Senators Leading Organ Procurement Reform Make Clear Congressional Intent to Ensure Adequate Oversight of Organ Transplant System
Washington, D.C. – Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today sent a letter to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Board of Directors to correct several misunderstandings put forward by the board in recent weeks […]
Wyden Hearing Statement on Keeping the Promise of Social Security for First Responders and Public Servants in Ohio
Thank you, Chairman Brown, for holding today’s hearing and for all the witnesses for participating. For nearly 90 years, Social Security has been a bedrock program on which millions of seniors and Americans with disabilities rely. Over 65 million Americans receive Social Security benefits today, including 2.6 million children. Without these earned benefits, more than […]
Wyden, Grassley, Cardin and Young Call on CMS to Strengthen Protections Against Excessive and Unnecessary Recoveries of Pancreata from Organ Donors
Washington, D.C. – Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Senate Finance Committee members Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.), today called on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to take additional measures to prevent abuse of pancreata procurement by organ procurement organizations (OPOs) after rates of pancreata […]
Following UnitedHealth Group Ransomware Attack, Wyden Urges HHS to Require Mandatory Cybersecurity Defenses for Large Health Care Companies
Washington, D.C. – Following UnitedHealth Group (UHG) ransomware cyberattack, Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately mandate systemically important health care companies to improve their cybersecurity practices, and to protect against cyberattacks that can shut down medical centers for weeks and leave patients’ personal […]
Wyden Statement at Finance Committee Hearing on Renewing and Revitalizing Trade Preference Programs
This morning the Finance Committee meets to discuss how the United States can strengthen its trading partnerships around the globe through trade preference programs. I’m going to focus on two of the biggest and most important of these programs: the Generalized System of Preferences “GSP”, and the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or “AGOA.” Preference […]
Wyden Statement on House Republican IRS Budget Proposal
Washington, D.C. — Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement on the House Republican budget proposal for the IRS, which would gut funding for enforcement aimed at wealthy tax cheats and would shut down the new Direct File program set to open up nationwide in 2025: “If not for the […]
Wyden Statement on Tax Court and Treasury Inspector General Nominations
The Finance Committee meets this morning to discuss four nominations. James Ives is nominated to serve as inspector general of the Department of the Treasury. And Rose Jenkins, Adam Landy, and Kashi Way are all nominated to serve as judges of the United States Tax Court. I’ll begin with the Treasury I-G. Inspectors General perform […]
Wyden Statement on Resignation of Social Security Inspector General
Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued a statement after Social Security Administration Inspector General Gail Ennis announced her resignation: “Inspector General Ennis’ decision to resign is the correct one,” Wyden said. “Under her leadership, the Inspector General’s office at Social Security has fallen into disarray, plagued by complaints of a hostile work […]
Wyden Statement on Nationwide Expansion of IRS Direct File
Washington, D.C. — Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement today on the IRS’s announcement that its popular, new Direct File program will be open to all 50 states and the District of Columbia starting in 2025: “Direct File expanding nationwide is tremendous news for taxpayers all over the country who […]
Wyden and Sanders Demand Answers from Multiplan on Sky-High Medical Bills
Washington, D.C. – Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., asked data analytics company MultiPlan to meet with the committees and explain the company’s role in negotiating out-of-network payments on behalf of employer-sponsored health plans, which news reports indicate often results in […]