Ranking Member's News
Wyden Statement on Trade Negotiations Announcement
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the U.S. Trade Representative's office announcement today that it intends to open trade negotiations with the European Union, Japan and United Kingdom. "I welcome the administration's shift to focus on additional markets where there are barriers to U.S. exports and opportunities for made-in-America manufactured goods, agricultural products and services," Wyden said. "However, the administration mus… Continue Reading
10.15.18
New Report Shows Expanding Medicaid Improves Access to Care
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today highlighted a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that showed people have improved access to health care in states that have expanded Medicaid compared to states that have not expanded. "The past two years have made it clear that affordable health care is a top priority for Americans," Wyden said. "States around the country have an opportunity to expand Medicaid to more people - these findings h… Continue Reading
10.11.18
Wyden Statement on 2019 Social Security COLA
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued a statement following the announcement that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits would increase by 2.8 percent in 2019: "Today's increase in Social Security will provide some relief for seniors who count on these earned benefits, but it still isn't enough to help Americans keep up with skyrocketing health care costs, prescription drug prices, and other basic necessities," Wyden said. "Working Amer… Continue Reading
10.10.18
Wyden, Senate Democrats Stand Against Junk Plans
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., offered his support for a Senate resolution of disapproval that would roll back the Trump administration's junk insurance plans. "These junk insurance plans the Trump administration has revived represent all the worst industry tricks and abuses. They punish Americans when they're actually in need of health care," Wyden said. "Junk plans are a scam on people with pre-existing conditions like heart disease, cancer, or m… Continue Reading
10.03.18
Wyden Calls for IRS to Investigate Allegations of Trump Family Tax Fraud
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today sent a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig asking the IRS to fully investigate allegations of potentially illegal tax fraud committed by the Trump family. The letter follows detailed reporting of tactics used by Trump and his father to avoid paying gift and estate taxes. "These allegations, first reported in the New York Times, indicate that in 1992 the Trump family established a sham company, All County … Continue Reading
10.03.18
Wyden Statement on Trump’s Tax Returns
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement regarding Trump's tax returns: "Over a year and a half ago I asked Chairman Hatch to allow the Finance Committee to review Trump's tax returns. I'm going to make the same request next Congress whether Senate Democrats are in the majority or the minority. A decision on what to do with those documents will be made when the Committee has reviewed them." In March 2017 Wyden and Senate Finance Committee… Continue Reading
10.02.18
Wyden Statement at Finance Committee Hearing to Consider the Nomination of Andrew Saul to be Commissioner of Social Security
The Finance Committee meets this morning to consider the nomination of Andrew Saul to serve as commissioner of the Social Security Administration. It goes without saying that this position is one of the most important posts in the federal government. It's responsible for administering benefits to over 69 million seniors, people with disabilities, and other Americans who earned their Social Security after working for years and paying into the program with each paycheck. Mr. Saul's nomination com… Continue Reading
10.01.18
Wyden Statement on NAFTA Agreement
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the announcement of updated NAFTA. "As I've said many times, NAFTA has long needed a serious overhaul. The crucial test for a new NAFTA, or any new trade agreement, is whether it is enforceable, particularly with respect to promises to protect worker rights and the environment. Americans are sick of hearing speeches about the benefits of new trade agreements when the agreements in place aren't even… Continue Reading
09.27.18
Wyden Statement at Finance Committee Hearing to Consider Social Security Administration and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Nominations
The Finance Committee meets this morning to consider two nominations: Gail Ennis to serve as Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, and Gordon Hartogensis to serve as the Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Let me start my remarks with Ms. Ennis' nomination. Here's the bottom line on why Social Security's Inspector General is such an important role: it is absolutely essential that the federal government wring value out of every last dollar that goes into Soci… Continue Reading
09.26.18
Wyden Statement at Finance Committee Hearing on the Impact of Tariffs on the U.S. Automotive Industry
The president has made it a practice to get up in front of cameras, tout new trade deals, and reap splashy headlines, but those announcements are consistently hollow and the results underwhelming. I'll start with this week's announcement about the US-Korea trade agreement. The administration touts it as a massive overhaul of a trade deal that they claim had previously cost hundreds of thousands of American jobs. But if you search for the significant changes -- concrete wins that will deliver re… Continue Reading
09.24.18
Wyden Statement on Trump Administration Public Charge Rule
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued a statement after the Trump administration released its so-called "public charge" rule: "It's not easy to combine racism, cruelty, and economic self-harm in one policy, but the Trump administration has found a way yet again. The people the Trump administration is targeting with this terrible policy are seniors who have worked and paid into Medicare for years and count on Part D for affordable prescriptions, teachers, caregi… Continue Reading
09.21.18
Wyden Statement on Pharma Bailout in Opioid Bill
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement after news reports indicated a revised bill to tackle the opioid crisis may include a provision that sends billions to pharmaceutical companies: "It would be unconscionable for Republicans to airdrop a bailout for Big Pharma into a piece of legislation that spends less than half of that amount to curtail the opioid epidemic," Wyden said. "This handout to price-gouging pharmaceutical manufacturers wil… Continue Reading
09.12.18
Wyden Statement on IRS Commissioner Vote and Trump’s Treasury, IRS Dark Money Crisis
M. President, this week the Senate is considering the nomination of Charles Rettig to lead the Internal Revenue Service. And let's be clear, this isn't a typical IRS Commissioner debate. Over the last several months, the Trump administration has weaponized the tax code to punish its political adversaries and benefit shadowy far-right groups that seek to buy elections. Two months ago, just hours after Maria Butina was outed as an alleged Russian spy who sought to influence our elections, the Tr… Continue Reading
09.04.18
Wyden Statement on NAFTA Negotiations
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the status of NAFTA negotiations, and refuting the president's assertion that he can unilaterally withdraw from NAFTA without Congressional approval: "The president doesn't have a deal, he doesn't have a plan, and he doesn't even have the power to follow through on his empty threats. The president needs to take a look at the Constitution - it gives Congress authority over trade. The president cannot pul… Continue Reading
08.31.18
Wyden Statement on NAFTA Notification
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement on the announcement that the president intends to sign unspecified changes to NAFTA: "It is premature for the president to announce he intends to sign a trade agreement when so many difficult issues remain unresolved," Wyden said. "It sure looks like the president is more concerned with announcing a deal during election season, rather than getting the best deal possible for American workers, based on… Continue Reading
