6/18/13 Merkley: Army Corps Should Reverse Decision on Environmental Review of Coal Exports Sen. Jeffery Merkley 6/18/13 Grassley, Wyden Introduce Medicare Claims Data Transparency Legislation Sen. Ron Wyden 6/18/13 Support Builds for Udall, Wyden Proposal to Limit the Federal Government's Ability to Collect Vast Amounts of Data on Americans Sen. Ron Wyden 6/14/13 Reps. Schrader, Gosar, Kilmer & Noem Introduce Bipartisan Healthy Forest Caucus Rep. Kurt Schrader 6/14/13 Udall, Wyden Propose Limiting the Federal Government's Ability to Collect Vast Amounts of Data on Americans Sen. Ron Wyden 6/14/13 Blumenauer Joined by Veteran Members to Reform Special Immigrant Visa Program Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/13/13 Udall, Wyden Call On National Security Agency Director to Clarify Comments on Effectiveness of Phone Data Collection Program Sen. Ron Wyden 6/13/13 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/13/13 Blumenauer Amendment Would Restore Control of Carrier Fleet Size to Navy Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/13/13 More Value from Department of Defense Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/13/13 National Accountable Care Organization Summit Sen. Ron Wyden 6/12/13 U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) voted today to start debate on the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act - bipartisan immigration reform legislation that includes provisions to secure our border, implement an employment verification system, create a tough but fair means for those who are here illegally to earn legal status, and allow high-skilled and other needed immigrants to work here legally and help grow our economy. On Sunday, Ayotte became the first Republican senator outside of the bipartisan "Gang of 8" to announce her support for the legislation - providing a key vote for the bill. "Today's vote reflects overwhelming bipartisan support for having this urgent debate," said Senator Ayotte. "We need immigration reform that serves our country's best interests. That means stopping the dangerous flow of illegal immigrants into our country through greater border security, more effective enforcement and a vigorous employment verification program. This legislation also modernizes our legal immigration system to allow high-skilled and other needed immigrants to work here legally and help grow our economy, addressing a critical need I've heard frequently from New Hampshire's business community." KEY COMPONENTS OF BORDER SECURITY, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND IMMIGRATION MODERNIZATION ACT: Securing the Border: * The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must create, fund and initiate a border security and border fence plan within six months of bill's enactment. o The Secretary would be directed to present Congress with a "Southern Border Security Strategy" and a "Southern Border Fencing Strategy" within six months of enactment, to include additional border agents and surveillance and identify where fencing, infrastructure, and technology should be deployed. $1.5 billion would be made available from the fund for constructing additional fencing and $3 billion for the security strategy. * DHS must achieve 100 percent border awareness and at least 90 percent effectiveness in all border sectors (within five years of bill's enactment) Stopping the Flow of Illegal Immigrants: * Employment Verification - "E-Verify' - technology must be implemented. Under the bill, all employers will be required to use the E-Verify system over a five year phase-in period. Employers with more than 5,000 employees will be phased-in within two years. Employers with more than 500 employees will be phased-in within three years. * Employers would face fines and civil penalties for violations of the E-Verify requirements, and possible criminal penalties for extensive and knowing employment of undocumented workers. * To stop abuse of the existing visas system, DHS must implement an electronic biographic visa exit system at all international airports and seaports by the end of 2015. * The bill would require DHS to report all visa overstays to the appropriate law enforcement, intelligence, or national security agency, and require that enforcement resources are used to locate the visa overstay and commence removal proceedings. Earning Legal Status: * The legislation also includes strict requirements for those illegal immigrants who have been here since before 2012. o No undocumented immigrant is eligible to apply for temporary status until the border security and fencing plan have been submitted to Congress and the implementation of those plans is underway. * Before any of these 11 million could earn a green card, they would go to the back of the line, not receive means-tested federal benefits and Obamacare subsidies, and they would be required to pay fines, pay taxes, and pass background checks, learn English, and secure a job. * The minimum most immigrants would have to wait to earn a green card would be ten years - and 13 years for naturalization. And this timeline is dependent on first meeting border security and employment enforcement measures. Boosting the U.S. Economy Through Legal Immigration Reform: * After companies make every effort to recruit Americans to perform particular jobs and can't find any - especially those with expertise in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) - they are forced to look elsewhere. o This legislation addresses that shortfall and will strengthen our economy. o The bill expands the highly skilled H1-B visa program from 65,000 up to 180,000 to fill job shortages. * The bill establishes a new guest worker visa program for lower-skilled workers that ensures the future flow of workers is manageable, traceable, and fair to American workers. * The bill also allows current undocumented farm workers who have made a substantial prior commitment to agricultural work in the United States to obtain legal status through an Agricultural Blue Card Program. Rep. Peter DeFazio 6/12/13 Schrader Tribal Bills Pass Unanimously Out of House Natural Resources Committee Rep. Kurt Schrader 6/12/13 Langevin Introduces Counseling for Career Choice Act Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 6/12/13 Langevin & Bonamici Introduce Counseling for Career Choice Act - Bill Would Encourage Comprehensive Career Counseling for High School Students Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 6/12/13 Merkley Introduces Amendment to Immigration Bill to Protect Forest Jobs Sen. Jeffery Merkley 6/12/13 Rep. Grimm's Jobs Bill Exempting Derivatives End-Users from Margin Requirements Passes House Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/11/13 Senators: End Secret Law Sen. Ron Wyden 6/11/13 Senators: End Secret Law Sen. Jeffery Merkley 6/11/13 Wyden Statement Responding to Director Clapper's Statements About Collection on Americans Sen. Ron Wyden 6/11/13 Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2014 Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/10/13 Farm Bill Includes Wyden Provisions to Fight Hunger and Bring Local Food to Schools Sen. Ron Wyden 6/10/13 Oregon Live.com - Rep. Suzanne Bonamici Touts Benefits of U.S.-Based Manufacturing Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 6/10/13 Reps. Grimm, McGovern, King, Blumenauer Introduce Transit Parity Act to Protect Tax Benefits for Public Transportation Commuters Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/07/13 MSNBC "The Rachel Maddow Show" - Transcript - Internet Privacy Sen. Jeffery Merkley 6/07/13 Merkley: NSA Spying Outrageous Breach of Americans' Privacy Sen. Jeffery Merkley 6/07/13 Business Week - Peter DeFazio Petitions Obama to Fix the Post Office Rep. Peter DeFazio 6/07/13 Letter to Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Canter - Market Place Fairness Act Rep. Peter DeFazio 6/07/13 Merkley Calls on Congress to Take Action Before July 1st Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Sen. Jeffery Merkley 6/07/13 Blumenauer Responds to NSA Data Collection Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/07/13 Udall, Wyden Question the Value, Efficacy of Phone Records Collection in Stopping Attacks Sen. Ron Wyden 6/06/13 Cantwell Cosponsors Bill to Address Domestic Child Sex Trafficking in the Child Welfare System Sen. Ron Wyden 6/06/13 Wyden Statement on Alleged Large-Scale Collection of Phone Records Sen. Ron Wyden 6/06/13 Interior Department Pledges Technical Aid as Wyden Develops Legislation to Increase O&C Harvests Sen. Ron Wyden 6/06/13 Grimm, McGovern, King, Blumenauer Introduce Transit Parity Act to Protect Tax Benefits for Public Transportation Commuters Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/06/13 Letter to Chairwoman Edith Ramirez - Practices of Patent Assertion Entities Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 6/05/13 Letter to President Barack Obama - Currency manipulation in Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 6/05/13 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2014 Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/05/13 The Farm Billl Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/05/13 Blumenauer, Perlmutter, Polis, Cannabis Industry Leaders, and Medical Marijuana Business Owners Push for Commonsense Reform of Marijuana Laws Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/05/13 Letter to President Barack Obama - Currency manipulation in Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations Rep. Kurt Schrader 6/05/13 Letter to President Barack Obama - Currency manipulation in Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations Rep. Peter DeFazio 6/05/13 Letter to President Barack Obama - Currency manipulation in Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/04/13 DeFazio Statement on President Obama's Plan to Stop Patent Trolls Rep. Peter DeFazio 6/04/13 Merkley: D.C. Circuit Nominees Merit an Up or Down Majority Vote Sen. Jeffery Merkley 6/04/13 Oregon Delegation Urges Medicare Calculation Fix for Oregon Home Health Providers Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/04/13 Letter to Marilyn Tavenner, Aminstrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - Oregon Congressional Delegation Urges Medicare Administrator to Fix Reimbursement Calculation for Oregon Home Health Providers Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 6/04/13 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/04/13 Small Business Tax Equity Act Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/04/13 Small Business Tax Equity Act Rep. Earl Blumenauer 6/04/13 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Sen. Jeffery Merkley 6/04/13 Wyden to Agencies: Ramp up Wildland Fire Prevention Efforts Sen. Ron Wyden 6/04/13 Bonamici Supports Passage of Ruth Moore Act to Stop Denial of PTSD Benefits to Military Sexual Assault Victims - VA Currently Denies Two-Thirds of Sexual Assault Related PTSD Claims Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 6/03/13 Grassley, Wyden Say Medicare Claims Data Still Falls Short of Transparency Sen. Ron Wyden 5/31/13 Newsletter - A Congressional Update from Congressman Schrader Rep. Kurt Schrader 5/31/13 Letter to President Obama - Russian Adoptions Sen. Ron Wyden 5/31/13 Wyden Asks Ag. Secretary Vilsack to Ensure Discovery of Genetically Engineered Wheat Does Not Affect Trade Sen. Ron Wyden 5/29/13 Wyden Statement on FERC Chairman Wellinghoff's Departure Sen. Ron Wyden 5/28/13 Senators Introduce Bipartisan Energy Storage Bill to Encourage Renewable Power Sen. Ron Wyden 5/28/13 Letter to President Barack Obama - VA Disability Claims Backlog Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 5/28/13 Letter to President Barack Obama - VA Disability Claims Backlog Rep. Peter DeFazio 5/24/13 Bonamici Statement on Memorial Day Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 5/24/13 Merkley and Bonamici Celebrate Sixth Anniversary of Landmark Payday Lending Law in Oregon by Calling for National Action - New report shows consumers have saved $41 million per year Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 5/23/13 DeFazio Rejects Republican Plan To More Than Double Student Loan Interest Rates Rep. Peter DeFazio 5/23/13 Schrader Continues Fight for College Affordability Rep. Kurt Schrader 5/23/13 Greg Walden's Bill to Advance Internet Freedom Approved by U.S. House Rep. Greg Walden 5/23/13 Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions Sen. Ron Wyden 5/23/13 In Advance of Memorial Day, Heller, Merkley Introduce Bill to Expand Education Benefits to Spouses of Fallen Heroes Sen. Jeffery Merkley 5/23/13 Hearing of the United States Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy - Natural Gas Forum Sen. Ron Wyden 5/23/13 Letter to Jerome Perez and Kent Connaughton - Fire Season Rep. Greg Walden 5/23/13 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 - Continued Sen. Jeffery Merkley 5/23/13 Smarter Solutions for Students Act Rep. Earl Blumenauer 5/23/13 Smarter Solutions for Students Act Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 5/23/13 Wyden Announces Framework for O&C Legislation; Offers Proposal that will Create Jobs, Provide Revenue to Counties, Protect Old Growth and Wilderness Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 5/23/13 Wyden Announces Framework for O&C Legislation; Offers Proposal that will Create Jobs, Provide Revenue to Counties, Protect Old Growth and Wilderness Sen. Ron Wyden 5/23/13 Wyden Announces Framework for O&C Legislation; Offers Proposal that will Create Jobs, Provide Revenue to Counties, Protect Old Growth and Wilderness Sen. Jeffery Merkley 5/22/13 Sanders, Boxer, Begich, DeFazio File Bills on Fed Conflicts of Interest Rep. Peter DeFazio 5/22/13 CBO Releases Important Carbon Tax Report Rep. Earl Blumenauer 5/22/13 Merkley and Wyden Introduce Amendment Requiring Government to Pay Counties Missing Funds Within Seven Days Sen. Ron Wyden 5/22/13 Climate Change Rep. Peter DeFazio 5/22/13 Merkley and Wyden Introduce Amendment Requiring Government to Pay Counties Missing Funds Within Seven Days Sen. Jeffery Merkley 5/22/13 Climate Change Rep. Earl Blumenauer 5/22/13 Northern Route Approval Act Rep. Peter DeFazio 5/22/13 Letter to The Honorable John McHugh, Secretary of Army - M1A2 SEP Tank Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 5/21/13 Bonamici Working to Stop Student Loan Interest Rate Hike - Interest Rates Set to Double in July Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 5/21/13 Hearing of the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology - "Cybersecurity: An Examination of the Communications Supply Chain" Rep. Greg Walden 5/21/13 Letter to Patrick R. Donahoe, Postmaster General - Postal Reform Legislation Rep. Peter DeFazio 5/21/13 Letter to Honorable John Kerry, Secretary of State - Kidnapping of Boulos Yazigi and Yohanna Ibrahim Rep. Peter DeFazio 5/21/13 Letter to Boy Scouts of America, National Council - Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation Rep. Earl Blumenauer 5/21/13 Letter to Patrick R. Donahoe, Postmaster General - Postal Reform Legislation Rep. Earl Blumenauer 5/21/13 Hearing of the United States Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy - Natural Gas Roundtable on Supply and Exports Sen. Ron Wyden 5/21/13 Letter to Secretary of Energy Moniz - Action on Gas Price Spikes Sen. Ron Wyden 5/21/13 Letter to Marilyn Tavenner - Protect Life-Saving Treatments For End-Stage Renal Disease Sen. Ron Wyden 5/20/13 Letter to Chairman Gensler - Energy Swap Markets Continue to Avoid Oversight Sen. Jeffery Merkley 5/20/13 Merkley: Let's Repeal the "Monsanto Protection Act" Sen. Jeffery Merkley 5/20/13 Executive Session Sen. Jeffery Merkley 5/20/13 Letter to Sylvia Burwell, Director of the Office of Management and Budget - Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Rep. Suzanne Bonamici 5/20/13 Letter to Sylvia Burwell, Director of the Office of Management and Budget - Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Rep. Earl Blumenauer 5/20/13 No Labels Rep. Kurt Schrader 5/20/13 Letter to Chairman Gensler - Energy Swap Markets Continue to Avoid Oversight Sen. Ron Wyden