WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has released the following public communication dated Jan. 30, 2025, from the Center for Biological Diversity, Farm Sanctuary Inc., Humane Society of the U.S. and Humane Society Legislative Fund: * * * To: U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Dr. Lydia Carpenter, Veterinary Medical Officer, Aquaculture, Swine, Equine, and Poultry Health Center, VS 920 Ma more ST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Feb. 10, 2025: * * * Dexter Joins Congressional Equality Caucus Today, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) released the following statement announcing she is joining the Congressional Equality Caucus for the 119th Congress: "I'm proud to join the Congressional Equality Caucus and send a clear message to LGBTQI+ Oregonians: you are seen, you are valued, and I will fight every day to defend your ri more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Dexter: "Portland won't be bullied into betraying our values" Today, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) released the following statement on Portland joining a coalition of other sanctuary cities suing the Trump administration for his unlawful effort to deny our communities federal funding. "Portland won't be bullied into betraying our values. Trump's effort to starve sanctuary cities of fundi more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Troy Downing, R-Montana, issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2025: * * * Downing Introduces Bill to Expand Access to Capital for Rural Small Businesses Today, Congressman Troy Downing (MT-02) introduced the Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act. This legislation would require the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation to report on capital access issues faced by rural small bu more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Heinrich, Murray, Merkley, Klobuchar Demand Answers from USDA on Wildfire Mitigation Projects, Firefighting Hiring Halted by Trump's Funding Freeze WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking  more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2025: * * * High-Ranking Affiliate of Sinaloa Cartel Charged with Drug Conspiracy in Chicago A grand jury in Chicago returned an indictment yesterday charging a high-ranking affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel for allegedly manufacturing and distributing fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs and importing them into the United States. "As alleged, the defendant conspired to traffic dangerous d more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs released the following testimony by Whitney Gravelle, president of Bay Mills Indian Community, from a Feb. 5, 2025, hearing on legislation to authorize the Bay Mills Indian Community of Michigan to convey land and interests: * * * Aanii, and good morning Chairman Hurd, Ranking Member Leger Fernandez, and Honorable Members of the House Natural Resources Committee's Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommitt more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division has released the following public communication dated Jan. 16, 2025, from the Pennsylvania Employment First Oversight Commission: * * * RE: Strong Support for Proposed Rulemaking to End Subminimum Wage under Section 14(c) of the FLSA * * * Dear Acting Secretary Su and to Whom It May Concern, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed rulemaking to end subminimum wage under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labo more ST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Merkley, Wyden Raise the Alarm Over Oregon Community Health Centers' Delays in Accessing Federal Funding Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined an effort led by Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner to press the Trump Administration about reports that community health centers are experiencing significant delays in accessing funding. There are 34 Federally Q more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Merkley, Wyden Raise the Alarm Over Oregon Community Health Centers' Delays in Accessing Federal Funding Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined an effort led by Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner to press the Trump Administration about reports that community health centers are experiencing significant delays in accessing funding. There are 34 Federally Qual more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, issued the following news release: * * * Murray, Merkley, Heinrich Lead Western Senators in Letter to Interior Secretary, Acting Agriculture Secretary: Trump's Illegal Funding Cuts Threaten Wildfire Mitigation Efforts Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Dep more PR

SALEM, Oregon, Feb. 12 -- The Oregon Department of Justice issued the following news release: * * * Oregon DOJ Reports Online Child "Sextortion" & Solicitation Investigations Spiked More Than 857% in the Past Four Years Internet Crimes against Children Task Force shares resources on Safer Internet Day There's an alarming trend in Oregon and in every state in the country: children are being extorted on social media, with sometimes tragic outcomes. Investigators in the ICAC task force within t more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Padilla, Schiff, Western Senators Raise Alarm on Trump's Illegal Funding Cuts Targeting Wildfire Mitigation Efforts WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and 10 other Western Democratic Senators to sound the alarm over threats to the removal of hazardous fuels on U.S. public land more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * Ranking Members Merkley, Pingree: Health Care in Tribal Communities in Danger Under Trump's Hiring Freeze Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01), the top Democrats on the subcommittees that oversee funding for the Indian Health Service (IHS), demanded urgent action from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to stop dangerous cuts to the IHS work more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, posted the following statement in the extensions of remarks section of the Congressional Record on Feb. 7, 2025: * * * Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Joseph (Joe) Garbarino who passed away at the age of 91 on December 19, 2024. Mr. Garbarino was an iconic public figure, one of the Nation's foremost leaders in recycling, and a beloved family member. Born in 1933 to Italian immigrants, Mr. Garbarino grew up in San Francisco where his  more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Salinas Statement on Bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act Washington, DC - On February 6, 2025, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) issued the following statement after voting yes on the bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act: "I was proud to vote yes on the HALT Fentanyl Act last Congress, and I'm proud to vote for it again today. This bipartisan legislation would permanently increase penalties for criminals who  more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following opening statement from a Feb. 6, 2025, confirmation hearing for Jamieson Greer to be U.S. Trade Representative: * * * Donald Trump has spent the past year lying nonstop about trade policy. He shouted that tariffs were something other countries pay, when the truth is that tariffs are a tax on American families. That's why I've been so committed to fighting Trump's across-the-b more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement from a Feb. 4, 2025, executive session on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be secretary of Health and Human Services: * * * This morning the Finance Committee will vote on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to serve as our nation's chief health care officer. Before we get to Mr. Kennedy and why I believe he's unfit to serve as HHS Secretary, I'd like to s more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Trump Illegally Pulling EV Infrastructure Money Means More Pollution, Higher Fuel Costs--Merkley, EPW Colleagues Demand Answers, Funding Reinstatement By banning the Department of Transportation from releasing previously approved National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure funds, Trump is again violating the Constitution while putting his Big Oil donors' interests above those of the American people Was more PR

SEATTLE, Washington, Feb. 12 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2025: * * * Defendant picked up and transported non-citizens who illegally crossed the border with Canada via railcars * * * A transporter for a northern border human smuggling conspiracy was sentenced late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 15 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jesus Ortiz-Plata, 46, of Indep more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Protect Beaches in Oregon and Nationwide Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today introduced bipartisan legislation that would preserve coastal beaches in Oregon and nationwide by providing funding for state, local, and tribal governments to test, monitor, and identify recreational waters that are contaminated. "The Oregon Coast offers unmatched opportunities  more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden Senate Floor Remarks on Director of National Intelligence Nominee Tulsi Gabbard As prepared for delivery Watch a video of Wyden deliver his remarks here Today, I will be speaking about the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence and my reasons for opposing her confirmation. First, I believe the Senate must consider with this nomination the examples of blatant lawle more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on Feb. 11, 2025: * * * Wyden Statement Opposing Jamieson Greer's Nomination for U.S. Trade Representative As Prepared for Delivery Since this committee last met to consider this nomination, the Trump trade agenda has continued to be a swampy mess. Trump is incredible at getting headlines about trade, but his administration is weaker than Kansas City's offensive lin more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden, Merkley Join 32 Senators on Bipartisan Legislation to Make High-Quality Job Training More Accessible Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined their Senate colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation that would make high-quality job training more accessible. "The last thing hardworking students should have to worry about is not being able to afford a pathway  more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Exempt Seasonal Firefighters from Federal Hiring Freeze Washington D.C. -- U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined their Senate colleagues to urge the Trump Administration to exempt seasonal firefighters from the federal hiring freeze that's reportedly preventing the hiring and onboarding of seasonal firefighters, a workforce that alre more PR