Wyden Statement at Finance Committee Hearing on Evidence-Based Policymaking for Social Welfare Programs
I would like to start off by noting that this may be the first ever hearing this committee has held on this topic. This is a great opportunity to dig into an issue that really should be an underpinning of the work Congress does every day: that is to say, we should be constantly asking […]
Wyden Probes Into Anonymous Shell Companies with Ties to Mossack Fonseca in Nevada and Wyoming
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today sent letters to the Secretaries of State for Nevada and Wyoming inquiring about anonymous shell companies in both states – over 1,000 in Nevada and 24 in Wyoming — with ties to the Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonseca. “It’s clear you don’t need to go outside […]
Wyden Statement on USTR Action Against China’s Poultry Tariffs
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement today on the United States Trade Representative’s announcement that it was taking China back to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for keeping tariffs in place on American poultry products that are not permitted by WTO rules: “China abused its own trade remedies system […]
Wyden Encouraged by Treasury Action to Improve Financial Transparency
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement expressing encouragement by the Department of Treasury’s actions to improve financial transparency and combat terrorist financing, corruption and tax evasion. “Treasury’s actions mark another step in improving financial transparency in the United States and stamping out tax avoidance schemes using anonymous shell […]
Wyden Relieved By Rejection of Proposed Pension Cuts By Treasury Department
WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today expressed relief following the Treasury Department’s decision to deny Central States Pension Fund’s application to cut retirees’ pensions. “I’m very relieved by Treasury’s decision today to reject Central States Pension’s application to cut retirees’ pensions.” Wyden said. “Thousands of pensioners, including Rita Lewis who […]
Wyden Cheers Decision to Regulate E-Cigarettes as a Tobacco Product
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today applauded the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to regulate e-cigarette products the same as cigarettes and other tobacco products: “It made zero sense that there were no consumer protection rules for e-cigarettes since they came to market nearly a decade ago,” Wyden said. “Today’s long-overdue […]
Wyden Calls for Crackdown on Corporate Tax Gap
WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore. today urgently reinforced that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) needs to put a system in place to identify the sources of corporate tax avoidance, evasion and noncompliance. Wyden’s direction builds on the release of information by the IRS today pointing to an average annual […]
Finance Democrats Outline Concerns with Medicare Part B Demo
WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., along with every Democratic member of the Finance Committee, sent a letter to Andy Slavitt, Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, outlining concerns with the recently announced Medicare Part B demonstration that would change the way Medicare pays for some prescription […]
Wyden Proposes Cap on Prescription Drug Costs
WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced a bill to protect seniors in Medicare from high out-of-pocket costs in Part D plans. The bill, called the “Reducing Existing Costs Associated with Pharmaceuticals for Seniors Act of 2016” (RxCAP), would eliminate all cost-sharing for beneficiaries above the current out-of-pocket threshold of […]
Wyden Proposes Simplifying Capital Depreciation Rules
WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today offered a discussion draft of legislation to simplify one of the most complex areas of the tax code – capital depreciation rules – making it easier for businesses to invest in everything from trucks to computers. Investing in capital is critical for companies looking […]