Printer
Friendly Version
WYDEN
TO JOIN SENATE FINANCE PANEL
Will focus on health care reform, Oregon
economy,
technology growth as member of key oversight committee
December 6, 2004
Washington, DC – Incoming
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced today that
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) will take a seat on the U.S. Senate
Committee on Finance when the 109th Congress convenes in January
2005. The panel oversees a number of key issues including Federal
health programs, tax policy, Social Security and trade. Wyden
plans three major areas of focus for his service on the Finance
panel: reforming the nation's health care system, continuing to
restore Oregon's economy, and supporting the growth of U.S. leadership
on technology issues.
“From working to forge
a bipartisan path to solve America's health care crisis, to championing
fiscally fair and trade-savvy policy for my home state's economy,
I intend to use this position for the good of Oregon and the nation
as a whole,” said Wyden.
Wyden, the author of the 2003
"Health Care that Works for All Americans" Act, has
long been concerned about the impact of a coming "demographic
tsunami" of baby-boom Americans who will enter the Medicare
program in the coming decade and place unprecedented strain on
the nation's already-compromised health care system. Now, as a
member of the Committee that oversees legislation relating to
all health programs under the Social Security Act and any health
programs financed by a specific tax or trust fund, Wyden will
have a greater opportunity to chart the course of Federal health
care spending and policy.
The Committee's jurisdiction
over tax, trade and other revenue issues will provide similar
opportunities for Wyden to champion Oregon's recovering economy.
He intends to address a number of home-state economic issues,
including ending reimbursement inequities for Oregon in many Federal
programs, opening new trade markets abroad for Oregon products,
and promoting policies to encourage the growth of business while
ensuring fair treatment of workers.
Wyden will also continue to
promote robust and responsible Federal technology policy as a
member of the Finance panel. As the author of the ban on unfair
and discriminatory taxation of the Internet, he will maintain
a major role in the creation of technology tax law; he will also
seek to increase the growth and economic impact of the U.S. technology
sector.
“The tax, health and trade
policies written by the Finance Committee have a direct impact
on every American family, and responsible leadership on these
issues is key,” said Wyden. “I'll work to bring fresh
ideas and my bipartisan approach to finding solutions to our nation's
most pressing challenges.”
The Senate Finance Committee
has five subcommittees: on health care, international trade, long-term
growth and debt reduction, social security and family policy,
and taxation and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) oversight. Wyden's
subcommittee assignments are still to be determined.
In addition to the Senate Committee
on Finance, Wyden will continue to serve on the Senate Budget,
Intelligence, Energy and Aging Committees. He will no longer serve
on the Senate Commerce Committee and Environment & Public
Works Committee, effective January 2005. Committee assignments
must still be approved by the full Democratic Caucus.
# # #