Ron Wyden

On Thursday, Idaho senator Mike Crapo and Oregon’s Jeff Merkley announced the introduction of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) Program Reauthorization Act of 2025.  They say this bipartisan legislation would reauthorize and expand the CFLR program, which helps fund collaborative and community-based forest management.  The lawmakers said...

Democrats in the Senate have asked USDA to explain why the Department of Government Efficiency must approve certain government farm loans and loan guarantees before they are issued.  The lawmakers also told USDA they wanted details about how such reviews are being conducted and whether DOGE will be vetting other USDA farm assistance programs.   The l...

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden along with Idaho's Mike Crapo introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday they said would improve wetland habitats in the Pacific Northwest.  The Northwest Wetlands Voluntary Incentives Program Act would establish a federal grant and assistance program empowering government agencies, tribes, nonprofits, landowners, among other entities to work together in both restoring and

Oregon’s Ron Wyden went to the Senate floor Wednesday, asking lawmakers to affirm trade authority amid the crashing of global economies.  In Wednesday’s remarks, Wyden said after three years of strong growth and rising jobs numbers, the U.S. economy shrank in the f...

On Monday, members of Oregon’s delegation, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce urging that a federal fishery resource disaster be declared for the 2024 Oregon troll salmon fishery.   “This declaration is critical to provide economic relief to Oregon’s fisheries and coastal communities in addition to protecting the sustainability of wild salmon populations,” the letter from the lawmake

Efforts continue in Congress to reverse President Trump's tariffs, but they'll have a difficult time getting enough support to pass.  Oregon congresswoman Andrea Salinas joined House Democratic leadership in supporting a move to restore Congressional authority over trade.   ...

On Tuesday, Oregon senator Ron Wyden joined fellow Democrat Peter Welch of Vermont, as well as Republicans Mike Rounds  of South Dakota and Iowa's Chuck Grassley introducing legislation aimed at lowering skyrocketing grocery bills by cracking down on America’s “Big Four” meatpackers.  Tuesday’s announcement no...

On Thursday, members of Oregon’s congressional delegation sent a letter to Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins calling for USDA workers to return to the job.  The letter states the lawmakers are concerned about the Administration’s decision to terminate ARS workers in Corvallis, Newport, Burns, Pendleton, and Hood River.   “The United State...

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, Ranking Member of the Senate Ag Committee, led 25 colleagues in pressing the USDA for information about previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency providers.  USDA’s taking away funds from the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which the lawmakers said will hurt hungry Americans who already face high grocery prices and hurts American farmers get

Under a recently proposed bill, the federal government would prioritize use of mass timber in construction.  Senators from Oregon and Idaho are leading the bipartisan effort to pass the Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act.  The bill would make it a preference to use mass timber in federal construction projects.   Mass timbe...