Dear Friend,

Welcome to the October edition of Wyden News Now. In September, I worked on many important issues for Oregon, including working to combat sky-high gasoline prices facing west coast and American consumers, protecting the pensions of Oregonians, and securing funding for nanotechnology and a variety of other projects throughout our state. This edition of Wyden News Now highlights a few of the important issues I’ve worked on for you, as well as what I plan to be working on throughout October.

For more information about all of the issues I’ve worked on beyond what’s in this newsletter, and to weigh in with your thoughts, please visit my Senate website at wyden.senate.gov. While you’re there, you can send me an e-mail, sharing your views on Oregon’s economy, gas prices, health care, or any other subject of interest.

This month I also want to alert you to the Health Care Report to the American People, recently issued by the Citizens’ Health Care Working Group. This report explains, for the first time, where your taxpayer dollars are going in our nation’s health care system. After looking at this report, you’ll have an opportunity to weigh in with your opinions online and at town hall meetings nationwide. I encourage you to view the report at www.citizenshealthcare.gov.

As always, I always enjoy hearing your views on health care of any other issue. For a listing of the meetings and events I’ll be hosting in the future, be sure to check my website for updates. I hope to see you at one of these meetings.

Sincerely,

Ron Wyden
United States Senator

Working for Oregonians

Securing Oregon and the Northwest
The security of Oregon and the entire Northwest is stronger this month after the Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission voted to keep the 142nd Fighter Wing at the Portland airbase open. The commission’s move and the president’s subsequent adoption of its recommendation, represents a major victory for our region because it will preserve a critical part of Northwest security. I joined with my Oregon colleagues and in Congress to oppose the Pentagon’s initial recommendation to move the fighters out of Portland, and I am pleased that Oregon’s security will now be maintained. To read more about my efforts click here.


Fighting the Meth Epidemic in Oregon
In September, the U.S. Senate passed the Combat Meth Act, which I championed with Senator Gordon Smith, to fight join state and local efforts in fighting the meth epidemic in Oregon and nationwide. The legislation provides more than $30 million for law-enforcement training, for resources to limit and monitor the sale of products used to make meth, for resources for families affected by the drug and for a treatment education program. To read more about the Federal government’s approach in this important legislation, click here.

Working for the Nation

Advancing Pension Protections for American Workers
In October, the full Senate is considering important pension reform legislation that includes a provision I championed that allows workers from companies who were involved in corporate scandals like Enron, Worldcom and at PGE to put more money into deferred compensation retirement savings tax-free. Doing so would essentially allow them to 'catch up' for the money they lost in retirement savings when their company’s stock went belly-up. Therefore, a PGE employee in Oregon, for example, will get extra money to put into the PGE 401-K plan tax-free than is normally allowed under the law. To read about another measure I championed that related to double-standards for company CEOs that was included in the Finance Committee's bill earlier this summer, click here.

Supporting Nanotechnology Research and Other Key Oregon Projects
This fall, Congress has approved funding for a number of important nanotechnology initiatives throughout Oregon as part of Federal appropriations legislation. In addition to supporting these ground-breaking research efforts, Congress has also expressed support for a number of other important projects to boost Oregon’s natural resource protections and infrastructure improvements. To read more about recent nanotechnology funding approval, click here. To read more about the Oregon projects included in the Defense appropriations legislation, click here. To read about additional Oregon projects receiving funding this year, see the press releases section on my website by clicking here.