url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-usmca-big-win-oregons-businesses-and-ag-producers,Greg Walden on USMCA : 'A big win for Oregon's Businesses and Ag Producers',2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"In Oregon, 7,421 jobs depend on manufacturing exports to Canada and Mexico.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a statement following the House passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA):
""I am glad that the House came together todayto pass the bipartisan USMCA and Iapplaud President Trump for working hard to negotiate this deal. Today is a big win for Oregon's businesses and ag producers. Oregon businesses export $3.7 billion in goods to Canada and Mexico, supporting 7,421 jobs in our state. This agreement expands and solidifies the market opportunities that make that possible.USMCA will especially help Oregon wine, wheat, and dairy producers and provides improved market access for our agriculture products. I look forward to the Senate passing, and the President signing this agreement so that we can continue to grow our economy and expand access to markets abroad,"" said Walden.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-house-vote-impeach-president-trump,Greg Walden Statement on House Vote to Impeach President Trump,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement afterhe voted no on the Housevote to impeach President Donald Trump:
""President Donald Trump is unique in the history of the American presidency. No one has led as he has. His success and his style have frustrated his opponents. ""Remember back to the fall of 2016 when pundits and politicians on the left lectured Americans about the historical need to accept the outcome of the election? Then Hillary Clinton lost. Some began undermining and attacking the President before he had even taken office. Others called for his impeachment. ""Meanwhile, we now know--as a result of the Horowitz investigation--that some in the FBI engaged in nefarious actions to investigate the Trump campaign. They lied to and misled the FISA court in an incredible abuse of power by a government agency. Civil libertarians are rightly outraged by what occurred. Laws designed to protect America from foreign terrorists were misused to spy on an American presidential campaign. ""The false narrative of the Trump campaign colluding with the Russians dominated the first two years of the Trump presidency. I supported the appointment of Mr. Mueller and repeatedly stood up for the independence of his investigation. I wanted the facts. ""The Mueller investigation spent years and millions of taxpayer dollars and came up empty. That report produced nothing impeachable, or the articles of impeachment would include the findings of that report.  ""For me, overturning the outcome of an election demands two things: A bipartisan and fair process to determine wrong doing, and a criminal offense worthy of overturning the outcome of the voters' will. Neither threshold has been met in this case.  ""With a clear conscience, I will vote against both articles of impeachment. ""Read the articles of impeachment. Abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, are the charges. Neither of these are criminal violations. This isn't perjury or burglary. ""Every administrationDemocratic and Republican- pushes back against Congress' request for witnesses and information. The Constitution enshrines this separate-branch conflict. Congress doesn't like being told no. At times we've sued over it. It's the tension our founders designed into the competing branches of government. Work it out, or go to the courts. But in this case, they truncated the timeline to exclude a judicial review. They announced the outcome before the investigation was completed.  ""I voted to hold President Obama's Attorney General in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over documents related to the fast and furious fiasco. Congress sued and won this case. But Republicans never seriously thought about impeaching the President.  ""I threatened to subpoena President Trump's Attorney General Jeff Sessions to his face in the East Room of the White House during our investigation of the opioid crisis. We eventually worked it out and got to review the data we sought. Not once did I think about impeaching the President over this matter. ""The anti-Trump crowd has weaponized impeachment and converted it into a partisan tool, something one of America's founding fathers--Alexander Hamilton--warned against. The American people elected President Trump to shake things up in Washington, D.C. And that's precisely what he's done.  ""Lower taxes and less oppressive regulations would not have happened under a Clinton Administration. Hillary Clinton would not have stood up to China as President Trump has. She would not have demanded and gotten a new and better trade deal with our friends to the north and south. As for the Russians, she's the one who led the reset with Russia that offended our European allies and played into Putin's hand. ""We've never had a better economy or lower unemployment in the modern era. We're the envy of the world. America is standing up to our competitors and enemies. We're getting new and better trade agreements and bringing more jobs back to America. ""We've never had a President lean in more to get lower drug prices or make our allies keep their promises to help pay for their national security.  ""President Trump is doing exactly what he promised, and that includes violating the political norms of the Washington, D.C. swamp. And for that, the left wants to send him packing.  ""If facts matter, we should not impeach this president, but instead get back to work solving the problems facing American families.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-bills-improve-rural-broadband-pass-house,Greg Walden Bills to Improve Rural Broadband Pass the House,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representative Greg Walden released a statement following yesterday's House passage of two bills Walden co-sponsored that would help improve and expand access to rural broadband in Oregon.
Yesterday the House passed two bipartisan bills that will help communities in places like rural Oregon get access to reliable, high speed broadband,said Walden.For example, John Day's lack of reliable access to internet services has resulted in local businesses at times having to manually process credit cards, making it hard for them to do business. The bills we passed today will help improve broadband mapping, which will enable us to better understand exactly where communities are that still lack high speed internet access. We need to know this before we make investments in broadband build out so we get the help where it is needed. This effort will strengthen connectivity in America and help lessen the urban/rural digital divide. Walden has been a longtime advocate for expanding rural broadband. Earlier this month, he spoke at an Energy and Commerce hearing about this issue, saying, far too many Oregonians still lack access to reliable broadband. Last year, Walden brought Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman AjitPai out to eastern Oregon to discuss efforts to improve connectivity in rural communities, including making sure patients in remote areas have access to the best doctors through technology like Telehealth. Walden also helped secure a $6 million grant to John Day earlier this month, which will help expand rural broadband in Grant and Wheeler counties. He remains committed to continuing to ensure that rural Oregonians have sufficient access to broadband and thus access to things like telemedicine, remote learning, next generation emergency services, and video streaming.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-highlights-key-wins-oregon-fy-2020-funding-bills,Greg Walden Highlights Key Wins for Oregon in FY 2020 Funding Bills,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a statement after the House passed government funding legislation through the end of the fiscal year. Included in the legislation was the Rural Act, one of many provisions built in to help rural Oregon communities flourish.Walden co-sponsored the Rural Act,which would help keep electric costs affordable and expand access to broadband in rural Oregon. In May, Walden urged the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee to move forward this legislation. Click here to read Walden's letter. Our rural electric cooperatives should not get punished when they receive broadband build out grants or emergency recovery funding,"" said Walden. ""Yet, because of a drafting error in prior legislation, that's precisely what would happen.It is not an overstatement to say this fix is essential to their survival.""  
	  
	The 2020 spending bills also provided full funding for Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, which supports essential services, like forest management, in Oregon. Full funding for PILT keeps an important commitment to rural counties in Oregon, said Walden on the full funding of PILT. The federal government controls a majority of the land in our district and these funds help to make up for lost property tax revenue and help counties provide basic services such as roads and law enforcement. In continuation of Congress' efforts to support rural communities, the legislation also extended funding for the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) for 2019 and 2020. This funding comes after Walden was joined by his colleagues last week in sending a letter to Congressional Leadership urging them to reauthorize the SRS program. Walden has long fought for safety-net funding for rural communities, and this most recent effort builds on those efforts to secure the last four years of funding in legislation in 2018 and 2015. Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding helps Oregon's forested communities pay for essential services like schools, roads, and law enforcement,saidWalden on the funding extension for SRS.SRS has never replaced the dramatic reduction in federal timber revenue over the last 30 years, but it does provide some level of support. Last year, we passed the most significant reform to forest policy in a decade to help improve the management of our forests. While this is progress toward reversing the decades long decline in timber revenue, an extension of SRS is needed to ensure counties have a safety-net as we work to further improve forest management and utilize our natural resources to provide sustainable jobs and revenue to Oregon's rural communities. Also included were provisions funding economic development for communities affected by the creation of the Columbia Gorge Scenic Area, funding Walden has fought for for 21 years. The $2 million included in this year-end funding package will support the ongoing economic development in the Gorge, said Walden on the funding for the Columbia Gorge Scenic Area. I was glad to work with Senator Merkley and our colleagues across the river in Washington to secure this remaining funding owed to our communities under the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area Act. As the area continues to recover from the effects of the Eagle Creek Fire, these funds are all the more important and I look forward to President Trump signing this legislation into law. Walden recently introduced the Lower Costs, More Cures Act, which would help lower the prices of prescription drugs. A piece of his legislation, the CREATES Act, was included as a provision in the 2020 spending bills. The provision would help increase access to affordable prescription drugs by stopping pharmaceutical companies from blocking access to affordable drugs for patients. The passage of the CREATES Act puts an end to a scam where pharmaceutical companies deny samples to generic drug competitors.This measure will help improve access to affordable prescription drugs for Oregonians, said Walden on the passage of the CREATES Act. This provision will help prevent the anti-competitive behavior that denies patients more affordable options at the pharmacy counter. While this provision provides needed progress, much more work needs to be done to lower the prices of prescription drugs. In addition to including the CREATES Act, the spending bills also included provisions to increase access to affordable insulin.
Today, the House made some progress to fund the government, but we also provided support for our rural communities, our military and America's veterans,"" said Walden.""I also supported efforts to improve access to affordable prescription drugs, but there is much more that needs to be done. I remain committed to continuing to expand access to high speed rural broadband, lower drug prices, improve our country's infrastructure, and improve our forest management. I look forward to continuing to work in a bipartisan way to improve the livelihoods of Oregonians and all Americans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-works-lower-emissions-power-economy-0,"Greg Walden Works to Lower Emissions, Power Economy",2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Walden holds up a block of lumber from DR Johnson Lumber at he Innovation Showcase. 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On Monday, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) hosted the Energy and Environment Innovation Showcase. The showcase highlighted the importance of investing in the development and deployment of breakthrough technologies to reduce emissions, power the economy of tomorrow, and provide greater value to American consumers.
The eventfeatured companiesfrom around the country withinnovative energy and environmentsolutions, including two companies Walden invitedfrom Oregon. One of the companiesthat participatedwas NuScale, an Oregon based company developing small modular nuclear reactors.NuScale has partnered with Oregon State University, the Department of Energy's Idaho National Lab, and others in developing the next generation of carbon-free nuclear power. 
Rep. Walden looks at NuScale's booth on small modular nuclear reactors.
""Any serious efforts to reduce emissions from energy production must include new, safe, and small modular nuclear power, like that being developed by NuScale in Oregon,""said Walden.""Nuclear power is emissions-free, and the technology being designed by NuScale can help communities transition from coal to cleaner energy sources."" 
Rep. Walden and DR Johnson Lumber's Levi Hoffman at the showcase. 
In addition to NuScale, Walden invited Oregon's DR Johnson Lumber. The company was the first in the U.S. to produce Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels certified for construction. CLT, and other mass timber products, could help reduce the carbon footprint of new buildings. These products also present an opportunity to improve economic development in rural communities, while also improving forest management and reducing the threat of wildfire.


Click here or on the image above to watch Rep. Walden's discussion on how innovation is good for American consumers, energy security, and reducing emissions. 
At the event, Walden sat down with Kristin Soltis Anderson for a discussion on how innovation is good for American consumers, energy security, and reducing emissions. You can watch their entire discussion here. 
Waldenspoke about hisplan, ""12 in '20"", a bipartisan set of bills that Congress could pass right now to ensure the U.S. remains a global leader in emissions reduction, economic productivity, and clean energy production all at the same time. 
Rep. Walden speaks with reporters at the Innovation Showcase. 
We want to come forward with ideas we think make good common sense and can actually become law, Walden told reporters about his plan. The president would sign all of these. 
In addition to Walden's ""12 in '20"" plan, hehas led efforts to reformfederal forest policy to both protectlocal communities and the environment. Earlier this year, Walden introduced the Resilient Federal Forests Act, a bill that would improve forest management and reduce wildfire risk in Oregon. 
""Studies from the Nature Conservancy and Forest Service tell us that active forest management can reduce the size and intensity of wildfires by 70 percent. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that active forest management will have the largest sustained carbon mitigation benefit,"" said Walden in May after he introduced the bill. 
Learn more about Walden's recent efforts to reduce emissions, promote clean energy, and conserve natural resources here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-approval-oregon-water-project-funding,Greg Walden Statement on Approval of Oregon Water Project Funding,2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced they approved funding for multiple Oregon water projects.Last year, Walden led the effort modernize America's critical water infrastructure, passing into law the Drinking Water System Improvement Act which authorizes over $4 billion in funding to improve drinking water systems nationwide through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The EPA will provide $35 million to support safe drinking water projects, and another $190 million will help improve wastewater and irrigated agriculture infrastructure, and address pollution.
Many rural communities across Oregon struggle with failing water infrastructure and limited funding, said Walden. These communities rely on funding from DWSRF to provide the resources necessary to complete clean water projects. These investments allow us to update our aging drinking water infrastructure to ensure they can operate well into the future. Having led the effort to modernize the DWSRF last year, I appreciate the Trump Administration and the EPA for recognizing the need to improve Oregon's drinking water infrastructure, and approving funding for these important projects across our state. Funding from the DWSRF will support water projects throughout the state and Second District, including $2.1 million going towards the Crystal Springs/Odell Water Company consolidation project in the Hood River Valley and $9.3 million for the City of Lakeview's water system improvements project. You can find a full list DWSRF funded projects here.
In addition to the projects funded by DWSRF, EPA's Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) will provide funding for multiple other Oregon water projects including $10.5 million to Baker City to help design and construct a new wastewater treatment facility, $10 million to Bend to build Bend Septic Solutions that will improve the local sewage system, and $38.8 million to Klamath Falls to design and build the Spring Street Sewage Treatment Plant upgrade that will protect aquatic life andimprove water quality.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-usmca,Greg Walden Statement on USMCA,2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after Speaker Pelosi announced an agreement had been reached on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA):
The agreement reached between President Trump and House Democrats on USMCA is welcome news for Oregon's businesses, farmers and ranchers. This trade agreement modernizes our trade policies with Mexico and Canada, where Oregon businesses export $3.7 billion in goods which supports 7,421 jobs in our state. The USMCA provides improved market access for our farmers and is particularly good news for Oregon wine, wheat, and dairy producers. The time is now for Speaker Pelosi to bring this trade agreement to the House floor for a voteso we can continue the momentum on expanding access to markets for our farmers, ranchers, and small businesses across Oregon, said Walden.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-wyden-merkley-welcome-good-news-large-air-tankers,"Walden, Wyden, Merkley Welcome Good News on Large Air Tankers",2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representative Greg Walden (R-OR) and Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) today welcomed news that the Forest Service has awarded call when needed (CWN) contracts to providers of wildfire-fighting large air tankers. In a September 2019 letter to Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen, the Oregon lawmakers had pressed the Forest Service to award the contracts, which had been issued for solicitation back in July 2018. CWN awards allow the Forest Service to put approved aircraft into service when those aircraft are needed, and do not require the Forest Service to pay for those aircraft when they are not needed.
""Oregonians have had enough of smoke and wildfires."" said Walden. ""These contracts for large air tankers will help ensure the Forest Service has additional tools to combat and contain these fires. I applaud the Trump Administration for hearing the concerns of rural Oregon and prioritizing not only important assets like air tankers for fighting these fires, but also using the new forest management tools we provided to take action to prevent fires. This is all welcome progress, but we have more work to do. I will continue to work with the Trump Administration and my colleagues to reduce the threat and effects of wildfire to our forests and communities.""
Oregonians need the broadest possible range of options when it comes to fighting wildfires that threaten their lives, homes and businesses,said Wyden.These contracts will help the Forest Service fight fires more effectively by providing access to next-generation large air tankers at lower rates, saving money as well for taxpayers.
Every Oregonian has experienced the consequences of wildfires, from the damage to our farms and forests to the dense blankets of smoke compromising our health, said Merkley. That's why my colleagues and I urged the Forest Service to approve the use of large air tankers to help our state stay safe in the face of dangerous blazes. I'm pleased that they agreed, and will continue to do everything I can to secure the resources Oregonians need for wildfire season.
Among the companies earning call-when-needed contracts is Erickson Aero Air in Hillsboro.  We would like to thank Senator Wyden, Senator Merkley, and Congressman Walden for their help in getting this important contract awarded, said Erickson Aero owner Jack Erickson. This agreement with USFS will provide valuable assets to combat the ever-increasing threat from wildfires in Oregon and the Western United States.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-bipartisan-bicameral-agreement-surprise-billing,"Greg Walden Announces Bipartisan, Bicameral Agreement on Surprise Billing",2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or on the image above to watch Rep. Walden's video message.
WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a video statement after the Senate and House reached a bipartisan agreement on legislation tostop surprise medical bills:
""We've made real progress on stopping surprise billing. This is where you follow the rules, you pay your insurance premium, you think you're covered in your hospital or at the emergency room only to find out that somebody has contracted something out and it's no longer in the network, that has to stop,"" said Walden.""One out of five Americans, according to some studies, get a surprise bill that they have to pay out of pocket when they go to an emergency room. Congress has stepped up to do something about it in a bipartisan way, Republicans and Democrats, House and Senate, have come together in an effort that I have led to stop surprise billing. That legislation hopefully will move to the process soon, before the end of the year and we can give certainty and protection to consumers and stop the rip-offs that are occurring today in the healthcare system.""
Earlier this year, Walden introduced the No Surprises Actwhich would put an end to the practice of surprise medical billing. The legislation unanimously passed out of theEnergy and Commerce Committee. Now, with a bicameral, bipartisanagreement reached, the House can move forward with a vote on legislation to stop this unfair practice.
Walden also recentlylaunched a bipartisan investigation into why we see surprise billing. The investigation comes as the problem of surprise billing ison the risein the United States, one in five emergency department visits and about nine percent of elective inpatient care at in-network health facilities results in a surprise bill. Recent reportsshowthat the vast majority of Americans-- eight in ten-- want Congress to pass legislation to end surprise billing.
Learn more about the agreement to end surprise medical billing here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-introduces-hr-19-lower-costs-more-cures-act-2019,"Greg Walden Introduces H.R. 19, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act of 2019",2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click hereor on the image above to watch Rep. Walden's video announcement.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a video statement after he introducedthe Lower Costs, MoreCuresAct of 2019, which consists of bipartisan provisionsthat wouldlower the cost of prescription drugs for Americans. The bill would lower out of pocket spending, protect access to new cures and medications, strengthen transparency, and encourage competition. Unlike other proposed bills to lower drug prices, Walden's bill would do so without limiting the development ofnew cures.
""Our legislation will make sure that Americans can see reductions in the cost of their pharmaceutical drugs and that we won't get in the way of new innovations to save peoples' lives. Cures for Alzheimer's or pancreatic cancer or rheumatoid arthritis -- those sorts of things -- need to move forward and we don't need Congress getting in the way of that, we need to incentivize innovation, we need to come up with more cures, but we also need to tackle the bad behavior by the pharmaceutical companies when they stop generics from coming to the market and block access to some of these newer drugs that would bring down the cost,"" said Walden.""This legislation deals with all of that, lowers cost and gets us more cures as well. So I think it is a good package of bipartisan proposals that could become law. I have talked with the President about it and I think he would sign our bill into law. It takes advantage of a lot of the proposals that there is a bipartisan bill the Senate is considering. I think that this could become law and we could get help to consumers by the end of the year, we just need an opportunity to move it forward.""
Walden's bill would achieve lower drug prices without imposing government price controls that would drastically decrease research and development spending for new cures. Currently, in other countries where there are government-imposed price controls, there is significantly less access to new and necessary medications. For example, of the 270 new medicines available in the United States, in Canada, only 52 percent of those are available. Tori Lacey from Ontario, Canada has to deal with the consequences of Canada's government-imposed price controls every day. She is a 21-year-old with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 2, a disease that attacks motor nerve cells, robbing people of physical strength and stripping them of the ability to walk, eat, and breathe. In Canada, Tori is unable to access a new treatment called Spinraza because it is not covered for patients with Type 2 SMA. Spinraza is the first drug approved to treat SMA and is a lifeline for those who suffer from this debilitating disease. Canada's stringent regulations on new medications are keeping her from focusing on things that most 21-year-olds focus on, like school and work. Tori is just one example of the need to pass legislation that lowers drug prices and avoids government overregulation that can eliminate cures.
Recent data shows that 70 percent of Americans want Congress to address the high cost of prescription drugs, which is exactly what the Lower Costs, More Cures Act of 2019 does.In addition to lowering costs and providing more cures, Walden's bill would allow seniors to better manage their annual out-of-pocket spending and make insulin more affordable.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-presses-insurers-rising-insulin-prices,Greg Walden Presses Insurers on Rising Insulin Prices,2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Last week, Representative Greg Walden (R-OR), Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Representative Michael Burgess (R-TX), pressed top insurance companies for answers as to their role in the rising cost of insulin.
Inletters to Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, CVS Health, Cigna Corporation, Kaiser Permanente, and UnitedHealth Group, Walden and Burgess requested information on the relationship between insulin's list price and its negotiated price, and the impact this negotiation process has on patients.
We are continuing to investigate the rising costs of health care across numerous services and products, including, but not limited to, spending on hospitals, physicians, and prescription drugs.As part of this work, we have focused on the increasing price of insulin for patients with diabetes, Walden and Burgess wrote.
In addition to the letter, Walden introduced the Lower Costs, More Cures Act of 2019, bipartisan legislation to lower costs at the drug counter for patients and seniors, including provisions specifically designed to make insulin more affordable.
Although the list price of many insulin products significantly increased over the past decade, the net price received by manufacturers for many of these insulin products stayed the same or decreased over the same period. Unfortunately, even though the average net price that manufacturers are receiving for many insulin products is decreasing and PBMs are working with health plans to help reduce the cost of insulin for health plans, many Americans are facing increased out-of-pocket costs for their insulin at the pharmacy counter,Walden and Burgess continued in their letter.We are therefore examining the role of insurers in the prescription drug supply chain, including questions about how insurers make decisions about plan design, the use of rebates in the insulin market, and the level of transparency between insurers and their supply chain partners."" 
Click hereto read the letters.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-far-too-many-oregonians-still-lack-access-reliable-broadband,Greg Walden: 'Far too many Oregonians still lack access to reliable broadband',2019-12-05,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) discussed the need to further expand rural broadband in Oregon at an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing.
Walden started off by thanking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai for his leadership and progress over thepast year. Last year, Walden brought Chairman Pai out to eastern Oregon to discuss efforts to improve connectivity in rural communities, including making sure patients in remote areas have access to the best doctors through technology like Telehealth.
""As Chairman Pai saw firsthand when he joined me in eastern Oregon last year, far too many Oregonians still lack access to reliable broadband internet service. They are not alone. Millions of our citizens who live in rural America face the same internet dead zones,"" said Walden.
He went on to emphasize the need to carefully determine how to make broadband funding the most effective. Walden pointed out that accurate broadband mapping is a critical component to this, something he hascontinuously stressed over the years.
""We must take the time to study where broadband funding will be most effective,"" said Walden.""Accurate maps are key to accomplishing that. This committee recently passed two bipartisan mapping bills aimed at improving data collection and mapping efforts at the FCC.""
Last March, Walden helped secure government funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s ReConnect Program, which earlier this week awarded a $6 million grant to John Day to help expand rural broadband in Grant and Wheeler counties.
John Day, for example, is so limited in internet service that during one of Walden's visits last year, the whole town had been experiencing internet outages intermittently for a couple weeks and they had to pay with cash at the gas station because they couldn't process cards, making it hard to do business.
The need to expand rural broadband in Oregon is something Walden has continuously stressed and something on which hehas led many hearings and helped pass multiple bills into law.Last month,Walden ledefforts to pass out of committee two more bills that would help expand broadband in rural America.
You can watch today's full hearing here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-house-passage-bill-stop-illegal-robocalls,Greg Walden Applauds House Passage of Bill to Stop Illegal Robocalls,2019-12-04,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the House passed the TRACED Act. The legislation, which resulted from the bipartisan negotiations following the House passage of Walden's Stopping Bad Robocalls Act. Robocalls are a menace and today Congress once again took steps to hang-up on these callers, said Walden. When you receive a call, you should be able to trust that there is a reason for that call-- especially when it is from a familiar area code. Last year alone, 47.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide. Last month, there were about five billion robocalls placed in America and an estimated 14.1 million in the 541 area code alone. The bill we passed today is something that will address a challenge every Oregonian and every American faces, robocalls. Last year, Walden helped champion the RAY BAUM's Act into law, a bill named after a La Grande native, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the first time in over two decades. The RAY BAUM's Act also provided the FCC with the necessary tools to better enable consumers and law enforcement to stay ahead of scammers. The TRACED Act builds on that bipartisan success by better enabling consumers, carriers, law enforcement, and the FCC to target these scanners. The TRACED Act would allow carriers and consumers to use new call blocking and call authentication tools to ensure that important calls get through and illegal robocalls are blocked at no cost to the consumer. The bill also takes steps to improve traceback efforts and provides the Department of Justice (DOJ) the additional tools they need to go after bad actors. At practically every single one of my 40 town halls this year, someone has brought up the problems that robocalls have caused them, said Walden. Today, Congress listened to the American people and voted to end these pesky calls and I look forward to President Trump signing this bill into law.
Click HERE for bill text.
  
	Click HERE for a section-by-section summary.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-if-you-have-not-gotten-flu-vaccine-yet-year-please-go-get-it,"Greg Walden: 'If you have not gotten the flu vaccine yet this year, please go get it today'",2019-12-04,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click hereor on the image above to watch Rep. Walden deliver remarks.
Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) spoke at an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing entitled ""Flu Season: U.S. Public Health Preparedness and Response.""
Walden started the hearing off by emphasizing the importance of the flu vaccine. ""Every year, millions of Americans put themselves at an increased risk of getting the flu because they do not get the flu vaccine. They also are increasing the risk that individuals who cannot be vaccinated, including young children who are not old enough to get the flu vaccine, will get the flu.If you have not gotten the flu vaccine yet this year, please go get it today,"" saidWalden. He then noted that the population most at risk for flu-related complications are senior citizens. ""According to the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention (CDC), people 65 years and older account for about 70 to 85 percent of seasonal flu-related deaths in recent years and between 50 to 70 percent of seasonal-flu related hospitalizations,"" said Walden. Currently, seniors are able to get either the regular flu shot or one of the two flu shots made especially for those 65 years and older. Last February, Walden, along with fellow Republican committee members,sent a letter to the Director of the CDC about improving flu coverage for seniors. They asked the CDC if a preferential recommendation from CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for vaccinating adults age 65 and older with one of the specialized flu shots for seniorswould reduce deaths and hospitalizations or improve vaccination coverage. In response, the CDC said they did not believe there was adequate information to rise to the level of ACIP to make this recommendation. ""Given what appears to be substantial evidence substantiating superior effectiveness for seniors with each of these alternatives compared to the standard dose flu vaccine and the preferential recommendations from other respected foreign health authorities for one of these alternatives, I want to explore the reasons for CDC's hesitancy about supporting a preferential recommendation when it appears there is reason to believe it could help save lives,"" said Walden. He concluded bysharing his support forPresident Trump's recent Executive Order that promotes the development of better flu vaccinations and emphasized his readiness to discuss the role of antiviral drugs to mitigate the severity of the flu and concerns over possible drug-resistant flu strains. In addition to working to improve and modernize the flu vaccine, Walden has mademany additional efforts to keep communities in Oregon safe and healthy.In August, Waldenhelped secure over $800,000 in federal funding to improve the quality and efficiency of Community Health Centers (CHCs)across the Second District. In thedistrict, CHCs play a critical role in keeping rural communities safe and healthy, serving more than 240,000 Oregonians.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-usda-helping-expand-rural-broadband-second-district,Greg Walden Applauds USDA for Helping Expand Rural Broadband in the Second District,2019-12-03,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a statement applauding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for awarding $6 million to help expand rural broadband in Grant and Wheeler counties. The money comes from USDA's ReConnect Pilot program, which Walden helped secure in government funding legislation last March, and is a continued part of Walden's longstanding efforts to expand rural broadband in Oregon. The funding will allow about 600 new customers in the two counties to have access to high-speed broadband. At the end of last year, I met with stakeholders out in John Day who have been working to bring this funding to eastern Oregon and I am pleased to see that our efforts paid off, said Walden. This funding is critical to help make sure Oregonians can participate in the 21st Century economy regardless of where they live, I want to thank Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and the Trump Administration for recognizing the need to expand rural broadband in Oregon. Far too many Oregonians still lack access to reliable broadband internet service and thus access to things like telemedicine, remote learning, next generation emergency services, and video streaming because of insufficient Internet service. This is a step in the right direction, and I will continue to work to help further expand rural broadband in Oregon.
The funding announcement follows Walden's meeting with the Grant County Digital Network Coalition last year to discuss their plans to expand broadband access in the county and their efforts to apply for federal funding. Walden worked closely with the coalition and USDA to help secure funding for the project. Funding for the project comes through the USDA's ReConnect pilot program, which Walden helped secure in the government funding bill in March of last year.
""We would like to thank Congressman Walden for his continued support for Grant County and the City of John Day. Congressman Walden has been a consistent advocate for improving rural broadband throughout eastern Oregon,""said John Day City Manager Nicholas Green.""His efforts with Chairman Pai at the FCC and with USDA to promote programs that improve broadband access to rural communities have been instrumental in ensuring all Oregon residents have access to this critical infrastructure, regardless of where they live.""
The new funding will help Oregon Telephone Corporation expand broadband access and capacity with 89 miles of fiber optic lines. The main areas impacted by these funds will be John Day and nearby communities. The overall impact of the expansion will reach 418 households, 22 businesses, 22 farms, three schools, and two fire stations. Over the past few years, the Second District of Oregon has seen great progress regarding the expansion of rural broadband. Walden's 2011 law, Jumpstarting Opportunity with Broadband Spectrum (JOBS) Act, helped advance wireless broadband, spur billions of dollars in private investment, create thousands of jobs, helped bring interoperable broadband communications to public safety officials, and reduce the federal deficit. This legislation also helped open up spectrum for wireless broadband development. Last year, Walden passed the RAY BAUMS Act into law which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the first time in 28 years and will speed deployment of next generation broadband across the country. As the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and now as Republican Leader, Walden has led multiple hearings on the need to expand rural broadband and improve broadband mapping. He also brought FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to eastern Oregon last year to discuss efforts to improve connectivity in rural communities, including making sure patients in remote areas have access to the best doctors through technology like telehealth.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/media-advisory-greg-walden-host-energy-and-environment-innovation,MEDIA ADVISORY: Greg Walden to Host Energy and Environment Innovation Showcase,2019-12-02,2019,2019-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River), the Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Committee, announced that he will host the""Energy & Environment Innovation Showcase"" to highlight the importance of investing in the development and deployment of breakthrough technologies to reduce emissions, power the economy of tomorrow, and provide greater value to American consumers.  The event will showcase the innovative energy and environmentsolutions fromlocal companies across the country, including two companies Walden invitedfrom Oregon. One of the companies participating is NuScale, an Oregon based company developing small modular nuclear reactors. The company has partnered with Oregon State University, the Department of Energy's Idaho National Lab, and others in developing the next generation of carbon free nuclear power. ""Any serious efforts to reduce emissions from energy production must include new, safe, and small modular nuclear power, like that being developed by NuScale in Oregon,"" said Walden. ""Nuclear power is emissions-free, and the technology being designed by NuScale can help communities transition from coal to cleaner energy sources."" In addition to NuScale, Walden invited DR Johnson Lumber. The company was the first in the U.S. to produce Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels certified for construction. CLT and other mass timber products could help reduce the carbon footprint of new buildings. These products also present an opportunity to improve economic development in rural communities, while also improving forest management and reducing the threat of wildfire. During the showcase, Walden will join noted public opinion researcher Kristen Soltis Anderson for a discussion on climate change solutions. Click here to read their bios.
Below are the details:
December 9, 2019
Who:  
	Energy and Commerce Republicans  
	Companies, universities, and organizations from across the country. Click here for a full list of participants (subject to change). What:  
	Energy & Environment Innovation Showcase Where:  
	Rayburn Foyer, First Floor, Rayburn House Office Building & available via livestream on theEnergy andCommerce Committee Republicans'Facebook page here. When:  
	1:30 PM - Showcase Begins  
	2:00 PM - Kristen Soltis Anderson Interview with Rep. Greg Walden  
	3:00 PM - Showcase Ends",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/op-eds/greg-walden-we-must-continue-standing-our-nations-veterans,Greg Walden: 'We must continue standing up for our nation's veterans',2019-11-21,2019,2019-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"By: Greg Walden

The men and women who have selflessly served our great nation deserve the utmost support and respect. While every Veterans Day we pay special respect and honor to our nation's finest by visiting gravesites, attending memorial services, and participating in parades, let us also remember that veterans deserve the best every day. That is why one of my top priorities in Congress is ensuring our veterans receive the service and support they earned every day. This year, we have done a lot for our veterans. First, Congress passed the biggest budget in history for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), particularly when it comes to health care. That includes $8.6 billion for mental health care services, $400 million for opioid abuse prevention, $206 million for suicide prevention outreach, and $270 million specifically for rural veterans' health initiatives. A strong VA budget is especially important with the launch of the VA MISSION Act. The VA MISSION Act, which I cosponsored, was signed into law by President Trump last year. This past June, the community care program, an aspect of the law, launched. This gives veterans increased access to timely, quality care by allowing them to seek care in the community and by establishing a more permanent network of doctors to partner with VA and see veterans close to where they live. The community care program is essential for veterans living in rural areas, like much of our district, because the nearest VA may be hours away. Another huge win our veterans received this year came when the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 was signed into law. This law ensures that Vietnam Navy veterans who served in the offshore waters of Vietnam receive the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange, a toxic chemical used during the Vietnam era. Many veterans exposed to the chemical found that it resulted in medical issues such as colon cancer. In addition to providing necessary compensation to our veterans, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act included a provision I coauthored that ensures veterans in rural Oregon no longer face needless delays when seeking to buy a home using the benefits they earned through their service. I have heard several horror stories from veterans about delays getting an appraisal for their VA-backed loan. Some waited up to nine weeks to even have an appraiser assigned to their case, making them far less competitive as prospective buyers in the housing market-- one veteran even lost his prospective home when his interest rate lock expired as he waited for an appraisal. That's unacceptable. Now, veterans living in rural America will get a fair chance to have their appraisals completed in a timely manner. In June, we celebrated the 75th anniversary of the GI Bill, which has allowed our nation's veterans and their families to return home to pursue further education. I worked to help improve this benefit by supporting the passage of the Forever GI Bill, which made the benefits last a lifetime. While we have already achieved a significant amount for our veterans this year, we still have much more ahead of us. I will continue to work to improve the benefits and services that veterans receive and help veterans in my district with any issues they may face with VA. If you are a veteran in the 2nd District of Oregon, and you're having problems with VA, please give my office a call at 800-533-3303. My team and I are ready to assist you with problems you are having with VA. We will do everything in our power to get results for you. God bless all our veterans and their families, and thank you for your service.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-helps-advance-legislation-help-clean-hanford,Greg Walden Helps Advance Legislation to Help Clean Up Hanford,2019-11-21,2019,2019-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Yesterday, during an Energy and Commerce Full Committee markup, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River), the Republican Leader of the committee, led efforts to advance legislation that would ensure nuclear waste stored at Hanford can be cleaned up and stored off-site in a permanent location. The Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2019, which passed full committee markup, makes needed reforms to nuclear waste policy and ensures safe, permanent storage of waste at Yucca Mountain. Congress first designated Yucca Mountain as the key storage facility in 1978 after scientists found it could safely store nuclear waste for one million years. Walden and the Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment and Climate Change John Shimkus (R-IL) put out a joint statement on the committee passage of the bill: We are once again acting in a bipartisan way at the Energy and Commerce Committee to protect the 121 communities and 39 states across America where nuclear waste sits idle. The Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act ensures that we are following science and the law, both of which say that Yucca Mountain is the solution to the country's nuclear waste problem. By advancing this bipartisan bill today, we are one step closer to delivering on a long overdue promise to address this national issue. Now, it's time to swiftly pass this legislation through the House and Senate and get it to President Trump for his signature. We are committed to seeing this through for the American people, said Walden and Shimkus. Currently, nuclear waste is stored at numerous facilities in 121 different communities across the country, including near the Columbia River at Hanford in Washington. Cleaning up the 56 million gallons of Cold War-era nuclear waste at Hanford and ensuring a permanent long-term storage location for that waste has long been a priority for Walden. Earlier this year, Walden joined then Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA) in Hanford to celebrate the transfer of nuclear sludge away from the Columbia River and into the T Plant located farther away from the river. However, this storage is only temporary until it can be moved to Yucca Mountain.
Rep. Walden, Rep. Newhouse, and Secretary Rick Perry gather for a picture at the Hanford site.
Walden also brought Secretary Perry out to eastern Oregon and eastern Washington in 2017. They toured the hydropower facilities at McNary Dam and toured the Hanford Site, including the nuclear waste vitrification plant that is under construction to turn high level nuclear waste into glass for transport to long term storage. The Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2019 will help ensure that waste has a final resting place, away from the Columbia River and nearby communities. Last year, Walden helped lead passage of similar legislation in the House, but it failed to pass the Senate by the end of the year.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-leads-committee-passage-bills-improve-maternal-health-care,Greg Walden Leads Committee Passage of Bills to Improve Maternal Health Care,2019-11-21,2019,2019-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Yesterday during an Energy and Commerce Committee markup, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River), the Republican Leader of the committee, helped advance legislation he co-sponsored that would improve maternal health care. Walden released a joint statement with the Republican Leader of the Health Subcommittee, Dr. Michael Burgess (R-TX) on the committee passage of the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019 and the Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services (MOMS) Act of 2019: These bipartisan bills further this committee's mission to address maternal mortality and improve the health outcomes in expectant or new mothers. Last Congress, President Trump signed bipartisan legislation into law from this Committee to advance maternal health, and we are building on that progress today. We are moving forward with legislation to improve rural access to maternal health services, strengthen America's maternal health care workforce, and enhance coverage for pregnant and postpartum women in the Medicaid and SCHIP programs. We look forward to moving these bills through the House, and commend our colleagues for their commitment to working across the aisle on this critical issue, said Walden and Burgess. Even though there has been extensive innovation in health care and improvements in technology, recent reports have indicated an increase in the number of women that are dying due to pregnancy complications. The bills passed out of committee today build on the progress made under Walden's leadership last Congress, which included President Trump signing the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act into law that improves data collection and reporting around maternal mortality and develops systems at all levels of government in order to better understand the burden of maternal complications. The bills will now be sent to the full House of Representatives for consideration. You can watch the full markup of the legislation here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-we-must-continue-standing-our-nations-veterans,Greg Walden: 'We must continue standing up for our nation's veterans',2019-11-07,2019,2019-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Walden gathers with veterans from southern Oregon on their Honor Flight. 
Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) published an op-ed in the East Oregonian ahead of Veterans Day. 
An excerpt of Rep. Walden's op-ed is below. The full article may be viewed here. 
Greg Walden: 'We must continue standing up for our nation's veterans' 
The East Oregonian
By: Rep. Greg Walden 
November 7, 2019 
The men and women who have selflessly served our great nation deserve the utmost support and respect. While every Veterans Day we pay special respect and honor to our nation's finest by visiting gravesites, attending memorial services, and participating in parades, let us also remember that veterans deserve the best every day. That is why one of my top priorities in Congress is ensuring our veterans receive the service and support they earned every day. This year, we have done a lot for our veterans. First, Congress passed the biggest budget in history for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), particularly when it comes to health care. That includes $8.6 billion for mental health care services, $400 million for opioid abuse prevention, $206 million for suicide prevention outreach, and $270 million specifically for rural veterans' health initiatives. A strong VA budget is especially important with the launch of the VA MISSION Act. The VA MISSION Act, which I cosponsored, was signed into law by President Trump last year. This past June, the community care program, an aspect of the law, launched. This gives veterans increased access to timely, quality care by allowing them to seek care in the community and by establishing a more permanent network of doctors to partner with VA and see veterans close to where they live. The community care program is essential for veterans living in rural areas, like much of our district, because the nearest VA may be hours away. Another huge win our veterans received this year came when the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 was signed into law. This law ensures that Vietnam Navy veterans who served in the offshore waters of Vietnam receive the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange, a toxic chemical used during the Vietnam era. Many veterans exposed to the chemical found that it resulted in medical issues such as colon cancer. In addition to providing necessary compensation to our veterans, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act included a provision I coauthored that ensures veterans in rural Oregon no longer face needless delays when seeking to buy a home using the benefits they earned through their service. I have heard several horror stories from veterans about delays getting an appraisal for their VA-backed loan. Some waited up to nine weeks to even have an appraiser assigned to their case, making them far less competitive as prospective buyers in the housing market-- one veteran even lost his prospective home when his interest rate lock expired as he waited for an appraisal. That's unacceptable. Now, veterans living in rural America will get a fair chance to have their appraisals completed in a timely manner. In June, we celebrated the 75th anniversary of the GI Bill, which has allowed our nation's veterans and their families to return home to pursue further education. I worked to help improve this benefit by supporting the passage of the Forever GI Bill, which made the benefits last a lifetime. While we have already achieved a significant amount for our veterans this year, we still have much more ahead of us. I will continue to work to improve the benefits and services that veterans receive and help veterans in my district with any issues they may face with VA. If you are a veteran in the 2nd District of Oregon, and you're having problems with VA, please give my office a call at 800-533-3303. My team and I are ready to assist you with problems you are having with VA. We will do everything in our power to get results for you. God bless all our veterans and their families, and thank you for your service.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-155-million-grant-city-medford,Greg Walden Announces $15.5 Million Grant for the City of Medford,2019-11-06,2019,2019-11,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced that the City of Medford will receive $15.5 million from the Department of Transportation (DOT) through their Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) program. Representative Walden wrote to and spoke with Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao in support of the city's request for funding, which will help expand the roadway along Foothill Road and North Phoenix Road in east Medford. This is great news for southern Oregon,"" said Walden. ""This funding will allow for better flow of traffic and safer conditions for those traveling along Foothill Road, while simultaneously providing jobs and fueling the economy. I worked closely with local officials and made the case directly to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. I'm very appreciative of her and the Trump Administration's support for improving transportation infrastructure in our part of Oregon.   
	  
	The funding will allow for almost four miles of roadway to expand from two-lanes to four-lanes, and will include a center turn lane, sidewalks, and bike lanes. The current roadway is overcapacity and in vital need of expansion. The project will provide a more viable route for people to reach local destinations and will also generate new jobs and revitalize the area's rural economy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-shares-concerns-over-growing-dependence-foreign-drug,Greg Walden Shares Concerns over Growing Dependence on Foreign Drug Manufacturing,2019-10-31,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or on the image above to watch Rep. Walden deliver remarks. 
Yesterday, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) spoke at an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on the safety and national security concerns over the U.S. reliance on drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients manufactured abroad.
As Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden has been committed to working to provide government agencies with the tools necessary to ensure the safety and quality of the U.S. drug supply. Walden started out by speaking about the recent recalls of certain drugs used to treat high blood pressure and how these recalls have led to increased concern about America's sourcing of drugs. Historically, medicines intended for use in the United States have been produced in the United States, said Walden. However, over the last several years, more drug manufacturing has moved offshore. Much of this shift can be attributed to low wages and less regulation in other countries, resulting in lower production costs for drug manufacturers. With this shift overseas, it has become more difficult for us to verify these products are made in compliance with what I would say are the world's best standards, those are the United States. The Energy and Commerce Committee has a history of providing oversight of the U.S. drug supply. Congress passed the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act in 2012, which provided FDA with new resources needed to inspect both domestic and foreign generic drug facilities. Recent data from the GAO report in 2016 found that FDA had increased its foreign drug inspections and enhanced its ability to prioritize drug establishments for inspection. For example, GAO found that FDA foreign inspections increased from 333 in 2007 to 842 in 2015. However, it has been reported that FDA surveillance inspections of foreign facilities have declined in the past two years, including in China where inspections fell by almost 11 percent, said Walden. While inspections are not the only means for ensuring the drug supply is properly protected, it is an important piece of the puzzle and we must ensure the FDA has the appropriate oversight measures in place. Walden continued on and requested an update on FDA's current practices from GAO. If there are gaps in the agency's ability to properly oversee these facilities, action must be taken to resolve those shortcomings and protect the public health, said Walden. The United States' reliance on overseas manufacturing not only raises quality concerns, but it also poses national security risks as well,"" said Walden. ""Foreign manufacturing of medical products critical to the Strategic National Stockpile are subject to the same quality and safety concerns, but dependence on foreign countries for drugs used as medical countermeasures could also leave Americans vulnerable to chemical and biological threats, among others. Further, reliance on foreign suppliers, particularly in those countries with which we have unstable relationships, poses an increased risk to Americans. Walden concluded by emphasizing that the U.S. cannot let other countries monopolize the production of the U.S. drug supply. If a country monopolizes the production of a drug and wishes to retaliate against the U.S., they could substantially increase drug prices or reduce supply in an attempt to cause shortages, limiting access to critical medications,"" said Walden.""And that is in the absence of a crisis. In a time of crisis, such possible actions could mean American lives.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/op-eds/initial-progress-opioids-work-remains,"Initial progress on opioids, but work remains",2019-10-23,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Initial progress on opioids, but work remains 
By Greg Walden
A year ago, Republicans and Democrats worked together to pass the nation's most historic effort to combat the opioid crisis  the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. President Trump signed the bill into law on October 24, 2018. Today, we are seeing fewer people die from overdose deaths and more people are getting medical care for their substance use disorder.Local caregivers and organizations are getting new funds to help provide assistance to those in need all across Oregon and the nation. But despite this progress, the opioid epidemic remains, and it does not discriminate  taking an estimated 130 lives a day in the U.S. In Oregon, 344 deaths occurred in 2017 alone.These numbers are shocking, but they fail to encompass the challenges faced by those struggling with addiction and their families seeking to help. Those like Mike and Winnie from Grants Pass who shared with me how their son started using oxycodone as a teenager and soon made the transition to the cheaper, more potent heroin. Thankfully, their son is still with us, but he struggles daily with his addiction. Sadly, I've heard similar stories all across Oregon of those fighting with addiction. As chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I directed our team to investigate allegations of opioid-dumping in West Virginia where, for example, a town of 392 people received over 9 million pills over the span of two years. Through our investigation, we found that many wholesale drug distributors and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were missing critical warning signs and red flags. We took our new findings and paired them with input from my colleagues across the country and those on the front lines of the epidemic. We combined more than 55 pieces of bipartisan legislation into one comprehensive measure named the SUPPORT Act. The legislation attacks the crisis from four angles: expanding access to treatment and recovery, boosting prevention efforts, protecting communities and stopping the illicit fentanyl from coming into our country. We have made progress in part due to the SUPPORT Act, but as we approach this one-year anniversary of the bill becoming law, it's clear the great battle of addiction and drug overdose continues. Over the last year alone, the opioid epidemic has taken more lives than the entire Vietnam War. And during a recent community meeting in La Pine a mother showed me photos of her son who died this summer from an overdose. Going forward, I hope Congress will move forward on legislation to give law enforcement the additional tools necessary to get illegal drugs off the streets while still allowing for proper use in public health and research capacities. Another bill would ensure that health care providers have necessary access to full medical history of any patient suffering from a substance use disorder so they don't accidentally prescribe an opioid to a patient who is in recovery. Of course, we must also continue our bipartisan investigations that we started last Congress to ensure that bad actors who are contributing to the spread of illicit drugs are stopped and held accountable. As we commemorate the one-year anniversary of the SUPPORT Act, let's recommit ourselves to the work that lies ahead. Together we made real progress and together we can do even more to help those who need it most. Families deserve no less.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-pens-op-ed-bulletin-initial-progress-opioids-work-remains,"Walden Pens Op-Ed in The Bulletin: Initial progress on opioids, but work remains",2019-10-23,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River)published an op-ed inThe Bulletin ahead of the one-year anniversary of President Trump signing Walden's legislation, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, into law. The legislation, which became law on October 24, 2018, provided the most significant Congressional effort to combat the drug epidemic. 
An except of Rep. Walden's op-ed is below. The full article may be viewed here. 
Greg Walden Guest column: Initial progress on opioids, but work remains 
The Bulletin 
By: Rep. Greg Walden 
October 23, 2019 A year ago, Republicans and Democrats worked together to pass the nation's most historic effort to combat the opioid crisis  the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. President Trump signed the bill into law on October 24, 2018. Today, we are seeing fewer people die from overdose deaths and more people are getting medical care for their substance use disorder.Local caregivers and organizations are getting new funds to help provide assistance to those in need all across Oregon and the nation. But despite this progress, the opioid epidemic remains, and it does not discriminate  taking an estimated 130 lives a day in the U.S. In Oregon, 344 deaths occurred in 2017 alone.These numbers are shocking, but they fail to encompass the challenges faced by those struggling with addiction and their families seeking to help. Those like Mike and Winnie from Grants Pass who shared with me how their son started using oxycodone as a teenager and soon made the transition to the cheaper, more potent heroin. Thankfully, their son is still with us, but he struggles daily with his addiction. Sadly, I've heard similar stories all across Oregon of those fighting with addiction. As chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I directed our team to investigate allegations of opioid-dumping in West Virginia where, for example, a town of 392 people received over 9 million pills over the span of two years. Through our investigation, we found that many wholesale drug distributors and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were missing critical warning signs and red flags. We took our new findings and paired them with input from my colleagues across the country and those on the front lines of the epidemic. We combined more than 55 pieces of bipartisan legislation into one comprehensive measure named the SUPPORT Act. The legislation attacks the crisis from four angles: expanding access to treatment and recovery, boosting prevention efforts, protecting communities and stopping the illicit fentanyl from coming into our country. We have made progress in part due to the SUPPORT Act, but as we approach this one-year anniversary of the bill becoming law, it's clear the great battle of addiction and drug overdose continues. Over the last year alone, the opioid epidemic has taken more lives than the entire Vietnam War. And during a recent community meeting in La Pine a mother showed me photos of her son who died this summer from an overdose. Going forward, I hope Congress will move forward on legislation to give law enforcement the additional tools necessary to get illegal drugs off the streets while still allowing for proper use in public health and research capacities. Another bill would ensure that health care providers have necessary access to full medical history of any patient suffering from a substance use disorder so they don't accidentally prescribe an opioid to a patient who is in recovery. Of course, we must also continue our bipartisan investigations that we started last Congress to ensure that bad actors who are contributing to the spread of illicit drugs are stopped and held accountable. As we commemorate the one-year anniversary of the SUPPORT Act, let's recommit ourselves to the work that lies ahead. Together we made real progress and together we can do even more to help those who need it most. Families deserve no less.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-collection-sites-excess-opioids-prescription-pills,"Greg Walden Announces Collection Sites for Excess Opioids, Prescription Pills",2019-10-22,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced the collection sites in Oregon's Second District for the disposal of excess opioid and prescription medications. The announcement is part of the DEA's ""National Prescription Drug Take Back Day"" initiative on Saturday, October 26. This day provides the opportunityfor people all across the country to help address opioid abuse in their communities. Full details on collection sites in Oregon's Second District are listed below.
This initiative occurs the same week as the one-year anniversary of President Trump signing the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act into law. Thebill, championed by Walden,provided the most significant Congressional effort to combat the opioid epidemic in history.
Below is Rep. Walden's Video Announcement:

  Click here or on the image above to watch Rep. Walden's announcement.
Below are Rep. Walden's Remarks:
It has been a year since I helped lead the effort to pass the SUPPORT Act into law. It's been called the most significant congressional effort against a drug crisis in American history. Combating the opioid crisis in our communities remains a top priority for me, but it is going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach. I wanted to share an important opportunity for anyone who wants to join and help. The DEA's National Prescription DrugTake Back Dayprovides a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of excess prescription drugs, while also providing an opportunity to raise awareness of the opioid crisis and to educate our neighbors, and family, and friends about the potential for abuse of medications. Saturday, October 26 is NationalTake Back Day. Now it is this day that provides an opportunity for our community to dispose of prescription drugs in a safe and responsible way. You can find your local collection site by going to my website at walden.house.gov. I hope you'll join me thisTake Back Dayas we take another step in our work to combat the opioid crisis. Please contact my office for more information at 202-225-6730.Thank you.
DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day collection sites in Oregon
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Jackson County Where: Medford City Hall Parking Lot, 411 W 8th Street, Medford, 97501 When: 10:00am  2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Medford Police Department

Where: Jackson County Sheriff's Office, 5179 Crater Lake Highway, Central Point, 97502
When: 10:00am  2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Jackson County Sheriff's Office

Where: Eagle Point Police Station, 17 Buchanan Avenue S, Eagle Point, 97524 When: 10:00am  2:00pm PST Organizing Participant: Eagle Point Police Department

  Josephine County Where: Josephine County Jail/Sheriff's Office Lobby, 1901 NE F Street, Grants Pass, 97526 When: 10:00am  2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Josephine County Sheriff's Office
  Where: Justice Building Parking Lot, 101 NW A Street, Grants Pass, 97526
When: 10:00am  2:00pm PST
Organizing Participant: Grants Pass Department of Public Safety

Deschutes County
Where:St. Charles Health System, 2500 Neff Road,Bend, 97701 When:10:00am  2:00pm PST Organizing Participant:Bend Police Department

Morrow County 
Where:Morrow County Sheriff's Office, 325 Willow View Drive, Heppner, 97836 When:10:00am  2:00pm PST Organizing Participant: Morrow County Sheriff's Office

Union
Where:Safeway, 2111 Adams Avenue, La Grande, 97850 When:10:00am  2:00pm PST Organizing Participant:La Grande Police Department

Wallowa
Where:Wallowa County Justice Center, 104 W. Greenwood St., Enterprise, 97828 When:10:00am  2:00pm PST Organizing Participant:Wallowa County Sheriff's Office and Enterprise Police Department

Umatilla County
Where:Hermiston Police Department, 330 South 1st Street, Hermiston, 97838 When:10:00am  2:00pm PST Organizing Participant:Hermiston Police Department

Malheur County
Where:Ontario City Hall, 444 SW 4th Street., Ontario, 97914 When:10:00am  2:00pm MT Organizing Participant:Ontario Police Department

For a complete listing of the DEA's collection sites for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 26, pleaseclick here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-talks-health-care-kobi,Greg Walden Talks Health Care on KOBI,2019-10-18,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or on the image above to watch the interview.
Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) recently appeared on KOBI's 5 on 5 and discussed his efforts to stop surprise medical billing and combat the opioid epidemic.
Walden started the interview off by talking about his efforts to hold patients harmless and end surprise billing. While Oregon has already passed legislation to stop this senseless practice, Oregonians are still at risk of encountering surprise medical bills if they end up in the emergency room outside of Oregon.
""If you go in for a procedure now in some hospitals that may show up under your insurance, they may have contracted out a portion of the facility within their hospital that shows up as covered by your insurance,"" said Walden. ""That happened to Sonji Wilkes out of Denver, Colorado. Newborn had a medical problem. They wheeled the kid into the neonatal intensive care unit. Hospital is covered, guess what? They had contracted out their neonatal intensive care unit. He got healed up. She got a $50,000 bill. That's outrageous, that's the kind of thing we are trying to stop.""
Walden introduced the No Surprises Act to put an end to the practice of surprise medical billing. The legislation has unanimously passed out of theEnergy and Commerce Committeeand awaits action from the full House.
After discussing surprise billing, Walden went on to highlight his efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. He noted that his bill the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act was signed into lawlast October. This bill providedthe most historiceffort from Congress to combat the epidemic.
""We are continuing on with the investigation and following up with the recommendations that have been made by the inspector general on things that the DEA --Drug Enforcement Administration --should have done, can do, and should doto make sure they are now doing it,said Walden.""I had to threaten the Attorney General of the United States with a subpoena in order to get data out of the DEA to find out how these pills were being distributed, why they weren't being shut down by the distributors.""
Walden added that last Congress,while he wasthe Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, they got all the CEOs of the distribution companies before the committeeand had them agree under oath to figure out what broke apart and how this happened.
""We are going after it. And then of course there is litigation to go after reclaiming profits, if you will, from Purdue Pharma who was one of the worst, and others.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-attends-josephine-county-drug-court-graduation-holds,"Greg Walden Attends Josephine County Drug Court Graduation, Holds Roundtable on Opioids in Southern Oregon",2019-10-17,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Last week, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) held a roundtable discussion on the opioid epidemic and community health center funding while in southern Oregon.Before the roundtable discussion, Walden spoke at the Josephine County Drug Court Graduation.

Greg Walden delivers congratulatory remarks at the Josephine County Drug Court Graduation.
At the graduation, Waldenlistened to the stories of theyoung men and women who were a part of the 69th Josephine CountyDrug Court graduating class. He delivered remarks and encouraged them to continue to lean on others and live above the influence. Walden noted that while we are making progress on combating the opioid epidemic, there is much more to be done.
Following the Drug Court graduation, Walden spoke with La Clinica and Rogue Community Health officials about what more needs to be done to combat the substance use epidemic. The roundtable discussion was another opportunity for Walden to hear from those on the front lines of the crisis. During the roundtable, they also discussed community health center (CHC) fundingand the need to ensure that CHCs are fully funded.
Currently, CHC's serve more than 240,000 Oregonians in the Second District of Oregon. Walden recently announced over $800,000 in federal funding to help these CHCs improve their quality and efficiency and believes that it is essential that CHCs continue to receive the support necessary to serve their communities.
Walden has held several roundtables on the opioid crisis throughout the district and remains committed to doing all that he can to help local communities fight the epidemic.He has been one of thenation's leadersin combating the opioid crisis, working to pass historiclegislationto combat opioid addiction, and investigating bad actors who are enabling the crisis to spread.
Below is related media coverage:
KDRV: Rep. Greg Walden Attends Drug Court Graduation in Josephine County: On Friday, eight more people graduated from the Josephine County drug court,bringing the total number of grads to 416. This drug court started in 1996...read more here.
Medford Mail Tribune: 'Do we really have to do this again?': La Clinica and Rogue Community Health officials used an audience with U.S. Rep. Greg Walden Friday to press the congressman for stabilization and expansion of funding for key substance abuse and mental health services...read more here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-meets-veterans-local-leaders-central-oregon,"Greg Walden Meets With Veterans, Local Leaders in Central Oregon",2019-10-11,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, Representative Greg Walden spent time in Central Oregon meeting with local veterans and community leaders. He also stopped in at local radio stations and the Bend Bulletin to discuss what he is working on in Washington.
First, Walden met with the Redmond Band of Brothers. He shared his experience at the recent christening of the future U.S.S. Oregon and updated the crowd on what he is working on in Washington to help veterans and their families. Walden spoke about a variety of new laws to help veterans, including the recent implementation of the community care program, a part of the VA MISSION ACT,which will provide veterans with improved access to quality healthcare.
Walden speaks to the Redmond Band of Brothers.
After meeting with the Band of Brothers, he continued discussions about his efforts to help veterans during a meeting with the Central Oregon Submarine Group. The group was interested to hear about Walden's experience at the christening of the newest U.S. Navy submarine and to share their own submarine tales. The conversation then led to the veterans telling Walden about the needs and concerns that they have as veterans and ideas onhow to better meet those needs.
Walden meets with Central Oregon Submarine Group.
While in Central Oregon, Walden also held a roundtable discussion with a diverse group of local leaders in LaPine. The group consisted of locally elected officials, veterans, business owners, and hunters.They discussed a wide range of topics including forest management, the cougar and wolf management and their impacts on the deer and elk populations, andthe opioid epidemic and its impact on the local community.
Below is related media coverage: 
KTVZ: Walden in Central Oregon on Tuesday: Congressman Greg Walden spoke with NewsChannel 21 on the Impeachment inquiry, Syria and the vaping crisis.Watch complete coverage here. KTVZ: Redmond vets reflect on life aboard submarines: As the Redmond Band of Brothers heard from Rep. Greg Walden about last weekend's christening of the USS Oregon, some veterans talked about their time serving on submarines. Watch complete coverage here.
KTVZ: Walden holds meeting in LaPine: Watch the full newscast here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-presses-administration-opioid-distributors-update-report,"Greg Walden Presses Administration, Opioid Distributors for Update on Report Recommendations",2019-10-11,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden (R-OR), the Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Committee,penned a letter withRepresentative Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Representative David McKinley (R-WV)pressing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and top opioid distributors for an update on recommendations of the report, Red Flags and Warning Signs Ignored: Opioid Distribution and Enforcement Concerns in West Virginia. In May 2017, under then-Chairman Walden's leadership, the Energy and Commerce Committee opened a bipartisan investigation into the distribution of prescription opioids by wholesale drug distributors, with a specific focus on distribution practices in West Virginia, and enforcement practices by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) during the opioid epidemic.In December 2018, the committee released a Majority staff report summarizing its findings after concluding its bipartisan investigation and outlining recommendations DEA and drug distributors should take to ensure critical missteps are not repeated. In letters to DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and three opioid distributors -- AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson -- Walden and his fellowRepublican lawmakers ask for a status update as to the implementation of the recommendations. ""As Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and leaders of an investigation into opioid distribution, we are following up on the status of recommendations directed to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to address concerns outlined in the December 19, 2018 report, Red Flags and Warning Signs Ignored: Opioid Distribution and Enforcement Concerns in West Virginia,""Walden, Guthrie, and McKinley write in their letter to the DEA.  
	  
	""While this report focused on a series of missteps and missed opportunities that contributed to the worsening of the opioid epidemic in West Virginia, the report raised grave concerns about distributors' compliance programs nationwide.The report included recommendations to improve distributors' programs.In addition, the recently enacted SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act included several provisions to respond to these concerns,"" the lawmakers continue in their letters to the distributors.
Executives fromAmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, McKesson, Miami-Luken, and H.D. Smith, are sworn in prior to their testimony at an Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing in 2018.
In the letter to the DEA, the lawmakers specifically ask for an update on the actions taken on four recommendations from the report, including how the DEA is establishing guidelines for delaying Immediate Suspension Orders and how diversion resources are being allocated to ensure the regions worst afflicted by the opioid epidemic have adequate staffing and resources. In letters to the opioid distributors, the lawmakers specifically ask for an update on the actions taken on ten recommendations from the report, including how distributors are monitoring red flags regarding pharmacy orders and how distributors are reporting and tracking suspicious orders.
DEA then-Acting Administrator Patterson listens to a member question during an Oversight and investigations Subcommittee hearing in March 2018.
Last week, the DEA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report detailing the regulatory and enforcement efforts to control the diversion of opioids. The OIG report specifically cites the SUPPORT Act -- the Committee-led legislation to combat the opioid crisis that was signed into law on October 24, 2018 -- and details how implementation of the law may help address the troubling findings. These letters come as Walden and fellow Committee Republicans launched a new phase in the patient brokering investigation last week, pressed the Administration for an update on SUPPORT Act implementation in August, and called for a continuation of bipartisan work to combat the opioid crisis in February. To read the letter to the DEA, CLICK HERE. To read the letters to the opioid distributors, CLICK HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-delivers-keynote-speech-christening-pcu-oregon,Greg Walden Delivers Keynote Speech at Christening of PCU Oregon,2019-10-08,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden delivers keynote speech at christening of PCU Oregon.
Saturday, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) delivered the keynote speech at the christening of PCU Oregon in Gronton, Connecticut. Thevessel is the U.S. Navy's newest submarine and the third navy vessel to carry the state's name. The submarine was christened with water from Crater Lake and Wine from Oregon. Watchnews coverage of the event and Walden's exclusive interview with Central Oregon Daily here.
Below are Remarks:

Click here or on the image above to watch the remarks.
Below are Walden's Remarks as prepared for delivery:
Good morning, I am delighted, humbled and honored to represent my state of Oregon; to look out on such a powerful force for freedom -- the PCU Oregon; and to say thank you to the best fighting force of men and women that has ever sailed the seas. Theodore Roosevelt was Assistant Secretary of the Navy when construction began in the fall of 1891 on the last U.S.S. Oregon. Roosevelt fought for naval superiority, and with good reason. In 1898, the Oregon, under the command of Capt. Charles Edgar Clark, and with two-thousand extra tons of ammunition and coal, would travel about 250 nautical miles a day, battling harsh seas to join up with the North Atlantic Squadron in Peru on her way to fight in the Spanish-American War. She burned through 4,100 tons of coal and traveled 14,500 miles in only 66 days -- an unprecedented feat. The New York Times declared the Oregon was the most famous vessel in the American Navy, and among the modern fleets of the world there is no fighting vessel whose engines and batteries have accomplished more. She was called the Bulldog of the Navy and was said to have a bone in her teeth. The Oregon was again called upon in World War I, but by World War II the Oregon's outdated structure meant her highest value was scrap for steel to further the war effort. While it has been many years since the original U.S.S Oregon sailed her last voyage-- we shall always remember the brave sailors who so proudly answered the call of freedom. Today we gathered to carry on this storied tradition by christening the future U.S.S. Oregon: a fast-attack, Virginia-class, nuclear powered submarine that will more than carry on the proud legacy of its predecessor.  This sub is 26 feet longer and can travel underwater 12 knots faster than the battleship it's named for could travel upon the sea. The task to build such a submarine takes time, thought, resources, and skill. It takes hard work and true American craftsmanship and innovation. Everyone who helped design and build this submarine is a patriot; a defender of freedom. You have done your duty to help secure the safety of all Americans-- and our allies. And we thank you -- especially those workers from General Dynamics Electric Boat -- whose time and talent skillfully built this incredible submarine. Please join me in applauding these men and women. It is imperative, for the sake of the nation's security, that Congress provides our Department of the Defense (DoD) with the budget necessary to build out our Navy and strengthen our military. Thankfully, President Trump believes in this mission and is committed to supporting our nation's military and veterans. His budget backs up his words on both counts. As a result, we are able to make sure the men and women who wear our nation's uniform have the latest equipment and best training possible to defend our country and to protect themselves when in harms' way. And it is these men and women who will light the lights of this sub and give the U.S.S. Oregon its soul. They will secure our freedom and protect our future. I am inspired by their selfless commitment. Those who answer the call to serve are the best of us. For generations, Americans have served this nation with honor. They have selflessly sacrificed on behalf of people they will never know. Some have become prisoners of war, other heroes remain missing in action, and too many paid the ultimate price-- one that we can never fully repay. The U.S.S. Oregon and her crew know just how serious their mission is: hunting down, and if needed, eliminating enemy submarines and ships that are armed with the capabilities of nuclear warfare. Retired Navy Vice Admiral Michael J. Connor referenced these fast-attack submarines as a game-changer when it comes to working against rival military superpowers. Consider the gravity of this mission: the submarine before us has the capability to prevent nuclear war. The U.S.S. Oregon will not just be a guardian of the seas and a protector of freedom, but also, she will be home to roughly 130 sailors. In the darkest depths of the ocean, her fortified hull and advanced sonar capabilities, will protect these brave warriors. The security of America is their mission, their job, their noble commitment. Neither the life nor the work is easy, but the role of a submarine and its crew is pivotal for America's national security. It plays a large role in our country's power stance in the world-- not just today, but for many tomorrows. Even in the darkest places, I know the light of freedom will guide the U.S.S Oregon and her crew. And just remember, as wet and dark as it can get down there, we might just have wetter and darker times during the long winters in Oregon! There's a reason we're called Ducks and Beavers. Today, we will christen this ship with sparkling Oregon wine, and water from Crater Lake-- the deepest lake in North America, about two-and-a-half times deeper than published depth limit of this sub. The U.S.S Oregon will navigate through the world's oceans, touching every corner of the globe as she protects our great nation. She and her crew with be a symbol of freedom and democracy to all who encounter her. I pray that the strength she projects will ensure the peace we all seek and that she will never see battle, never face danger, and always serve honorably, returning from each mission unscathed, and her crew will live long and prosperous lives. But should they encounter the face of evil, I know she and they will live up to her great name, and honor those who built her-- by doing what she and her crew were trained to do-- defend freedom loving peoples. Fair winds and following seas to the U.S.S Oregon and her crew. May God Bless her and her crewand may God bless the United States of America.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-launches-new-phase-patient-brokering-investigation,Greg Walden Launches New Phase in Patient Brokering Investigation,2019-10-04,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, Representatives Greg Walden (R-OR), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Dr. Michael Burgess (R-TX) launched a new phase in the patient brokering investigation that began last Congress. This investigation occurs ahead of the fast approaching one-year-anniversary of thehistoric SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Actbecoming law.
The alarming practice of patient brokering occurs when individuals serve as intermediaries and profit from the recruitment of patients seeking treatment for substance use disorder. Last Congress, under the leadership of Walden, the Energy and Commerce Committeeinitiated an investigation into these allegations and further expanded the investigation into the broader advertising and marketing practices in the substance use disorder treatment industry.
Walden, Guthrie, and Burgess are requesting information on various aspects of the substance use disorder treatment industry to build on the findings from last Congress. This request for information comes as Committee Republicanscalled for a continuationof bipartisan work to combat the opioid crisis in February, andpressed the Administrationfor an update on SUPPORT Act implementation in August.
The three memberssaid this request for information is an important step in the ongoing fight against the opioid crisis. The SUPPORT Act was not our first effort to combat the opioid crisis, and it certainly will not be our last. We must continue to fight the spread ofsubstance use disorderin our communities, and that is exactly what we are doing with this request for information today. This fight is not over; we will not let up,said Walden, Guthrie, and Burgess.
Media reports and Committee investigations have identified serious concerns about the quality of care provided at substance use disorder treatment facilities. Lapses in oversight within the substance use disorder treatment industry have left patients vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous business owners. Committee Republicans are specifically requesting information regarding the challenges, failures, fraud, and abuse within the substance use disorder treatment industry. In addition, the request seeks information regarding suggested best practices and other ways to improve the quality of substance use disorder treatment.
Last year, Walden held an event with Mike and Winnie Pelfrey of Grants Pass. Their family hasbeen personally impacted by opioid addiction.Their son was injured in a school sporting accident and became addicted to the prescription painkillers provided by his doctor to aid in his recovery. Eventually, their son made the all-too-familiar transition to a cheaper source: heroin. Their son eventually entered treatment, but fell victim to a patient brokering scheme where an inpatient treatment facility was far more concerned with cashing the Pelfreys' checks than the treatment of their son. The Pelfreys are just one of many families who have stories like this to share, another reminder of the need to take action on this crisis.
Walden has been one of thenation's leadersin combating the opioid crisis, working to pass historiclegislationto combat opioid addiction, and investigating bad actors who are enabling the crisis to spread.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/media-advisory-walden-participate-christening-uss-oregon,MEDIA ADVISORY: Walden To Participate in Christening of U.S.S. Oregon,2019-10-02,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Saturday, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) will attend the christening of the U.S.S. Oregon in Groton, Connecticut. The U.S.S. Oregon is a Virginia-class Submarine built by General Dynamics Electric Boat and is the first U.S. Navy Submarine to be named after the state. Walden will be thekeynote speaker at the christening. The vessel will be christened with water from Crater Lake and wine from Oregon. Media may livestream the event at GDEB.com. The link to watch will appear right before the ceremony starts. Details Below: WHO: Rep. Walden WHAT: Keynote Speaker atChristening of U.S.S. Oregon WHERE: Electric Boat Technology Center; 75 Eastern Point Road, Groton, CT 06340, livestream will beavailable here. WHEN: October 5, 2019 at 10:00 AM ET",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-statement-potus-signing-autism-cares-act-law,Walden Statement on POTUS Signing Autism CARES Act Into Law,2019-10-02,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-OR), Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader, and Health Subcommittee Republican Leader Dr. Michael Burgess (R-TX) released the following statement applauding the signing into law of the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education,and Support Act of 2019 or the AUTISM Cares Act of 2019"" (H.R. 1058): The Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act boosts critical resources for Autism research. This legislation extends funding for the interagency task force dedicated to advancing Autism science,which will help support Americans affected by Autism. We commend President Trump for signing this Energy and Commerce legislation into law, said Walden and Burgess.
This legislation will benefit Oregonians and Americans all across the nation who are affected by Autism. Walden remains committed to improving and expanding access to quality health care for Oregonians. Learn more about his efforts here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-newhouse-secretary-perry-visit-hanford,"Walden, Newhouse, Secretary Perry Visit Hanford",2019-10-01,2019,2019-10,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Walden, Rep. Newhouse, Secretary Rick Perry, and others gather for a photo at Hanford.
Today, U.S. Representatives Greg Walden (R-OR) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) joined U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perryon a visit to the Hanford Site, in Washington State.
The Hanford Site is one of the designated locations where the U.S. Federal Government stores nuclear waste. The site currently sits near the Columbia River, posing a potential threat to communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. The trip was a celebration to commemorate the completion of the K-Basin sludge transfer. This transfer was completed under budget, ahead of schedule, and reduces the environmental risks to the Columbia River.

Rep. Walden and Secretary Perry shake hands upon arrival at Hanford.

Walden was last at Hanford in 2017 with Secretary Perry to view the progress of the cleanup. He applauds the completion of the K-Basin sludge transfer and remains committed to ensuring Congress passes the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act. The bill, which recently passed a markup at the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment and Climate Change, would reopen Yucca Mountain as a permanent repository of the nation's nuclear waste. Congress first designated Yucca Mountain as the key storage facility in 1978 after scientists found it could safely store nuclear waste for one million years. Nuclear waste from Hanford, once cleaned up, would be stored in Yucca Mountain. While at the Hanford site, Walden delivered remarks, held a press gaggle, spoke with STEM students, and toured site facilities.
Rep. Walden delivers remarks. 
Below are Walden's Remarks as prepared for delivery: 
Thank you, Secretary Perry, for inviting me to be here today and celebrate the great accomplishment of removing all the nuclear sludge left over from the Cold War out of the K-Basin and away from the Columbia River. I'm Congressman Greg Walden-- I represent the Second District of Oregon and serve as the Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Committee. I've spent my entire life with the Columbia River nearby-- born in the Dalles and now living in Hood River. The nuclear waste here in Hanford has always been a worrisome neighbor for those of us that live around the Columbia. The sludge has long been a threat of a potential environmental disaster and a source of pollution for Oregonians and others all throughout the Pacific Northwest.  The transfer of this nuclear waste is something that I have been working with Secretary Perry, Rep. Newhouse, and others on for a while now.    I am pleased that we not only accomplished the task we charged ourselves with, but we did so under budget and ahead of schedule. Let me say that again, because we are talking about the government here under budget and ahead of schedule. I know that this is largely in part due to the great leadership of Secretary Perry. The completion of the K-Basin sludge transfer is welcome news not just for Oregon and Washington, but for our environment at large. Now that the cleanup is successfully done, the waste ought to be stored in a secure location in Yucca Mountain -- deep in the Nevada desert where it no longer runs the risk of contaminating our water. Yucca Mountain was designated in 1978 by Congress to house our nation's used nuclear material-- it was found that the Yucca mountain project could safely store this for one million years. However, politics has held this up from happening for far too long-- despite ratepayers and taxpayers paying billions of dollars towards the licensing and the construction of the facility at Yucca Mountain.  Nuclear energy produces zero greenhouse gas emissions, offers a low-cost power alternative for consumers, and supports our defense priorities. Having a permanent spot to dispose of our nuclear waste is imperative if we want to protect our environment and communities while also seizing upon the benefits that nuclear has to offer. I know that removing all of this nuclear sludge was not an easy, nor simple task. In fact, it was dangerous in many ways -- if the sludge was exposed to air it would catch fire  not to mention the fact it is radioactive material as well. I think a lot of people will rest easier knowing that it has now all been safely removed away from the Columbia River. I want to thank all the incredible men and women who worked hard to remove this waste, and I want to thank Secretary Perry and his team at DOE, and all the workers out here on the ground made this accomplishment possible.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/media-advisory-walden-newhouse-secretary-rick-perry-visit-hanford-site,"MEDIA ADVISORY: Walden, Newhouse, Secretary Rick Perry To Visit Hanford Site",2019-09-30,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Tomorrow, October 1, U.S. Representatives Greg Walden (R-OR) andDan Newhouse (R-WA) will join U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry in a visit to the Hanford site, in Washington State, to deliver remarks at an employee celebration to commemorate the completion of the K-Basin sludge transfer. This transfer was completed under budget, ahead of schedule, and reduces the environmental risks to the Columbia River. Followingthedeliveryof remarks, Rep. Walden, Rep. Newhouse, and the Secretary will participate in a media availability. They will also speak with local STEM students and tour site facilities. Interested members of the media must RSVPto Kelly Love at Kelly.love@hq.doe.gov and Geoff Tyree at Geoffrey.Tyree@rl.doe.gov to attend.
Details Below:
WHO: Rep. Walden, Rep. Newhouse,U.S. Secretaryof Energy Rick Perry
WHAT: Remarks and Media Avail
WHERE: 2430 Stevens Center Place Richland, WA 99354 for badging and transportation to site.
WHEN: October 1, 2019 at 8:00 AM Pacific",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-releases-statement-veteran-suicide-prevention,Greg Walden Releases Statement on Veteran Suicide Prevention,2019-09-27,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released avideo statementon veteran suicide prevention in honor of National Suicide Prevention Month.
Below are Walden's Remarks:
Click here or on the image above to listen to Rep. Walden's remarks.
  Remarks as prepared for delivery:
One evening, an Oregon veteran was out at dinner with some of his good friends. They chatted with interest about The Wall that Heals, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall that was scheduled to visit the town in a few days. He would never get to visit it. That night after dinner he died by suicide. Another veteran from my district was out for a drive with his brother. While at a traffic stop, he was pulled over for a broken taillight. Then, with his brother next to him, he pulled a gun and shot himself. Stories like these are not infrequent. 20 veterans die by suicide every day. In 2016, VA reported 744 veteran deaths by suicide in the state of Oregon  a rate that puts Oregon veterans at twice the national average. I'm Greg Walden and I wanted to take a few moments to talk to you about how important Veteran suicide prevention is to me and what we can all do to help those who served our country. There are more than 20 million veterans in the U.S. and about 300,000 live in Oregon alone. More than half of all veterans in Oregon live in southern, central, and eastern Oregon. Keeping our veterans safe is one of my top priorities. Suicide is a complex issue with no single cause. It is a national public health issue that affects people from all walks of life, not just veterans, and for a variety of reasons. But just as there is no single cause of suicide, no single organization or solution can address suicide alone. We know that treatment works, and that recovery is possible, so we're working hard to find ways to encourage Veterans to connect with the care they need and deserve. We all have a role to play in preventing suicide among service members, veterans, and others in our communities. Together, we can win this fight. To learn more about how you can Be There for veterans, I encourage you to go to www.BeThereforVeterans.com.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-large-discretionary-grant-grant-county-regional,Greg Walden Announces Large Discretionary Grant for Grant County Regional Airport,2019-09-26,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) will award a discretionary grant totaling $950,000 to the Grant County Regional Airport in John Day. The funding will help pay for the reconstruction of the airport's apron, which is where an aircraft parks, unloads, loads, refuels, and boards. This grant is a part of the FAA's FY2019 Airport Improvement Program (AIP) - something Walden has long supported. This large discretionary grant is great news for Grant County and for the region at large,said Walden.Improving the airport's infrastructure will help provide economic opportunity by improving the flow of goods to the region while also aiding federal and state agencies with wildfire suppression efforts. I am grateful to Secretary Chao for awarding this grant to the airport and for her continued support of transportation projects in Oregon.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-shares-concerns-lung-illnesses-tied-e-cigarettes,Greg Walden Shares Concerns on Lung Illnesses Tied to E-Cigarettes,2019-09-26,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or on the image above to watch Rep. Walden's remarks

Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) delivered remarks at an Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing, Sounding the Alarm: The Public Health Threats of E-Cigarettes. Walden started off with the statistic that in the last few weeks, an unidentified lung illness has already killed seven people and sickened over 500 across at least 38 states. The investigation into this illness is ongoing but does appear to be related to vaping. Earlier this month, public health officials in Oregon announced that a person who died in July of a severe respiratory illness had used an e-cigarette containing marijuana oil purchased from a licensed dispensary, meaning that the products sold in the store should have gone through a testing process regulated by the state, said Walden. It was the first death in the U.S. tied to a vaping product bought at a marijuana shop. Much is still unknown, however, including which dispensary sold the product, and whether it was contaminated or whether something was added into the liquid in the device after purchase."" Walden went on to speak about several other instances where it appeared that vaping was linked to dangerous respiratory problems, including instances in North Carolina and New York. Luckily, the individuals in New York and North Carolina survived, but not all have been so lucky, including the individual who died in Oregon, said Walden. These cases of young, seemingly healthy adults getting sick after vaping are piling up too quickly. These cases are shining a light on the youth vaping epidemic in the United States. According to the most recent data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, about 27.5 percent of youth reported using e-cigarettes in 2019, compared with 20.8 percent in 2018  an 11.3 percent jump from just three years ago. Given these trends, the Administration, the states, and this Committee are right to look for solutions to curtail youth access to e-cigarettes, said Walden. I appreciate the Trump Administration's pursuit of an effective solution to the problem of youth access, as well as the partnership between the Administration and the states to investigate this outbreak of lung illnesses. He continued on, However, there is another overlay to the e-cigarette problem: counterfeit products, including counterfeit THC products. Bootleg THC cartridges are becoming more common on the market, with vendors advertising counterfeit and bootleg products on social media platforms, such as Snapchat and Instagram. According to press reports, the states that appear to be the most inundated with counterfeit THC products are in states where recreational marijuana is legal. Walden concluded by calling for a full investigation into counterfeit THC cartridges and the vaping and cannabis black markets. Let's get a full set of facts to ensure we get it right on the policy solutions, said Walden.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-trade-deal-welcome-news-oregon-s-farmers-and-ranchers,Greg Walden: ‘This trade deal is welcome news for Oregon’s farmers and ranchers.’,2019-09-25,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a statement following the United States and Japan's announcement that they have a reached a partial trade deal. The deal is set to reduce Japanese tariffs on agriculture and industrial products. It is expected to have a significant benefit for Oregon wheat, wine, potatoes, and beef.
This trade deal is welcome news for Oregon's farmers and ranchers, said Walden. During my townhalls in Sherman and Gilliam counties last month, trade and access to markets for our farmers and ranchers was a recurring topic. Japan is a top market for Oregon wheat, and represents great opportunities to grow markets for beef, blueberries, potatoes, and wine among other Oregon products. I commend President Trump and his team for their efforts to reach this important agreement with Japan. This deal will help level the playing field for American agriculture and provide both certainty and a needed boost for our farmers, ranchers, and their local communities.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-we-re-making-progress-battle-defeat-opioid-epidemic-far-over,"Greg Walden: We’re making progress, but the battle to defeat the opioid epidemic is far from over",2019-09-24,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) penned an op-ed in Modern Healthcare, highlighting the historic efforts he has helped achieve as Chairman and now Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Committee to combat the opioid crisis. He makes it clear that there is more work to be done this Congress to fight fentanyl, improve treatment for substance use disorder, and investigate the bad actors responsible for this epidemic.
An excerpt of the Congressman's op-ed is below. The full article may be viewed here.

We're making progress, but the battle to defeat the opioid epidemic is far from over
By: Rep. Greg Walden
Amanda was a beautiful girl full of life. Those are the words of Michael Gray, speaking about his beloved daughter as part of a roundtable discussion before the Energy and Commerce Committee in 2018 to hear directly from patients and families who have felt the devastation of the opioid crisis. Amanda, just 24 years old, was killed last year by pure fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl is so deadly that a small amountas much as a few grains of saltis enough to kill. It's another beautiful life cut short by the devastating disease of addiction and another family turned upside down by an epidemic that took more American lives over the past year alone than the entire Vietnam War. That is the heartbreaking story of the opioid crisis that has gripped our nation and one I have heard countless times at roundtables and town halls throughout my Oregon district. Thankfully, this story is far from finished. Last year, President Donald Trump signed my legislationthe Support for Patients and Communities Actinto law as part of our efforts to stem the tide of addiction and save lives. This represented the largest congressional effort to combat a single drug crisis in history. This law is already making significant impacts in the fight against the opioid crisis. Key provisions of the law are being implemented on the ground just as new preliminary data show a decline in drug overdose deaths for the first time in nearly 30 years. We cannot allow this progress to turn into complacency. Read the pages of your local newspapers, hear the words of parents like Michael Gray, and it's clear our work is far from over. Fortunately, we do not have to go back to the drawing board to continue the progress made in the Support Act. Two critical, bipartisan pieces of legislation that passed alongside the Support Act in the House last year were unfortunately never considered by the Senate. Both have been reintroduced this Congress.  Click here to read more.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-continues-efforts-hang-illegal-robocalls,Greg Walden Continues Efforts to Hang Up on Illegal Robocalls,2019-09-19,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or on the photo above to listen to Rep. Walden's full interview.

Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) recently spoke with Gary Wolcott and Bill Sikkens on AM 860's User Friendly 2.0 about his efforts to stop illegal robocalls. Walden started out the interview by saying how he gets so many robocalls that he usually does not answer the phone if it is an unknown number. He went on to share a story about ignoring a call that he should've answered, I got one the other day that said +30-1 Greece and I don't know anybody in Greece, so I let it go to voicemail. Later in the day I looked, and it was a two-minute voicemail. I was like wow, I wonder what that is? So, I pulled it up and I listened to it and it was Vice President Mike Pence aboard Air Force Two trying to reach me on an issue. Walden noted that he shares this story to remind people that there are important calls you don't want to miss but because there are so many robocalls out there, we are becoming conditioned not to answer them unless we recognize the number. Last year, an estimated 47.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide and last month alone, American's received an estimated 4.8 billion robocalls. You know in the area code 503, you all have had 17.7 million robocalls last month and 151.5 million this year. On the east side, the rural areas in Oregon's 541 area code, we received an estimate 13 million robocalls last month alone and 106.8 million so far this year. Walden has long been an advocate for stopping illegal robocalls. As Republican Leader of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, he helped usher the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act through the House. The bill now awaits action in the Senate. Last Congress, he worked hard to pass the RAY BAUM's Act, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the first time in over two decades and provided the FCC with tools to better enable consumers and law enforcement to stay ahead of scammers. You can listen to the full interview here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-3-million-grant-improve-eastern-oregon-regional,Greg Walden Announces $3 Million Grant to Improve Eastern Oregon Regional Airport,2019-09-17,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a statement after the Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded a $3 million grant to the City of Pendleton to support the expansion of the airport's Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) sites. The airport's UAS Range is one of the leading ranges in the world and updating it is essential for the airport to remain a driving force for the region's economy. The Eastern Oregon Regional Airport plays a critical role in the region's economy, especially for Pendleton, said Walden. The EDA's decision to award a $3 million grant to the City of Pendleton to support the expansion of the airport's UAS Range is welcomed news. The UAS Range is one of the leading ranges in the world, and I was happy to work with local officials on securing this grant in an effort to further support development of the range. I look forward to seeing it pay off for the City of Pendleton and all of eastern Oregon. Walden has met with local officials, sent letters of support, and placed multiple phone calls in an effort to land this grant for the city. The Eastern Oregon Regional Airport plays an essential role for the economy of both the City of Pendleton and eastern Oregon. It not only helps the flow of goods and people but is alsoa local job supplier. This grant from the EDA will be used to provide much needed new hangar space and improved infrastructure for UAS Test Range, said John Turner, the Mayor of Pendleton. In the process it will bring in new well-paying jobs and it will expand Pendleton's economy.
President Trump is working diligently to improve our nation's infrastructure and create jobs around the country, said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. This project will help develop a new UAS test range in Oregon that will bring cutting edge technology to the region and create new jobs in an innovative industry. The grant from EDA comes about one month after the Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded the City of Pendleton a grant to help modernize the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-appears-msnbc-discusses-protecting-patients-surprise-medical,"Greg Walden Appears on MSNBC, Discusses Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills",2019-09-16,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or on the image above to watch Rep. Walden's interview.
Last week, Representative Greg Walden (R-OR), Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, joined Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on MSNBC with Katy Tur to explain how their bipartisan bill, the No Surprises Act, will help protect patients from surprise medical bills. 
Walden started off by telling the story of Sonji Wilkes, a women who testified before the Energy and Commerce Committee, ""Her son, when born, had a medical issue. They rushed him into the neonatal intensive care unit 50 feet down from where she deliveredher son and then got a bill for fifty grand. Because while the hospital was in network  guess what  they contracted out their neonatal intensive care unit. She had no idea that had happened nor should she have to. And so these guys are making a lot of money off the backs of patients who are playing by the rules to the best of their ability and we're going to put a stop to it.""
He continued on and told Katyhow he and Chairman Palone are concerned with the private equity firms that are trying to put an end to their legislation. 
""We're sending them a letter  Frank and I both are,"" said Walden.""We have evidence where they buy the practice, take the physicians out of network and raise the rates by 96%. Guess who is paying that? It's people like you and me and our constituents. Then they decide whether they get back into network so this is an enormous scam, an enormous money drain on consumers. We want to be fair about the result. We want to hold harmless the consumer. We're open to having policy discussions about the best way to do that. We have a good compromise bill that's passed out of our committee unanimously but you know if they think they are going to intimidate us  by 27 million by the way  in advertising attack ads that scare people falsely, they're making a big mistake.""
For more on Walden's efforts to stop surprise medical bills, read his exclusive interview with Breitbart here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-launches-bipartisan-investigation-private-equity-firms-role,Greg Walden Launches Bipartisan Investigation into Private Equity Firms' Role in Surprise Billing Practices,2019-09-16,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-OR), Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, launched a bipartisan investigation into practices of private equity firms surrounding surprise billing. Inletters to KKR & Co. Inc., Blackstone Group, and Welsh, Carson, Anderson, & Stowe, Pallone and Walden request information and documents pertaining to the firms' ownership of private physician staffing and emergency transportation companies, whichrecent research shows are a leading source of surprise medical billing.
""We write to request information regarding [name of private equity firm] ownership, policies, and practices as it relates to third-party medical providers.We are particularly interested in your firm's relationship with any physician staffing companies and emergency transportation companies,"" write Pallone and Walden.""In recent years, the Committee has heard countless heart-wrenching stories from insured individuals who have received thousands of dollars in medical bills after inadvertently receiving care from out-of-network providers.""
Research from experts at the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution, referenced by Pallone and Walden in the letters, shows that surprise bills are frequently associated with services provided by an out-of-network emergency physician or ancillary clinician -- such as a radiologist, anesthesiologist, pathologist, hospitalist, or assistant consulting surgeon -- at an in-network health facility. According to recent press reports, private equity firms are increasingly acquiring physician staffing companies and private emergency transportation companies contracting with hospitals. The letter specifically references the acquisition of two of the largest emergency department outsourcing firms in the United States -- EmCare and Team Health-- by private equity firm KKR & Co. Inc. and Blackstone Group respectively. ""Evidence indicates that these physician staffing firms charge significantly higher in-network rates than their counterparts, thereby driving reimbursement upwards as they enter into staffing arrangements with hospitals,"" Pallone and Walden continued. ""We are concerned about the increasing role that private equity firms appear to be playing in physician staffing in our nation's hospitals, and the potential impact these firms are having on our rising health care costs."" The investigation comes as the problem of surprise billing is on the rise in the United States, one in five emergency department visits and about nine percent of elective inpatient care at in-network health facilities results in a surprise bill. Recent reports show that the vast majority of Americans-- eight in ten-- want Congress to pass legislation to end surprise billing.  
	  
	Walden andPalloneintroduced bipartisan legislation-- the No Surprises Act-- to protect patients from surprise medical billing. The No Surprises Act passed unanimously out of the Energy and Commerce Committee in July. To read the letters, clickhere.
For more on Walden's efforts to stop surprise medical bills, read his exclusive interview with Breitbart here or watch his interview with MSNBC here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-wyden-merkley-press-feds-large-air-tankers,"Walden, Wyden, Merkley Press Feds on Large Air Tankers",2019-09-16,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) and U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR)and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) today pressed the Forest Service to explain why it has failed to award any call when needed (CWN) contracts to providers of wildfire-fighting large air tankers (LAT). The Oregon lawmakers noted in a letter to Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen that the call when needed solicitation was originally issued in July 2018 and closed several months ago in April 2019. As you are aware, CWN awards allow the Forest Service to put approved aircraft into service when those aircraft are needed, and do not require the Forest Service to pay for those aircraft when they are not needed,""Walden, Wyden, and Merkley wrote in their letter. We are particularly concerned that LAT companies have responded to this solicitation in good faith, but have been left in limbo now for several months due to inaction by the United States Forest Service. They also noted that failure to award the contracts hurts the Forest Service's firefighting work both because it lacks access to several next-generation large air tankers, and because several next-generation tankers are available at lower rates than current aircraft in use that could save taxpayer money. A copy of the letter is here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-epa-s-revision-wotus,Greg Walden Statement on EPA’s Revision to WOTUS,2019-09-12,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a statement applauding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for repealing the Obama-era rules concerning Waters of the United States (WOTUS). Walden has heard concerns from many farmers and ranchersacross Oregon that the 2015 Obama Administration WOTUS ruling was overreaching and would negatively impact their work. The old WOTUS ruling greatly expanded the EPA's jurisdiction and control over local land use decisions. Under the 2015 ruling, the EPA could potentially regulate bodies of water such as irrigation and drainage ditches on farmland, causing uncertainty for farmers who potentially faced litigation or onerous permit requirements under the previous Waters of the United States definition. Farmers and ranchers across Oregon have expressed their concerns with the overreaching Obama-era definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS),said Walden. They worried that the intermittent stream or irrigation ditch would be subject to burdensome new federal regulation. The EPA's release of the final rule, which abolishes the Obama-era rule, is welcome news across rural Oregon. I applaud President Trump and his administration for listening to our farmers and ranchers and acting to repeal the flawed original rule and appropriately redefine Waters of the United States. The Administration's new and final rule abolishes the previous heavy-handed WOTUS rules and replaces it with improved guidelines that take into consideration the well-being of rural Americans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-pushes-accuracy-broadband-mapping,Greg Walden Pushes for Accuracy in Broadband Mapping,2019-09-11,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or on the picture above to watch Rep. Walden's full opening statement.

Today, Greg Walden (R-Hood River) urged Congress to improve broadband mapping during an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications Technology hearing entitled Legislating to Connect America: Improving the Nation's Broadband Maps. Walden noted that while progress has been made on the issue, like in his bill the RAY BAUM'S Act, and by the FCC, there is much more work to be done. Walden said, This is an issue I've been working on for two decades. It's past time to get accurate mapping data, Walden said. Take the community of Weston in eastern Oregon as an example. Mayor Jennifer Spurgeon describes their internet service as dial up, just without the modem noise. They frequently experience sub-megabit speeds. You can imagine they are surprised to learn they have 100-megabit service according to the FCC's map. He went on to discuss the bipartisan progress that had been made while he was Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, such as the President signing his bill, the RAY BAUM's Act, into law. Walden's bill improved methodology for the collection of mobile service coverage, access to easements, rights-of-way, and lease requests for developing communications equipment on Federal property, and improved the efficiency of spectrum allocations. As we continue our oversight of RAY BAUM'S Act as well as our efforts to spur broadband deployment in rural America, we must also ensure that the Universal Service program is efficiently and effectively reaching truly unserved areas, said Walden. I applaud Chairman Pai for his leadership on this front, proposing a Rural Digital Opportunity Fund using cost-efficient reverse auctions to better allocate limited Federal support. Walden added that it is imperative that the FCC relies on accurate and sufficiently granular information when make these decisions. There are areas that we all know are unserved, and sufficiently precise data will help better reach these areas. Too often, the areas most in need of Federal broadband support get lost in the rush to dole out government funds, especially when program rules distort eligibility for some areas that are already adequately served. Without the best available data identifying parts of the country that need funds most, the vicious cycle of leaving rural Americans behind will continue. This hearing comes just days after Walden applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for awarding $67.6 million to expand rural broadband in Oregon. Expanding access to rural broadband in Oregon brings us closer to narrowing the urban/rural digital divide and ushers rural Oregonians into the 21st Century, said Walden. There are still too many Oregonians who lack access to reliable broadband internet service and thus access to things like telemedicine, remote learning, next generation emergency services, and video streaming because of insufficient Internet service.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-josephine-countys-hidta-status,Greg Walden Statement on Josephine County's HIDTA Status,2019-09-11,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the federal government added Josephine County to the list of High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA): ""Illegal drug trafficking is a serious issue in Josephine County,""said Walden.""This program has already produced successful results in southern, central, and eastern Oregon.The fact that Josephine County is now a HIDTA-listed county gives me hope that we will see greater success in combating the foreign cartels and the drug trafficking throughout our state.I applaud the Administration for their steadfast efforts to both curb drug trafficking and support the men and women on theground who are tirelesslyworking to stop the flow of illegal drugs."" The Trump Administration and Congress have worked to increase funding to combat the opioid epidemic, the spread of illicit fentanyl, and the continuing issues with methamphetamine. The HIDTA designation for Josephine County will make additional funds available for federal and local law enforcement to collaborate on reducing the trafficking of illegal drugs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-advocates-needed-improvements-maternal-health-care,Greg Walden Advocates for Needed Improvements to Maternal Health Care for Oregonians,2019-09-10,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Clickhereor on the picture above to watch Rep. Walden's full opening statement.
Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) discussed the need to improve maternal health care during an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health legislative hearing entitledImproving Maternal Health: Legislation to Advance Prevention Efforts and Access to Care.Walden said, The critical issue of maternal morbidity and mortality-- an issue that is literally a matter of life and death for all women across the country-- is a difficult topic, and one that is close to my heart.
Despite massive innovation in health care and advancements in technology, recent reports have indicated that the number of women dying due to pregnancy complications has increased in recent years,said Walden.The effects of such a tragedy on any family are impossible to comprehend.
One witness at today's hearing was Wanda Irving, who lost her daughter Shalon -- just 36 years old -- to complications after the birth ofShalon's daughter Soleil.Wanda testifiedthat what infuriated her was that, Shalon's death was a preventable tragedy. She was a 36-year-old woman of color who went to her health care workers again and again in distress-- and she was not properly treated. Even Shalon's many advantages -- two master's degrees, her dual-titled Ph.D. in Sociology and Gerontology, her CHES certification, her work as an epidemiologist, her gold-plated insurance, and rock-solid support system-- had not been enough to ensure Shalon's survival. Shalon deserved better. Soleil deserved to know her mother.
The hearing built off progress made under Walden's leadership last Congress, which included President Trump signingthe Preventing Maternal Deaths Actinto law that improves data collection and reporting around maternal mortality and develops systems at all levels of government in order to better understand the burden of maternal complications. We have continued to lead the way this Congress as well-- and on a bipartisan basis, I might add-- sending letters earlier this year to six Health and Human Services agencies asking for the latest information on what they are doing to combat maternal mortality,said Walden. Walden did share disappointment that the hearing was not as bipartisan as it could have been, with only one of thebills being considered even having a Republican cosponsor. He expressed frustration that the majority had not consideredthe Excellence in Maternal Health Act, a bipartisan bill he strongly supports, which would authorize grants to identify, develop, and disseminate maternal health quality best practices. The bill also supports training to reduce and prevent discrimination and implicit biases, enhances Federal efforts to establish or support perinatal quality collaboratives, and authorizes grants for establishing and/or operating innovative evidence-informed programs that deliver integrated services to pregnant and postpartum women. He concluded his opening statement saying, I know we will learn much about the landscape of maternity care [today] and what more we can do to improve the health outcomes in expectant new mothers across the country.
To watch the full hearing clickhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-remains-top-town-halls,Greg Walden Remains Top in Town Halls,2019-09-10,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Walden takes question from the audience at a town hall.
Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a statement after completing 40 town halls this year. Walden has held more town halls per capita and at large than any other member of the Oregon Congressional Delegation this year and more than the majority of members of the House of Representatives. He has held 188 town halls since 2012 and 40 this year alone. Walden represents the Second Congressional District of Oregon, the largest in the state and one of the largest in the United States.
Traveling the district tohear from Oregonians is one of the best, and perhaps most important, parts of my job, said Walden. Town halls are an important opportunity to hear what issuespeople face across our district and add them to my to-do list. I appreciate all who take the time out of their day to come out and participate. Every town hall I hold is also a reminder, that thanks to our brave men and women in uniform, we are blessed with great freedoms, like the freedom to assemble and the freedom of speech. We might disagree with fellow Americans on various issues, but I think we can all agree that it is great to live in a free country.""

Rep. Walden pictured at four different 2019 townhalls.
This year, Waldenheld town halls across eight counties in southern, central, and eastern Oregonin January and held town halls inLakeandMorrowcounties in February. In early March, Walden held town hall meetings inHood River, Wasco, and Umatilla counties, before holding meetings inWallowa, Union, Baker, Grant, Wheeler, Gilliam, and Sherman counties at the end of March. Ahead of July 4th, Walden held 13 town halls in 6 days all across the state. Most recently, Walden held 5 town halls in Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Harney, and Wasco counties.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-celebrates-legislation-protect-crooked-river-ranch-talks,"Greg Walden Celebrates Legislation to Protect Crooked River Ranch, Talks Fire Safety",2019-09-06,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"RepresentativeWalden presents the signed copy of the Crooked River Ranch legislation to local officials at Crooked River Ranch Fire Station. From left to right: Crooked River Ranch HOA Member Mitch Mitchener, Crooked River Ranch HOA MemberMike Folkestad,Former Fire ChiefRich Hoffman,Current Fire Chief Harry Ward, Rep. Greg Walden. 
Last week, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) stopped by the Crooked River Ranch Fire Station to celebrate President Trump signing the Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act and talk with local residents and officials about fire safety.
""The Crooked River Ranch legislation is critical for the safety of the more than 5,000 people living in the area,""said Walden.""I am proud to have worked with local leaders, advocates,first responders, and community members on this bill. This bipartisan bill enables us to reduce the fire fuel loads that put the community in jeopardy. It was great to celebrate this win with so many of the people that made it possible. Hearing from the BLM that they will begin implementation of this new law and start thinning work this winter is welcome news. I look forward to continuing to work with the community and the BLM to ensure this needed fire prevention work gets done.""
Representative Walden (center right) attends a signing ceremony of his legislation to protect Crooked River Ranch from wildfire.
The legislation, which President Trump signed into law in March, was introduced by Walden to protect the central Oregon community from wildfire. The bill will allow for needed management of the fire fuels that surround Crooked River Ranch in Jefferson and Deschutes counties, which will reduce the risk of wildfire for the approximately 5,500 residents living at the Ranch.
Representative Walden meets with Crooked River Ranch Student Firefighters.
While at the Crooked River Fire Station, Walden had the chance to meet with the student firefighters and learn about their experiences fighting wildfires. ""Our firefighters deserve our utmost thanks and respect,""said Walden.""It was great to meet and thank the young, brave student firefighters at Crooked River Ranch. They could choose to spend their summer in many ways, but they chose to serve our community. Their service and sacrifice, as well as that of all first responders, is something I am truly grateful for.""
Watch local media coverage of the event from KTVZhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-encourages-oregon-students-apply-nominations-us-service-0,Greg Walden encourages Oregon students to apply for nominations to U.S. service academies,2019-09-06,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) is encouraging Oregon students who are interested in attending one of the prestigious United States service academies to apply for an official nomination through his office. Nomination applications must be submitted to Representative Walden by the end of October 2019, and can be completed on Walden's website atwalden.house.gov/academynominations. It is always an honor and privilege to nominate outstanding young Oregonians to our nation's service academies each year, said Walden. I encourage students who are eager to grow intellectually, lead by example, and serve our country to apply for a nomination to one of the prestigious service academies through my office. My Service Academy Nomination Board has unique experience serving our country in uniform, and their guidance and understanding of what it takes to excel at the service academies speaks to the caliber of the students they recommend. I look forward to nominating another remarkable group of Oregonians to the U.S. service academies once again this year. Each year, students from across Oregon's Second District are nominated by Walden for acceptance to the service academies after being recommended by Walden's Service Academy Nomination Board. Walden's Service Academy Nomination Board -- active and retired military officers who interview potential candidates for the service academies -- recommends each student based on their academic performance, extracurricular involvement, and character. This yearten students from Oregon's Second District were accepted to the service academies of their choice after being nominated by Walden. The service academies available for nominations from Members of Congress include four of the five service academies: 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 Kings Point, New York. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment. Representative Walden's formal nominations will be announced in late December. Final selection for admission to the service academies will be determined by officials at each respective academy in early spring. For more information on the application process to receive a nomination from Representative Walden, pleaseclick here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-676-million-expand-rural-broadband-oregon,Greg Walden Announces $67.6 Million to Expand Rural Broadband in Oregon,2019-09-05,2019,2019-09,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission authorized $67.7 million for rural broadband in Oregonover the next 10 years for rural broadband. These funds will support Oregon for the next decade by helping to maintain, improve, and expand affordable broadband for rural Oregonians. Ten counties in Oregon will receive funding, nine of which are in the Second District, including, Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Jefferson, Malheur, Morrow, Wallowa, Wasco, and Wheeler. Expanding access to rural broadband in Oregon brings us closer to narrowing the urban/rural digital divide and ushers rural Oregonians into the 21st Century, said Walden. There are still too many Oregonians who lack access to reliable broadband internet service and thus access to things like telemedicine, remote learning, next generation emergency services, and video streaming because of insufficient Internet service. I am grateful that the FCC recognizes the need to expand rural broadband in Oregon. I look forward to continuing to work alongside Chairman Pai and my colleagues in Congress to ensure all Americans are connected to high speed broadband. The funding Oregon received is part of a larger national authorization of $4.9 billion across 39 states and the American Samoa. In return for the support the FCC is offering, carriers must maintain, improve, and expand broadband through their service area. In his statement, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said these funds will help 4,700 homes and small businesses in Oregon and help close the digital divide. Our action today will help close the digital divide and is a win-win for rural Americans and taxpayers, including nearly 4,700 homes and small businesses in Oregon, said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. Carriers get the predictable support they need to deliver broadband to their customers in these high-cost rural areas. And taxpayers, who fund this support through a fee on their phone bills, are getting more bang for their buck. Walden invited Chairman Pai to eastern Oregon last year to discuss efforts to improve connectivity in rural communities, including making sure patients in remote areas have access to the best doctors through technology like telehealth. Walden continues to partner with Chairman Pai and the FCC to expand broadband infrastructure to rural communities in Oregon, which is a priority for Representative Walden. Walden led the effort to pass the RAY BAUM'S Act into law, which reauthorized the FCC and gave the agency additional tools to enhance broadband expansion.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-grants-improve-oregon-community-health-centers,Greg Walden Announces Grants To Improve Oregon Community Health Centers,2019-08-22,2019,2019-08,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Servicesawarded 10 Community Health Centers (CHCs) in the Second District over $800,000 in federal funding to help improve quality and efficiency. Last year, Walden helped pass the legislation that updated health center grants and reauthorized the community health center fund. I am glad that our efforts to reauthorize community health center funding are paying off here in Oregon,said Walden. Community Health Centers serve more than 240,000 Oregonians in the Second District of Oregon. I am thankful that HHS has authorized so many grants to help improve these important centers. Our CHCs play a critical role in ensuring that patients have access to health care in their community and this money will allow centers in Oregon to provide quality care for rural communities. Learn more about which CHCs are receiving funding here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-five-town-halls,Greg Walden Announces Five Town Halls,2019-08-19,2019,2019-08,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Walden speaks at a town hall in Culver, Oregon.

Continuing a series of town hall meetings across Oregon's Second District, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced today he will hold town halls in Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Harney, and Wasco counties beginning next week. Details on the meetings are included below. I'm looking forward to hearing from people throughout the Second Districtat these fivetown halls. These meetings provide just another opportunity to hear from Oregonians and provide an update on the issues I'm working on back in Congress. In addition to the over74,000 letters, emails, and phone calls I have responded to over the past year, these town halls help me stay updated on the issues people are facing in our communities. This is atop priority for me, said Walden. Thesefive meetings will bring Walden's town hall total to 40 in 2019. Hehas held more town hallsthis year than most lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representativesaccording to Town Hall Project.  Walden's upcoming town halls will bring his overall total to 188 since 2012. For a complete list of Walden's previously held and upcoming town hall meetings for 2019, please clickhere.  
	
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
WHAT:Sherman County Town Hall WHEN:9:00 a.m. PT WHERE:Bob's Texas T-Bone, 101 1st Street, Rufus, OR 97050 WHAT:Gilliam County Town Hall WHEN:11:15 a.m. PT WHERE:Arlington Fire Hall, 1500 Railroad Avenue, Arlington, OR 97812
  WHAT:Morrow County Town Hall WHEN:2:15 p.m. PT WHERE:Heppner City Hall, 111 N. Main Street, Heppner, OR 97836
Thursday, August 29, 2019
WHAT:Harney County Town Hall WHEN:11:00 a.m. PT WHERE:Harney County Chamber of Commerce, Conference Room, 484 N. Broadway Avenue, Burns, OR 97720
Friday, August 30, 2019
WHAT:Wasco County Town Hall WHEN:9:30 a.m. PT WHERE:Tygh School Community Center, 57594 Havens Avenue, Tygh Valley, 97063",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-combating-opioid-crisis-requires-everyone,Greg Walden: ‘Combating the opioid crisis requires everyone’,2019-08-13,2019,2019-08,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement applauding the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for their continued efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. The CDC awarded Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division $3,034,987 in federal funding to help advance understanding and improve prevention and response activities regarding the opioid crisis. The funding will improve surveillance of the epidemic by implementing new tactics to collect more comprehensive and timelier data. The high-quality data collected will allow for improved prevention methods and response efforts. Combating the opioid crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, said Walden. This crisis has touched every inch of Oregon, and of our entire country. I am glad that the CDC is working hard to combat this epidemic and providing Oregon with the tools we need to put an end to this. This grant in particular dovetails with specific provisions in the SUPPORT Act, a bill I authored, to tackle the opioid crisis that was signed into law last year. The continued efforts we see from the CDC combined with other federal funding, our hardworking medical professionals and law enforcement on the front lines of the crisis, and the support from the Administration and community members brings welcomed progress as we strive to win this battle against opioid substance use disorder. The CDC's announcement comes just days after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded Oregon health centers $4.5 million to combat the opioid crisis and an additional $1 million for the Oregon Washington Health Network in eastern Oregon. Walden has been one of the nation's leaders in combating the opioid crisis, working to pass historic legislation to combat opioid addiction, and investigating bad actors who are enabling the crisis to spread.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-these-are-steps-right-direction-forest-management,Greg Walden: ‘These are steps in the right direction for forest management’,2019-08-12,2019,2019-08,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Walden discusses the impact of smoke with EPA Region 10 administrator, local leaders, and concerned citizens at a roundtable in Medford last year.

Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new guidelines on prescribed fire. The announcement comes a year after Walden brought EPA Region 10 administrator to Medford to meet with concerned citizens, community leaders, and business owners to discuss the impact of wildfire smoke on people's health.  Prescribed fire, utilizing low-intensity fire in the spring and fall that produces less smoke, is an important tool for reducing the risk of large catastrophic fires in the summer when combined with thinning. A recent Stanford University study suggests that using prescribed fire to reduce forest fuels could help protect the health of people in nearby communities. However, air quality regulations overlook this benefit and often impede the use of this tool. Forest Service estimates suggest air quality rules prevented as much as 20 percent of acres planned for prescribed fire treatment in northeast Oregon last year from being done. The EPA's new guidelines will provide more flexibility for the implementation of prescribed fire in forest management when and where it makes sense. The new resources also will promote state, local, and tribal air agencies and land managers to work together to improve the Smoke Management Program. The EPA's new guidelines are small steps in the right direction for forest management and reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire, said Walden. I'm encouraged to see that the discussions I held in Medford last year with local leaders, citizens, and the EPA's Region 10 administrator about the impact of wildfire and the challenges we face in managing our forests were taken into consideration by the EPA. These guidelines will allow for more flexibility for land managers to use prescribed fires when necessary. We know prescribed fire is one tool in the toolbox for improving forest health and reducing the risk of larger, more dangerous wildfires that pour smoke into our communities. For it to be effective, however, it needs to follow sensible thinning and harvest projects, which is why I've included tools in my bill, the Resilient Federal Forests Act, to help forest managers expedite those projects as well. There is still lots of work to be done when it comes to forest management, but this is awelcomed piece of the puzzle. Walden remains committed to improving the management of forests and reducing the risk of wildfire and smoke on local communities. As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, he held multiple hearings to examine the health impacts of wildfire smoke and the need for changes to federal forest policy. You can learn more about his efforts to reform federal forest policy here. Decisions on how, when, and how aggressively we fight fires matter. They matter to our forests, to our habitats, to our watersheds, and to the air quality in our communities, said Walden. Let's have less of this ash, less of this ruin, and better air quality.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-1-million-grant-combat-opioid-crisis-eastern,Greg Walden Announces $1 Million Grant to Combat Opioid Crisis in Eastern Oregon,2019-08-09,2019,2019-08,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced that the Oregon Washington Health Network in eastern Oregon will receive $1 million in federal funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The funding is a part of the 2019 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program and will help strengthen and expand substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery services in rural areas of eastern Oregon. We all know someone that has been impacted by the opioid crisis,said Walden.Here in eastern Oregon, we have seen too many lives lost to substanceuse disorderand it is going to take a team effort to put a stop to the crisis. I'm glad to hear that the Oregon Washington Health Network is receiving one of the grants for the Rural Community Opioid Response Program. This funding is going to help the entire rural community by enabling the local health network to implement activities to increase prevention, treatment, and recovery. This is just one of the many ways we are working to stop the opioid crisis and I will continue to do everything I can to put an end to this epidemic. Walden has been one of the nation's leaders in combating the opioid crisis, working to pass historic legislation to combat the abuse of opioids, and investigating bad actors who are enabling the crisis to spread. Learn more about the specific grant funding Oregon received here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-grant-combat-opioid-addiction-oregon,Greg Walden Applauds Grant to Combat Opioid Addiction in Oregon,2019-08-09,2019,2019-08,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) applauded the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for awarding $4,509,000 in grant funding to 27 health centers in Oregon, nine of which are in Oregon's Second District. Health centers in Boardman, Klamath Falls, Medford, La Pine, Prineville, Hood River, Grants Pass, and Enterprise will receive a combined total of $1,503,000 in federal funds, which will help combat the deadly opioid epidemic by enabling local health centers to increase availability of mental health and substanceuse disorder services. The opioid and substance use disordercrisis has hit every community across our great state and nation. Combating this deadly epidemic is no small task and requires an all-hands-on-deck approach,said Walden.This money is just one important aspect of the fight. Combined with the initiatives in theSUPPORT for Patents and Communities Act-- my bill that became law last year -- other grant funding our state has received, the hard work of medical professionals and law enforcement working on the front lines of this crisis, and continued support from the Administration, we are doing more than ever before to get help to our communities. As Republican leader of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I will continueto work hard and lead the way on combating the opioid and substance use disorderproblem. Walden has been one of the nation's leaders in combating the opioid crisis, working to pass historic legislation to combat opioid addiction, and investigating bad actors who are enabling the crisis to spread.
Learn more about the specific grant funding Oregon received here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-shootings-texas-and-ohio,Greg Walden Statement on Shootings in Texas and Ohio,2019-08-04,2019,2019-08,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement on the recent shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio:
""Once again, hate and violence have stricken innocent people going about their everyday lives.The murderer in El Paso should receive quick and certain justice, including any added penalties as a result of his hateful atrocity. We must all stand in solidarity against acts of white supremacy, racism and discrimination and the evil nature of its manifestation in violence. Mylene and I send our prayers and condolences to the people of El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. This can't keep happening andwe must work toput an end to these horrid, senselesscrimes.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-marine-highway-project-designation-port-morrow,Greg Walden Announces Marine Highway Project Designation for Port of Morrow,2019-08-02,2019,2019-08,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced that the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD) designated the Port of Morrow for Marine Highway Designation. The designation is a part of America's Marine Highway Program (AMHP) and will enable the Port of Morrow to apply for federal funding for its project to extend its barge service. This project will lead to reduced transportation costs and decreased road and rail traffic. It will also enable an increase in the freight shipments along Marine Highway 84, which runs along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. I am thrilled to hear that the Port of Morrow has received aMarine Highway Project Designation and can now compete for federal funding to expand barge and other services on the river, said Walden. The Columbia River system is a valuable asset for transporting wheat and other products from eastern Oregon to the world. I applaud the Port's efforts to maximize this resource and I am glad to have worked so closely with them to pursue Marine Highway status. This designation, and the additional funding opportunities, will improve the Port's capabilities while simultaneously increasing economic opportunity for the region. It will decrease traffic, reduce transportation costs, and bring additional jobs and growth to the area. You can learn more about the designation here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-talks-robocalls-border-crisis-wildfire-prevention,"Greg Walden Talks Robocalls, Border Crisis, Wildfire Prevention",2019-08-01,2019,2019-08,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or on the photo above to listen to Rep. Walden's full interview.

Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) recently spoke on KEX's The Mark Mason Show about his efforts to stop illegal robocalls, his recent trip to the southern border, and wildfire prevention. 
Walden started out by speaking with Mark about the need to put an end to annoying robocalls. 
""So, here's a number for you: 47.8 billion,"" said Walden. ""Here's another number: in the 541-area code, which of course I care most about in Oregon, 11.5 million calls in June; all illegal robocalls."" 
He then explained thatthe StoppingBad Robocalls Act,which passed the House in July, would tell phone companies to usetheir caller authentication ability to authenticate the numbers and block them if they aren't real. The phone companies would do this at no cost to the consumer while also allowing the consumer to opt out of the service should they choose. 
Walden went on to discuss the dangers of illegal robocalls,""We had testimony from a cancer center in Florida that had gotten spoofed, where someone was using their number, and calling patients and doctors. And you can imagine Mark, if you're in treatment, you're going to take that call, you're going to believe it's the cancer center in Florida. And you're going to give them whatever they need, your social security number, your credit card number, whatever it is, right? They were interfering with the doctors' daily routines and they were scamming patients. And so were going after them, were going to shut them down, and this legislation will go a long way toward achieving that."" 
When asked about the humanitarian crisis at the border, Walden spoke about his efforts to combat the problem. 
""I supported the funding to deal with the humanitarian crisis to provide for medical assistance, food, shelter-- especially for these unaccompanied minors and families. We've had an enormous surge. In about 8 years in the early 2000s we'd have between 5,000 and 8,000 unaccompanied minors per year across the border. We're now approaching 60,000 unaccompanied minors this year alone, Mark."" 
He went on to discuss his recent trip to the southern border and how he visited one of the newer facilities in Texas that was built to help handle the influx of people. 
""Our facilities were never built to handle this kind of influx. We ramped up with temporary facilities, that's what I visited in Texas. They had 206 kids when I was there. They all had their own bunks, they had a 1 to 12 ratio of staff to kids, they had full medical services, 3 square mealsa day, plus access to snacks anytime."" 
Walden also spoke about wildfire season and the critical need to take action. 
""These fires have become an enormous business, they are enormously expensive to taxpayers, they are deadly to people, and we shouldn't have the worst air quality short of Beijing, literally, every summer. 
He then discussed what can be done to prevent these fires. First, he highlighted the need for partnership between local fire officials and the Office of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service. 
Walden went on, ""Second, we did pass some legislation in the Farm Bill that's given our Forest Service andBLM new tools to manage the forests, but third we need to pass the forest resiliency bill (the Resilient Federal Forest Act)which would allow us togo in after the fires, clean up the mess, plant a new forest quicker."" 
He continued, ""I really believe that it works well in private land, county land, state land, we go in quickly, tribal land, and cut the burned dead trees where appropriate, while they still have value, and then you replant. On federal forest land, it is just not happening. Roadside clear, hazard trees get taken out and then virtually the rest is left standing until it falls and then it burns again in the next fire and destroys the soils even more. So, there is more work, legislatively, I think we need to do, but we are making some progress. 
You canlisten to the fullinterviewhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-trump-administrations-commitment-lowering,Greg Walden Statement on Trump Administration's Commitment to Lowering Prescription Drug Prices,2019-07-31,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced their new action plan for the safe importation of certain prescription drugs:
""When it comes to lowering drug prices, I've never seen a president more engaged than President Trump. I appreciate the Administration's continued focus on lowering drug prices -- from the White House, to Secretary Alex Azar, to Acting FDA Commissioner, Dr. Ned Sharpless.The U.S. drug supply chain is the gold standard and the FDA is charged with ensuring drug safety to protect the public health. Ilook forward to continuing to work with HHS and FDA as we explore these paths to lower drug prices for American consumers, while ensuring Americans can remain confident that the drugs they take are safe and effective,"" said Walden.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-house-passage-stopping-bad-robocalls-act,Greg Walden Statement on House Passage of the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act,2019-07-24,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or on the picture above to watch Rep. Walden deliver floor remarks on the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act. 
Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the House passed the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act: Last year alone, 47.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide. Already this year, there have been 25 billion robocalls-- that is over 76 per person so far this year. Oregonians in the 541 area code received an estimated 11.5 million robocalls last month. The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act would require phone carriers to implement call authentication technology so that consumers can trust the calls they receive at no cost of their own.The bill also would provide safeguards that prevent consumers from having important calls, such as from their doctor, blocked. Robocalls are a menace, and today Congress took steps to put an end to these pesky, illegal calls, said Walden. When you receive a call, you should be able to trust that there is a legitimate reason for that call-- especially when it is from a familiar area code, like 541. The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act would ensure that consumers are no longer pestered by these calls. Walden has long been an advocate for stopping illegal robocalls. As Republican Leader of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, he helped usher this legislation through both the Committee and now the House. Last Congress, he worked hard to pass the RAY BAUM's Act, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the first time in over two decades and provided the FCC with tools to better enable consumers and law enforcement to stay ahead of scammers. I have already held 35 town halls this year, and at practically every single town hall someone brought up robocalls and the problems they have caused, said Walden. I am pleased that today Congress listened to the American people and voted to end these annoying calls. I look forward to working with the Senate to ensure that this bill swiftly gets to the President's desk.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-announces-us-department-transportation-grant-improve-eastern,Walden Announces U.S. Department of Transportation Grant to Improve Eastern Oregon Regional Airport,2019-07-24,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will award a grant to the City of Pendleton to help improve the infrastructure at the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport. The grant will provide six million dollars to the city to rehabilitate and modernize the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport. The funds provided will preserve the primary runway for multiple uses. The Department of Transportation's grant to help improve the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport is a huge win for eastern Oregon. The airport plays a critical role in the region, especially for Pendleton, said Walden. Not only does it help with the flow of goods and people in the area, but it supplies many local jobs and fuels the economy. I know that with the combination of the city's contributions to the project and this grant, we will see the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport continue to flourish and provide great economic opportunities for the region.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-us-department-transportation-grant-award-60,Greg Walden Announces U.S. Department of Transportation Grant Award of $60 Million to Reroute Highway 97,2019-07-23,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is awarding a grant for $60.4 million to the Oregon Department of Transportation to help reroute Highway 97 on the north end of Bend. The grant would provide essential funding to the Oregon Department of Transportation to reroute U.S. Highway 97 north of Empire Avenue. This project has long been a top priority for Walden, as the highway is a main thoroughfare in Oregon's second congressional district. Earlier this year, Walden met with Bend and Deschutes County leaders to discuss the highway project, which will reduce traffic and make the highway safer for residents and visitors in Central Oregon. Walden also met with Secretary Chao and directly expressed his support for this grant application. Having travelled that section of Highway 97 myself many times and after hearing the concerns from local residents and community leaders, this is excellent news, said Walden. Helping this project move forward is one of my top priorities as it widely impacts many residents and visitors in the area. This project will significantly improve freight mobility and help reduce traffic congestion and dangers to drivers. I want to thank Secretary Chao for awarding this grant and improving the lives and safety of Central Oregonians. On behalf of myself and Deschutes County, I'd like to express my extreme gratitude for Rep. Walden's help and work on this grant, said Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Henderson. Our transportation needs are a huge priority for Deschutes County so this news today is timely and greatly appreciated.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-wyden-merkley-urge-feds-ensure-long-serving-local-fire,"Walden, Wyden, Merkley Urge Feds to Ensure Long-serving Local Fire Departments Can Continue to Battle Blazes on Federal Lands",2019-07-23,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Yesterday, U.S.Representative Greg Walden (R-OR) and SenatorsRon Wyden (D-OR)and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) expressed concern that a number of local fire departments may no longer be able to serve as partners to the federal government in fighting wildfires. The three Oregon lawmakers' letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt follows the recent determination that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service will allow existing cooperative agreements between local fire departments and the federal government to remain in place for the 2019 wildfire season. However, the lawmakers cite concerns from a number of local fire departments that the Forest Service and theBLM will not enter into new cooperative agreements or renew recently expired cooperative agreements, which will prevent a number of highly qualified fire professionals from helping to battle inevitable fires. We have not heard any compelling reason why your agencies cannot renew these longstanding agreements through this fire season. While we understand there are workarounds that would require very seasoned professionals with years of experience to work at very low wages, these solutions would not provide funds for fire departments to backfill positions and therefore will not meet the needs of our local departments, Walden, Wyden, and Merkley wrote. We would appreciate your best efforts to address concerns of state and local fire departments, which are ready to help and interested in a fair and equitable long-term solution. These professionals, with long-term agreements that are in flux for this fire season, should have the opportunity to contribute and help battle the inevitable fires. A copy of the letter is available here. A web version of this release is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-discusses-issues-raised-13-town-halls,Greg Walden Discusses Issues Raised at 13 Town Halls,2019-07-18,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here or above to watch Walden's entire interview. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Last weekend, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) appeared on KATU's Your Voice, Your Vote. 
Walden, who had just finished a 13 town hall tour acrossthe vastSecond District, discussed what heheard about most while on the road. He said preparingfor fire season and forestmanagement was one of the top issues raised. Fire season is approaching, that is a big issue and topic especially in the rural parts of our state, said Walden. Here in Cascade Locks, we know the devastation from the Gorge fire and what it meant. So people are concerned about what fire season we may face, and what we can do to reduce the fuel loads, get the fires down."" 
He went on to discuss what he plans to do to improveforest management in Oregon. Walden's plan includes his recently introducedbill, theResilient Federal Forest Act, which would take critically needed steps to ensure that both forests and communities are protected and prepared for fire season. 
""We need to expand that authority across all our forests, and then after the fires we need to get that fuel load out, the burned dead trees,"" said Walden. ""When you drive over the Santiam and you see now they are pretty much fallen over, but most other forest managers: private, state, tribal, andcounty, go in after a fire, remove the burned, dead trees while they have value, and plant a new forest for the next generation. The federal forest lands, they just can't get around to getting it done in time, we need to change that."" 
Walden also spoke about how many people at the town halls brought up the humanitarian crisis on the border. It's a humanitarian crisis, we are getting overwhelmed,"" said Walden.""I'm deeply disturbedabout the IG's report about the conditions there. I led a bipartisan group of members of Congress down to the border last July. We saw the facilities and they were at capacity then, and then we have had these huge waves come over."" 
Walden continued on about the crisis, ""We need to know exactly what's happening there, and we should not tolerate some of the problems that have been identified by the Inspector General. I've seen the top lines on his report about the overcrowding, about people who don't have access to showers, all these things --and that's not what we are about."" 
He went on to note that people who are working at the border are trying their best to manage the unprecedented number of people arrivingthere and how the President has asked for Congress to authorize additional aid.Earlier this month,Congress passed the $4.8 billion bipartisanaid package the President requested. Walden was the only member of the Oregon delegation to vote for this aid. 
Walden concluded by explaining what the aid provides, ""These resources are exactly what the Democrats are complaining is the problem and that's access to food, medicine, and better services. That's what this pays for."" 
Following this interview and his 13 town halls, Walden traveled to the border on a fact-finding mission. You can learn more about his trip here. 
You can watch the entire interview here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-committee-passage-bills-protect-consumers-improve,"Greg Walden Statement on Committee Passage of Bills to Protect Consumers, Improve Health Care",2019-07-17,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.--Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the Energy andCommerce Committeepassedlegislation that would improve the lives of Oregonians. 
One of themany bipartisanbills passed by the Committeewas theStopping Bad Robocalls Act, which wouldrequire phone carriers to implement call authentication technology so that consumers can trust their caller ID at no costtothem.According to one study, last year 47.8 billion illegal robocalls were placednationwide, andthat number has already reached 25 billion this year.Walden has been a longtime advocate for stopping illegal robocalls from harassing Americans,going back to his efforts to gettheRAY BAUM'S Actsigned into law last Congress. 
We all know how pesky robocalls can be. I am thrilled to announce that todaywetook steps to stop illegal robocalls fromburdening Oregonians and Americans at large,said Walden.When you receive a call from an unfamiliar number with a familiararea code-- say 541 --you should be confident that there is a legitimate reason for the call. This bill takes steps to give consumers more confidencethatthere is a reason for any calls they receiveand tracks down bad actorswho make illegal robocallsat no cost to the consumer. 
In addition to passing legislation to stop pesky robocalls, the Committee passedseveral billsaimed at improvingour healthcare system. One of those bills was theNo Surprises Act,a bipartisan bill that Waldenhelped introduce. The bill would ensure that patients who follow doctor's orders do not later receive surprise medical bills. Walden's call to fix this issue has received widespreadsupportandpraisefrom a range of stakeholders. 
Patients should not be penalized for following a doctor's orders,said Walden.I've heard too many horror stories of patients who followed the rules and to no fault of their own, after an emergency, received a six-digit bill in the mail--one which they usually have no way of paying. This is not fair, and it should not happen. I am pleased the Committee took steps to stop this preposterous problem and I will work hard to ensure that this bill makes it to the President's desk and is signed into law. 
The Committee also advancedthe Reauthorizing and Extending America's Community HealthAct, or REACH Act,whichwould reauthorize Community Health Centers(CHCs)for the next four years. 
Community Health Centers serve more than 240,000 Oregonians in the Second District of Oregon,said Walden.I am thrilled that we were able to continue toadvance the four-year reauthorization of these centers. Our CHCs play a critical role in ensuring that patients have access to health care in their community, both in Oregon and all around the country. 
In addition to reauthorizing funding for CHCs, Walden helped advance the funding for otherlifesavinghealth care programs,including theSpecial Diabetes Program. 
The Special Diabetes Program has a lifesaving impact on Americans who have Diabetes,said Walden.It is essential that we continue to fund this program,a program that has received widespread support from prominent groups like the American Diabetes Association. Today, the Committee made great strides in both improving our nation's health care and protecting consumers. I am confident that thesebills will continue to receive bipartisan support and I look forward to working to getthemsigned into law.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-president-trump-s-recent-comments,Greg Walden Statement on President Trumps Recent Comments,2019-07-16,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement on President Trump's recent comments on Twitterabout certain Members of Congress: America is a nation of immigrants and I do not, and will never, condone discrimination. The President's recent tweets do not reflect the values that we hold dear in America and they are comments that should not be made about any American citizen regardless of who they are or where they work. Comments like these and others stating that CBP agents are running concentration camps' or that people who support Israel only do it for the Benjamins' are disgusting and wrong. They distract from the real issues our nation faces, like the humanitarian crisis at the border, the rising cost of health care, and providing for our veterans and active duty military. Just the same, taking time to vote on political resolutions condemning the President wastes precious time that should be spent debating and voting on legislation that directly improves the lives of Americans. Respectfully, Congress needs to stop wasting time bickering over mean tweets and get back to tackling the real problems facing our nation.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-visits-southern-border,Greg Walden Visits Southern Border,2019-07-15,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Walden receives briefing from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Yuma, Arizona.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, Representative Greg Walden released a statement following his recent trip to the southern border. Over the weekend, Walden went to Carrizo Springs, Texas and Yuma, Arizona to tour key border sites includingfacilities operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and an Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) temporary influx shelter. Walden also received a tour of the U.S.-- Mexican border near Yuma, Arizona. Walden traveled to the border to learn and to get answers. As Oregon's Second District Representative, he frequently hears from constituents about the border. This situation at the border was a common concern shared at the 35 town halls Walden has held this year. Walden's trip to the border was a fact-finding mission with a clear objective: get answers so Congress can work toward a solution. I wanted to see for myself, once again, the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the border, said Walden. Like other Oregonians, I care deeply about the security of our country and the welfare of the people in our care at the border. This issue came up at nearly every one of the 13 town halls I held earlier this month. It shouldn't have taken months for Congress to approve President Trump's emergency request for humanitarian aid, but I'm glad it passed with overwhelming, bipartisan support. Last year, I led a bipartisan delegation to the border to observe the conditions and challenges there. I went back to see with my own eyes what is occurring, what has changed since last year, and what work remains for us to do in Congress to further address this crisis. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to fix our broken immigration system and secure our borders so that we can properly process andmanage the unprecedented number of people coming into the United States. See below for more photos of Walden's trip to the southern border:
Walden prepares for aerial tour of U.S.-- Mexican border near Yuma, Arizona. 

Walden receives aerial tour of U.S.-- Mexican border near Yuma, Arizona.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-fcc-implementation-ray-baum-s-act-combat-robocalls,Greg Walden Applauds FCC Implementation of RAY BAUM’S Act to Combat Robocalls,2019-07-11,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a plan to implement provisions from the RAY BAUM'S Act to ban malicious spoofing calls and text messages:
Last Congress, I helped secure the passage of the RAY BAUM'S Act. The bill took needed steps to stop illegal robocalls from harassing Americans by providing the FCC with new and improved tools to protect consumers. I am pleased with the Commission's proposal to implement these necessary tools and their commitment to stop the bad actors behind these menacing calls. This plan coincides with legislation I recently introduced, the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, which would build on the progress we made with the RAY BAUM'S Act. I am confident that these continued efforts will ultimately lead to the end of pesky robocalls.
Walden helped pass into law the RAY BAUM's Act last Congress. The legislation was named after Ray Baum, a La Grande native and Walden's former Staff Director on the Energy and Commerce Committee.Ray lost his life to cancer in February of 2018. The law prohibited spoofing calls or texts originating outside of the United States, provided the FCC with greater authority to protect consumers from robocalls, and required the FCC to work with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to educate Americans about available options to stop illegal robocalls.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-commends-president-trumps-kidney-health-executive-order,Greg Walden Commends President Trump's Kidney Health Executive Order,2019-07-10,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC-- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) made the following statement praising President Donald J. Trump for signing an executive order to improve kidney health in America: ""I am thrilled to see President Donald Trump sign an executive order on kidney health-- the first in more than 40 years. This will help the millions of Americans who suffer from a kidney disease byexpanding the options patients have, such as increasing home dialysis and encouraging early stage transplants. But more than that, the Administration is also focusing onimprovingkidney health. This is critical,not only because patients with kidney disease face a lifetime of care, but alsobecause costs from kidney diseases account for more than 20 percent of traditional Medicare spending. This is not sustainable, so I commend the President for, once again, focusing on quality of care and bringing down cost-- especially innovative solutions that do both. I look forward to continuing the partnership between the Energy and Commerce Committeeand the Administration to advance health care solutions for the American people.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-president-s-oregon-disaster-declaration,Greg Walden Statement on the President’s Oregon Disaster Declaration,2019-07-10,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released a statement following President Trump's Disaster Declaration for the state of Oregon. The declaration will provide federal assistance to areas impacted by recent storms in Curry, Douglas, Grant, Linn, Umatilla, and Wheeler County: Yesterday, President Trump prioritized the safety and livelihood of Oregonians, said Greg Walden. The recent storms in Oregon have caused damaging flooding, landslides, and mudslides across the state. Just last week, during my town halls in Grant, Umatilla, and Wheeler County, I saw and heard firsthand the struggles that residents were facing because of the storms. In many places, you could still see mud caked to the side of the walls. Last month, I joined many of my colleagues in the Oregon delegation to ask President Trump for this aid and I am grateful that he listened. This declaration will allow the local government, residents, and businesses to apply for loans, insurance relief, and additional aid as needed. Now, with this aid, we can focus our efforts on recovering and rebuilding.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-2019-congressional-art-competition-winner-rachel,"Greg Walden announces 2019 Congressional Art Competition Winner: Rachel Martino, North Medford High School",2019-07-09,2019,2019-07,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Now You See Me: A watercolor & color pencil painting of a blue eye with several parts of a face reflected throughout it.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today announced that Rachel Martino, a junior at North Medford High School, has been selected as the overall winner for Oregon's Second Congressional District in the 2019 Congressional Art Competition. Rachel's painting, Now You See Me, was selected by a panel of five judges. Rachel traveled to Washington, D.C. to see her artwork displayed in the national student art exhibit in the U.S. Capitol and attend a reception in her honor. I want to congratulate Rachel on this achievement, said Walden. Her impressive work will be showcased in the U.S. Capitol among the best student artwork in the nation. Members of Congress will see it as they walk to the House and Senate Chambers, and visitors from around the world will enjoy the art during Capitol tours. Now You See Me demonstrates Rachel's talent and she should be very proud of this accomplishment. Judges praised the composition and quality of Rachel's piece and commended her use of watercolor and color pencil, which they said is difficult to master. Walden also announced the regional winners from Oregon's Second District:  
	- Self-Portrait by Ariana Weston, Powder Valley High School, grade 12  
	- Sunflowers by Julianna Folk, Grants Pass High School, graduated 2019  
	- Beautiful Oregon by Claire Bokovoy, Hood River Valley High School, grade 11  
	- Hope by Sandra Aros, North Medford High School, graduated 2019  
	- Feelings by Julianna Folk, Grants Pass High School, graduated 2019  
	- Self Portrait by Philip Smith, High Desert Home School Academy, grade 11  
	- Identity Theft by Gabby Parks, North Medford High School, graduated 2019  
	  
	Regional winners will have their art displayed in Walden's offices in Medford, Bend, La Grande, Hood River, and Washington, D.C. and posted on his website at https://walden.house.gov/art-competition. The Congressional Art Competition is a tremendous opportunity for young Oregonians interested in art and I want to thank all of the students, teachers, and families who made this year's competition a success, Walden said. I would also like to thank our judges for their expertise in reviewing the more than 45 pieces of art submitted by students from 10 high schools around Oregon's Second District. Here are the judges for the 2019 competition:  
	* Kim Hearon, executive director, Rogue Gallery & Art Center, Medford  
	* Cody Bustamante, professor of painting and drawing, South Oregon University, Ashland  
	* Michael Sell, associate professor of art, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande  
	* Lori Sams, gallery director, Feves Art Gallery, Pendleton  
	* Ted Fink, photography instructor, Treasure Valley Community College, Ontario The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide program for students to showcase their artistic abilities and to highlight the importance of art education. Since its start in 1982, more than 700,000 high school students from around the country have participated. Photos of the winners and more information on the competition can be found via Walden's website at https://walden.house.gov/art-competition.
Regional Winning Art
 Beautiful Oregon by Claire Bokovoy, Hood River Valley High School, grade 11
 

 Sunflowers by Julianna Folk, Grants Pass High School, graduated 2019
 

 Feelings by Julianna Folk, Grants Pass High School, graduated 2019
 

 Hope by Sandra Aros, North Medford High School, graduated 2019
 

 Identity Theft by Gabby Parks, North Medford High School, graduated 2019
 

 Self-Portrait by Ariana Weston, Powder Valley High School, grade 12
 

 Self Portrait by Philip Smith, High Desert Home School Academy, grade 11",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-president-signing-legislation-help-veterans-rural,Greg Walden applauds president signing legislation to help veterans in rural Oregon,2019-06-26,2019,2019-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released a statement applauding President Trump after he signed theBlue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019into law. The bill includes a provision coauthored by Walden, which would ensure that veterans in rural Oregon no longer face backlogs and needless delays when seeking to buy a home using the benefits they earned through their service.
Currently, veterans are entitled to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan, but they must first receive a special appraisal. Rural areas are often short on appraisers, resulting in a backlog for those seeking the service. The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 enables veterans in rural America who face a significant backlog in the appraisal process to have access to desktop appraisals.
Our veterans selflessly served our nation and deserve the benefits they rightfully earned, like access to home loans,"" said Walden. ""I heard several horror stories from veterans about the delays getting an appraisal for their VA-backed loan. Some waited up to nine weeks to even have an appraiser assigned to their case, making them far less competitive as prospective buyers in the housing market  one veteran even lost his prospective home when his interest rate lock expired as he waited for an appraisal. That's unacceptable. Now, veterans living in rural America do not have to worry that they will become temporarily homeless due to a lack of available appraisers. I am thankful that Rep. Phil Roe and Rep. Mark Takano included my provision in their bill and that President Trump signed it into law, ensuring that veterans living in rural Oregon receive the services and support they deserve. You can watch Walden's appearance at the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearing on VA appraisalshere.

###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-fights-stop-robocalls-burdening-oregonians,Greg Walden fights to stop robocalls from burdening Oregonians,2019-06-26,2019,2019-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) said that Congress must stop bad robocalls from burdening Americans. During an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology markupfor thethe Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, Walden said, Illegal robocalls affect the life of every American in harmful ways."" During the hearing, Walden highlighted the severity of the problem, noting that, According to one study last year,47.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide.Apparently it's up to25 billion this year already. That is 76 per person affected. And last month alone, 4.7 billion calls. Walden shared how this year he has already held 22 town halls, with 13 more scheduled for the upcoming weeks, and that at almost every town hall someone has asked what Congress is doing to stop bad robocalls. The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act would require phone carriers to implement call authentication technology so that consumers can trust their caller ID at no cost of their own. The bill also includes provisions that would help carriers in rural America implement this new technology and would ensure that consumers have safeguards to prevent important calls from being blocked. When you receive a call from an unfamiliar number with a familiar area code-- say 541 for Oregonians in my district --you should be confident that there is a legitimate reason for the call, said Walden. Our legislation takes steps to give consumers more confidence. Walden has long been an advocate for stopping robocalls from harassing Americans. In addition to leading the effort to pass the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, last Congress Walden helped champion the RAY BAUM'S Act, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the first time in over two decades and provided the FCC with tools to better enable consumers and law enforcement to stay ahead of scammers. To read Walden's full remarksfrom today's hearing, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-fights-stop-robocalls-burdening-oregonians-0,Greg Walden fights to stop robocalls from burdening Oregonians,2019-06-26,2019,2019-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) said that Congress must stop bad robocalls from burdening Americans. During an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology markupfor thethe Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, Walden said, Illegal robocalls affect the life of every American in harmful ways."" During the hearing, Walden highlighted the severity of the problem, noting that, According to one study last year,47.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide.Apparently it's up to25 billion this year already. That is 76 per person affected. And last month alone, 4.7 billion calls. Walden shared how this year he has already held 22 town halls, with 13 more scheduled for the upcoming weeks, and that at almost every town hall someone has asked what Congress is doing to stop bad robocalls. The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act would require phone carriers to implement call authentication technology so that consumers can trust their caller ID at no cost of their own. The bill also includes provisions that would help carriers in rural America implement this new technology and would ensure that consumers have safeguards to prevent important calls from being blocked. When you receive a call from an unfamiliar number with a familiar zip code-- say 541 for Oregonians in my district --you should be confident that there is a legitimate reason for the call, said Walden. Our legislation takes steps to give consumers more confidence. Walden has long been an advocate for stopping robocalls from harassing Americans. In addition to leading the effort to pass the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, last Congress Walden helped champion the RAY BAUM'S Act, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the first time in over two decades and provided the FCC with tools to better enable consumers and law enforcement to stay ahead of scammers. To read Walden's full remarksfrom today's hearing, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-13-town-halls-beginning-next-week,Greg Walden announces 13 town halls beginning next week,2019-06-24,2019,2019-06,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Continuing a series of town hall meetings across Oregon's Second District, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced today he will hold town halls in Josephine, Jackson, Umatilla, Wallowa, Union, Baker, Malheur, Grant, Wheeler, Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, and Hood River counties beginning next week. Details on the meetings are included below. I'm looking forward to hearing from people throughout the Second Districtat these 13 town halls. These meetings provide just another opportunity to hear from Oregonians and provide an update on the issues I'm working on back in Congress. In addition to the over70,000 letters, emails, and phone calls I have responded to over the past year, these town halls help me stay updated on the issues people are facing in our communities. This is atop priority for me, said Walden. These 13 meetings will bring Walden's town hall total to 35 in 2019, the most of any other lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives so far this yearaccording to Town Hall Project. Walden's upcoming town halls will bring his overall total to 183 since 2012. For a complete list of Walden's previously held and upcoming town hall meetings for 2019, please clickhere.
Friday, June 28, 2019
WHAT:Josephine County Town Hall WHEN:9:00 a.m. PT WHERE:Grants Pass High School, Performing Arts Center,830 NE 9th Street, Grants Pass, OR 97526 WHAT:Jackson County Town Hall WHEN:11:30 a.m. PT WHERE:Eagle Point High School, Cafeteria, 203 N Platt Avenue, Eagle Point, OR 97524 
Sunday, June 30, 2019
  WHAT:Umatilla County Town Hall WHEN:12:00 p.m. PT WHERE:Athena Elementary School, Cafeteria,375 S 5th Street, Athena, OR 97813 WHAT:Wallowa County Town Hall WHEN: 3:45 p.m. PT WHERE:Wallowa Senior Center, Dining Room,204 E 2nd Street, Wallowa, OR 97885  
	
Monday, July 1, 2019
WHAT:Union County Town Hall WHEN: 8:30 a.m. PT WHERE: Elgin Community Center, Main Hall,260 N 10th Street, Elgin, OR 97827   WHAT:Baker County Town Hall WHEN:12:00 p.m. PT WHERE:Durkee Community Center, Gymnasium,1912 Oxman Ranch Road,Durkee, OR 97905   WHAT:Malheur County Town Hall WHEN:4:15 p.m. PT WHERE:Vale Senior Center, Main Hall,100 S Longfellow Street,Vale, OR 97918
  Tuesday, July 2, 2019
  WHAT:Grant County Town Hall WHEN:8:30 a.m. PT WHERE: Mt. Vernon Community Building,64 Ingle Street, Mt Vernon, OR 97865 WHAT:Wheeler County Town Hall WHEN:12:15 p.m. PT WHERE:Mitchell Community Center,106 S Nelson Street, Mitchell, OR 97750  WHAT:Crook County Town Hall WHEN:3:30 p.m. PT WHERE: Location TBD
  Wednesday, July 3, 2019
WHAT:Deschutes County Town Hall WHEN:8:00 a.m. PT WHERE:Location TBD   WHAT:Jefferson County Town Hall WHEN:11:00 a.m. PT WHERE: Location TBD WHAT:Hood River County Town Hall WHEN:4:00 p.m. PT WHERE:Port of Cascade Locks, Marine Park Pavilion Building,395 Portage Road, Cascade Locks, OR 97014",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-calls-swift-passage-bill-support-rural-broadband-and-power,Greg Walden calls for swift passage of bill to support rural broadband and power users,2019-05-30,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden calls for swift passage of bill to support rural broadband and power users 
 Cosponsors legislation that allows Oregon electric cooperatives to rebuild energy infrastructure after disasters and expand access broadband 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) is calling for the swift passage of legislation that would help keep electric costs affordable and expand access to broadband in rural Oregon. In a letter sent to the leaders of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee today, Walden said that the RURAL Act, which Walden has cosponsored, will help Oregon electric cooperatives meet power demands for their consumers after natural disasters. Electric cooperatives and other consumer-owned utilities play an important role in delivering affordable power to rural communities across Oregon and our nation, Walden said in his letter. This legislation would help ensure our consumer-owned utilities can navigate costly natural disasters and utilize funding to continue meeting the growing demands of their members and communities. Walden's legislation specifically addresses an issue under current law in which any disaster assistance afforded to electric cooperatives would count as revenue for the cooperatives and other consumer-owned utilities. Accepting this assistance puts rural electric cooperatives at risk of losing their tax-exempt status, which creates a long-term cost burden that would ultimately be passed along to power users. This leaves the cooperative in a difficult place: choosing between burdening consumers with the costs of repairing the damage or with the costs of the long-term tax implications of taking the assistance, said Walden. The RURAL Act would ensure this cooperative and others can rebuild after a disaster without chaining their consumers to increased tax costs into the future. Walden also said that, under current law, consumer-owned utilities risk losing their tax-exempt status if they accept federal funding to help build out broadband into rural areas. Walden said that his legislation would help ensure that rural broadband expansion projects can continue. Communities across Oregon also are working to improve their access to broadband. This access is important to growing these communities in today's economy. Long at the forefront of delivering power to rural communities, some consumer-owned utilities are now looking to deliver broadband to underserved areas, said Walden. The RURAL Act would encourage these and other efforts to utilize our federal investment to build out broadband infrastructure and connect our community. Rural electric cooperatives are applauding Walden's efforts. We thank Congressman Walden for supporting this important bill to stop unintended severe tax penalties to electric co-ops that would be detrimental to delivering affordable energy to rural America, said Dave Schneider, the CEO of Midstate Electric Cooperative in La Pine, Oregon. The RURAL Act awaits action in the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees before consideration in both chambers. Walden stressed the need for urgency to bring up the bill for a vote. Rural electric cooperatives and other consumer-owned utilities are at the center of efforts to grow Oregon's communities and rebuild when disaster strikes. The utilities and their members should not be penalized with long term tax costs for keeping the lights on and keeping power affordable for rural Oregonians. The RURAL Act will ensure that this does not happen, and I respectfully urge you to promptly move this legislation to a vote so we can pass it into law, said Walden. To read more about the RURAL Act, click here. To read Walden's full letter, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/dalles-chronicle-collecting-their-stories,The Dalles Chronicle: Collecting their stories,2019-05-28,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"On Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18, Congressman Greg Walden sat down with World War II veteran Dewey Thomas, a long-time resident of Wasco currently living in The Dalles.
  
	I can't think of a better way to spend Armed Forces Day, Walden said as he greeted the 104-year-old veteran at his home at The Springs at Mill Creek.
  
	He was there along with Margie Anderson, an Iraq war veteran herself a member of his staff, to record a video interview with Thomas for the Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center. The video, when complete, will become a part of the Library of Congress collection. A memoir, written by Thomas with his daughter, the late Reine Thomas, has also been submitted to the project.
  
	The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations can hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war, according to the project's website. The project collects personal narratives, correspondence and visual materials.
  
	Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. The corporate sponsor of the project is AARP.
  
	Anyone can conduct and preserve interviews for the collection. Visit the Veterans History Project (www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html) for details.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-town-halls-lake-and-klamath-counties-next-week,Greg Walden announces town halls in Lake and Klamath counties next week,2019-05-24,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden announces town halls in Lake and Klamath counties next week 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing a series of town hall meetings across Oregon's Second District, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced today he will hold town halls in Lake and Klamath counties next week. Details on the meetings are included below.  I'm looking forward to hearing from people in Lake and Klamath at these town halls and providing them with an update on the issues I'm working on back in Congress. Along with the more than 70,000 letters, emails, and phone calls that I have responded to over the last 12 months, these town hall meetings help me stay updated on the issues facing people on the ground in our communities. This is a top priority for me,said Walden. Walden has held more town hall meetings than any other lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019,according to Town Hall Project. Town Hall Projectconfirmedthat Walden's 20 town halls -- one in each county of Oregon's Second District -- leads the 435-member body this year. Walden's upcoming meetings will bring his town hall total to 170 since 2012, and 22 so far this year. For a complete list of Walden's previously held and upcoming town hall meetings for 2019, pleaseclick here.
Thursday, May 30, 2019
WHAT:Lake County Town Hall  WHEN:2:00 p.m. PT  WHERE:Lake County Courthouse, Memorial Hall, 513 Center Street, Lakeview,OR 97630
  Saturday, June 1, 2019
WHAT:Klamath County Town Hall  WHEN:9:30 a.m. PT  WHERE: Lost River Jr./Sr. High School, Gym, 23330 Hwy 50, Merrill, OR 97633",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-we-need-do-more-connect-rural-oregon,Greg Walden: We need to do more to connect rural Oregon,2019-05-16,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden: We need to do more to connect rural Oregon 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Continuing his efforts to improve broadband expansion across America, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) said there is much more that needs to be done to connect rural Oregon.
We need to build out more broadband to more places in America. Period. Hard stop. We should all be for that. Last Congress we worked together in a bipartisan way to get that done and there's more work to be done, said Walden at an Energy and Commerce Committee hearing Wednesday. Walden highlighted a discussion at his recent town hall meeting in Wheeler County, where Walden said that the issue of broadband connectivity was front and center. I've done 20 town halls this year, more than any other member in the House. One of them was out in Spray, Oregon, which has a population of 150, said Walden. They use a booster to keep the signal going while you're in town, which is one block, but the educators said that when their students get away from that they don't have connection when they go home. This county has one person for every nine miles of power line, so this is remote, and we need to look at alternative platforms that work to get into these areas. Under Walden's leadership, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the RAY BAUM'S Act, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the first time in more than two decades and provides new tools to support broadband expansion. This measure aims to speed deployment of next generation broadband across the country, which is particularly important for rural communities in Oregon. During the hearing, Walden also highlighted new legislation that he proposed to ensure that states are using money collected for 911 services solely to assist emergency response. Walden stressed that, as the country recognizes Peace Officers Memorial Day, this is especially important. As we honor today police officers for Peace Officers Memorial Day and the 106 officers who lost their lives last year, we have an issue with the diversion of 911 fees, said Walden. In one state the diversion rate was as high as 90 percent. This ought to be mail fraud. Walden raised concerns about 911 fee diversion, which is when states divert fees paid by consumers to support essential public safety services to pay for unrelated services. Walden's proposal would incentivize states to properly use these funds. Walden said that for states to access opportunities in his proposal, they would need to stop this harmful diversion. States and localities would simply need to comply with a very common sense policy that bipartisan bills have already called for, which is to put a stop to 911 diversion, said Walden. Stop diverting your 911 money and defrauding your own customers.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-leads-house-representatives-2019-town-halls,Greg Walden leads House of Representatives in 2019 town halls,2019-05-14,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden leads House of Representatives in 2019 town halls 
 Town Hall Project says Walden's 20 town halls in 2019 is the most of any other lawmaker in the U.S. House 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) has held more town hall meetings than any other lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019, according to Town Hall Project. Town Hall Project yesterday confirmed that Walden's 20 town halls in the first three months of this year leads the 435-member body. Town halls are just one way I hear from Oregonians across our district, said Walden. Along with the more than 70,000 letters, emails, and phone calls that I have responded to over the last 12 months, these meetings help me stay updated on the issues facing people on the ground in our communities. This is a top priority for me, and I look forward to continuing to hold these meetings throughout the Second District. Waldenheld town halls across eight counties in southern, central, and eastern Oregonin January and held town halls inLakeandMorrowcounties in February. In early March, Walden held town hall meetings inHood River, Wasco, and Umatilla counties, before holding meetings inWallowa, Union, Baker, Grant, Wheeler, Gilliam, and Sherman counties at the end of March. Walden has held 168 town hall meetings since 2012. For a complete list of Walden's town hall meetings in 2019, pleaseclick here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-bob-maxwell,Greg Walden statement on Bob Maxwell,2019-05-13,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden statement on Bob Maxwell 
Greg Walden presents Bob Maxwell with American flag flown over U.S. Capitol to honor Maxwell's 97th birthday in 2017 in Bend.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement on the passing of Robert (Bob) Maxwell: Bob Maxwell represented the best of what Oregon and America have to offer. The gallantry of America's oldest Medal of Honor recipient was well known -- throwing his unprotected body on a German hand grenade to protect his comrades in WWII earned Bob Maxwell the highest military honor, his second Silver Star, a second Purple Heart, and a Bronze Star. For those who had the pleasure of knowing Bob, they know that his bravery and heroism were only matched by his kindness, warmth, and sense of humor. I was honored to call Bob Maxwell a friend. Bob's legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone he interacted with and will forever be cherished in the country that he sacrificed so much to protect. To the entire Maxwell family: Mylene and I send our heartfelt condolences and prayers during this difficult time. To Bob Maxwell: thank you for your friendship, and for your service to the United States on my behalf and on behalf of all Americans.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-secures-assurance-energy-secretary-not-privatize-bpa,Greg Walden secures assurance from Energy Secretary to not privatize BPA,2019-05-09,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden secures assurance from Energy Secretary to not privatize BPA 
 Walden says the idea of selling off BPA assets is roundly rejected by Pacific Northwest Congressional delegation 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's remarks during the Energy and Commerce Committee hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today secured an assurance from Energy Secretary Rick Perry that the Trump Administration would not privatize the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) without Congressional authorization. During a hearing at the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden raised concerns about the administration's proposal to sell off BPA assets, which Walden said would have a negative effect on Oregonians and power users in the region. The idea of selling off Bonneville Power Administration's electricity transmission assets and abandoning cost-based rates is broadly rejected by practically every member of the Pacific Northwest Congressional delegation in the House and Senate, Walden said to Perry. Can you assure me that the Department of Energy will not sell off BPA unless Congress provides explicit authorization? Walden has repeatedly raised his concerns over the proposal to privatize BPA. In a letter sent to the House Budget Committee recently, Walden said that the proposal would ""result in the federal government abandoning a successful and efficient solution for providing affordable power to rural, urban, and tribal communities."" Secretary Perry reaffirmed his commitment to Walden that BPA would not be privatized absent Congressional authorization. I can assure you that we will follow your direction, sir, Mr. Perry said to Walden. During the hearing, Walden also stressed the need to accelerate the cleanup at the Hanford Site in Washington State. Walden and Secretary Perry toured the Hanford Site in 2017 to receive an update on the progress of cleanup efforts. This is of particular interest to me, as you know, given the Hanford Site sits across the Columbia River from my district, said Walden. You and I saw firsthand the vast scope of the work that remains, and I would like to hear from you how you plan to accelerate cleanup. Secretary Perry said that the administration's budget devotes significant resources to the Hanford cleanup. The Budget Request includes $1.4 billion for the Office of River Protection at the Hanford Site for continued work at the Hanford Tank Farms and to make progress on the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, said Mr. Perry. This budget will continue progress toward important cleanup. Last week, Representative Walden raised concerns that cleanup efforts at Hanford are being hampered in part by a lack of accurate progress reporting from the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management -- or EM  according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that Walden called for in 2017.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-introduces-bill-improve-forest-management-reduce-wildfire,"Greg Walden introduces bill to improve forest management, reduce wildfire risk in Oregon",2019-05-08,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden introduces bill to improve forest management, reduce wildfire risk in Oregon 
 Resilient Federal Forests Act makes significant reforms to forest management policy across Oregon's forests 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As Oregon faces a rapidly approaching wildfire season, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today introduced legislation to improve forest management and reduce the risk of catastrophic fires in the state. Walden, joined by a group of 16 lawmakers, authored the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2019, which would make significant reforms to forest management policy across Oregon's federal lands. Oregonians and people across the West are preparing for yet another summer of air-choking smoke from yet another devastating wildfire season. We cannot allow this to become the new normal and cannot allow the status quo of failed forest management policy to continue. Enough is enough,""Walden said.""Studies from the Nature Conservancy and Forest Service tell us that active forest management can reduce the size and intensity of wildfires by 70 percent. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that active forest management will have the largest sustained carbon mitigation benefit. We should follow the science on forest policy reform to improve forest health and reduce the risk of wildfire, and that's exactly what this bill does. This legislation ensures that we are able to use proven forest management tools across all of Oregon's forests, including in southern Oregon where we have seen the most devastating wildfires over the last several years. This bill also would ensure that we go in after a fire to clean up the burned, dead trees while they still have value and replant a new, healthy forest for the next generation. We made significant improvements to the way we manage our forests last year, but there is much more work to be done. This bill builds on that progress, bolsters the resiliency of our forests to fire, and will help grow and protect Oregon's communities. The introduction of the Resilient Federal Forests Act comes after Walden last year helped pass into law the most sweeping reforms to forest management policy in more than a decade. Those reforms included a fix to so-called fire borrowing so that federal forest management accounts are not used to pay to fight wildfires. Specifically, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2019 provides immediate tools to increase the pace, scale, and cost efficiency of forest management projects without sacrificing environmental protections. Walden included provisions in this legislation that are specifically tailored for federal forests in Oregon, such as: Streamlining project planning in southern and western Oregon:
Removes costly and time-consuming Survey and Manage requirements on Northwest Forest Plan lands. These requirements cost the agency about $21 million annually and can take up to two years to complete, delaying needed fire prevention projects.
O&C Lands:
The O&C Lands in southern and western Oregon are uniquely managed by the BLM for timber production under the requirements of the O&C Act. Timber harvests have lagged below these requirements and this legislation makes clear the O&C Act mandates at least 500 million board feet in annual timber harvest. Improving forest restoration in eastern Oregon forests:
 Removes the arbitrary prohibition on harvesting trees over 21 inches in diameter that stands in the way of land managers and local collaborative efforts to restore forest landscapes. This prohibition was issued temporarily over 20 years ago, and never removed.
 Promptly address the overcrowded, diseased, and insect infested forest lands that pose a risk for catastrophic fires:
 Streamlined planning process for projects up to 10,000 acres to treat forest stands suffering from insects and diseased trees, to reduce hazardous fuels, and to protect watersheds. To incentivize collaboration, this authority expands to 30,000 acres for collaborative or Community Wildfire Protection Plan projects that have had success in Oregon.
	Ensures the Forest Service and BLM can promptly clean-up after wildfires by removing burned, dead trees and replant our forests for future generations. Agencies would be required to replant 75 percent of the affected area.
	Creates a pilot program, allowing some forest projects to go through arbitration, cutting through litigious gridlock by requiring opponents to come to the table with an alternative proposal rather than just saying no.
 For more information on this legislation, pleaseclick here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-hanging-robocalls,Greg Walden: Hanging up on robocalls,2019-05-06,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden: Hanging up on robocalls 
WASHINGTON, D.C. --Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) penned an op-ed in the East Oregonian on Saturday calling for an all-hands-on-deck approach to combat robocalls, a problem that Walden said has grown from an annoyance to a sincere peril for American consumers.
 Hanging up on robocalls By Representative Greg Walden
 In the 20 town halls I have held across our district so far this year -- including here in Eastern Oregon -- I can't think of a time that someone didn't ask the question, How can we put a stop to unwanted robocalls? It is not surprising that this issue is a top concern for Oregonians and people across our country. In just one year, American consumers received 3.3 million robocalls per hour and these calls increased more than 64% between 2016 and 2018. We all know how it feels. Multiple times each day, your phone will ring, showing an unfamiliar number with a familiar area code -- say 541 for people in our district.  
	  
	If you're like me, you let the call go to voicemail, and if there is no message, it is safe to assume that it was a robocall. But it's a disruptive nuisance, to say the least, and too often callers try to trick people into paying what they are told is an outstanding debt, only to send money or other form of compensation to a fraudster. During an Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., witnesses described how robocalls have grown to a scourge on American consumers that perpetuate fraud, threaten personal privacy, and undermine our telecommunications system. Click here to read Rep. Walden's full op-ed online.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-welcomes-25-veterans-honor-flight-central-oregon-washington,"Greg Walden welcomes 25 veterans from Honor Flight of Central Oregon to Washington, D.C.",2019-05-02,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden welcomes 25 veterans from Honor Flight of Central Oregon to Washington, D.C. 
 Presents Purple Heart to Korean War veteran from Bend at Korean War Memorial 
Click here or on the image above for video of Walden presenting Purple Heart to Don Van Cleve Jr., Korean War veteran from Bend
WASHINGTON, D.C. --Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today welcomed 25 World War II and Korean War veterans from central Oregon who came to Washington, D.C. to visit their memorials on the National Mall as part of Honor Flight of Central Oregon. Walden greeted the veterans at the Korean War Memorial, and presented each veteran with an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of their service to America. Walden also surprised one Korean War veteran from Bend, Don Van Cleve Jr., by presenting him with the Purple Heart that Van Cleave Jr. earned after sustaining serious injuries in combat in 1951. Walden recounted Van Cleve Jr.'s story of bravery during the Korean War before handing him the Purple Heart, which was met with applause from Van Cleve Jr.'s fellow veterans. On September 29, 1951 his parents received the following telegram: We regret to inform you that your son Private First Class Donald Lewis Van Cleve Jr. United States Marine Corps has been wounded in action 24 September 1951 in the Korean area in the performance of his duty and service of his country. I realize your great anxiety but nature of wounds not reported and delay in receipt of details must be expected.' Of course, that didn't tell his whole story to his parents, Walden said to the group. His parents would later learn that Mr. Van Cleve was in a fox hole with other Marines when an incoming grenade exploded near his helmet -- he lost hearing in one hear and still has shrapnel in his back today. He went many years and never received this medal. It is my great honor and privilege to present Don Van Cleave his Purple Heart. Thank you for your service, Don. Walden's office in Bend learned that Van Cleve Jr. never received his Purple Heart, and worked to secure the distinguished medal for him. Walden's office regularly helps the men and women who served in uniform with their casework -- whether that's difficulty with the VA, Department of Defense, Tricare, or medal recovery. If you or a loved one needs assistance, you can reach out to Walden's office at 800-533-3303.  
	
In addition to presenting the veterans with an American flag flown over the Capitol building, Walden entered into the Congressional Record the names of each veteran who participated in the Honor Flight of Central Oregon. Walden expressed gratitude for the veterans and their service on behalf of the entire House of Representatives. At the height of the Civil War in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln wrote, Honor to the Soldier, and Sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause.' Each of us in this chamber and in this nation should be humbled by the courage of these brave veterans who put themselves in harm's way for our country and way of life, wrote Walden in the Congressional Record. As a nation, we can never fully repay the debt of gratitude owed to them for their honor, commitment, and sacrifice in defense of the freedoms we have today. My colleagues, please join me in thanking these veterans and the volunteers of Honor Flight of Central Oregon for their exemplary dedication and service to this great country.  The Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization created to honor America's veterans. The organization transports veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at their memorials -- with priority given to World War II survivors and veterans who may be terminally ill. More than 200,000 veterans have been honored through the Honor Flight Network of volunteers since 2005. Walden often meets with Oregon veterans who comes to Washington, D.C. as part of the Honor Flight Network, and flies flags over the U.S. Capitol in honor of each veteran participating in the Honor Flight, along with entering their names into the Congressional Record.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-stresses-need-improve-progress-hanford-cleanup-during,Greg Walden stresses need to improve progress of Hanford cleanup during Congressional hearing,2019-05-01,2019,2019-05,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden stresses need to improve progress of Hanford cleanup during Congressional hearing 
 Calls Hanford cleanup a national priority 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's remarks during today's hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) stressed the need to improve progress of nuclear waste cleanup at the Hanford Site during a hearing before the Energy and Commerce Committee today. Citing a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that Walden called for in 2017, Walden today raised concerns that cleanup efforts at Hanford are being hampered in part by a lack of accurate progress reporting from the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management -- or EM. EM is responsible for remediating the environmental contamination attributable to the nation's nuclear weapons program, including the cleanup of liquid nuclear tank waste, stabilization, and packaging of nuclear materials, and decommissioning and decontaminating closed nuclear facilities like Hanford. The threat of potential environmental disaster and pollution persists in the minds of Oregonians and people throughout the Pacific Northwest. With 56 million gallons of Cold War era toxic nuclear waste sitting in corroding and leaking metal tanks, some of which were built to last just twenty years, Hanford is a worrisome neighbor and the federal government has not always been a trusted and reliable partner, Walden said during today's hearing. According to the GAO, DOE and EM have not established classification requirements such that most cleanup activities would be treated as projects, subject to more stringent requirements, instead of operational activities. As a result, there are greater risks to cost overruns and schedule delays. The GAO report, which was conducted at the bipartisan request of members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee under Walden's leadership in the last Congress, was released in February. The report found that EM is not adequately measuring the progress of cleanup efforts at contaminated sites across the country, including at Hanford. EM does not accurately track met, missed, or postponed cleanup-related milestones at the four selected sites, and EM's milestone reporting to Congress is incomplete, stated the GAO report. EM sites renegotiate milestone dates before they are missed, and EM does not track the history of these changes. This is because once milestones change, sites are not required to maintain or track the original milestone dates. Walden said during today's hearing that, with the amount of taxpayer dollars being devoted to cleanup efforts at Hanford and the significant threat faced by surrounding communities, Congress should be receiving a clearer assessment of whether or not cleanup targets are being met. DOE spends roughly $6 billion a year on cleanup, but we don't always have clear visibility into what that means in terms of completing the mission, said Walden. EM reports on the amount of nuclear cleanup completed each year, but for that amount of money spent, how many radioactive tanks should have been treated? How much soil and water should have been remediated? We don't have clear answers to these questions because, according to GAO, EM's performance measures for operations activities do not always provide a clear and reliable picture.
 Walden (right) and Energy Secretary Rick Perry (center) in 2017 at Hanford Site receiving update on the progress of nuclear waste cleanup 
Walden again called for the establishment of a permanent national repository for the country's nuclear waste, which Walden said is essential to getting nuclear waste out of Hanford and the more than 100 communities across the country where toxic nuclear waste sits idle. In the last Congress, Walden helped pass legislation through the House that would have ensured that this nuclear waste could be transported to and stored in Nevada's Yucca Mountain, which scientists say could safely isolate nuclear waste 1,000 feet underground for one million years. Ultimately, however, true progress on the cleanup of the waste at Hanford and other sites requires a safe, secure, and permanent storage location for the waste. While this hearing should help get the cleanup efforts on a better track, Yucca Mountain is the cornerstone of the nation's nuclear waste disposal, said Walden. We need to move forward in a bipartisan way to greatly improve the performance and effectiveness of the cleanup and build a durable solution at Yucca. To read Walden's full remarks during today's hearing, please click here. To read the full GAO report, entitled Nuclear Waste: DOE Should Take Actions to Improve Oversight of Cleanup Milestones, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-ending-robocalls-we-are-taking-all-hands-deck-approach,Greg Walden on ending robocalls: We are taking an all-hands-on-deck approach,2019-04-30,2019,2019-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden on ending robocalls: We are taking an all-hands-on-deck approach 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's remarks during today's hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. --In just one year, American consumers received 2.4 billion robocalls per month and nearly half the calls made to cell phones in the United States in 2019 will be spam. Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) said that he is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to end this problem that he said has grown from an annoyance to a sincere peril. I have done 20 town halls in my district so far this year, and I can't think of a time that this question didn't come up about what we are doing to stop robocalls, said Walden during a hearing before the Energy and Commerce Committee today. This has escalated to a real problem for consumers and they've had it. And they've rightfully had it, and we've had it. So you're seeing an all hands on deck approach here. Last Congress, Walden helped pass into law the RAY BAUM'S Act, which prohibited spoofing calls or texts originating outside the United States and provided the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) more authority to protect consumers from robocalls. The RAY BAUM'S Act also required the FCC to work with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to educate Americans about their options to stop these illegal calls. These robocalls come from bad actors who use autodialing technology to scam consumers, often by maliciously spoofing their caller ID information to mask the caller's true identity and instead make the call appear like it is coming from a local source. One witness who works in the health care industry testified during today's hearing that robocalls also threaten patients and medical providers. In recent months, many consumers, including some patients and their families, have been targeted by robocallers who use spoofed' numbers identical to the hospitals in an effort to gain sensitive information, said Dave Summitt, Chief Information Security Officer of H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. Even more concerning is that this practice can jeopardize the line of communication between health providers and patients by casting doubt on the integrity of calls coming from the hospital or their care provider. Hard-working Americans have also been tricked into picking up countless calls like this and then have been bullied into paying what they think is an outstanding debt, only to send money or some other form of compensation to the fraudster who maliciously spoofed the phone number with the intent to deceive and scam. Walden highlighted the need for Congress to redouble efforts to crack down on the bad actors perpetrating these crimes. Bad actors' tricks evolved beyond our Do Not Call Registry and will likely find an avenue around our next effort. So we need to stay vigilant, said Walden. The more friction that we create against these criminals -- and I call them criminals because that's what they are -- and the more focused public-private partnerships amongst industry, consumer groups, and the government are in rooting out this problem, I think we can make real strides here in helping American consumers. To learn more about today's hearing, entitled Legislating to Stop the Onslaught of Annoying Robocalls, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-collection-sites-excess-opioids-and-prescription,Greg Walden announces collection sites for excess opioids and prescription pills across Oregons Second District,2019-04-25,2019,2019-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden announces collection sites for excess opioids and prescription pills across Oregon's Second District 
 Saturday, April 27 is DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day initiative to combat opioid epidemic 
WASHINGTON, D.C. --Continuing to highlight the need for an all-hands-on-deck approach to combat the opioid crisis in Oregon, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today announced collection sites across Oregon's Second Congressional District for the disposal of excess opioid and prescription medications. Walden's announcement is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 27. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day gives people across the country the opportunity to help address prescription drug abuse in their communities. Details on collection sites in Oregon's Second District are included below. ""Combating the opioid crisis in Oregon requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, said Walden. The Drug Enforcement Administration's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides a safe, convenient, and responsible way for people to dispose of excess prescription drugs. This nationwide initiative also provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the opioid crisis and to educate our friends, family members, and neighbors about the potential for abuse of medications. We lose more than 100 Americans every day to this crisis and, here in Oregon, more people die from drug overdoses than from car accidents. I hope you'll participate on this Take Back Day as we work together to make our communities safer. Walden's announcement comes just six months after President Trump signed into law the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6), Walden's landmark legislation to combat the opioid crisis. This bipartisan legislation that was signed into law in October aims to strengthen nationwide efforts to combat the opioid crisis by advancing treatment and recovery initiatives, improving prevention, protecting our communities, and bolstering our efforts to fight deadly illicit synthetic drugs like fentanyl. The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act represents the largest legislative effort to combat a single drug crisis in history. To learn more about this law, please click here.
  DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day collection sites across Oregon's Second Congressional District -- Saturday, April 27
Baker County Where: Baker County Sheriff's Office, 3410 K Street, Baker City, OR 97814 When: 10:00am -- 2:00pm PST Organizing Participant: Baker County Sheriff's Office Deschutes County Where: Walmart, 300 NW Oak Tree Lane, Redmond, OR 97756 When: 10:00am -- 2:00pm PST Organizing Participant: Redmond Police Department Jackson County Where: Medford City Hall, 411 West 8th Street, Medford, OR 97501 When: 10:00am -- 2:00pm PST Organizing Participant: MedfordPolice Department Josephine County Where: Josephine County Sheriff's Office, 1901 NE F Street, Grants Pass, OR 97526 When: 10:00am -- 2:00pm PST Organizing Participant: Josephine County Sheriff's Office Klamath County Where: Klamath Falls Police Department, 2501 Shasta Way, Klamath Falls, OR 97601 When: 10:00am -- 2:00pm PST Organizing Participant: Klamath Falls Police Department Malheur County Where: Ontario City Hall, 444 SW 4th Street, Ontario, OR 97914 When: 10:00am -- 2:00pm PST Organizing Participant: Ontario Police Department Umatilla County Where: Hermiston Police Department, 330 South 1st Street, Hermiston, OR 97838 When: 10:00am -- 2:00pm PST Organizing Participant: Hermiston Police Department Wasco/Hood River Counties Where: Skyline Hospital, 211 NE Skyline Drive, White Salmon, WA 98672 When: 10:00am -- 2:00pm PST Organizing Participant: White Salmon Police Department
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-public-release-mueller-report,Greg Walden statement on public release of Mueller report,2019-04-18,2019,2019-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden statement on public release of Mueller report 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement onthe public release of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative report that was provided today by the Department of Justice:
The special counsel's full report confirms what we already knew from Attorney General Barr's summary: President Trump and his campaign did not collude with the Russian government. I supported making sure Mr. Mueller had theunfettered ability and resources to conduct a thorough investigation, which he did. I supported releasing as muchof the report as allowed by law, which the Attorney General has done. Now, it's time for the partisans to move on and for Congress to get to work on issues such as border security and immigration reform.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/case-you-missed-it-greg-walden-calls-active-forest-management-southern,In Case You Missed It: Greg Walden Calls for Active Forest Management in Southern Oregon Speech,2019-04-17,2019,2019-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"In Case You Missed It: Greg Walden Calls for Active Forest Management in Southern Oregon Speech 
 Representative Greg Walden gives speech entitled Clear Skies for Southern Oregon at Medford/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Forum last week 
Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) is continuing to highlight the need to improve forest management to prevent catastrophic wildfires in Oregon. Speaking before the Medford/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Forum in Medford last week, Walden called for Clear Skies for Southern Oregon in a speech that outlined the changes to federal policy Walden is pushing for to protect Oregon's communities from increasingly devastating wildfires and air choking smoke each summer. Under Walden's leadership, Congress passed into law the most significant reforms to forest management in more than a decade last year, including a fix to so-called fire borrowing so that federal forest management accounts are not used to pay to fight wildfires. In his remarks, Walden said that while these reforms are important, there is much more work that needs to be done. It is time to change how federal forests are managed and how fires on federal forest lands are extinguished, Walden said in his speech. We cannot and should not tolerate choking smoke and devastated forests every summer. We should not have to flee Oregon to find a place to breathe. We should not be treated as smoke refugees' in our own land.
 Walden: 'Enough is enough' 
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden's tone in a speech on wildfires and clean air to the Chamber of Jackson County/ Medford on Monday afternoon was far from dampened by the steady rain.
	
	The congressman repeatedly pointed to forest management measures that he believes hold the keys to conquering smoky summer skies in Southern Oregon. Enough is enough, he said. Click here to read more from the Mail Tribune.
Click here or on the image above to watch coverage of Walden's speech from KOBI TV in Medford
Click here or on the image above to view coverage of Walden's speech from KDRV Medford
Walden concluded his speech by saying that he will continue his efforts in Congress to bring commonsense changes to forest management policy. Most importantly, reforming federal forest policy will help us protect our communities. Reforming federal forest policy will reduce the threat of wildfire smoke that chokes our skies, holds people hostage in their homes, drives tourism away from southern Oregon, shutters the doors of small businesses, and rips jobs away from people, Walden said. I am committed to doing whatever it takes to make that happen. Click here for a full transcript of Walden's remarks. Click here to learn more about Walden's efforts to improve federal forest management.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-slams-democrat-plan-allow-government-takeover-internet,Greg Walden slams Democrat plan to allow government takeover of the internet,2019-04-10,2019,2019-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden slams Democrat plan to allow government takeover of the internet 
 Calls for real, bipartisan net neutrality solutions that protect consumers without excessive government regulation 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's speech on the House floor
  WASHINGTON, D.C. --Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) is continuing to call for net neutrality solutions that preserve a free and open internet for consumers without allowing a federal government takeover of the internet, as Congressional Democrats are proposing. Speaking in opposition to a Democrat plan to give the federal government near unlimited authority to regulate, tax, and control the internet, Walden said that the bill was a missed opportunity to bring real, bipartisan net neutrality protections to consumers. Republicans and Democrats agree more than they disagree on the key net neutrality parameters that protect a free and open internet for consumers. The net neutrality bright line' rules Republicans support are simple and relatively easy to understand. No blocking. No throttling. No paid prioritization. Period, said Walden. Unfortunately, for the last few years Democrats have caved into the misguided idea that only putting unelected bureaucrats in charge of every facet of the internet is the answer. And they know what all Americans know, the bill before us today is opposed by the President and will not become law.  Walden today voted against a Democrat bill that would regulate the internet under Title II of the Communications Act, which was originally used to govern monopoly telephone companies in the 1930s. The legislation Walden voted against reinstates the outdated restrictions over the internet that were first implemented by the Obama Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2015. In an op-ed published last week, Walden outlined his concerns about the impact of Title II on small internet service providers (ISPs) and their ability to expand broadband into rural communities. In a rural district like mine in eastern Oregon, Title II inhibited the ability of small ISPs to expand broadband to underserved communities, saddling these small businesses with onerous reporting requirements that shifted their focus from their customers to new, expensive regulatory interference, Walden said in the op-ed. In February, Walden invited Joe Franell, Chief Executive Officer of Eastern Oregon Telecom based in Hermiston, Oregon, to testify before the Energy and Commerce Committee about how Title II regulations affected his business and his customers. The application of Title II as part of net neutrality had a dramatic chilling effect on rural telecommunication in the Pacific Northwest, Franell said in his testimony. Walden has introduced legislationthat codifies into law permanent prohibitions on blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization for internet traffic, and requires that ISPs be transparent in their network management practices and prices. Walden's legislation reaffirms longstanding, bipartisan agreements on net neutrality protections, without imposing Title II regulations over the internet. Walden said that putting unelected bureaucrats in control of the internet through Title II regulations is not necessary to protect consumers online. The fact is, we can permanently address blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization in a bipartisan way because we all believe in an open and free internet. We believe in net neutrality. But, net neutrality is not Title II, near limitless government management of the internet, said Walden. Net neutrality does not need the harmful, heavy-handed approach of Title II. Net neutrality does not require a government takeover of the internet.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walden-real-net-neutrality-bipartisan-save-internet-act-not,Walden: Real net neutrality is bipartisan -- Save the Internet Act is not,2019-04-04,2019,2019-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Walden: Real net neutrality is bipartisan -- Save the Internet Act is not 
WASHINGTON, D.C. --Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today penned an op-edabout why a bipartisan solution to net neutrality is the best path forward to protect consumers, innovation, and an open internet.
 Real net neutrality is bipartisan -- Save the Internet Act is not 
By Representative Greg Walden
Net neutrality is a bipartisan issue in Congress. Despite the overheated rhetoric and the political talking points, Democrats actually agree with me and my Republican colleagues on the keynet neutrality parametersthat protect a free and open Internet for consumers. Democrats agree with Republicans that Internet traffic should not be blocked. There is bipartisan support for prohibiting the blocking of legal content on the Internet. Democrats agree with Republicans thatInternet service providers(ISPs) should not be allowed to impair or degrade lawful internet traffic on the basis of content, a practice also known as throttling. There is bipartisan support for prohibiting the throttling of legal content on the Internet. And Democrats agree with Republicans that ISPs should not engage in paid prioritization, the practice of creating fast lanes that favor some lawful Internet traffic over other lawful Internet traffic. There is bipartisan support for prohibiting paid prioritization on the Internet. These three protections -- no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization -- are known as bright line rules for net neutrality, and they are supported by Republicans and Democrats alike in Congress. These common sense consumer protections could become law.
Click here to read Rep. Walden's full op-ed online.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-holds-town-halls-every-second-district-county-first-quarter,Greg Walden holds town halls in every Second District county in first quarter of 2019,2019-04-02,2019,2019-04,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden holds town halls in every Second District county in first quarter of 2019 
 Walden among top lawmakers in Congress in number of town halls held in 2019 after completing 20 town halls in three months 
Click here or on the image above to view Walden's video statement after completing a town hall meeting in Wasco on Sunday, his 20th town hall of the year.
WASHINGTON, D.C. --Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) has held 20 town hall meetings in the first three months of 2019, completing one in each county of Oregon's Second Congressional District. Walden held seven town hall meetings this past weekend across eastern Oregon, bringing his town hall total to 168 since 2012. Over the last 12 months, we've heard from more than 70,000 people who we have responded to on phone calls, emails, and other communications from my office, said Walden. These in-person town halls in the Second District are another great way to hear from people and get their counsel. According to Town Hall Project, Walden is among the top lawmakers in Congress in the number of town halls held in 2019. Waldenheld town halls across eight counties in southern, central, and eastern Oregonin January and held town halls inLakeandMorrowcounties in February. In early March, Walden held town hall meetings inHood River, Wasco, and Umatilla counties, before holding meetings in Wallowa, Union, Baker, Grant, Wheeler, Gilliam, and Sherman counties this past weekend. I really appreciate all of those who turned out and participated, and I look forward to continuing to hold meetings all across Oregon's great Second District. For a complete list of Walden's town hall meetings in 2019, please click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-statement-mueller-report,Greg Walden statement on Mueller report,2019-03-24,2019,2019-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden statement on Mueller report 
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement inresponse to Attorney General William Barr's principal summary of the findings of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation:
""I supported Robert Mueller's appointment as special counsel and consistently supported ensuring his two-year investigation was free from any political influence. Special Counsel Mueller deserves the gratitude of all Americans for his public service and for conducting this important investigation with integrity and professionalism. His exhaustive work makes clear that President Trump and his campaign did not collude with the Russians. Period. The special counsel and his team came to this conclusion after a rigorous investigation that followed all leads to get to the facts. Now, those who promoted this conspiratorial theory should accept the facts of Mr. Mueller's findings.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-4-million-new-grants-combat-opioid-crisis-oregon,Greg Walden applauds $4 million in new grants to combat opioid crisis in Oregon,2019-03-20,2019,2019-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden applauds $4 million in new grants to combat opioid crisis in Oregon 
WASHINGTON, D.C. --Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today applauded new resources to combat the opioid crisis in Oregon. As part of newly released grant funding from the Trump Administration, Oregon will receive more than $4 million though the State Opioid Response grant program, which helps communities expand access to opioid abuse and addiction treatment services. We lose more Oregonians to drug overdoses than car accidents and this opioid crisis has hit every community in our state. Combating opioid abuse in Oregon requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, said Walden. These needed resources will provide support to the medical providers and treatment advocates on the front lines of this fight in Oregon to boost prevention efforts, increase access to medication assisted treatment, and expand recovery options for patients. Paired with my legislation that is now law -- the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act -- and the past funding Oregon has received through similar federal programs, this new funding will bolster our efforts to tackle the opioid crisis from all angles for victims and families in our communities. While we made great strides last Congress, our work is far from done, and I will continue to work alongside my colleagues and people on the ground in Oregon to stem the tide of addiction and save lives. The $4,109,241 Oregon will receive is part of an additional $487million to supplement first-year funding through the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program. The grants are part of the Trump Administration's Five-Point Opioid Strategy to combat the opioid crisis. Walden's legislation, theSUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6), is a bipartisan bill that was signed into law last year and authorized billions of dollars to combat the opioid crisis, including $1.5 billion authorized for the State Targeted Response program. Over the last two years, Oregon received more than $17 million through the State Targeted Response program to combat the crisis.
Walden's legislation will help in our overall efforts to combat the opioid crisis by advancing treatment and recovery initiatives, improving prevention, protecting our communities, and bolstering our efforts to fight deadly illicit synthetic drugs like fentanyl. Walden has been at the forefront of the Congressional response to the opioid crisis,leading efforts to pass landmark legislation to combat opioid abuseandinvestigate the bad actors contributing to the spread of the crisis. To learn more about this funding for Oregon, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-announces-seven-town-halls-next-week-across-eastern-oregon,Greg Walden announces seven town halls for next week across eastern Oregon,2019-03-19,2019,2019-03,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden announces seven town halls for next week across eastern Oregon 
WASHINGTON, D.C. --Continuing a series of town hall meetings across Oregon's Second District, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced today he will hold town halls in Wallowa, Union, Baker, Grant, Wheeler, Gilliam, and Sherman counties next week. Details on the meetings are included below.  I'm looking forward to hearing from people across eastern Oregon at these town halls and providing them with an update on the issues I'm working on back in Congress. These forums are another important way for me to listen and answer questions, just as are telephone town halls, Facebook, Twitter, emails, phone calls, and regular old letters. Last year, I responded to more than 67,000 phone calls, letters, and emails from people across the Second District. It's good to have people engaged in the process and willing to share their views, said Walden. Walden held town halls across eight counties in southern, central, and eastern Oregon in January and held town halls in Lake and Morrow counties in February. Just last week, Walden held town hall meetings in Hood River, Wasco, and Umatilla counties, bringing his town hall total to 161 since 2012. Walden's upcoming town hall meetings next week will bring his town hall total to 168 since 2012, and Walden will have held town hall meetings in all 20 counties of Oregon's Second District in the first three months of 2019. For a complete list of Walden's previously held and upcoming town hall meetings for 2019, please click here.
Friday, March 29, 2019
WHAT:Wallowa County Town Hall  WHEN:12:00 p.m. PT  WHERE: Cloverleaf Hall, 668 NW 1st Street, Enterprise, 97828 WHAT:Union County Town Hall  WHEN:3:30 p.m. PT  WHERE:Eastern Oregon University, Zabel Hall, Lewis Auditorium, One University Boulevard, La Grande, 97850
Saturday, March 30, 2019
WHAT:Baker County Town Hall  WHEN:8:30 a.m. PT  WHERE:Baker City ELKS Lodge, 1896 2nd Street, Baker City, 97814 WHAT:Grant County Town Hall  WHEN:1:00 p.m. PT  WHERE:Mt. Vernon Community Building, 640 Ingle Street, Mt Vernon, 97865 WHAT:Wheeler County Town Hall  WHEN:4:15 p.m. PT  WHERE:Spray Grange Hall, 807 Winlock Street, Spray, 97874
Sunday, March 31, 2019
WHAT:Gilliam County Town Hall  WHEN:11:00 a.m. PT  WHERE:Anderson Building/Wheatland Insurance, 307 S Main Street, Condon, 97823 WHAT:Sherman County Town Hall  WHEN:2:30 p.m. PT  WHERE:Wasco Event Center, 903 Barnett Street, Wasco, 97504",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z