DC Report: Our Congressional Delegation this Week

With Oregon’s House and Senate convening this week, it’s been tough to keep up with our congressional delegation in DC, but really, we should. Below, you’ll find some of the juicier highlights from the last week for Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and sort of a remix look ahead for what our Congresswoman Val Hoyle will be working on. Let’s get to it.

We’ll start with Wyden…

More C-SPAN options for gov-nerds: Wyden joined a bipartisan letter urging FuboTV, Hulu, and YouTube to carry C-SPAN on their pay TV live streaming services. We at The Advocate would suggest he also talk with Netflix and Prime – but moving right along.

The letter to the streaming service companies notes that C-SPAN has been a part of packages sold by cable and satellite providers for more than 40 years yet major live TV streaming services have unfortunately failed to carry C-SPAN as they’ve entered the market.

“We write to urge you to make the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN) channels part of your streaming live television offerings. As greater numbers of Americans ‘cut the cord’ and migrate from cable to streaming services, it is vital that C-SPAN’s non-partisan coverage of Congress and the White House continue to be accessible,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter.

“As you may know, C-SPAN has provided Americans with unfiltered and non-partisan insight into the functions of government for over 45 years. Cable television revolutionized Americans’ access to information and entertainment,” they continued. “The cable companies then recognized the importance of offering their subscribers access to critical information about their government and created C-SPAN. Over the years, new entrants to the television market like fiber and new satellite providers have agreed to carry and fund C-SPAN. So too should live TV streaming services.”

Founded in the 1970s, C-SPAN is organized as a non-profit. Through the years, it has delivered gavel-to-gavel coverage of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. No government or taxpayer dollars support the network, which is primarily funded by the nation’s cable and satellite companies.

The letter text is here.

Voted nope on interior and energy nominees: Wyden voted nope when it came to advancing the nominations of Doug Burgum to be Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Chris Wright to be Secretary of the Department of Energy, and he issued the following statement when he did it:

“After years and years of Republicans standing in the way, Congress finally passed my technology neutral clean energy tax credits as a centerpiece of the Inflation Reduction Act. The clean energy tax credits are the biggest investment in American competitiveness and clean energy in history.

“Donald Trump’s determination to roll back this law is unilaterally disarming America while we are embroiled in an energy arms race with China. Clean energy investments will not stop. They will go to China, and our energy security will be undermined. Repealing the Inflation Reduction Act is, at best, a sign of Donald Trump’s incompetence and recklessness and, at worst, a sign of his willingness to line the pockets of his uber-wealthy fossil fuel friends at the expense of every American’s energy bill. And the Americans who will suffer the most are in rural areas where the bulk of our booming clean energy investments are going today to create jobs and infrastructure that Trump will blithely dismantle.

“Trump may say over and over again that he wants to beat China. I can say with absolute certainty that gutting clean energy tax credits is not the way to do that. I cannot support these nominees who will carry out Trump’s policies that throw out America’s greatest advantages.”

Then there was the CIA nominee and a murdered Washington Post reporter: Wyden also voted no thanks concerning John Ratcliffe for Director of the CIA, saying on the Senate floor:

“I often vote for nominees who have different policy views than I do, but my concerns with Mr. Ratcliffe are much deeper than that. In 2020, I opposed his confirmation to be Director of National Intelligence because of his partisanship and willingness to say whatever might please Donald Trump.  Unfortunately, John Ratcliffe’s actions as DNI only confirmed my concerns.

But I want to focus today on John Ratcliffe’s commitment to the law and his truthfulness with Congress.  I’ll give just a couple examples that illustrate my concerns.

In 2019, Congress passed a law requiring the Director of National Intelligence to submit an unclassified report on who was responsible for the brutal murder of Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi.  In 2020, after John Ratcliffe was nominated to be DNI, I asked him at his confirmation hearing whether he intended to follow that law.  He responded that he needed to take a look at the underlying intelligence to see what could be released, which is not the same thing as saying he would do what the law required.

After Director Ratcliffe was confirmed as DNI he decided that nothing more could be declassified about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.  The effect of that decision was to cover up the fact that Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved the operation to capture or kill Khashoggi.

The public only has the facts today because, after the 2020 election, DNI Avril Haines abided by the law and released the report.  But while John Ratcliffe was DNI, Saudi leadership was protected from public accountability.

While he was DNI, Director Ratcliffe wrote to multiple members of Congress saying that he had completed his review of the intelligence and then determined that nothing more could be released.  And, despite the fact that the U.S. Congress had passed a law, Director Ratcliffe insisted that there was only “marginal” public interest in declassification.  He wrote all this in three letters – to me, to Acting Chairman Rubio and Vice Chairman Warner, and to the Chair of the House Intelligence Committee.

All of this raises questions about John Ratcliffe’s commitment to the law.  I also have concerns about his truthfulness with Congress.

As part of this nomination process, I submitted a written question asking him why he didn’t abide by that law.  He responded that a review had been necessary to determine what could be declassified and that – quote – “this review was not completed until after I left office.”

Mr. President, that’s just not true.  He wrote three letters to Congress saying the review had been completed.  This fact was even included in the ODNI’s representations to a court in a FOIA case.

Mr. President, if John Ratcliffe is willing to make representations to Congress that are contradicted by what is in the public record, imagine how easy it would be for him to misrepresent classified matters, behind a veil of secrecy.

Besides refusing to abide by a law passed by Congress and this recent misrepresentation, there are other aspects of John Ratcliffe’s record as DNI that are troubling.  He said during his confirmation hearing that he would tell truth to power, but his record suggests the opposite.  For example, at the end of September 2020, he released intelligence about Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, even though the Intelligence Community didn’t know if it was accurate or the extent to which it was exaggerated or fabricated by Russian intelligence.  Needless to say, this was a major break from standard practice, and it’s hard to escape the conclusion that it was done for partisan political purposes, particularly given the timing.  So I asked Mr. Ratcliffe whether he’d ever taken any actions that were actually in conflict with the positions of the President.  His response had nothing specific.”

Moving to Merkley…

He’s a yes on Rubio: On Monday, Merkley—a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—announced his support for Florida’s U.S. Senator Marco Rubio to be U.S. Secretary of State:

“During our time in the Senate, Senator Rubio and I have partnered on a range of legislation to shine a light on the Chinese government’s ongoing human rights abuses against Uyghurs, Tibetans, and others facing persecution by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Together, Senator Rubio and I passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act—sending a powerful, bipartisan message that the United States will take concrete, meaningful action against China’s horrific genocide and slave labor—and spearheaded other pieces of legislation to bolster U.S. support for Taiwan, tackle transnational repression, and hold China accountable for undermining human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong.

“There are many areas that Senator Rubio and I are in agreement on, including the importance of the United States standing with our allies and remaining a strong voice for democracy and human rights globally. However, the United States faces enormous challenges over the next four years to make our country safer, stronger, and more prosperous for all.

“We do have disagreements on how to solve challenges of our time, most notably climate chaos. We can make important progress by immediately stopping U.S. LNG exports to China, which only raises prices on American households and industries. The United States should not bolster the PRC’s economy while Beijing continues to harass American citizens in the United States and advance unfair trade practices, including cracking down on U.S. companies operating in China and stealing American intellectual property.

“We also differ on the best path to peace and prosperity in the Middle East. I will continue to advocate for a regional alliance that secures Israel’s safety combined with a concrete path to a Palestinian State.

“It remains incumbent on Senator Rubio and the incoming administration to continue strong U.S. support for Taiwan’s defense capabilities to counter China’s belligerence against Taipei, work with Ukraine to secure a just resolution to Putin’s illegal war and strengthen badly needed humanitarian support to Gaza.

“As America’s voice on the global stage, a Secretary of State must lead with a steady vision for foreign policy and serve the American people. Senator Rubio has the expertise to execute that vision, and I look forward to supporting his nomination.”

Merkley and Wyden, together…

Wildlife and sportfishing restoration: Merkley and Wyden announced a total of $30,917,798 in federal funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is coming to Oregon to support Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) projects around the state. Funding is intended to support projects that connect people with nature and conserve fish, wildlife, and their habitats.

“Our state’s lands and waters are integral to the futures of countless fish and wildlife, as well as many Oregonians’ quality of life and livelihoods,” said Merkley. “These federal funds will be used to manage and protect Oregon’s wildlife areas around the state, and to help Oregonians access and enjoy the great outdoors through our outstanding recreation opportunities.”

“Fish and wildlife are part of what makes Oregon the best state in America for recreation,” said Wyden. “That doesn’t happen by osmosis – it happens thanks to significant federal investments like these that support our state’s natural advantages and the benefits they create for our economy and environment.”

The Wildlife Restoration Program—authorized by the Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson) Act of 1950—provides funds to fish and wildlife agencies for projects to restore, conserve, manage, and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat. The Sport Fish Restoration Program—authorized by the Sport Fish Restoration (Dingell-Johnson) Act of 1950—provides funds to fish and wildlife agencies for fishery projects, boating access, and aquatic education. Both programs were reauthorized through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Merkley and Wyden supported.

Oregon’s allocations is:

  1. $21,783,103 for Wildlife Restoration. The program supports the operation and maintenance of 18 wildlife areas and 7 regional habitat programs which are designed to provide technical assistance and enhance wildlife habitats on public and private lands.
  2. $9,134,695 for Sport Fish Restoration (SFR). The funding supports important fisheries, monitoring, access, and education programs throughout Oregon. SFR funds are also used to keep a finger on the pulse of several of our iconic salmon/steelhead populations, including those in the Rogue, the Oregon Coast, Deschutes, Willamette, and Umpqua.

“These Federal investments, matched with revenue from hunting and fishing licenses, are the foundation of ODFW’s capacity to care for Oregon’s diverse fish and wildlife. Opportunities for win-win solutions that benefit working lands, wildlife, and communities are numerous—and we are grateful for the long-term support of hunters and anglers who have committed millions of dollars to this program for multiple generations. Federal investments like these help us make a real difference for fish and wildlife conservation,” said Debbie Colbert, Director, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Affordable Care Act tax credits: With the House and Senate in Republican hands, we’ll see what happens, but… Wyden and Merkley announced they’d joined House and Senate Democrats in an effort to keep tax credits that lower health care premium costs by reintroducing the Health Care Affordability Act. The bicameral legislation makes permanent the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits (PTCs) for Marketplace coverage as extended through the Inflation Reduction Act. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), if the PTCs are allowed to expire at the end of this year, health care premiums would increase by 7.9 percent and 3.8 million Americans would lose their health insurance altogether.

“The Affordable Care Act is life-saving for people in Oregon and across the United States, ensuring hardworking families have access to quality, affordable health care,” said Merkley. “Thanks to the landmark American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act, Democrats significantly lowered costs and increased access to health insurance for millions of Americans by extending eligibility for tax credits that make premiums more affordable. We must act now to ensure these provisions are made permanent to keep Oregonians reliably insured and keep health care costs from skyrocketing.”

“Health care is a human right, and making sure that right isn’t restricted to the wealthy requires every effort to keep premiums affordable regardless of income level for Oregonians and all Americans,” said Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee. “That’s exactly what these tax credits have accomplished for working-class and middle-class families, and why I’m all in to make these credits permanent. When something is working, you don’t just let it slip away – you fight to keep it in place and continue to help people afford health care.”

The Health Care Affordability Act would make permanent the ACA PTCs for Health Insurance Marketplace coverage as passed in the American Rescue Plan Act and extended through the Inflation Reduction Act. Those enhanced tax credits increase the value of the tax credits available to people with income between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) while expanding eligibility for premium tax credits to include individuals with income above 400 percent of FPL. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, in 2024, more than 111,000 Oregonians enrolled in the marketplace benefitted from the advanced premium tax credits with an average tax credit of $525 per month.

The list of health and healthcare organizations endorsing the bill is long, very-very long. To long to post here.

And finally, Congresswoman Val Hoyle, representing Corvallis and Eugene…

In case you missed it yesterday, we reported that U.S. Representative Val Hoyle received her subcommittee assignments for the 119th Congress, and we’ll repeat all that right here, so you don’t have to go looking for it.

In the House Committee on Natural Resources, Representative Hoyle was elected to serve as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries, in addition to an appointment to serve on the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs.

In the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Representative Hoyle will serve on the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit and the Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment.

The House Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries is responsible for overseeing the agencies that manage much of America’s water resources, as well as hydropower development and federal transmission lines. The Subcommittee has full jurisdiction over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Subcommittee is also charged with developing and overseeing the implementation of laws managing domestic and international fisheries and other ocean and Great Lakes resources.

The House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs oversees the relations between the federal government and Native Americans and U.S. Territories.

The House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is responsible for the development of national surface transportation policy, construction and improvement of highway and transit facilities, implementation of highway and transit safety programs and research activities, and regulation of commercial motor vehicle operations.

The House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment is responsible for matters relating to water resources development, conservation and management, water pollution control and water infrastructure, and hazardous waste cleanup.

Hoyle is starting her second term.

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