step forward in recognizing the sovereignty of western Oregon tribes,Wyden said.By returning land to both the Coos and Cow Creek tribes, and by putting the management of Coquilles la…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-nominates-six-oregon-students-acceptance-us-service	Greg Walden nominates six Oregon students for acceptance to U.S. service academies	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden nominates six Oregon students for acceptance to U.S. service academies WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced today that he has nominated six Oregon students for acceptance to one of the prestigious United States service academies. Waldens Service Academy Nomination Board -- retired military officers who interview potential candidates for the service academies -- recommended each student based on their academic performance, extracurricular involvement, and character. It is an honor and privilege to nominate these remarkable young Oregonians to our nations service academies, Walden said. They have earned these much-deserved nominations through years of hard work, dedication, and commitment to character. These students have shown a desire to grow intellectually, lead by example, and serve their country by pursuing a higher education at one of our countrys select service academies. I am confident that each will be successful in this admirable endeavor, and that Americas future is in good hands. Id like to thank my Service Academy Nomination Board for recommending these future leaders. Their service to our country and experience wearing our nations uniform speaks to the unique qualities of the students they interviewed and referred for nomination. These nominations would not be possible without their guidance and understanding of what it takes to excel and succeed at the U.S. service academies, said Walden. Serving on Waldens Service Academy Nomination Board are: retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Frank Toney, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Harriet Harris, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Bud Hart, retired U.S. Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Richard Halsted, andretired U.S. Marine Corps. Col. Dave Dotterer.Retired U.S. Navy Com. John Howardserved as the Recorder for the Service Academy Nomination Board. The service academies include the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; the Military Academy at West Point, New York; the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; and the Merchant Marine Academy at …	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-nominates-sixteen-oregon-students-acceptance-us-service	Greg Walden nominates sixteen Oregon students for acceptance to U.S. service academies	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden nominates sixteen Oregon students for acceptance to U.S. service academies WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced today that he has nominated sixteen Oregon students for acceptance to one of the prestigious United States service academies. Waldens Service Academy Nomination Board -- retired military officers who interview potential candidates for the service academies -- recommended each student based on their academic performance, extracurricular involvement, and character. It is an honor and privilege to nominate these remarkable young Oregonians to our nations service academies, Walden said. They have earned these much-deserved nominations through years of hard work, dedication, and commitment to character. These students have shown a desire to grow intellectually, lead by example, and serve their country by pursuing a higher education at one of our countrys select service academies. I am confident that each will be successful in this admirable endeavor, and that Americas future is in good hands. Id like to thank my Service Academy Nomination Board for recommending these future leaders. Their service to our country and experience wearing our nations uniform speaks to the unique qualities of the students they interviewed and referred for nomination. These nominations would not be possible without their guidance and understanding of what it takes to excel and succeed at the U.S. service academies, said Walden. Serving on Waldens Service Academy Nomination Board are: retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Frank Toney, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Harriet Harris, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Bud Hart, retired U.S. Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Richard Halsted, andretired U.S. Marine Corps. Col. Dave Dotterer.Retired U.S. Navy Com. John Howardserved as the Recorder for the Service Academy Nomination Board. The service academies include the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; the Military Academy at West Point, New York; the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; and the Merchant Marine Aca…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/what-people-oregon-are-saying-about-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act	What People in Oregon Are Saying About The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	What People in Oregon Are Saying About "Pro-growth tax reform is on its way to hardworking, middle-class Americans. And its about time.The biggest percentage of tax reductions next year will go to those earning between $20,000 and $50,000 a year. Thats according to the Joint Committee on Taxation. An Eastern Oregon family earning the median income of approximately $50,000 a year will pay about $1,300 less next year. Over the next eight years thats a savings of $10,400 for that family." - Representative Greg Walden http://www.bendbulletin.com/opinion/5858096-151/guest-column-tax-reform-for-oregons-middle-class Insitu - Boeing and Insitu applaud Congress for taking critical steps to reform the tax code, which will help us in the Columbia Gorge region become more competitive and invest more in innovative technologies that drive expansion of the use of unmanned systems. We thank Chairman Greg Walden for his leadership in this area. Ryan Hartman, President and CEO of Insitu, a Boeing wholly-owned subsidiary. Intel - Intel. William Moss, a spokesman for the company. "Although it's too early for us to detail specific business decisions, we believe this tax reform bill can help level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers and make us more competitive in today's global economy," Moss wrote in an email. "The bill should also spur further investment in American manufacturing and (research and development)." - http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/12/greg_walden_defends_republican.html Oregon Cattlemens Association The Oregon Cattlemens Association would like to recognize and thank Congressman Walden for his hard work and dedication towards the tax reform. Several elements, such as lowering individual tax rates and increasing levels of estate tax exemption will be particularly helpful to ranchers in Oregon. Washington Federal announced with the signing of tax reform legislation, the Bank will accelerate strategic investments in its employees, client service capabilities and community development funding.…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/democrats-block-dozens-of-trump-nominees	Democrats block dozens of Trump nominees	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Democrats block dozens of Trump nominees The refusal to play ball will prolong key vacancies throughout the administration, but Democrats complain many of the picks are unqualified. Friday, December 22, 2017 By: ANDREW RESTUCCIA and SEUNG MIN KIM About 100 of President Donald Trumps nominees have been kicked back to the White House, prolonging an unusually high number of vacancies across his administration and escalating the Senates long-running nomination wars. While the Senate agreed to keep roughly 150 of Trumps picks for consideration next year, it refused to do so on roughly 100 others, according to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office. That means the White House will have to renominate them if Trump wants them installed. Among the high-profile picks tossed back to the White House: Alex Azar, chosen as the new head of the Department of Health and Human Services; Thomas Farr, a district court nominee whose record on voting rights has infuriated Democrats; and K.T. McFarland, the former deputy national security adviser chosen as U.S. ambassador to Singapore who is now facing questions about her communications with ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn. That will trigger a requirement that nominees paperwork be up to date a gargantuan task for some nominees who've been languishing in the Senate for months, especially if their net worth changed dramatically because of the surging stock market. That has some lawyers worried that nominees could throw in the towel, frustrated by thealready laboriousprocess of winning Senate approval. For some nominees, their paperwork will be obsolete, said one lawyer who represents several nominees and was not authorized to speak on the record. The stock market has gone up, so the numbers are going to be materially different. Many nominees hire lawyers to walk them through the confirmation process, spending tens of thousands of dollars or much more for wealthy people with complicated financial situations for a…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/merkley-politics-should-stand-aside-when-childrens-health-at-risk	Merkley: Politics should stand aside when children’s health at risk	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley: Politics should stand aside when childrens health at risk Friday, December 22, 2017 By: Senator Jeff Merkley This year has been one of stark partisanship, with rhetoric from both sides of the aisle seeking to stress differences between Democrats and Republicans. But one thing I thought we all could agree on is that we need to do everything we can to look out for our children. I see our responsibility and mission as legislators and the core purpose of our Constitution as ensuring children have safe spaces, full bellies, and good health. Thats why I am outraged that the majority in Congress has refused to act to renew the Childrens Health Insurance Program, commonly referred to as CHIP. For 20 years the program, with strong bipartisan support, has ensured that no children fall through the cracks of our health care system. It provides states with funding to cover health care expenses for children whose families have incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low to afford expensive private coverage. Oregons CHIP program, called Oregon Healthy Kids, last year helped more than 140,000 Oregon children access health care. Thanks to CHIP, 779 children from Wasco County thats 13 percent of children in the county this year have been able to access check-ups, immunizations, dental care, doctors visits, and other important health care services. Funding for CHIP expired on September 30, 2017, because Congress failed to extend funding for the program. Every single state in America 50 out of 50 states has a CHIP program. Oregon, along with five other states, will run out of CHIP money this month. Another 25 states will run out of CHIP money in the first three months of 2018. It is completely unacceptable that the Congressional majority allowed CHIP to expire and its even more outrageous that theyve waited 87 days and counting to reauthorize it. Right now there is a bipartisan bill ready and waiting to be brought to the Senate floor. It would extend the C…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/oregon-tribal-restoration-bill-unanimously-passes-through-senate	Oregon tribal restoration bill unanimously passes through Senate	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Oregon tribal restoration bill unanimously passes through Senate Friday, December 22, 2017 By: Staff WASHINGTON, D.C. A bill to place thousands of acres of federal lands into the hands of Oregon Native American tribes passed through the U.S. Senate and is headed for President Donald Trumps desk. The Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act is bipartisan legislation created to address western Oregon tribal priorities. It passed the Senate unanimously Thursday night. The act would place over 17,500 acres of federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management into trust for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. Over 14,700 acres would be put into trust for the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians. In addition to the land trusts, the legislation would amend the Coquille Restoration Act to require the Interior Department to manage Coquille Indian Tribes forest lands in the same manner as other tribal forests. The bill was authored by Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representatives Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.). Walden said.This bill ensures these tribes can sustainably manage these lands to benefit the environment and local economy, creating jobs in their communities. I am proud to have worked alongside my colleagues to pass this long-overdue bill out of Congress, and look forward to the President signing it into law. While more can and must be done to rectify the injustices that tribes have long faced, passing this bill into law marks an important step forward in recognizing the sovereignty of western Oregon tribes,Wyden said in part. Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-speaks-out-after-un-human-rights-investigator-is-denied-access-in-burma	Merkley Speaks Out After UN Human Rights Investigator Is Denied Access in Burma	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley Speaks Out After UN Human Rights Investigator Is Denied Access in Burma In November, the Senator led congressional fact-finding mission to Burma and Bangladesh in wake of horrific acts against the Rohingya minority Friday, December 22, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. Oregons Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after the Burmese government denied access to a key UN human rights investigator working to gather information about the persecution of the Burmese Rohingya minority in Rakhine state. Merkley led a November congressional delegation on a fact-finding mission to the region, the first such delegation since the recent escalation of attacks and persecution against the Rohingya. In September, responding to international outrage over Burmese military and vigilante attacks on the Rohingya minority, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi invited the world to go with us to the troubled areas to see for yourself what is happening and think for yourself what can we do to remove these problems. In November, I took Aung San Suu Kyi up on her invitation and led a congressional delegation so that we could see for ourselves what is happening in northern Rakhine. After weeks of preparation, the government denied access at the last minute. Now, access has once again been denied, this time to a critical UN fact-finding mission. These denials paint a troubling picture of a government attempting to cover up and make invisible a campaign of mass atrocities that many experts describe as genocide. Despite Burmese officials attempts to turn away the eyes of the world, there is horrific and mounting evidence about the unspeakable violence that has been perpetrated against the Rohingya in northern Rakhine. I spoke with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh who showed me the scars on their bodies from escaping as their houses burned down, and spoke of their loved ones killed in front of their eyes. I saw the drawings made by refugee children showing the Bur…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/mt-hood-land-exchange-legislation-goes-to-presidents-desk-to-be-signed-into-law	Mt. Hood Land Exchange Legislation Goes to President’s Desk to be Signed into Law	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Mt. Hood Land Exchange Legislation Goes to Presidents Desk to be Signed into Law Bipartisan Legislation Resolves a Nearly Nine-year land dispute on Mt. Hood Friday, December 22, 2017 Washington, D.C. Legislation written by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Representatives Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., to protect and enhance Oregons land conservation and recreation priorities on Mt. Hood passed the Senate unanimously last night. The bill now goes to the president to be signed into law. Wyden, Merkley, Walden and Blumenauer introduced the Mt. Hood Cooper Spur Land Exchange Clarification Act in the Senate and House earlier this year to help resolve a nearly nine-year-long dispute over proposed land development on the northeast side of Mt. Hood. Im proud to have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both houses of Congress to put this long overdue land exchange in the history books,Wyden said.Our soon-to-be-law closes this frustrating chapter of Mt. Hoods past and makes it possible for the local community to finally go forward with wilderness protections and responsible development so wildlife and visitors can enjoy Mt. Hood far into the future. At long last, the Mt. Hood community will have the development and preservation my colleagues and I have been pushing for,Merkley said.This bill will help to preserve unique and beautiful wilderness areas on Mt. Hood while also creating new economic opportunities in the surrounding community. Completing the Cooper Spur land exchange is key to protecting Crystal Springs, the water source for the City of Hood River and the upper Hood River Valley, while also encouraging economic and job growth around Mt. Hood,Walden said.These communities have waited nearly nine years for the Forest Service to complete the exchange Congress gave them 16 months to finish. This is long past due and I look forward to President Trump signing this bill into law so the job can finally get done. The land e…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/western-oregon-tribal-restoration-bill-passes-senate-goes-to-presidents-desk-to-become-law	Western Oregon Tribal Restoration Bill Passes Senate, Goes to President’s Desk to Become Law	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Western Oregon Tribal Restoration Bill Passes Senate, Goes to Presidents Desk to Become Law Bipartisan Bill Will Boost Economic Sovereignty For Oregon Tribes Friday, December 22, 2017 Washington, D.C. Legislation authored by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Representatives Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., to address western Oregon tribal priorities passed the Senate unanimously last night. The bill now goes to the president to be signed into law. The Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act would place 17,519 acres of federal land currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) into trust for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and 14,742 acres of federal land into trust for the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians. It would also amend the Coquille Restoration Act to require the Interior Department to manage the Coquille Indian Tribes forest lands in the same way as other tribal forest lands. While more can and must be done to rectify the injustices that tribes have long faced, passing this bill into law marks an important step forward in recognizing the sovereignty of western Oregon tribes,Wyden said.By returning land to both the Coos and Cow Creek tribes, and by putting the management of Coquilles lands on equal footing with other tribal lands, this bill honors and respects each tribes right to be economically self-sufficient and provide jobs and resources for their communities. With the Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act, we will enable tribes to enhance their self-determination and ability to restore ancestral lands, while creating greater economic opportunity,Merkley said.Its long-overdue, and I am thrilled this bill is heading to the Presidents desk to be signed into law. The passage of this bill is an important step for these three tribes. The Cow Creek and Coos tribes see a restoration of lands and the Coquille will finally be able to manage their forest lands the same way as other tribes,Walden s…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/mt-hood-land-exchange-legislation-goes-to-presidents-desk-to-be-signed-into-law	Mt. Hood Land Exchange Legislation Goes to President’s Desk to be Signed into Law	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Ron Wyden	W000779	www.wyden.senate.gov	legacy	Bipartisan Legislation Resolves a Nearly Nine-year land dispute on Mt. Hood Friday, December 22, 2017 Washington, D.C. Legislation written by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Representatives Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., to protect and enhance Oregons land conservation and recreation priorities on Mt. Hood passed the Senate unanimously last night. The bill now goes to the president to be signed into law. Wyden, Merkley, Walden and Blumenauer introduced the Mt. Hood Cooper Spur Land Exchange Clarification Act in the Senate and House earlier this year to help resolve a nearly nine-year-long dispute over proposed land development on the northeast side of Mt. Hood. Im proud to have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both houses of Congress to put this long overdue land exchange in the history books,Wyden said.Our soon-to-be-law closes this frustrating chapter of Mt. Hoods past and makes it possible for the local community to finally go forward with wilderness protections and responsible development so wildlife and visitors can enjoy Mt. Hood far into the future. At long last, the Mt. Hood community will have the development and preservation my colleagues and I have been pushing for,Merkley said.This bill will help to preserve unique and beautiful wilderness areas on Mt. Hood while also creating new economic opportunities in the surrounding community. Completing the Cooper Spur land exchange is key to protecting Crystal Springs, the water source for the City of Hood River and the upper Hood River Valley, while also encouraging economic and job growth around Mt. Hood,Walden said.These communities have waited nearly nine years for the Forest Service to complete the exchange Congress gave them 16 months to finish. This is long past due and I look forward to President Trump signing this bill into law so the job can finally get done. The land exchange is the culmination of years of work to protect…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/western-oregon-tribal-restoration-bill-passes-senate-goes-to-presidents-desk-to-become-law	Western Oregon Tribal Restoration Bill Passes Senate, Goes to President’s Desk to Become Law	2017-12-22	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Ron Wyden	W000779	www.wyden.senate.gov	legacy	Bipartisan Bill Will Boost Economic Sovereignty For Oregon Tribes Friday, December 22, 2017 Washington, D.C. Legislation authored by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Representatives Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., to address western Oregon tribal priorities passed the Senate unanimously last night. The bill now goes to the president to be signed into law. The Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act would place 17,519 acres of federal land currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) into trust for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and 14,742 acres of federal land into trust for the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians. It would also amend the Coquille Restoration Act to require the Interior Department to manage the Coquille Indian Tribes forest lands in the same way as other tribal forest lands. While more can and must be done to rectify the injustices that tribes have long faced, passing this bill into law marks an important step forward in recognizing the sovereignty of western Oregon tribes,Wyden said.By returning land to both the Coos and Cow Creek tribes, and by putting the management of Coquilles lands on equal footing with other tribal lands, this bill honors and respects each tribes right to be economically self-sufficient and provide jobs and resources for their communities. With the Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act, we will enable tribes to enhance their self-determination and ability to restore ancestral lands, while creating greater economic opportunity,Merkley said.Its long-overdue, and I am thrilled this bill is heading to the Presidents desk to be signed into law. The passage of this bill is an important step for these three tribes. The Cow Creek and Coos tribes see a restoration of lands and the Coquille will finally be able to manage their forest lands the same way as other tribes,Walden said.This bill ensures these tribes can sustainably manage these lands t…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://schrader.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=390983	Bipartisan Group of Problem Solvers Caucus Members Introduce Comprehensive Health Care Bill to Stabilize the Individual Marketplace	2017-12-21	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Kurt Schrader	S001180	schrader.house.gov	legacy	Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05), along Congressman Tom Reed (NY-23) and Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), led a bipartisan group of twenty-six Problem Solvers Caucus Members to introduce the Bipartisan Market Stabilization and Innovation Act (HR 4695), a bill to stabilize the individual marketplace and bring down health care costs for millions. The Bipartisan Market Stabilization and Innovation Act will: fund Cost Sharing Reduction payments, which help low- and middle-income families afford copays and deductibles; establish a ten-year $115 billion stability fund for states to stabilize the marketplace; streamline the 1332 State Innovation Waiver process to allow states to innovate while protecting patients; repeal the medical device tax so patients are no longer footing the bill; and, alter the employer mandate to provide relief to small businesses. Families have been rocked by uncertainty when it comes to health care all year long, said Rep. Schrader. At the surface, it can seem as though this year was full of political and partisan nonsense. But Im proud to be part of a group of individuals from across the political spectrum who have been working together to tackle this extraordinarily vital issue. Legislating on health carean area thats incredibly personal and complextakes time and effort. As with any major piece of legislation, everyone agrees that there are needed fixes to the ACA. At this point, its clear that partisan politicking doesnt lead to solutions for anyone. Ive been working all year with my colleagues across the aisle, hearing from health care providers, insurers, patients and professionals, to develop this bill. The compromise we brokered will bring down costs and provide much needed stability. Now we must work to enact it as soon as possible. It is a great day when a bipartisan group of legislators can come together on an issue as important as health care, said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Tom Reed. I am proud to stand with my Republican and Democrat col…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://schrader.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=390984	Schrader on Spending Bill: No DACA, No CHIP? No Vote.	2017-12-21	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Kurt Schrader	S001180	schrader.house.gov	legacy	Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05) voted against the second short-term, band aid spending bill this month, which received zero bipartisan input. The bill once again ignored action on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program which the President has slated to end in March, and does not fully fund the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or Community Health Centers (CHCs). Many of my colleagues and I have been explicitly clear: we want a bipartisan process, said Rep. Schrader. If the majority was interested in working together as we are, and interested in our votes for this bill, they would have included a clean DREAM Act and fully funded CHIP. There are thousands of young folks around the country who have already lost their DACA status and hundreds of thousands more who are set to lose status next year. Dreamers are losing their protected status every day Congress fails to act. Were talking about students, teachers, health care providers, and researchers folks who are providing vital contributions to our communities, and who know no other home than the United States. We must to protect these young folks and put an end to the unnecessary limbo in which this administration so heartlessly thrown them. We need full funding for CHIP and CHCs, not this stop-and-start patch work of fixes. Nine million children and their families across America are relying on us. Even with this sham of a bill, there are kids who will wake up on January 1st not knowing whether they will continue to have health insurance. States and providers cannot operate under this unnecessary uncertainty. I cannot support closing out this year without having acted on any of these programs that, for many, are life or death. In Oregon, CHCs account for over one million patient visits each year, employing over 4,000 medical professionals, while more than 140,000 children receive health insurance through CHIP. This bill provides scant funding for CHIPfunding that could run out in just a few short weeks. Historically, CHIP has been f…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/in-the-news/statement-democratic-representatives-net-neutrality	Statement by Democratic representatives on net neutrality	2017-12-21	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	Protecting net neutrality creates a level playing field for consumers, innovators, and small businesses, Representative (Suzanne) Bonamici (D-OR) observed. Rolling back Title II protections will be detrimental to the free flow of information that underpins our democracy. The FCC has failed the American people and Congress must step up to keep the internet fair and open.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/defazio-applauds-house-passage-of-bill-to-support-earthquake-early-0	DeFazio Applauds House Passage of Bill to Support Earthquake Early Warning System, Help States Prevent Wildfires	2017-12-21	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passage of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA), as part of H.R. 4667, legislation providing supplemental appropriations for disaster relief. The DRRA includes a provision introduced by DeFazio that would clarify that hazard mitigation funds may be used to purchase components of an earthquake early warning system off the Pacific Northwest coast. This critical early warning system could save lives, reduce injuries, and mitigate infrastructure damage from the devastating effects of a major quake off the Oregon Coast. We have known about the threat posed by the Cascadia Subduction Zone for decades, and yet we have failed to prepare and protect our coastline from a catastrophic earthquake. My legislation is simpleit forces the federal government to get serious and install a critical system that could save thousands of lives, countless injuries, and billions of dollars of damage. I applaud my colleagues for taking this threat seriously and working with me to prepare and protect our coastal communities. I urge the Senate to pass this common sense bill, said DeFazio. DeFazios provision clarifies that States may use hazard mitigation funds to improve the earthquake early warning system. WILDFIRE The DRRA also includes important wildfire provisions, including expanding eligibility forhazard mitigation assistance to wildfires on state and private lands as well as clarifying eligible hazard mitigation activities related to wildfires. States should have the flexibility to use disaster mitigation funds from the Federal government to try and prevent the catastrophic wildfires as well as the flooding and mudslides that follow and devastate Western communities. This legislation will allow states to do just that, said DeFazio. PROTECTING COMMUNITIES IN FLOODPLAINS DRRA also includes a DeFazio provision that will prohibit FEMA from expanding its authority related to floodplain ma…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-cantwell-murray-wyden-merkley-demand-dot-hold-railroads-accountable-for-ptc-implementation-after-fatal-derailments-safety-shortfalls	Sens. Cantwell, Murray, Wyden, Merkley Demand DOT Hold Railroads Accountable for PTC Implementation after Fatal Derailments, Safety Shortfalls	2017-12-21	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Sens. Cantwell, Murray, Wyden, Merkley Demand DOT Hold Railroads Accountable for PTC Implementation after Fatal Derailments, Safety Shortfalls Thursday, December 21, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) joined a group of fifteen total senators calling on Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao to hold railroads accountable for failing to implement sufficient safety measures. The Senators demanded a status report on railroads implementation of positive train control (PTC), a lifesaving technology required by Congressional mandate to be fully implemented by 2018. The Senators letter comes four days after the tragic Amtrak train derailment near DuPont, Washington, which resulted in three fatalities and injured many dozens more. This accident is the latest in a troubling trend of fatal train derailments and collisions. Since NTSB first recommended PTC, more than 300 people have died, thousands have been injured, and millions of dollars in property damages have been incurred, wrote the Senators. The PTC deadline is now almost one year away December 31, 2018. It is imperative that railroads complete implementation before the deadline. They must clearly understand that the consequences of failure will be stringent and prompt. Senators Cantwell, Murray, Wyden, and Merkley were joined by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in the letter to Chao. The full text of the Senators letter to Chao is available for download here, and copied below. Dear Secretary Chao: On Monday, an Amtrak train derailed onto a busy interstate highway in DuPont, Washington. This tragedy reminds us of the urgent need to improve rail safety,…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-merkley-11-senators-press-us-forest-service-on-greater-sage-grouse-review	Wyden, Merkley, 11 Senators Press U.S. Forest Service on Greater Sage-Grouse Review	2017-12-21	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Wyden, Merkley, 11 Senators Press U.S. Forest Service on Greater Sage-Grouse Review Thursday, December 21, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and 11 of their Senate colleagueswrote toU.S. Forest Service Chief Tony Tooke yesterday to request information about the agencys role in the Trump Administrations review of 2015 plans to protect the imperiled greater sage-grouse. In a Federal Register notice last month, the U.S. Forest Service signaled that the agency may be seeking potential changes to the 2015 plans. Because modifying the plans could have a significant economic impact on rural communities, the Senators asked for details on the agencys review and requested an extended comment period. The Federal Register notice is the latest move in a larger review of the 2015 protections that is being conducted across the Trump administrations public land agencies. In June, U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke issued a Secretarial Order mandating a review of the 2015 protections. Following the order, Wyden, Merkley and two other senatorsasked Zinke for detailson the review to ensure it would not undermine conservation outcomes. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, senators signing the letter include: U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Tom Udall, D-N.M., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Jon Tester, D-Mont., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Jack Reed, D-R.I. A PDF of yesterdays letteris available here. Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-will-vote-no-on-spending-bill-without-solutions-on-chip-and-daca-or-reforms-to-warrantless-surveillance	Wyden Will Vote ‘No’ on Spending Bill Without Solutions on CHIP and DACA, or Reforms to Warrantless Surveillance	2017-12-21	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Ron Wyden	W000779	www.wyden.senate.gov	legacy	Thursday, December 21, 2017 Washington, D.C. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced he will vote no on a spending bill that fails to address health insurance for millions of children, does not address DACA, or includes an extension of warrantless surveillance under FISA Section 702. The Houses flawed, slapdash bill fails to give families and states long-term security and peace of mind when it comes to the Childrens Health Insurance Program, which provides essential health care to more than 80,000 children across Oregon. CHIP is a vital lifeline covering preventative services, dental checkups, treatment for serious illnesses and more. Every day, more than 11,000 DACA recipients in Oregon and hundreds of thousands across the country face the very real danger of being ripped from their families and communities. I cannot support an end-of-year deal that fails to include protections for these young Americans to stay in the only country they know as their home: the United States. "Finally, I cannot support legislation that extends warrantless surveillance without reforms to protect Americans rights. Although a short-term extension of FISA Section 702 is preferable to many of the alternatives proposed by supporters of unchecked surveillance, Congress must make meaningful reforms that protect Americans rights while allowing intelligence agencies target true threats overseas.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://schrader.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=390980	Schrader on Deficit Inflating Tax Bill: Its a Sorry Time in America.	2017-12-20	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Kurt Schrader	S001180	schrader.house.gov	legacy	After taking to the House floor week after week this fall to call for a bipartisan process and a deficit neutral bill, Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05) issued the following statement on final passage of the GOP tax bill that is slated to add $1.5 trillion to the national deficit. Its a sorry time in America, said Rep. Schrader. My Republican colleagues just increased our countrys debt burden by $1.5 trillion dollars thats an additional $5,000 debt for every Oregonian. With interest, it will be more. Even the rosiest forecasts that show any economic growth under this bill put the burden at over a trillion dollars. What a Christmas present for our kids and grandkids, already burdened with soaring education and housing costs, to mortgage their future for political gain. We could have done bipartisan tax reform that does not increase our debt and deficit and instead benefits a majority of Americans. We could have worked out a tax plan that helps working families and small businesses rather than the wealthy and big corporations. We could have seized on this opportunity to increase our economic competitiveness overseas rather than burden future generations. I am disappointed at the complete lack of fiscal responsibility toward our country and our childrens future. [VIDEO]: Rep. Schrader Slams GOP Deficit Inflating Tax Bill Rep. Schrader voted against every version of the tax bill this month and has repeatedly called for a bill that wont add to the national debt. Earlier this fall, the Congressmans Blue Dog Coalition rolled out a series of principles for tax reform, among them are prioritizing the middle class, developing a plan that is revenue neutral, and calling for a bipartisan process with regular order.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/in-the-news/oregon-house-members-divide-along-partisan-lines-tax-vote	Oregon House Members Divide Along Partisan Lines On Tax Vote	2017-12-20	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	Oregons lawmakers are dividing along predictable partisan lines in the debate whether the tax bill racing through Congress would help or hurt the state. All four of the Oregons Democrats voted Tuesday against a measure they complain is weighted too heavily in favor of large corporations and the wealthy. Republican Rep. Greg Walden countered that a large majority of Oregonians would get a tax cut and that it would also spur business investment. I can tell you, having met a payroll and owned a business, this is how you grow the economy, Walden said in a telephone call with reporters. He dismissed official projections from congressional forecasters that the tax bill would increase the deficit by more than $1 trillion over the next decade, saying he thought economic growth would make up for it. But Portland Congressman Earl Blumenauer said in an interview with OPB that the tax bill could discourage higher paid workers from taking jobs at the regions top employers. The Democrat said the new $10,000 limit on state income and local property taxes that can be deducted will particularly hit more well-to-do Oregon residents. This is going to hammer people at Intel, Nike, Columbia (Sportswear) the areas where weve got lots of well-paid people whove helped support the state, said Blumenauer, a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee. He said he was concerned the new tax bill could encourage workers with strong job prospects to go to states where income taxes or lower or nonexistent. Oregon relies more heavily on income taxes than many states. And higher-wage workers tend to pay a particularly high percentage of those taxes. The latest statistics show that those earning more than $100,000 a year account for about 17 percent of the taxpayers but pay nearly two-thirds of income taxes. Walden said he thought the other states in competition for highly educated workers also have high state and local taxes, such as California and Massachusetts. He said he is getting indications from Intel that the company will use…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-secretary-devos-decision-give-defrauded-students-only-partial-relief	Bonamici on Secretary DeVos Decision to Give Defrauded Students Only Partial Relief: Extremely Disappointing	2017-12-20	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR),Vice Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement in response to Secretary DeVos announcement that the Department of Education willprovide partial relief to many students who have been defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges. Todays announcement by Secretary DeVos to provide only partial relief to thousands of students defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges is extremely disappointing, said Congresswoman Bonamici. This action cheats students out of their chance to repair their lives after being robbed of their American dream and saddled with worthless degrees or debt by for-profit colleges like Corinthian Colleges and ITT Tech. I urge Secretary DeVos to revisit this policy and stand up for students who have been defrauded by providing them with full loan forgiveness. Congresswoman Bonamici is anoutspoken advocate for student loan borrowersand has led effortsto protect students and taxpayers from predatory for-profit colleges. She has supported the gainful employment andborrower defenserules, which are aimed at reining in predatory for-profit colleges. ###	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-announcement-portland-harbor-superfund-clean	Greg Walden applauds announcement on Portland Harbor Superfund clean up	2017-12-20	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden applauds announcement on Portland Harbor Superfund clean up WASHINGTON, D.C. --Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today applauded Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitts announcement that the Portland Harbor Superfund cleanup is moving forward: I want to thank Administrator Pruitt and his team for making the cleanup of the Portland Harbor a national priority. After 16 years of study this announcement signifies real progress is being made under Administrator Pruitts leadership to finally move this cleanup forward. It is refreshing and welcome news. Cleaning up the Portland Harbor will have positive environmental and economic benefits for all Oregonians. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Administrator Pruitt to achieve the end result were all working towards -- a cleaned up Portland Harbor. ###	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-senate-has-passed-the-biggest-bank-heist-in-history	Merkley: Senate Has Passed “The Biggest Bank Heist in History”	2017-12-20	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley: Senate Has Passed The Biggest Bank Heist in History Wednesday, December 20, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. Oregons Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans narrowly passed a bill along party lines that will give trillions of dollars to the wealthiest Americans and demolish health care for millions of Americans: The Senate Republicans just pulled off the biggest bank heist in history. And theyre delivering the loot more than a trillion dollars out of our national treasury to the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations. This is government by and for the powerful instead of government by and for the people. It is the culmination of elections corrupted by dark money from the Koch Cartel. While the rich gloat over their gold, middle-class Americans get coal in their stockings. This tax scam so favors the wealthy that 83% of the benefits go to the richest 1%. It sends jobs overseas. It increases our national debt. It destroys health care for 13 million Americans while raising the cost of health insurance for millions more. And the GOP has made it clear that in order to pay for this massive heist, they are coming next to raid Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Just imagine the good we could have done for middle-class America if we had invested the same resources in jobs, health care and education! Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-slams-cobbled-together-house-surveillance-bill-	Wyden Slams Cobbled-Together House Surveillance Bill	2017-12-20	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Ron Wyden	W000779	www.wyden.senate.gov	legacy	Rushed House FISA 702 Bill Sacrifices Americans Rights, Extends Warrantless Surveillance Without Meaningful Reforms Wednesday, December 20, 2017 Washington, D.C. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., slammed the latest House bill to extend warrantless surveillance under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, in a statement issued today. This bill is an eleventh-hour attempt to sneak an unchecked warrantless surveillance program through Congress. This kind of rushed, secretive process is exactly the wrong way to write laws governing important national security programs, Wyden said. The legislation posted late yesterday is a clear step backward for Americans rights. It does nothing to check the warrantless backdoor searches of Americans communications. The bill also fails to codify the current prohibition on abouts collection, in which communications entirely among innocent Americans can be swept up if they reference a targets email address. Finally, the bill fails to include the key reforms in the bipartisan, bicameral USA RIGHTS Act, such as a meaningful prohibition on reverse targeting of Americans and a prohibition on collection of communications known to be entirely domestic. ### Press Contact Contact: Keith Chu, 202.224.3789	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-statement-house-passage-gop-tax-bill-0	Blumenauer Statement on House Passage of GOP Tax Bill	2017-12-19	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Earl Blumenauer	B000574	blumenauer.house.gov	legacy	Washington, D.C. Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), a senior member of the House Ways & Means Committee, released the following statement opposing the Republican tax bill: This bill represents the largest transfer of wealth in our nations historyfinanced by mortgaging our childrens future with a mountain of increased debt. It is not tax reform. Its not even a policy. Rather, it is a collection of special interest provisions, disguised behind a set of false promises. This legislation fails utterly to invest in the American peopleits no wonder the public is opposed. They are right, and the Republicans are wrong. ###	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-gop-tax-plan-reprehensible	Bonamici: GOP Tax Plan is Reprehensible	2017-12-19	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	WASHINGTON, DC [12/19/17] Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This partisan tax plan will increase taxes on millions of families and workers while delivering enormous, unnecessary benefits and loopholes to wealthy corporations and billionaires, said Congresswoman Bonamici. It is reprehensible to increase the debt by at least one trillion dollars to give tax cuts to successful corporations and the wealthiest in our country while asking hard-working Americans to do more with less as costs rise and wages remain stagnant. This bill will exacerbate income inequality in our country at a time when it is rising and threatening our nations prosperity. And making things even worse, this debt-ballooning plan paves the way for future cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security life-saving programs that provide seniors with financial security and low-income and disabled people with access to health care. Capping the federal deduction for state and local taxes will make it harder for states and cities to fund education, transportation, infrastructure, public safety, affordable housing, and other services vital to our communities. Public education is already underfunded, and limiting this commonsense deduction would further shrink available resources and hurt families struggling to get ahead. I am deeply concerned about the long-term cost of this reckless tax plan to Americas children and grandchildren. Bonamici continued, In addition to being bad policy, this was also a bad process. The Republicans created this partisan plan and pushed it through rapidly with no hearings and with little opportunity for debate, analysis, or public input. This is a tremendous lost opportunity; working together we could have accomplished tax reform that would lift people out of poverty, level the playing field, and stimulate job growth. Additionally, this Conference Report we voted on today includes many dangerous provisions with little if any rel…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-from-rep-peter-defazio-on-hr-1-republican-tax-plan	Statement from Rep. Peter DeFazio on H.R. 1, Republican Tax Plan	2017-12-19	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	WASHINGTON Rep. Peter DeFazio released the following statement about H.R. 1, the Republican tax plan: Republicans promised their overhaul of the tax code would help working Americans and grow our economy. That is not the reality of their tax bill, which was written behind closed doors on a totally partisan basis. The tax breaks in this plan will skyrocket our national debt and only give a pittance to the middle class. 83 percent of the benefits go to Americans making over $400,000, while over half of Americas middle class will see a tax increase. The plan contains unprecedented tax cuts for the wealthy, including reducing the rate on income over half a million dollars and doubling the estate tax exemption. It also cuts taxes for large corporations and wealthy passive real estate and other investors, once again highlighting a dubious claim that cutting corporate taxes benefits workers in the form of more jobs and increased wages. In reality, previous corporate cuts have only led to stock buyback, dividends, and executive bonuses. And how are these handouts to the wealthy paid for? Outrageous hits to the middle class. This plan targets states that voted blue by capping state and local income tax deductibility, hiking taxes on Oregonians by forcing them to pay taxes twice on their income. While the few provisions that benefit the middle class expire, the corporate cuts and estate tax elimination are permanent. Even with hits to middle income families, the price tag on the Republican plan is at least $1.5 trillion. Our national debt has ballooned to nearly twenty trillion dollars, and raising our national debt further will create an increase in interest rates and further hurt working Americans that have to borrow for mortgages, cars, and education. Even worse, the majority has already begun discussing going after Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to pay for the additional debt. PAYGO requires legislative changes that increase the deficit to be offset by spending cuts. These would include hundreds of billions i…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-tax-relief-middle-class-oregonians	Greg Walden applauds tax relief for middle-class Oregonians	2017-12-19	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden applauds tax relief for middle-class Oregonians Votes to pass landmark tax reform through House of Representatives Click here or on the image above to view Waldens remarks WASHINGTON, D.C. Continuing his efforts to provide tax relief for middle-class families and boost job growth in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today voted to pass landmark tax reform through the House of Representatives. Walden applauded the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1), as a win for hard-working Oregon taxpayers and job creators. I want to thank the nearly 2,000 Oregonians who called and wrote to me over the last month with suggestions on how we could improve the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to better fit our needs in Oregon, said Walden.The measure Congress will send to the President this week means that a hardworking family of four in eastern Oregon that earns about $50,000 a year -- which is the median household income in my district -- will receive a tax break of about $1,300 compared to the existing law. Instead of a bloated federal government taking and spending your money, I want families to keep more of what they earn. Thats $10,400 in lower federal income taxes over the next eight years for that one family. Based on feedback from Oregonians, Walden worked alongside leaders in both the House and Senate to incorporate changes into the final agreement. Importantly, the bill passed today includes specific provisions particularly important for Oregonians including: State and Local Tax Deductions:Oregonians who itemize their taxes will be able to deduct a combined $10,000 in state property and income taxes Private Activity Bonds:Preserves the tax-exempt private activity bonds used to support economic development and affordable housing projects in Oregon. Student Loan Interest:Preserves the tax deduction for interest paid on federal student loans Medical Expense Deduction:Preserves the ability for Oregonians who itemize to deduct qualified medical expenses Craft Beverage Modernization:Red…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/oregon-senators-identity-stolen-to-make-comment-in-favor-of-repealing-net-neutrality	Oregon senator's identity stolen to make comment in favor of repealing Net Neutrality	2017-12-19	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Oregon senator's identity stolen to make comment in favor of repealing Net Neutrality Tuesday, December 19, 2017 By: Ellen Meny EUGENE, Ore. - As the Federal Communications Commission weighed whether to repeal Obama-era Net Neutrality rules, an Oregonian filed a comment online in support of scrapping the rules. "The FCC's Net Neutrality rules were written in the Obama White House by political staff and Tech Industry special interests who overruled the FCC's own experts," Jeff Merkley of Portland wrote. "The FCC's own chief economist Tim Brennan called the rules 'an economics-free zone.' They should be repealed." This came as a surprise to Merkley, Oregon's junior U.S. Senator and a staunch opponent of repeal. Merkley identity had been stolen back in May to make the comment. The senator found out Monday. "When my team presented me with the tweet, I was like, 'What, there's one in my name?' It's like, oh, you're kidding me!" Merkley told KVAL News on Tuesday. "It's an affront to our democracy. It's despicable!" Merkley said. "The FCC should have, at a minimum, postponed the vote until all of this was cleared up." Merkley wasn't alone. "Before leaving office, the Obama Administration rammed through a massive scheme that gave the federal government broad regulatory control over the internet," wrote a "Barack Obama" of Gregory, Mich. "That misguided policy decision is threatening innovation and hurting broadband investment in one of the largest and most important sectors of the U.S. economy. I support the Federal Communications Commission's decision to roll back Title II and allow for free market principles to guide our digital economy." Obama - or, more likely, someone posing as the former president - commented repeatedly from his other home bases, like Random Lake, Wisconsin. "The current FCC regulatory scheme known as 'Title II' represents an unprecedented increase in government control over the internet," that "Obama" wrote. "Such over-regulation is hurting our…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-schakowsky-join-calls-for-new-election-in-honduras	Merkley, Schakowsky Join Calls for New Election in Honduras	2017-12-19	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley, Schakowsky Join Calls for New Election in Honduras Tuesday, December 19, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. Oregons Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following joint statement regarding the situation in Honduras: We are deeply concerned by the widespread irregularities documented by outside election observers in Honduras November 26 presidential election. It is striking that the Organization of American States (OAS) has stated it cannot certify the election results, and that it has called for a new election. We join OAS officials in calling for a new election, one that must be free, fair and transparent. We continue to support the peaceful protests of the Honduran people and urge Honduran security forces to refrain from violence and respect the peoples right to make their voices heard. Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-from-rep-peter-defazio-on-amtrak-derailment	Statement from Rep. Peter DeFazio on Amtrak Derailment	2017-12-18	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	WASHINGTON Rep. Peter DeFazio, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, released the following statement about the Amtrak derailment that occurred earlier today: My thoughts are with the loved ones of the victims and all those injured in the terrible Amtrak train crash in Washington this morning. We dont yet know the cause of the horrific derailment which took the lives of at least six people, and we need to let the NTSB conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident. As Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure I will continue to monitor the situation, and work together with my colleagues to enact any changes necessary to prevent this type of accident in the future once we have more information about the cause. ###	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-becomes-first-senate-cosponsor-of-landmark-bill-to-end-federal-prohibition-of-marijuana	Wyden Becomes First Senate Cosponsor of Landmark Bill to End Federal Prohibition of Marijuana	2017-12-18	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Ron Wyden	W000779	www.wyden.senate.gov	legacy	Booker, Wyden pushing for fairness in federal marijuana policy Monday, December 18, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) today became the first U.S senator to cosponsor Senator Cory Bookers (D-NJ) landmark bill to end the federal prohibition on marijuana. He announced his support in a Facebook live tonight with Booker. The Marijuana Justice Act would remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances, making it legal at the federal level. Jeff Sessions and the Trump administration are still trying to fight a 1980s drug war that is socially unjust, economically backward and against the will of the American people, Wyden said. Im proud to join forces with Senator Booker to fight this administrations attempts to shift our country into reverse when it comes to federal marijuana policy. Its more important now than ever to update outdated policies, right the wrongs against communities of color, and continue our work to lift up the voices of the many Americans who are speaking out in favor of legalization. Im thrilled that my colleague, Senator Wyden, has joined me on this groundbreaking bill,Senator Booker said. Its long past due that we reform our nations deeply broken drug laws, which disproportionately harm low-income communities and communities of color. This is more than a marijuana reform bill it's about ensuring equal justice for all, and we wont stop fighting until we fix our broken criminal justice system. In addition to making marijuana legal at the federal level, the legislation would also incentivize states through federal funds to change their marijuana laws if those laws are shown to have a disproportionate effect on low-income individuals and/or people of color. The bill is retroactive and would apply to those already serving time behind bars for marijuana-related offenses, providing for a judges review of marijuana sentences. Specifically, the Marijuana Justice Act will: Remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances, making it l…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-oregon-leaders-question-proposals-will-harm-higher-education	Bonamici, Oregon Leaders Question Proposals That Will Harm Higher Education	2017-12-15	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) convened a roundtable discussion about legislation in Congress that will affect college affordability and access to higher education. Oregon higher education leaders shared their concerns about the negative consequences for Oregon students, colleges and universities, and student loan borrowers from the Republican tax bill and a new partisan bill to rewrite the Higher Education Act. Oregonians value higher education, and I am committed to making college affordable and accessible, said Bonamici. The partisan Republican proposals on taxes and federalhigher education would move us in the wrong direction. Ive heard concerns from students and higher education leaders about these bills, which will make college more expensive for low-income students and working families, undermine consumer protections for student loan borrowers, and take away accountability over for-profit institutions. The Higher Education Reauthorization and the tax reform bills in Congress will put a college education further out of reach for middle and low income families, said John Wykoff, Deputy Director of the Oregon Community College Association. The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act puts student financial aid at risk and places additional burdens on institutions that would likely result in higher tuition. It also will increase the cost of college loans for our lowest income students. The tax bill will simply make it harder for students and families to afford an education and harder for state and local governments to support students and institutions. It would represent a big step backward for students and families trying to afford a college education. The current tax bill and HEA reauthorization proposals are nothing more than a slap in the face to students who have the most barriers to higher education, said Lamar Wise, Executive Director of the Oregon Student Association. Students need relief now, yet the latest edit of the HEA would make college more …	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-defazio-announces-federal-transit-administration-transit-grant	Rep. DeFazio Announces Federal Transit Administration Transit Grant Awarded to Coquille Indian Tribe	2017-12-15	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	Today, Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) announced that the Coquille Indian Tribe of Southwest Oregon will receive a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant of $200,000 through the Tribal Transit Program to expand their transportation services. This is welcomed news for Coos County. This funding will be critical in expanding the Coquille Tribe's current transportation system, and providing increased opportunities for tribal members to access jobs, school, and health appointments. Currently, the Coquille Tribe provides demand services for health related appointments, but lacks a consistent and reliable transportation option. Public transportation in Coos County is provided through Coos County Area Transit, which provides two loop services through Coos Bay and North Bend, Monday-Friday. This grant will add an additional route to CCAT, benefitting not only members of the Coquille Tribe but the community at large. Public transit serves a vital function in rural communities by connecting individuals with more opportunities. I will continue to work to improve public transportation throughout southwest Oregon, said Congressman Peter DeFazio. As Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep. DeFazio was instrumental in providing funding for the Tribal Transit Program in the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation Act (FAST) of 2015. The Coquille tribes project is one of 36 transit projects in 19 states to receive funding through FTAs Tribal Transit Program this year.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-tax-relief-middle-class-oregonians	Greg Walden statement on tax relief for middle-class Oregonians	2017-12-15	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden statement on tax relief for middle-class Oregonians WASHINGTON, D.C. --Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which will help bring tax relief to middle-class families in Oregon and grow Americas economy: "This plan will bring much-needed tax relief for hardworking, middle-class families in Oregon and allow them to keep more of what they have earned. That has been my goal and focus from the beginning, said Walden. I have been working closely with my colleagues to improve the bill based on feedback I have heard from Oregonians, and I am encouraged to see the changes incorporated into this final plan. By expanding the ability for Oregon taxpayers to deduct up to $10,000 in combined state income and property taxes, the final plan helps bring further relief to people who currently itemize their taxes. I also worked hard with my colleagues to preserve tax-exempt private activity bonds, which are incredibly important for economic development, affordable housing, and veterans housing projects across Oregon. We have made progress for our students, Oregonians with high medical expenses, Oregon craft brewers and winemakers, and large employers in our state as well. These improvements build on the strong foundation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in the House. By nearly doubling the standard deduction, expanding the child tax credit, lowering tax rates across the board, and finally giving American companies a competitive corporate rate, this pro-growth plan makes our tax code work better for middle-class Oregonians and people across the country. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to get our plan across the finish line and to the Presidents desk. Walden has been working alongside House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady and leaders in both the House and Senate to incorporate changes into the final agreement. Importantly, the bill released today includes specific provisions particularly important for Oregonians including…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-congress-condemn-fcc-vote-kill-net-neutrality	Members of Congress Condemn FCC Vote to Kill Net Neutrality	2017-12-14	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	Washington, DC – December 14, 2017 – U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (D-PA-14), the Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, joined a number of other Members of Congress in condemning the Federal Communications Commission’s vote today to kill the Open Internet Order, which guarantees Net Neutrality. Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA-18), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Ro Khanna (D-CA-17), Richard M. Nolan (D-MN-08), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9), Jerry McNerney (D-CA-09), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), and Peter Welch (D-VT-AL) joined Congressman Doyle in condemning the FCC’s action and announcing their intention to introduce legislation to overturn the “Restoring Internet Freedom” order the Commission adopted with that vote. Companion legislation will be introduced in the Senate by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). “The Open Internet Order has been effective at preserving a level playing field where consumers have access to the content and services they want – and online businesses are able to compete on the basis of cost and quality of their product rather than how much they can pay Internet Service Providers to block or throttle their competition,” Congressman Doyle said in response to the FCC vote. “I’ve tried repeatedly to convince Chairman Pai to abandon his plans to dismantle the Open Internet Order – most recently by organizing a letter from 118 Members of Congress urging him not to take this vote today – and now that the FCC has voted to kill Net Neutrality and give ISPs a green light to control access to the Internet, I will introduce legislation under the Congressional Review Act to overturn today’s order and restore Net Neutrality.” “It’s clear that the Chairman’s idea to destroy the free and open Internet has been rejected in the court of public opinion, with tens of millions of Americans weighing in,” Representative Eshoo said. “As representatives of those millions, it is our responsibility to fight this march t…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-it-s-important-we-work-together-protect-our-public-lands	Greg Walden: Its important we work together to protect our public lands	2017-12-14	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden: “It’s important we work together to protect our public lands” Walden stressed that he will not support action to remove millions of acres of America’s public lands Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s statement WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his support for protecting public lands in Oregon and across the country, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released a video message on the importance of working together to steward these lands, protect private property rights, and improve federal land management to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Walden also stressed that he will not support action to remove millions of acres of America’s public lands. A full transcript of Walden’s remarks is included below: “I am a strong supporter of America’s public lands, and will not support any effort that wipes 2 million acres of protected public lands off the map in any case,” said Walden. “I want the Trump administration to follow the law when it comes to management of our public lands, especially in southern Oregon. I am a strong supporter of private property rights, and for multiple use on our public lands. "These are the lands we enjoy to go hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping, and I want to make sure that they are available to the public. I’ve also supported legislation like the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act that President Clinton signed into law. I’ve supported management changes on Mount Hood and Soda Mountain as well. “It is important that we work together to protect our public lands, to better manage our public lands, reduce fire on our public lands, and to replant them and restore them when they are damaged.” This comes as the House recently passed legislation Walden helped craft -- the Resilient Federal Forests Act -- which would improve federal land management and forest health. Walden has led the call to action on forest management reform following a historic wildfire season in Oregon and across much of the West. The Resilient Federal Forests Act …	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-blackburn-fcc-restoring-internet-freedom-vote	Walden, Blackburn on the FCC Restoring Internet Freedom Vote	2017-12-14	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Walden, Blackburn on the FCC Restoring Internet Freedom Vote WASHINGTON, DC – House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the Restoring Internet Freedom order. “The FCC’s vote today will preserve the open and dynamic Internet the American people have known since the early 1990s. The light-touch Title I rules, under which the Internet flourished for decades, will help more Americans than ever before access the web, video streaming, telemedicine, and the innovations of the future made possible by increased investment in broadband. Now, the table is set for Congress to provide clear, permanent rules through a bipartisan legislative solution. We hope that all stakeholders, and our Democratic colleagues, will finally engage in serious negotiations soon,” said Walden and Blackburn.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-decries-fcc-vote-destroying-net-neutrality	Merkley Decries FCC Vote Destroying Net Neutrality	2017-12-14	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley Decries FCC Vote Destroying Net Neutrality Thursday, December 14, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under the leadership of Chairman Ajit Pai, passed sweeping new rules that would allow internet providers to establish fast and slow lanes; block content; and charge consumers and businesses more for reliable access to sites: “This is an outrageous attack on our free and open internet, one that puts ‘We the Powerful’ over ‘We the People.’ Over the last several weeks, thousands of Oregonians have called my office in opposition to this destructive plan. With today’s vote, the FCC has ignored their voices, and the voices of millions of other Americans who rose up to protect net neutrality, in favor of a small group of special interests. “If you’ve ever wished that your internet provider could make your connection much slower or much more expensive, then this plan is for you. But if you’d rather not be gouged by big corporations, and if you believe the internet should continue to be a powerful tool for democracy and entrepreneurship in America, then you should be outraged. This plan is totally unacceptable, and I’m going to do everything I can in Congress to overturn it.” Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-senators-proposed-cuts-to-epa-threaten-public-health	Merkley, Senators: Proposed Cuts to EPA Threaten Public Health	2017-12-14	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley, Senators: Proposed Cuts to EPA Threaten Public Health Thursday, December 14, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today led three dozen Senators in pushing back on proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) budget that would threaten public health and the environment. “The Trump Administration has made dismantling the EPA a core mission. We urge you to oppose any legislation that advances that goal by further cutting the EPA's already decimated funding levels,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Senate leaders. “Because of these endless attacks on both the career employees and regional programs, the EPA is badly underfunded, understaffed and struggling to perform its basic and legally required functions,” they continued. “We cannot tolerate efforts to cripple an agency that, with increased use of Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments, is operating with staffing levels not seen since the 1980s.” As the Senators pointed out in the letter, these cuts threaten the EPA’s core missions of protecting the environment and public health. If the EPA’s funding levels continue to be slashed, fewer polluters will be held accountable, and clean air and water projects across the United States will be threatened. In addition to Merkley, the letter was signed by Senators Tom Udall (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Al Franken (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Angus King (I-ME), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Amy Kl…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/video/senator-merkley-fights-to-save-net-neutrality	Senator Merkley Fights to Save Net Neutrality	2017-12-14	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley spoke on the Senate floor to fight for a free and open internet and oppose the FCC’s plan to dismantle net neutrality.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-blasts-fccs-repeal-of-net-neutrality	Wyden Blasts FCC’s Repeal of Net Neutrality	2017-12-14	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Ron Wyden	W000779	www.wyden.senate.gov	legacy	Senator fights to restore key Internet protections Thursday, December 14, 2017 Washington – U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today sharply criticized the Federal Communications Commission’s vote to repeal net neutrality and said he will work to restore key rules that successfully prohibited internet service providers from devising fast and slow lanes they could use to block or stunt internet traffic. “Today’s historically awful FCC action undoing net neutrality unwraps an early Christmas present for Big Cable and unravels essential protections for consumers in Oregon and nationwide,” said Wyden, who introduced the first strong net neutrality bill in 2006. Wyden spoke on the Senate floor this week in favor of preserving successful net neutrality rules, pointed out the importance of broadband access to rural Oregon and defended net neutrality in state and national forums. “The fight for a free and open Internet will not end with today’s shortsighted and misguided net neutrality decision by Trump appointees,” he said. “I will fight this decision in the courts and in the Congress.” As part of that fight in Congress, Wyden today joined with 15 other senators to announce their plan to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution. The resolution would undo today’s FCC net neutrality decision and restore the 2015 net neutrality rules that prohibited internet service providers from setting up internet fast and slow lanes and ensured they could not block or slow down internet traffic.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/in-the-news/ethics-committee-announces-lawmakers-panel-probing-farenthold	Ethics Committee announces lawmakers on panel probing Farenthold	2017-12-13	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	The House Ethics Committee on Wednesday announced the lawmakers that will serve on the subcommittee charged with investigating sexual harassment allegations against Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas). Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) will serve as the panel's chairman and Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) has been tapped to serve as its ranking member, according to a statement released by the Ethics Committee's top lawmakers. Two other lawmakers, Reps. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) and Suzanne Bonamici(D-Ore.), will also sit on the investigative panel. The Ethics Committee announced last week that it would open an investigation into Farenthold, particularly whether he sexually harassed a former staffer and retaliated against her when she complained about his conduct. The staffer, Lauren Greene, was fired from Farenthold's office in 2014 and filed a lawsuit against the congressman later that year. Politico reported earlier this month that Farenthold settled that suit in 2015 for $84,000 in taxpayer money. Farenthold has said that he will repay the settlement. The revelation of the payout and allegations against Farenthold came as a number of powerful men in politics, media, business and beyond have faced allegations of sexual misconduct and mounting pressure to resign from their jobs. Several lawmakers have called for a crackdown on sexual harassment in Congress, while three members of Congress have recently resigned after various claims of sexual misconduct.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/in-the-news/oregon-congressional-delegation-calls-trump-resign	Oregon congressional delegation calls on Trump to resign	2017-12-13	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	Washington County's entire representation in Congress has called on President Donald Trump to resign, amid allegations of sexual misconduct prior to last November's election. U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici — who represents Washington County in Oregon's 1st Congressional District — have called for the president to step down after more than a dozen women claimed the president made inappropriate advances before he became president. The accusations from 15 women range from lewd behavior to sexual harassment and sexual assault. Two said they witnessed the behavior and said it made them uncomfortable. In a press conference on Monday, several of the women called on Congress to investigate the president's history of sexual misconduct. The three Oregon lawmakers join a growing list of Democratic members who Congress who have called for Trump to step down. Last week, Sen. Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, resigned amid sexual harassment allegations. Over the weekend, New York Democrat Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand called on the president to step down, prompting a response from Trump on Twitter calling her a "total flunky" who would "do anything" for campaign contributions. The tweet has been criticized for being sexually suggestive, which the White House has denied. Merkley called on Trump to step down during an interview on MSNBC's Meet The Press on Dec. 7. An outspoken critic of the president, Merkley said in a fundraising email this week that the president's actions go beyond partisan politics. "This is not about politics. This is not about policy. I disagree with him on many things, but this is not about that," Merkley wrote in the email. Merkley said Tuesday that Congress should hold hearings into the allegations if Trump does not step down. It's fundamental accountability, that's what it boils down to," Merkley said on CNN Nov. 12. "There were over 40 senators who said it was the right thing for Senator Franken to step down. But if you believe that that's the case, wouldn't you also believ…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/in-the-news/prosper-act-could-make-campuses-less-safe-sexual-assault	PROSPER Act Could Make Campuses Less Safe From Sexual Assault	2017-12-13	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	The Chairwoman, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC 5th), of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce pledged on Tuesday to work with members of the Committee to address concerns about a major higher education bill that could harm how colleges and universities respond to campus sexual assault. “Let me make a commitment to you…we will work on this with you before this bill goes to the floor to make absolutely certain there is no misunderstanding on what we’re trying to accomplish here,” said Foxx. “We’re all trying to do everything we can to protect the victim.” Provisions in H.R. 4508, the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act, introduced by Foxx, could lead to fewer sexual assaults being reported in campus crime statistics, interfere with a college’s ability to investigate sexual assault reports and protect survivors if there were also a law enforcement investigation, and see institutions not publicly disclosing the results of campus climate surveys. Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA 53rd) raised these concerns, and along with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st) offered an amendment to the PROSPER Act to remove the provisions they were concerned about. “This legislation would attempt to strip important processes in place to protect all students on campus,” said Davis. “The PROSPER Act directly contradicts the intent and purpose of the Clery Act,” added Bonamici referring to the law that requires colleges to report campus crime and have procedures to address sexual violence. Davis raised concerns that the sexual assault survivors’ counselors created by the bill would be exempt from Clery and Title IX, which requires schools to respond to sexual assault as an extreme form of hostile environment harassment, reporting leading to them being omitted from statistics. This question is central to an ongoing debate about affording survivors a confidential option for obtaining information about their options without forcing them into a complicated investigation …	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-stands-students-and-affordable-accessible-higher-education-during	Bonamici Stands for Students and Affordable, Accessible Higher Education During Update of Federal Policies	2017-12-13	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	WASHINGTON, DC [12/13/17] — Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), a leader on the Education and the Workforce Committee, stood up against efforts in that committee to roll back federal higher education policies that support low-income students. She also strongly opposed efforts to reduce accountability of unscrupulous for-profit institutions and to remove consumer protections for defrauded students who attended them. During the 13-hour markup of partisan legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, Bonamici offered many amendments to make higher education more accessible and affordable, and to preserve and enhance consumer protections for individuals with student loans. “Education is one of the best investments our country can make,” said Bonamici. “This hastily written, partisan bill will make college more expensive for low-income students and working families, undermine consumer protections for student loan borrowers, and put the interests of unscrupulous for-profit institutions ahead of students and working families. I worked my way through community college, which opened doors and created opportunities for me. I want students in Oregon and around the country to have the same chance to succeed and to reach for a better future.” Bonamici offered the following amendments during the markup of the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act: Streamline loan repayment and make all loans eligible for income-driven repayment plans, maintain strong consumer protections to protect vulnerable student loan borrowers from default, and reestablish the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and the Direct Loan program. Reinstate the Perkins Loan Program and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, and update the Federal Work Study program to better meet the needs of students. Restore protections for victims of sexual violence on campus and give students and families accurate information about sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalki…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-wyden-urge-nationwide-review-of-va-providers-in-light-of-usa-today-report	Merkley, Wyden Urge Nationwide Review of VA Providers in Light of USA Today Report	2017-12-13	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley, Wyden Urge Nationwide Review of VA Providers in Light of USA Today Report Wednesday, December 13, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have joined a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a nationwide review of its providers after a USA Today investigation found multiple providers hired by the Department had at least one state medical license revoked due to malpractice. In a letter to VA Secretary David Shulkin, the Senators presented a series of questions. “For years, states have experienced provider shortages across many different medical specialties, and like the private sector healthcare industry, the VA has faced similar provider shortages,” the Senators wrote to Shulkin. “As such, we request information about the VA’s oversight of provider hiring guidelines to ensure that the pressure to fill shortages has not led to insufficient health care quality controls.” In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the letter was signed by Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Full text of the letter can be found here and below: Dear Secretary Shulkin: We write to express our serious concerns regarding recent media reports suggesting that the Department of Veterans Affairs offers employment to medical practitioners with a known history of licensure revocation by a state medical licensing board. The national reporting also highlighted cases of the VA hiring providers with known conduct and performance deficiencies that resulted in sanctions and criminal charges of the individuals. For years, states have experienced provider shortages across many different medical specialties, and like the private sector healthcare industry, the VA has faced similar provider shortages. For states, such …	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/in-the-news/beaverton-school-briefs-bonamici-speaks-out-tax-plan-and-future-connect-success	Beaverton School Briefs: Bonamici speaks out on tax plan, and Future Connect is a success for PCC students.	2017-12-12	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	Bonamici speaks out on Republican tax plan U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Beaverton, along with nearly 50 other Democratic lawmakers, signed a joint letter urging that the Republican tax plan change to support public schools and investments in higher education. "This partisan tax proposal will have irreversible and lasting consequences for the future of K-12 and higher education," the letter reads. "We urge you to abandon partisan ideology on tax reform to support improved educational opportunity. … Republicans and Democrats agree that access to quality education is essential in empowering all working families to achieve the American dream. We urge you to ensure that federal tax code reflects this shared belief." In the letter released Friday, Dec. 8, the lawmakers point to improvements that could be made in the area of K-12 public education, including equitable access to quality education, supporting educators, and making higher education affordable and accessible. To read the entire letter, go to https://bonamici.house.gov/sites/bonamici.house.gov/files/documents/171208Ltr_EdPrioritiesTaxConferees.pdf.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-from-rep-peter-defazio-on-net-neutrality	Statement from Rep. Peter DeFazio on Net Neutrality	2017-12-12	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	Rep. Peter DeFazio today released the following statement on the upcoming net neutrality rollback vote coming before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC): I have called on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to protect net neutrality. We must ensure that the internet remains a free and open space for everyonenot just big corporations. # # #	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/president-signs-greg-walden-bill-ensure-military-access-lifesaving	President signs Greg Walden bill to ensure military access to lifesaving medical treatments	2017-12-12	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	President signs Greg Walden bill to ensure military access to lifesaving medical treatments Legislation will streamline approval process for lifesaving treatments for troops on front lines Click here or on the image above to view Walden's remarks WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Trump signed into law legislation introduced by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) to ensure the military has access to lifesaving medical treatments. Walden’s legislation (H.R. 4374) passed the House and Senate unanimously, and will amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize additional emergency uses for medical products to reduce deaths and severity of injuries caused by agents of war. “This is an important day for our brave men and women in uniform, ensuring they get the timely care they need while protecting our country,” said Walden. “Today we are well on our way to delivering the newest treatments and devices to our war fighters without forgoing important safety mechanisms.” Specifically, Walden’s legislation corrects language within the National Defense Authorization Act – which was also signed into law today – that could have usurped FDA’s critical authority of ensuring the safety and efficacy of cutting edge medicines for our soldiers on the front lines. Walden’s bill will streamline the processes at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Defense (DoD) to ensure America’s warfighters have access to new, lifesaving medications in a timely manner. ''Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line for this country, and they deserve to have the earliest possible access to medical products that could save their lives on the battlefield,” said Walden in a speech on the House floor when the legislation passed the House in November. “In short, H.R. 4374 addresses the critical issue of military access to the newest available products by expanding the circumstances under which emergency use authorizations can be issued, and by establishing an expedited pathway to full approval of products t…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/senate-dem-call-for-trump-resignation-boils-down-to-fundamental-accountability	Senate Dem: Call for Trump resignation boils down to ‘fundamental accountability’	2017-12-12	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Senate Dem: Call for Trump resignation boils down to ‘fundamental accountability’ Tuesday, December 12, 2017 By: JOHN BOWDEN Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley (D) on Tuesday reiterated his call for President Trump's resignation, explaining on CNN that the women who are accusing Trump should be treated the same as other victims of sexual misconduct. Merkley told CNN's "New Day" that Trump's accusers should be heard and have their chance to tell their stories. "I think we should give full opportunity for these women who the president completely discounted and said are inauthentic, unbelievable, never happened. It's only fair that we give them the full chance to tell their story before the American people," Merkley said. When pressed by host Alisyn Camerota on why he would call for the president's resignation before hearing the women speak, Merkley responded that it came down to "accountability." "Well, it's fundamental accountability," Merkley responded. "Alisyn, there were over 40 senators that said it was the right thing for Sen. [Al] Franken [D-Minn.] to step down. But if you believe that that's the case, wouldn't you also believe that it's the right thing for the president to step down? Who has a far more serious set of stories." "He's grabbed women's butts, he's grabbed their breasts, he's grabbed their genitals. He's bragged about it in a variety of forms," Merkley continued. "It's just a horrendous list of treatment of women, and this is why if you called for Franken to step down, don't you have to also say it's the right thing for the president to step down?" Merkley joined several other Democratic senators this week in calling for Trump's resignation, including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and fellow Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D). Wyden on Monday called for a congressional investigation into the multiple accusations by women of sexual assault and misconduct against the president. “These women are right,” Wyden wrote Monday. “If @realDonaldTrump won't resign, C…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-statement-vera-katz	Bonamici Statement on Vera Katz	2017-12-11	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	WASHINGTON, DC [12/11/17] — Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) issued the following statement about the passing of Vera Katz, former Portland Mayor and Speaker of the Oregon House: “Along with all Oregonians, I mourn the passing of Vera Katz. Vera was a true leader, and a pioneer for women in politics. Portland and Oregon are better because of Vera’s leadership and legacy. She will be missed.” ###	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/northwest-democrats-furious-at-trump-administration-over-oil-train-brake-rule-rollback	Northwest Democrats furious at Trump administration over oil-train brake rule rollback	2017-12-11	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Northwest Democrats furious at Trump administration over oil-train brake rule rollback Monday, December 11, 2017 By: Pete Danko Democrats in the region are piling on their criticism of a Trump administration decision to withdraw a railroad braking-system rule aimed at trains carrying highly flammable commodities. The Department of Transportation said it jettisoned the requirement for electronically controlled pneumatic brakes because “the expected benefits do not exceed the expected cost.” The decision added to long list of rollbacks of Obama-era regulations by the Trump administration, but this one has particular resonance in the Northwest, where a June 2016 derailment near Mosier, raised concerns about the oil trains that run through the region. Sen. Jeff Merkley was first to criticize the Dec. 4 ruling, calling it “a huge step backward and one that puts our land, homes, and lives at risk.” Other pols joined in as the week wore on. Governor Kate Brown: Safety shouldn’t be up for political debate. The Trump Admin's decision to roll back rules that improve oil train safety is deeply troubling. We expect the federal govt. to put in place standards that protect our communities & prevent dangerous accidents. http://bit.ly/2yPQdW8 Ron Wyden: This is outrageous. The Trump Admin is once again willing to sacrifice the safety of Americans in the name of undoing regulations. This is a senseless decision that endangers our communities by making oil by rail transportation less safe. Governor Jay Inslee: Here is my statement with @OregonGovBrown on the Trump Administration's rollback of new oil train safety rules. This is a reckless and dangerous step that caves to corporate special interests. It undoes rules that are crucial to protecting our communities: https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-and-brown-blast-trump-administration-efforts-roll-back-oil-train-safety … The mandate for "ECP" brakes was part of a May 2015 rulemaking by the Obama administration. …	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-statement-on-vera-katz	Wyden Statement on Vera Katz	2017-12-11	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Ron Wyden	W000779	www.wyden.senate.gov	legacy	Monday, December 11, 2017 Washington – U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today issued the following statement about the passing of former Portland Mayor Vera Katz: “I am deeply saddened by the loss of my friend Vera Katz. My memories of this indomitable woman stretch back more than 40 years to our work together during the 1975 state Legislature to reduce prescription drug costs,” Wyden said. “Vera recognized early on the importance of standing up for senior citizens and I fondly remember how older people gravitated to her house because she always picked up their spirits and made politics fun. “Always a trailblazer, Vera will be remembered by Portlanders for the enduring legacy she leaves our city from her groundbreaking tenure as mayor, and by all Oregonians in every part of the state through her service as our state’s first woman Speaker of the House and her lifetime of passionate advocacy for children, senior citizens and the LGBTQ community.”	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://schrader.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=390979	Schrader Votes Against Short Term Spending Bill, Calls for DACA and CHIP Votes	2017-12-08	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Kurt Schrader	S001180	schrader.house.gov	legacy	Congressman Kurt Schrader voted today against just another patch to government funding that will fund the federal government for only two weeks. Funding was previously slated to run out at 11:59pm tonight December 8, 2017. This two-week bill will keep the government open through December 22nd. “Passing a skeleton two-week funding bill is absolutely no way to govern,” said Rep. Schrader. “It’s our duty in Congress to make sure taxpayer money is being used wisely, but this piecemeal, short-term way of budgeting doesn’t do that. The bill doesn't even address problems that our country is currently facing like fixing funding for wildfires or flood insurance. We still haven’t fully funded the Children’s Health Insurance Program for the longer term, which has historically been a bipartisan, noncontroversial task. And the Republican majority still refuses to address DACA, keeping the young folks throughout our communities, as well as their employers – which span the gamut of American industries including medical practices and schools – in this nightmarish limbo of uncertainty and fear. This is so recklessly irresponsible to shove off our most significant responsibility to the last minute.” Believing that the number one job of Congress is to pass a budget, Rep. Schrader is an original cosponsor of H.R.1779, the No Budget, No Pay Act, which would suspend the salary of Members of Congress if they do not pass a budget on time. This is the third consecutive Congress that the bill has been introduced, and Rep. Schrader has been an original cosponsor of the bill every time.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-scott-45-democrats-fight-protect-k-12-higher-education-tax-reform	Bonamici, Scott, 45 Democrats Fight to Protect K-12, Higher Education in Tax Reform	2017-12-08	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	WASHINGTON, DC [12/08/17] — Today Education and the Workforce Vice Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), and 45 Democrats stood up for public education and urged tax bill conferees to mitigate the harmful aspects of the current tax proposal and instead advance a tax plan that supports public schools and investments in higher education. “This partisan tax proposal will have irreversible and lasting consequences for the future of K-12 and higher education,” wrote the lawmakers. “We urge you to abandon partisan ideology on tax reform to support improved educational opportunity … Republicans and Democrats agree that access to quality education is essential in empowering all working families to achieve the American dream. We urge you to ensure that federal tax code reflects this shared belief.” In the letter, the lawmakers point to improvements that could be made in the area of K-12 public education, including equitable access to quality education, supporting educators, and making higher education affordable and accessible. The letter was signed by Scott, Bonamici, Susan A. Davis (D-CA), Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Jared Polis (D-CO), Gregorio Sablan (D-MP), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Mark Takano (D-CA), Alma Adams (D-NC), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), André Carson (D-IN), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Michael E. Capuano (D-MA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), William R. Keating (D-MA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), David Price (D-NC), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), Bill Foster (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Richard M. Nolan (D-MN), Jan Schakowsky (…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-votes-extend-critical-medical-marijuana-protections-through	House Votes to Extend Critical Medical Marijuana Protections Through December 22	2017-12-07	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Earl Blumenauer	B000574	blumenauer.house.gov	legacy	Washington, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today voted to extend protections for state medical marijuana programs through December 22. The provision, known as the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, was continued in legislation to fund the government for two weeks. This short-term funding legislation now advances to the Senate. Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus and champion of the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, released the following statement: “While we are pleased that these critical protections will continue, two weeks is not enough certainty for the millions of Americans who rely on medical marijuana for treatment and the businesses who serve them. As Congress works out a long-term funding bill, it must also include these protections. And ultimately, Congress must act to put an end to the cycle of uncertainty and permanently protect state medical marijuana programs—and adult use—from federal interference. The American people have spoken. It’s past time that Congress catch up.” ###	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-defazio-and-herrera-beutler-applaud-unanimous-itc-vote-to-protect	Reps. DeFazio and Herrera Beutler Applaud Unanimous ITC Vote to Protect U.S. Softwood Lumber Market	2017-12-07	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	Reps. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03) today applauded the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (ITC) final 4-0 vote confirming that the U.S. softwood lumber industry is materially injured by unfairly subsidized Canadian imports. “Today’s announcement by the ITC is a clear sign that the U.S. is committed to protecting our timber jobs on the international stage,” said Reps. DeFazio and Herrera Beutler. “The U.S. has repeatedly tried to settle this issue with Canada at the negotiating table, but once Canada refused to meet our reasonable demands, this was the only path available to protect U.S. interests. We’re grateful to the Department of Commerce for their thorough investigation into this matter and the ITC’s subsequent affirmative ruling, and will continue to work together to protect manufacturing jobs in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the United States.” Because of the difference in timber pricing and market structures between the two nations—most of the United States’ timberlands are privately owned, while the majority of Canadian timberlands are owned by the provincial government —the two nations have a long-standing series of trade agreements, or Softwood Lumber Agreements (SLA) between them. The United States and Canada have been trying to negotiate a new Softwood Lumber Agreement, but those talks fell through last month. Today’s ruling will activate final antidumping and countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports as determined by the Department of Commerce earlier this year. The application of these duties will provide much-needed relief to Oregon and Washington mills. In November, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its final determination that the Canadian government subsidizes lumber production and that exporters from Canada have sold softwood lumber to the U.S. at less than fair value, distorting the U.S. softwood lumber market and harming U.S. manufacturing jobs. In September, Rep. DeFazio submitted testimony to a hearing held by the ITC calling…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-holds-congressional-oversight-hearing-epa-administrator	Greg Walden holds Congressional oversight hearing with EPA Administrator	2017-12-07	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden holds Congressional oversight hearing with EPA Administrator Discusses Portland Superfund cleanup, air quality standards following wildfires in Oregon Click here or on the image above to view Waldens remarks at todays hearing WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today held a Congressional oversight hearing at the Energy and Commerce Committee with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt. The hearing, entitled The Mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was Pruitts first appearance before Waldens Energy and Commerce Committee since being sworn in as EPA Administrator. During the hearing, Walden stressed the need for the EPA to return to its mission of protecting the environment without sidestepping Congress. "I expect that Back to Basics is not an abdication of environmental protection, but rather a rededication to mastering the most fundamental aspects of EPAs mission whether its cleaning up Superfund sites, ensuring that safe drinking water is being piped into peoples homes, or keeping air clean and safe to breathe, said Walden. The public deserves to be protected and common-sense regulations are important and necessary. However, government solutions should be proportional to the problems they are tasked by Congress to solve. I believe the EPA should focus on innovative problem solving and partnerships with the states and the private sector that leverage their resources and expertise. Walden also discussed several matters under EPAs jurisdiction that directly impact Oregon, including the Port of Portland Superfund cleanup and air quality standards after this years devastating wildfire season. I want to thank you and your team for your attention to the Superfund cleanup in the Portland Harbor. While this area is not in my district, it is in my state and what happens at the Port of Portland has an impact on all Oregonians, said Walden. You have brought a fresh and welcome approach to this complicated and costly cleanup. Unlike the prior administra…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-statement-on-cr	Merkley Statement on CR	2017-12-07	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley Statement on CR Thursday, December 7, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement regarding the two-week continuing resolution (CR): “We face a huge number of serious issues that we are already far behind on tackling. The authorization for the Children’s Health Insurance Program expired 68 days ago, and health care for nine million children hangs in the balance. We just faced one of the worst wildfire seasons on record, and disaster relief for communities across the country is still unresolved. Over 100 DREAMers lose their legal status every day that we do not act. “We need to get serious about resolving these many urgent issues our nation faces. Today’s CR did not pass that test, and that’s why I voted ‘no.’” Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-merkley-33-bipartisan-senators-urge-extension-of-secure-rural-school-program	Wyden, Merkley, 33 Bipartisan Senators Urge Extension of Secure Rural School Program	2017-12-07	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Wyden, Merkley, 33 Bipartisan Senators Urge Extension of Secure Rural School Program Thursday, December 7, 2017 Washington, D.C. — Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and a bipartisan group of 33 senators sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., this week urging them to include a reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Program in any end-of-year legislation. SRS supports public schools, public roads, forest health projects, emergency services, and many other essential county services for more than 775 counties across the country. The SRS program expired on September 30, 2015, and it has not been reauthorized for FY16 or beyond. Forest counties and schools received their last authorized SRS payment in 2016. Without SRS, existing revenue-sharing payments are not sufficient to support critical services these counties must provide. The senators wrote: “The SRS program continues to be a critical safety-net for forest counties as we work to diversify rural economies, improve forest management and forest health, strengthen historic forest revenue sharing with local governments, and ensure that our forests provide a range of values such as clean water, jobs, and wood fiber for local economies. “In the interest of working together in a bipartisan way to support local rural communities, we ask that you include a reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools in any end-of-the-year legislation. We appreciate your assistance with this matter.” In addition to Wyden and Merkley, senators who signed the letter include: Senators Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., Cory Booker, D-N.J., John Boozman, R-Ark., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., Robert P. Casey, Jr., D-Pa, Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Steve Daines, R-Mt., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Al Franken, D-Minn., Cory Gardner, R-Colo., Kamala D. Harris, D-Calif., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Dean H…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-bipartisan-western-senators-introduce-bill-to-protect-public-lands-promote-economic-growth	Wyden, Bipartisan Western Senators Introduce Bill to Protect Public Lands, Promote Economic Growth	2017-12-07	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Ron Wyden	W000779	www.wyden.senate.gov	legacy	Thursday, December 7, 2017 Washington, D.C. – Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has joined a group of bipartisan western Senators in introducing a bill to reauthorize an expired law that allowed the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service in the western United States to use the proceeds from sales of certain federally designated areas to protect lands of exceptional conservation value. “The success of these programs has shown that economic growth and environmental conservation do not have to be mutually exclusive concepts,” Wyden said. “This bipartisan bill proves that Congress can develop common-sense strategies to public lands management that will protect some of our most precious and vulnerable lands, while encouraging economic growth without damaging our special places.” For more than a decade until it expired in 2011, the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA) allowed the preservation of important sites across the western United States without the use of taxpayer money. The program also assisted in better land management practices by disposing of isolated or difficult to manage parcels identified by the public land management agencies themselves. Additional cosponsors of the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act are U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Dean Heller, (R-Nev.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), James Risch, (R-Idaho), Michael Bennet, (D-Colo.), Mike Crapo, (R-Idaho), Cory Gardner, (R-Colo.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.). The legislation is supported by more than 165 groups, including many sportsmen, recreation, conservation, and historic preservation groups, such as The Conservation Fund, The Trust for Public Land, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, and Nevada Land Trust. A list of groups is available here. A copy of the bill is available here. ###	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-merkley-33-bipartisan-senators-urge-extension-of-secure-rural-schools-program	Wyden, Merkley, 33 Bipartisan Senators Urge Extension of Secure Rural Schools Program	2017-12-07	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Ron Wyden	W000779	www.wyden.senate.gov	legacy	Thursday, December 7, 2017 Washington, D.C. — Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and a bipartisan group of 33 senators sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., this week urging them to include a reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Program in any end-of-year legislation. SRS supports public schools, public roads, forest health projects, emergency services, and many other essential county services for more than 775 counties across the country. The SRS program expired on September 30, 2015, and it has not been reauthorized for FY16 or beyond. Forest counties and schools received their last authorized SRS payment in 2016. Without SRS, existing revenue-sharing payments are not sufficient to support critical services these counties must provide. The senators wrote: “The SRS program continues to be a critical safety-net for forest counties as we work to diversify rural economies, improve forest management and forest health, strengthen historic forest revenue sharing with local governments, and ensure that our forests provide a range of values such as clean water, jobs, and wood fiber for local economies. “In the interest of working together in a bipartisan way to support local rural communities, we ask that you include a reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools in any end-of-the-year legislation. We appreciate your assistance with this matter.” In addition to Wyden and Merkley, senators who signed the letter include: Senators Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., Cory Booker, D-N.J., John Boozman, R-Ark., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., Robert P. Casey, Jr., D-Pa, Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Steve Daines, R-Mt., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Al Franken, D-Minn., Cory Gardner, R-Colo., Kamala D. Harris, D-Calif., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Dean Heller, R-Nev., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Joe Manchin III, D-W.V., Claire McCaski…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/in-the-news/solarworld-trade-case-brings-unpredictable-politics-including-wyden-merkley-split	SolarWorld trade case brings unpredictable politics, including a Wyden-Merkley split	2017-12-06	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	As SolarWorld Americas Inc. and its Hillsboro workforce await a Trump administration decision that could spell their fate, politicians are staking out unpredictable positions on the company’s high-profile trade case. SolarWorld, with fellow petitioner Suniva Inc., is seeking tariffs and quotas after a finding by U.S. trade regulators that the domestic solar manufacturing industry has been substantially harmed by a flood of cheap imports. The wider U.S. industry is overwhelmingly opposed to that position, fearing it will lead to higher prices, declining installations and job losses. Oregon’s senior senator, Democrat Ron Wyden, backs strong action — so fervently, that he testified at a U.S. International Trade Commission hearing in October. It’s about jobs, he says, and about sustaining the R&D and innovation that come with a thriving manufacturing sector. Democratic Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, whose district includes SolarWorld’s plant, joined Wyden in testifying in support of SolarWorld. But their fellow Oregon Democrat, Sen. Jeff Merkley, believes subsidies, not tariffs, are the way to go. "I would like to see us to take an approach that would assist the American companies so they could lower their prices and compete with industry at lower prices," Merkley recently told the news site Axios. That puts Merkley in a camp that includes a growing number of Republicans who are asking the president to steer clear of tarrifs. On Tuesday, the House Clean Energy & Innovation Working Group, a Republicans-only group, warned that tarrifs could cause “solar prices to spike significantly," with devastating impacts. Then on Wednesday, a group of six Republican senators, in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, said tariffs “would cause irreparable damage to our domestic solar industry.” Lighthizer could be a key player in the administration's ultimate determination of a remedy. While the U.S. International Trade Commission has issued its own recommendations, Lighthizer is working on putting together a brie…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-condemns-house-bill-will-undermine-community-safety	Bonamici Condemns House Bill That Will Undermine Community Safety	2017-12-06	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	WASHINGTON, DC [12/06/17] — Today, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici stood up for public safety by voting against legislation that would undermine states’ gun safety laws. H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, would require states to recognize the concealed carry laws of other states. Many states, including Oregon, have comprehensive requirements that individuals must meet to legally carry a concealed loaded firearm in public. In Oregon, individuals must complete a firearms safety-training course and cannot have a criminal conviction in the last four years. Additionally, Oregon law enforcement officials may deny a license to anyone they believe to be a danger to themselves or others. In contrast, other states are “permitless,” and do not have any additional requirements to carry a concealed weapon. If this bill becomes law, people from other states would be allowed to carry their loaded weapons in Oregon, without meeting our requirements for a concealed carry permit. “I am deeply disappointed that the House passed this harmful legislation to undermine states’ rights and make communities less safe,” said Bonamici. “In cities and towns across the country, people are killed every day by gun violence, and in the wake of the massacres in Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, the American people have demanded that Congress take action. But instead of answering the pleas of the American people and passing meaningful legislation to reduce gun violence, we are voting on a bill that will undermine public safety. “The bill passed by the House today puts our communities in danger. Leading law enforcement officials oppose the bill because it would ‘leave law enforcement helpless to keep guns out of the wrong hands.’ We must heed the warning of our law enforcement officers who work to keep us safe. This bill undermines their duty to protect us all.” The legislation also includes the text of H.R. 4477, the Fix NICS Act, which would bolster that National Instant Criminal Background Check System by making sure that federal agenc…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-highlights-benefits-family-friendly-workplace-policies	Bonamici Highlights Benefits of Family-Friendly Workplace Policies	2017-12-06	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	WASHINGTON, DC [12/06/17] — Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), a leader on the House Education and Workforce Committee, highlighted Oregon’s leadership on family-friendly workplace policies that provide workers with paid sick days and predictable schedules. During a hearing on workplace leave policies, Bonamici highlighted Oregon laws and how Oregon businesses are adapting and thriving. Bonamici fought back against calls for a federal policy that would impede Oregon’s ability to implement its family-friendly workplace laws, and—in the case of sick days—could strip workplace benefits that Oregonians currently have. You can watch Congresswoman Bonamici’s questions here. “Oregon has been a national leader in passing legislation to provide workers with paid sick days and predictable schedules,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Oregonians can now earn and use job-protected sick time to care for themselves or a family member, making Oregon a better place for families to live and work. Importantly, family-friendly policies help businesses recruit and retain good, loyal employees, which decreases turnover and the costs associated with hiring and retraining a workforce. Simply put, a healthy, happy workforce is good for business.” Bonamici continued, “We have heard members on the other side of the aisle discuss a bill that purports to provide workplace flexibility, but could instead eliminate and undermine sick leave and other policies for workers in Oregon and around the country. The proposed bill will stifle innovation in state legislatures and local governments, and will restrict their ability to do the right thing for their constituents.” In Congress, Bonamici is an advocate for family-friendly workplace policies that keep pace with the changing workforce. She called President Trump’s paid leave plan “woefully inadequate,” and called on him to replace it with a policy that will help families who are struggling to make ends meet. Bonamici is also focused on supporting working families through raising stagnant …	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-peter-defazio-presses-us-forest-service-on-aerial-firefighting	Rep. Peter DeFazio Presses US Forest Service on Aerial Firefighting Resources	2017-12-06	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	Rep. Peter DeFazio last week sent a letter to U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Chief Tony Tooke pressing the agency on specifics regarding their aerial firefighting resources and procedures. “Oregon and other Western states endured some of the worst wildfires in decades this year, yet because of the department’s own missteps, they did not have all tools available at their disposal to fight the blazes—that’s ludicrous,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio. “To be anything less than prepared for next year’s fire season is unacceptable, and I will continue to fight so that the forest service has the funding they need to acquire the tools they need to effectively fight wildfires next season.” The 2017 fire season was one of the worst in decades, destroying hundreds of thousands of acres in Oregon alone. Prior to the 2017 fire season, the USFS solicited requests for proposals (RFPs) for air tankers to combat forest fires. However, their proposal excluded tankers that exceeded five thousand gallons of flame retardant. Because of the limitation, Global SuperTanker, which owns a 747 with retardant capacity of over 19,000 gallons, was unable to compete. Global SuperTanker protested the RFP to the Government Accountability Office, stating the retardant capacity restriction was unduly restrictive. The GAO upheld Global SuperTanker’s protest, agreeing that there was no reasonable basis for the USFS to limit retardant capacity. Rep. DeFazio has repeatedly pressed the USFS to determine why they did not solicit a high-capacity aerial firefighting plane to combat this summer’s blazes. His letter to Chief Tooke also pushes the agency to describe their plans to ensure they will have adequate fire suppression tools in the future. To read a PDF version of Rep. DeFazio’s letter to the USFS, click here.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-helps-advance-bills-boost-hydropower-production-promote	Greg Walden helps advance bills to boost hydropower production, promote small businesses and manufacturers in Oregon	2017-12-06	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden helps advance bills to boost hydropower production, promote small businesses and manufacturers in Oregon Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s remarks WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), today advanced seven bills to the full House of Representatives for consideration. These bills will help empower consumers, promote clean, renewable hydropower, and promote small businesses and manufacturers in Oregon and across the country. “These bills expand the nation’s access to domestic energy resources, improve recycling and reuse of materials, and provide small businesses with the regulatory flexibility they need to meet environmental standards while still growing the economy and creating jobs,” said Walden. Particularly important for Oregon, Walden’s committee advanced legislation to boost hydropower production throughout the United States. Over 43% of Oregon’s electricity is generated from hydropower, and legislation moved forward in the Energy and Commerce Committee today will help promote the use of this renewable resource. “Many of us on this committee, if not all of us, want to see America do a better job of harnessing its great hydropower potential so we can produce more clean and reliable domestic energy,” said Walden. “Two of today’s bills do exactly this. H.R. 2872 promotes hydropower development at existing non-powered dams and H.R. 2880 opens the door wider for the construction of more pumped storage hydropower projects, which is of particular interest to my constituents in the Pacific Northwest where we have tremendous opportunities to build new pumped-hydro storage facilities.” H.R. 2872, Promoting Hydropower Development at Existing Nonpowered Dams Act, authored by committee member Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), passed the committee unanimously today. H.R. 2872 would promote hydropower development at existing non-powered dams by providing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission with the discretion to grant exemptions from l…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-blasts-trump-administration-move-to-undo-key-oil-train-safety-protections	Merkley Blasts Trump Administration Move to Undo Key Oil Train Safety Protections	2017-12-06	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley Blasts Trump Administration Move to Undo Key Oil Train Safety Protections Wednesday, December 6, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Trump administration Department of Transportation announced that it will roll back 2015 rules requiring enhanced safety for oil trains: “Oil trains are rolling explosion hazards, and as we’ve seen all too many times—and all too recently in Mosier—it’s not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ oil train derailments will occur. Degrading oil train safety requirements is a huge step backward and one that puts our land, homes, and lives at risk.” Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-murkowski-bill-to-grow-small-businesses-and-local-economies-moves-forward	Wyden, Murkowski Bill to Grow Small Businesses and Local Economies Moves Forward	2017-12-06	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Ron Wyden	W000779	www.wyden.senate.gov	legacy	Wednesday, December 6, 2017 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announced that their bipartisan legislation to boost local economies, jobs and small businesses passed the Senate Banking Committee. The Credit Union Residential Loan Parity Act (S.836) would spur business and job growth in local communities by giving local credit unions more flexibility to offer loans to small businesses. The legislation would allow credit unions to treat loans for small residential buildings as residential loans with lower interest rates—similar to how banks already make those loans to small businesses. “Our bipartisan bill puts credit unions on equal footing with banks when it comes to lending and investing in their local communities,” Wyden said. “It gives local credit unions flexibility to provide small businesses with the loans they need to grow their businesses and encourages community investment in affordable housing. It’s a no-brainer that when small businesses succeed, they create jobs and economic opportunities that benefit communities across Oregon and nationwide.” “This legislation simply makes sense. By correcting this disparity, we are not only providing individuals with better access to loans, but also working to stimulate economic growth,” Murkowski said. “The countless Alaskans that use credit unions will have more access to financial services to meet their small business needs. A simple fix, resulting in a major win for those seeking financial assistance.” Currently, credit unions are limited by a member business lending cap that banks are not subject to. Removing small residential loans from the business lending cap for credit unions would provide small business owners with better access to financial capital through credit unions. The Credit Union Residential Loan Parity Act was included in a larger bill that passed the Banking Committee yesterday by a vote of 16 to 7. Wyden and Murkowski introduced the bill with Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/in-the-news/gov-brown-visits-cornelius-calls-congress-act-chip	Gov. Brown visits Cornelius, calls for congress to act on CHIP	2017-12-05	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	In a visit to the Virginia Garcia Wellness Center on Tuesday in Cornelius, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown openly called for congress to re-authorize the Child Health care Insurance Program — funding Virginia Garcia officials say is crucial to the services they provide. Following a tour of the clinic, Brown spoke to a collection of clinic staff members with two beneficiaries of CHIP funding — Diego and his mother, Martha — at her side. "Congress has the opportunity to come together, put aside politics and fund the CHIP program to make sure that our most vulnerable children have the health care they need," she said. "Unfortunately, right now congress is focused on some other things including tax breaks for the wealthy and the well-connected, but I'd like to say that, here in Oregon, we're focused on the people not the powerful." CHIP dollars help bridge a gap in funding, assisting Virginia Garcia to treat underinsured or uninsured children. The program is used across Virginia Garcia's network of clinics in Yamhill and Washington counties, including six school-based health clinics. U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici visited a clinic based at Hillsboro's Century High School in October. Bonamici and U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden have both voiced support of the CHIP program. The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation reauthorizing the bill in November. A spokesperson for Wyden said CHIP funding could be included in an end-of-year funding package. Bonamici slammed fellow lawmakers after the vote. "Rather than work toward a compromise that has a chance of becoming law, the Majority in the House has instead pushed this through by cutting one important public health program to fund another," she said in a Nov. 3 statement. Oregon will use funds from Medicaid to supplement the CHIP program through April, Brown said, with the goal of providing access to health care for all kids in Oregon. Brown said she wants to see action toward passing a bill in the senate. "I understand that there's bipartisan support and I will tell you the governors I'…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-recommendations-cascade-siskiyou-national-monument	Greg Walden statement on recommendations for Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument	2017-12-05	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden statement on recommendations for Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement on U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke's final report outlining recommendations to the President on the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument: “I appreciate Secretary Zinke's willingness to come to southern Oregon this summer to meet with passionate people on all sides of the issue before making his decision," said Walden. "This recommendation responds to the concerns I heard raised by foresters, private land owners, county commissioners, ranchers, and others. “Past presidents have ignored federal law that governs much of this forest land and have exceeded the intent of the Antiquities Act by roping in enormous swaths of private land into the monument. The result was a loss of private property rights and reduced revenues for our schools and roads. Meanwhile, the forests become more overstocked, increasing the risk of catastrophic fire. After the devastating fires this summer, it’s time to get back to responsible management of our public lands. “Any monument designation must adhere to the law, reflect the clear mandates of the O&C Act, and stay within the bounds of the Antiquities Act. Secretary Zinke's recommendation follows these principles by advocating a return to sustainable timber harvests -- as required by the O&C Act -- on the O&C lands, and removing private lands from within the monument boundary." In July, Walden welcomed Secretary Zinke to southern Oregon to tour the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument as part of his review of national monument designations made under the Antiquities Act. "I appreciate all the time Rep. Walden and local stakeholders spent with me in Oregon as part of the monument review for Cascade-Siskyou," said Secretary Zinke. "I heard from locals that we need to conserve the land, care for the forest, respect private property rights, and allow for sustainable timber harvests in O&C lands. I'm c…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/http//katucom/news/local/cascade-siskiyou-national-monument-litigation-could-resume	http://katu.com/news/local/cascade-siskiyou-national-monument-litigation-could-resume	2017-12-05	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy		0	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/the-trump-administration-wants-to-shrink-even-more-national-monuments	The Trump Administration Wants To Shrink Even More National Monuments	2017-12-05	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	One day after President Trump ordered an unprecedented reduction of a pair of national monuments in Utah, his administration announced plans to modify a slew of other protected wildlands scattered across the country. The Interior Department recommended on Tuesday shrinking Gold Butte National Monument, a nearly 300,000-acre site in Nevada, and Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, which spans just over 100,000 acres on the California–Oregon border. The department did not describe the new boundaries in its report, but repeatedly mentioned confining monuments to the "smallest area compatible" — a phrase that comes from the law allowing presidents to set aside land without congressional approval. The announcement comes just a day after Trump ordered a dramatic reduction of two national monuments, Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears, in southern Utah. The order was met with protests and lawsuits from conservation groups. Western conservatives, meanwhile, praised the reductions, saying they would be a boon to the local economy. Tuesday's report also recommends changes to: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off the coast of New England Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and Rio Grande Del Norte national monuments in New Mexico Pacific Remote Islands and Rose Atoll marine national monuments in the Pacific Ocean Of those monuments, only the recommendations for Rose Atoll and Pacific Remote Islands mention the possibility of boundary revisions. The exact changes in store for the others go largely unspecified, but they may include "prioritizing public access," infrastructure upgrades, timber management, and fishery management. The Interior Department also is proposing three new monuments, including a 130,000-acre section of the Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana — the home state of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. The potential for reductions to Gold Butte is especially significant because it includes an area of southern Nevada…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/trump-urged-to-shrink-cascade-siskiyou-after-utah-monument-reductions	Trump urged to shrink Cascade-Siskiyou after Utah monument reductions	2017-12-05	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Trump urged to shrink Cascade-Siskiyou after Utah monument reductions Tuesday, December 5, 2017 By: Sara Roth PORTLAND, Ore. – Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has recommended that President Donald Trump reduce the size of Oregon's Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and three other monuments. The recommendation came the day after President Donald Trump proclaimed two Utah national monuments will shrink significantly. Zinke had previously recommended the changes but issued a final report on Tuesday. In Utah on Monday, Trump said Bears Ears National Monument will shrink by 85 percent to 220,000 acres from 1.5 million, and the Grand Staircase-Esalante National Monument will be halved, to about 1 million acres. Zinke recommended that Trump shrink the Cascade-Siskiyou, which covers 112,000 acres in southern Oregon, Gold Butte in Nevada, and change the boundaries of two marine national monuments: The Pacific Remote Islands and the Rose Atoll. Zinke also recommended adding three new monuments: The Badger II Medicine Area in Montana, Camp Nelson in Kentucky, and the Medgar Evers Home in Mississippi. "As I visited the Monuments across this country, I met with Americans on all sides of the issue -- from ranchers to conservationists to tribal leaders -- and found that we agree on wanting to protect our heritage while still allowing public access to public land," Zinke said on Tuesday. "My recommendations to the President reflect that, in some circumstances, proclamations should be amended, boundaries revised, and management plans updated." The federal government has not specifically said how much of Cascade-Siskiyou or the other three monuments that Zinke believes should be removed from the national monument designation. Cascade-Siskiyou was originally designated a national monument by Bill Clinton in 2000. In 2017, President Obama added about 48,000 acres to the original 52,000-acre monument, to protect biodiversity in the region. "The boundary should be revised th…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/utah-congressman-seeks-to-re-open-area-in-sw-oregon-to-mining	Utah Congressman Seeks To Re-Open Area In SW Oregon to Mining	2017-12-05	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Utah Congressman Seeks To Re-Open Area In SW Oregon to Mining Tuesday, December 5, 2017 By: Liam Moriarty Attempts in recent years to open nickel mines near the headwaters of pristine creeks and rivers in southwest Oregon have faced solid opposition. In response, the Obama Administration last January withdrew 100,000 acres of federal land in the area from consideration for mining for at least 20 years. A Republican congressman from Utah says that was illegal. He’s asked the Trump administration to review that and all other Obama mineral withdrawals. And the foreign-owned mining company that most stands to gain is weighing in, as well. When Ann Vileisis found out what Representative Rob Bishop had done, she was appalled. “Oh, my gosh, I was so upset to hear the news,” she said. “So many people locally have put in so much time and effort to get the mineral withdrawal into place.” Vileisis heads the Kalmiopsis Audubon Society in Curry County. She helped lead opposition to plans by the Red Flat Nickel Corporation to establish a nickel strip mine near the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. Opponents fear the mine would pollute the nearby salmon streams. Rob Bishop chairs the House Natural Resources Committee. He recently sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, urging them to review the validity of all Obama-era mineral withdrawals, and the Southwestern Oregon Mineral Withdrawal, in particular. Under Obama, Bishop’s letter says, “millions of acres of Federal land were inappropriately withdrawn from mineral access due to false premises of environmental protectionism and the intentional misuse of statutory authority.” That annoys Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio from Oregon’s 4th Congressional District. “His letter is full of falsehoods,” DeFazio says. For one thing, he says: “If legislation has been introduced, and for whatever reason it’s being delayed, then the administration is authorized to do what’s called an ‘administrative w…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-statement-on-honduras	Merkley Statement on Honduras	2017-12-05	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley Statement on Honduras Tuesday, December 5, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement regarding the situation in Honduras: “The reports of irregularities and lack of transparency regarding the vote counting process following the November 26 elections in Honduras are deeply concerning. The Honduran government must respect the rights of Hondurans to peacefully protest, and it must complete the vote counting in a fully transparent manner that will allow Hondurans to have confidence and trust in the results of the election. It’s critical that the democratic process is respected and that the final result reflects the will of the Honduran people.” Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-wyden-governor-decry-trump-administration-report-that-recommends-stripping-protections-for-cascade-siskiyou-national-monument	Merkley, Wyden, Governor Decry Trump Administration Report That Recommends Stripping Protections for Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument	2017-12-05	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley, Wyden, Governor Decry Trump Administration Report That Recommends Stripping Protections for Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Tuesday, December 5, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with Oregon Governor Kate Brown, today decried the release of the Trump administration Interior Department’s report that recommended stripping protections from and shrinking the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Southern Oregon. Despite months of requests from Oregon’s Senators, Governor and local community, the report still gives no information about the specifics of the administration’s plan to alter the boundaries or amend the management proclamation of the monument. “This move is a monumental mistake,” said Merkley. “The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is a unique and special place, unlike anywhere else in the United States. The Trump administration is ignoring the voices of thousands of Oregonians who have spoken out in favor of the monument, and is recklessly risking the future of irreplaceable biodiversity and natural wonder. This national treasure belongs to the American people and it should be preserved so that all Americans can enjoy it now and for generations to come.” “Secretary Zinke falsely claims the Interior Department is listening to the voices of Oregonians when it comes to the agency’s damaging, vague recommendation to close off public access to the Cascade-Siskiyou monument,” Wyden said. “This is not what the majority of Oregonians signed up for when they spoke out in favor of expanding protections for this Oregon treasure. These public lands belong to all Oregonians and all Americans, not to corporations or Trump’s department heads. The fight will continue to end this spiteful campaign to stop American families from having access to the lands they know and love.” “Any decision by the White House to dramatically reduce publicly protected lands to appease corporate interests will have lasting, generational implications,” Governor Kate Brow…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-blumenauer-we-will-continue-our-fight-keep-public-lands	Congressman Blumenauer: We will continue our fight to keep public lands in public hands	2017-12-04	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Earl Blumenauer	B000574	blumenauer.house.gov	legacy	Washington, DC – Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) today released the following statement on Trump’s executive order to dramatically shrink the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah: “This is an unprecedented and arguably illegal move that threatens our heritage. These places, like so many other public lands (including Oregon’s own Cascade-Siskiyou), hold cultural, environmental, economic, and recreational value that belong to all Americans, not just a select few. Honoring Native American cultural artifacts and celebrating the incredible biodiversity of this place should be of paramount importance for our nation’s leaders. Instead, the administration is opening the door for private industry to strip them bare. “Americans overwhelmingly support protections for these remarkable treasures—and we will continue our fight to keep public lands in public hands.” ###	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-2017-congressional-app-challenge-winner-tyson	Greg Walden announces 2017 Congressional App Challenge Winner: Tyson Seable, Grants Pass High School	2017-12-04	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden announces 2017 Congressional App Challenge Winner: Tyson Seable, Grants Pass High School Click here or on the image to watch a demonstration of Tyson Seable’s app, Flare: WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today announced that Tyson Seable, a freshman at Grants Pass High School, is the 2017 winner of the Congressional App Challenge. Tyson’s app -- called “Flare” -- allows users to distribute quizzes to friends and students, and provides live results for each quiz that are available for download and sharing. Seable said that while the app is designed for classrooms, Flare can be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys a challenge. Christopher Rossetta, a computer science teacher at Grants Pass High School, said Tyson recently tested Flare in a classroom setting with great success. “We hope this home-grown product will be a hit in local schools,” he said. Flare is scheduled to be available on the Google Playstore in December. Congressman Walden called Tyson at school Monday to surprise him with the news and congratulate him on winning this year’s challenge. “I applaud Tyson for participating in this nationwide challenge, and commend him on his coding skills and ability to promote Flare in a way that makes people want to try it out,” Walden said. “The Congressional App Challenge allows ambitious students like Tyson to showcase their unique skill set to the country, and is a tremendous resume-builder in the pursuit of a career in computer, math or science fields. I have full confidence that Tyson’s future will be a bright one.” Tyson Seable, freshman at Grants Pass High School and winner of 2017 Congressional App Challenge, speaks with Congressman Greg Walden Monday afternoon. The Congressional App Challenge is designed to engage student creativity and encourage their participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education fields. This nationwide event allows high school students from across the country to compete against their peers by creating and exhibiting their softwar…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-statement-on-house-vote-to-proceed-with-gop-tax-scheme	Merkley Statement on House Vote to Proceed With GOP Tax Scheme	2017-12-04	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley Statement on House Vote to Proceed With GOP Tax Scheme Monday, December 4, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after House Republicans voted to move forward with negotiations to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the GOP tax plan: “Republicans just voted to move forward on raising taxes on millions of working Americans. They voted to move forward toward ripping health care away from 13 million of their constituents. They voted to move forward with making student loans more expensive and ensuring graduate school is unaffordable for all but the wealthiest students. And they did this all to shower massive giveaways on the richest Americans and powerful corporations. “If any version of this horrific bill is allowed to become law, it will haunt America for decades to come. It's up to every American who believes in the ‘We the People’ vision of our democracy to act now and stop this bill before it gets to the President's desk.” Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/jeff-merkley-is-only-democrat-to-get-amendment-in-gop-tax-reform-bill	Jeff Merkley is only Democrat to get amendment in GOP tax reform bill	2017-12-02	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Jeff Merkley is only Democrat to get amendment in GOP tax reform bill Saturday, December 2, 2017 By: Gordon R. Friedman As Senate Republicans geared up to pass sweeping changing to the tax code early Saturday, senators offered a number of amendments aimed at making the bill better. Oregon's Jeff Merkley is the only Democrat to get one included in the final bill. His amendment cut out a provision of the hastily-written bill that appeared to give a special tax exemption only to Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. The private school is funded in part by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Merkley's office said. Senators voted 52-48 to strip out the tax break. "Senate just passed my amendment to strike the terrible DeVos Tax Earmark – a handout for a wealthy, DeVos-funded private school that refuses to comply with federal non-discrimination laws," Merkley tweeted after the vote. "Like all these special interest giveaways, it never should have been in this #TaxScamBill." "When we shined a spotlight on the terrible DeVos Tax Earmark, a few in the GOP were embarrassed enough to take it out, which is exactly why GOP is rushing a handwritten bill through in the middle of the night. There's plenty in there just as bad or worse that might now become law," he said. Though the full bill eventually passed, it has a few more hurdles to cross before it is law. It must be reconciled with a House bill. Senators are working on a tight deadline, aiming to land a bill on the desk of President Trump before Christmas. Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/senate-nixes-provision-boosting-conservative-college-after-uproar	Senate nixes provision boosting conservative college after uproar	2017-12-02	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Senate nixes provision boosting conservative college after uproar Saturday, December 2, 2017 By: JORDAIN CARNEY Senators agreed to nix a provision in the Senate tax bill early Saturday morning that would exempt Hillsdale College, a leading conservative college in Michigan, from an excise tax on schools with more than 500 students or large endowments. Senators voted 52-48 to strike the provision with GOP Sens. Susan Collins(Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Deb Fischer (Neb.) and John Kennedy(La.) siding with Democrats to pass the amendment from Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley (Ore.). The surprise move came amid an uproar over the inclusion of the exemption from excise taxes for any university that does not accept federal financial aid under Title IV of the Higher Education Act. Though several colleges do not accept federal funding, Democrats quickly seized on the section of the tax bill, arguing that Hillsdale College would be the only school that would qualify according to the guidelines set out under the legislation. "Hillsdale College has powerful friends, including our secretary of education, but isn't that the type of insider deal we should oppose? A vote against this amendment is a vote for an earmark, for a school for powerful friends and subsidizing education," Merkley said ahead of the vote. The tax earmark was expected to be a big win for a school with several connections to the Trump administration. For example, Erik Prince, the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, graduated from Hillsdale in 1992. Hillsdale graduates who joined the Trump administration include Josh Venable, chief of staff at the Department of Education; David Morrell, associate counsel to the president; Trump speechwriter Brittany Baldwin, and Stephen Ford, a speechwriter for Vice President Pence. The language in the bill was sponsored by GOP Sens. Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Ted Cruz (Texas). Toomey unsuccessfully urged his colleagues to keep the measure in the tax bill. He argued…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-on-senate-tax-passage-if-this-horrific-bill-is-allowed-to-become-law-it-will-haunt-america-for-decades-to-come	Merkley on Senate Tax Passage: “If this horrific bill is allowed to become law, it will haunt America for decades to come.”	2017-12-02	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Merkley on Senate Tax Passage: “If this horrific bill is allowed to become law, it will haunt America for decades to come.” Saturday, December 2, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans pushed through their tax plan on a party line vote: “Let’s be clear: What just happened is a brazen move to rig our political system and our economy to work not for ‘We the People,’ but for ‘We the Powerful.’ “Republicans just voted to raise taxes on millions of working Americans. They voted to rip health care away from 13 million of their constituents. And they did this all to shower massive giveaways on the richest Americans and powerful corporations. “If this horrific bill is allowed to become law, it will haunt America for decades to come. The House will still need to act on the Senate bill. It's up to every American who believes in the ‘We the People’ vision of our democracy to stop this bill before it gets to the President's desk.” Merkley offered the only Democratic amendment to pass during the floor debate. Merkley’s amendment stripped out a special interest provision that would have provided an exclusive tax exemption to Hillsdale College, a private college heavily funded by the DeVos family. Print Email Tweet	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/video/senators-merkley-and-klobuchar-highlight-worst-provisions-of-gop-tax-scam	Senators Merkley and Klobuchar Highlight Worst Provisions of GOP Tax Scam	2017-12-02	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Jeff Merkley	M001176	www.merkley.senate.gov	legacy	Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Minnesota’s Senator Amy Klobuchar spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the worst provisions of the GOP’s tax plan.	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://schrader.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=390978	Schrader Statement on FCC Chairmans Announcement on Net Neutrality	2017-12-01	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Kurt Schrader	S001180	schrader.house.gov	legacy	Schrader Statement on FCC Chairman’s Announcement on Net Neutrality f t # e Washington, D.C., December 1, 2017 Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05) released the following statement on net neutrality ahead of the FCC’s vote slated for December 14th: “As a long-time supporter of net neutrality, I am incredibly disappointed with Chairman Pai’s decision to roll back net neutrality rules with no plan to ensure equal and open access to the internet for all Oregonians. Throughout this process it’s become abundantly clear that the public is overwhelmingly in support of enforceable protections to ensure an open internet. Unfortunately, as long as Congress continues to pass the buck to the FCC, net neutrality protections will continue to hang in the balance at the discretion of whichever party is in the White House and thus controlling the FCC. This is untenable. When I talk to my constituents about this issue they have certain expectations: fairness and competition in the marketplace; the ability to access the legal content of their choosing without being blocked, or experiencing interference or throttling from anyone; and they expect the internet to remain an open and accessible platform for all Americans. This is the basic foundation of net neutrality, and I believe these are all reasonable and fair expectations from consumers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. Quite simply this is how the internet has always worked and it is why our internet economy has flourished and remains the envy of the world.” f t # e	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-congratulates-beaverton-student-who-won-district-s-congressional-app	Bonamici Congratulates Beaverton Student Who Won Districts Congressional App Challenge	2017-12-01	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	BEAVERTON, OR [12/01/17] — Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), a member of the House Education and Science Committees, announced that Divya Amirtharaj, a student at Beaverton’s Westview High School, has won the Congressional App Challenge for Oregon’s First Congressional District. Amirtharaj’s mobile phone application allows visually impaired users to scan printed text in multiple major languages. Users can scan printed text with their mobile phone camera and then the app will read the text aloud. You can watch a video of Amirtharaj describing her app here. “My goal is to improve information accessibility for visually impaired individuals across the world. Current tools for people with visual impairments, such as Braille, have failed to become widespread and have isolated users from their surroundings,” said Divya Amirtharaj winner of the Congressional App Challenge. “A real-time, multilingual, free app, like myVision would help connect individuals of all demographics.” “Creativity and innovation are key to our economy and essential to future economic growth,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “This year’s Congressional App Challenge brought in thoughtful submissions from an impressive group of students. I congratulate Divya for her ‘myVision’ app, which addresses the needs of people with visual impairments. Divya has identified a significant need in our communities and developed a useful tool that will benefit visually impaired people in their daily lives.” A panel of expert judges from Northwest Oregon selected the winning app. The judges evaluated the submissions for creativity, originality, user experience, and design. They provided the following feedback on Amirtharaj’s app: “Divya did an excellent job providing the appropriate amount of context, explaining the tools she used, and articulating the problem she was solving,” said Megan Bigelow, President and Co-Founder at PDX Women in Tech. “I also appreciate that she explained how myVision compared to other related apps.” “Divya created a great pro…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/oregon-members-fight-for-investments-critical-maintenance-of-oregon-s-0	Oregon Members Fight for Investments, Critical Maintenance of Oregons Ports	2017-12-01	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	Today, members of the Oregon Congressional Delegation sent a letter to the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Ryan Fisher urging the Trump Administration to fund critical maintenance and dredging of Oregon’s small ports and jetties. Representatives Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Kurt Schrader and Suzanne Bonamici, along with Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, urged the Administration to make these investments to keep our ports open and safe, and to ensure Oregon’s coastal communities are able to thrive. “We encourage you to fund the critical navigation needs of Oregon’s small coastal ports. Our harbors along the Oregon coast serve as some of the most vital harbors of refuge in the nation. With our breaking bars, the increasing intensity of storms and unpredictable weather, it is extremely important that our channels be dredged and our jetties maintained to adequately serve the safety of our commercial and recreational fishing fleets, as well as allow for the Search and Rescue activities of our U.S. Coast Guard men and women,” the members wrote. A 2014 State of Oregon study shows that our coastal ports support 15,759 direct/indirect jobs and $904 million to the state GDP. In addition, NOAA’s 2015 Fisheries of the U.S. report ranked the State of Oregon seventh in the nation for 2015 domestic fish landings, with 195 million pounds valued at $115.7 million. A copy of the letter is included below. December 1, 2017 Mr. Ryan Fisher Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works 108 Army Pentagon Washington, D.C. 20310 Dear Mr. Fisher: As you look ahead to the Fiscal Year 2018 (FY2018) work plan for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works program, we encourage you to fund the critical navigation needs of Oregon’s small coastal ports. Our harbors along the Oregon coast serve as some of the most vital harbors of refuge in the nation. With our breaking bars, the increasing intensity of storms and unpredictable weather, it is extremely important that our channels be dre…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-defazio-and-walden-applaud-tariffs-to-protect-us-hardwood-plywood	Reps. DeFazio and Walden Applaud Tariffs to Protect U.S. Hardwood Plywood Market	2017-12-01	2017	2017-12	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	Reps. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) and Greg Walden (OR-02) today applauded the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (ITC) final 4-0 vote confirming that the U.S. hardwood plywood industry has been, or is threatened to be, materially injured by unfairly subsidized Chinese imports. Today’s ruling will activate final antidumping and countervailing duties on Chinese hardwood plywood imports as determined by the Department of Commerce earlier this year. The application of these duties will provide much-needed relief to Oregon mills. “For too long, hardwood plywood mills in Oregon have suffered from the unfair trade practices China has used to corner this vital market and threaten family-wage jobs in our state,” said Reps. DeFazio and Walden. “Today’s announcement by the ITC is welcome news that will protect U.S. timber jobs and sends the clear signal that using illegal trade practices to hurt American companies, cost American jobs, and harm our timber-dependent communities is unacceptable. We applaud the thorough investigation conducted by the Department of Commerce into this matter and the ITC’s subsequent affirmative ruling, and will continue to work together to protect manufacturing jobs in Oregon and throughout the United States.” “Our company, as members of the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood, is pleased with the results of this ruling,” said Joe Gonyea, III, Co-Chair of the Board for Timber Products. “This strong ruling publicly reinforces what we have known for years about unfair Chinese subsidies and dumping of inferior products into the U.S. Market. We are greatly appreciative of the bipartisan support from our Oregon congressional delegation, led in the House of Representatives by Greg Walden and Peter DeFazio, throughout this effort.” Last year the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood, representing the U.S. hardwood plywood industry, filed a petition with the U.S. government seeking full enforcement of U.S. trade laws against China’s abusive trade practices. Last month, the Department of …	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-walden-and-defazio-applaud-tariffs-protect-us-hardwood-plywood	Reps. Walden and DeFazio applaud tariffs to protect U.S. hardwood plywood market	2017-12-01	2017	2017-12	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Reps. Walden and DeFazio applaud tariffs to protect U.S. hardwood plywood market Duties to be levied on Chinese hardwood lumber market to counteract unfair trade practices WASHINGTON, D.C. – Reps. Greg Walden (OR-02) and Peter DeFazio (OR-04) today applauded the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (ITC) final 4-0 vote confirming that the U.S. hardwood plywood industry has been, or is threatened to be, materially injured by unfairly subsidized Chinese imports. Today’s ruling will activate final antidumping and countervailing duties on Chinese hardwood plywood imports as determined by the Department of Commerce earlier this year. The application of these duties will provide much-needed relief to Oregon mills. “For too long, hardwood plywood mills in Oregon have suffered from the unfair trade practices China has used to corner this vital market and threaten family-wage jobs in our state,” said Reps. Walden and DeFazio. “Today’s announcement by the ITC is welcome news that will protect U.S. timber jobs and sends the clear signal that using illegal trade practices to hurt American companies, cost American jobs, and harm our timber-dependent communities is unacceptable. We applaud the thorough investigation conducted by the Department of Commerce into this matter and the ITC’s subsequent affirmative ruling, and will continue to work together to protect manufacturing jobs in Oregon and throughout the United States.” “Our company, as members of the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood, is pleased with the results of this ruling,” said Joe Gonyea, III, Co-Chair of the Board for Timber Products. “This strong ruling publicly reinforces what we have known for years about unfair Chinese subsidies and dumping of inferior products into the U.S. Market. We are greatly appreciative of the bipartisan support from our Oregon congressional delegation, led in the House of Representatives by Greg Walden and Peter DeFazio, throughout this effort.” Last year the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood, representing…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/in-the-news/bonamici-we-must-do-more-prevent-harassment	Bonamici: "We must do more to prevent harassment"	2017-11-30	2017	2017-11	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation to require all Members of Congress and Congressional staff participate in annual training to prevent all forms of workplace harassment and discrimination. “Congress should be a leading example of a safe and welcoming workplace. Today’s bill to require training for members and staff is the first step, but much more must be done to earn back the trust of our constituents. The House should immediately end the practice of taxpayer-funded secret settlements for sexual harassment claims, make training extensive and in-person, reform the process for reporting claims, increase transparency and support for victims, and commit to challenging the culture that has allowed this predatory behavior to go unchecked for far too long.” Bonamici and Congressman Chris Stewart (R-UT) introduced bipartisan legislation to prohibit the requirement of nondisclosure agreements in sexual harassment claims brought by the Congressional Office of Compliance. “I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation that will lift the secrecy surrounding taxpayer-funded sexual harassment settlements. This bill will give victims the right and the freedom to talk about their experiences publicly if they so choose. The current requirement that victims enter into nondisclosure agreements creates a dangerous culture of secrecy and silence. Victims should not be required to sign away their rights in exchange for justice. The American people deserve a transparent government and they should know about the actions of their elected representatives." “In recent months, I’ve been humbled by the bravery of women in Oregon and across the country who have come forward and shared their stories of harassment. Victims who share their stories often do so at great personal risk, and they frequently take on very powerful people. Women need and deserve to be believed. As a woman in elected office, I have endured inappropriate comments about …	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://bonamici.house.gov/media/in-the-news/senate-unanimously-approves-plan-improve-conditions-columbia-river-tribal-fishing	Senate unanimously approves plan to improve conditions at Columbia River tribal fishing sites	2017-11-30	2017	2017-11	Democrat	House	OR	Suzanne Bonamici	B001278	bonamici.house.gov	legacy	A unanimous U.S. Senate vote this week has given new hope to backers of promised housing for Native Americans along the Columbia River east of Portland. In the wake of a White House decision to halt development of promised houses for Columbia River tribal members, a smaller initiative to maintain and upgrade 31 existing fishing sites where sometimes dozens of Native fishing crews live at least six months of the year is again gaining traction. Oregon and Washington legislators again have asked for money to improve deplorable safety and sanitation conditions at small riverside camp sites, where tribal member launch boats, clean salmon and camp in tents and makeshift shacks. The bill, which was introduced in March and approved by the Senate on Wednesday, calls on the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to visit the sites and study what is needed to improve them, then bring the infrastructure in line with the amount of use they get. That would include improved sewer connections, electrical grids and adequate water, among other needs. Officials have not attached a dollar figure to the bill, nor has any money been allocated. An amendment from Sen. John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, also passed unanimously. He asked that the federal comptroller assess whether the proposed work at the fishing sites was effective. Last year, The Oregonian/OregonLive visited 31 sites that the federal government built to enable members of four tribes to maintain their U.S. treaty rights to catch salmon. Many were overcrowded, with 40 families crammed into a space meant for 20 people at one location. Almost all had bathrooms that backed up and not enough toilets and shower stalls. Trash overflowed at most sites, and people who stay jacked into the few solar panels at each spot for electricity. Other people used generators and propane heaters that occasionally caused fires. Only one had fire safety equipment. The Oregon and Washington congressional delegations introduced a bill last year that called for cleanup money, but it died. They reintroduced the b…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/defazio-applauds-house-passage-of-legislation-to-spur-economic	DeFazio Applauds House Passage of Legislation to Spur Economic Development and Job Creation in Oregon Communities	2017-11-30	2017	2017-11	Democrat	House	OR	Peter DeFazio	D000191	defazio.house.gov	legacy	Today, the United States House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation to renew a critical program that spurs economic growth and job creation in Oregon communities. Ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), an original cosponsor of companion legislation, applauded House passage of H.R. 3017, the Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Redevelopment, and Reauthorization Act of 2017, which will boost funding for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) brownfields program. The brownfields program provides funding to States and communities for the cleanup and redevelopment of abandoned or underutilized properties and leverages Federal seed money with State, local, and private dollars to create jobs. “Congress has heard from mayors, state agencies, and other stakeholders on the critical importance of the brownfields program. The brownfields program has a proven record of success and you can see this success right here at home. In 2013, the City of Eugene received $680,000 in grants to clean up abandoned properties and today, the Ninkasi Brewing Company sits on the site of what was a former Eugene brownfield. This year, Eugene was selected for an additional $500,000 brownfields site assessment grant and I am hopeful that this funding can replicate the success of Ninkasi and prompt the redevelopment and cleanup of other brownfield sites,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), the Ranking Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and an original cosponsor of companion legislation. “I was proud to work on this bipartisan legislation and I will continue to work with my colleagues to see this critical bill signed into law.” See video of DeFazio speaking about the Eugene brownfields here. H.R. 3017 makes several improvements to the brownfields program including increasing the funding limit for individual cleanup grants from $200,000 to $500,000 per grant, authorizing EPA to award multipurpose brownfield grants for projects consisting of multiple ele…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-brownfields-reauthorization-winning-scenario-everybody	Greg Walden on Brownfields reauthorization: This is a winning scenario for everybody involved	2017-11-30	2017	2017-11	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Greg Walden on Brownfields reauthorization: “This is a winning scenario for everybody involved” Brownfields Program successfully used in Oregon to clean up old industrial sites for economic use Click here or on the image above to view Walden’s speech on the House floor WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Greg Walden, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, helped shepherd the Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Redevelopment and Reauthorization Act through the House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote. During a speech on the House floor, Walden highlighted how the Brownfields Program has spurred economic growth by cleaning up old industrial sites in Oregon and throughout the country, and putting them back into productive service. “Since the Brownfields Program’s inception, more than 27,000 contaminated sites have been remediated, allowing communities across the country to return them to productive use,” said Walden. “Cleaning up brownfield sites increases local tax bases; facilitates job growth and wage increases; promotes the development of new infrastructure; and improves and protects the environment. Over 129,000 jobs have been leveraged because of the Brownfields Program and almost 70,000 acres have been made ready for reuse. “The Brownfields Program has leveraged over $24 billion, a significant return on the federal investment in the program. A 2017 study concluded that cleaning up brownfield properties led to residential property value increases of up to fifteen percent within a mile of brownfield sites. Another study found an estimated twenty-nine to ninety-seven million dollars in additional tax revenue for local governments in a single year after cleanup -- which is two to seven times more than the $12.4 million that EPA contributed to the cleanup of those Brownfields.” Walden noted that Oregon has been particularly successful using the Brownfields Program to put old industrial sites back in to productive service. Standing beside a before-and-after picture of the Old Mill District …	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/secretary-zinke-sends-nearly-20-million-timber-dollars-rural-oregon	Secretary Zinke Sends Nearly $20 Million in Timber Dollars to Rural Oregon, Doubles Down on Commitment to Future Harvests	2017-11-30	2017	2017-11	Republican	House	OR	Greg Walden	W000791	walden.house.gov	legacy	Secretary Zinke Sends Nearly $20 Million in Timber Dollars to Rural Oregon, Doubles Down on Commitment to Future Harvests WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced today that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will issue payments totaling $19.5 million to 18 counties in western Oregon, which includes $1.4 million previously sequestered funds. Under the previous administration, the sequestered funds were not scheduled to be disbursed to the counties however after working with the counties and the Office of Management and Budget, the Secretary was able to deliver the full funding. "O&C lands were specifically set aside for sustainable timber harvests and they are an important part of the economic foundation of western Oregon," said Secretary Zinke. "Working with the county officials we were able to get these much-needed funds to the local communities, but my next priority is ensuring that these lands continue to provide sustainable timber harvests that support the community and strengthen the health of the forest." "We are happy to report the 18 O&C Counties will receive these disbursements, including those withheld payments, very soon," said Commissioner Tim Freeman of Douglas County, the Association of O&C Counties' President. "We give full credit to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke for his willingness to work with us to persuade OMB to release these sequestered funds. We are also grateful to Congressman Walden for his assistance in facilitating communications between the Association and the Department of the Interior. Every County will use these much-needed funds for vital services according to their local priorities, from public safety and juvenile programs to elections departments and infrastructure maintenance, and everything in between." “The announcement that our communities will receive the full timber receipts payments they are owed under the law is great news," said Chairman Greg Walden. "These resources will be critical to funding essential county services from…	1	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z	2026-03-30T12:14:52Z

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Press releases

1,422 rows where state = "OR" and year = 2017 sorted by date descending

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