Challenges Faced by Ron Wyden: Obstacles and Turning Points

Life is full of challenges, and Ron Wyden faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Ron Wyden is the senior U.S. Senator from Oregon since 1996 and previously served in the House of Representatives starting in 1981. A Democrat, he is known for his libertarian-leaning views and advocacy for civil liberties, particularly regarding privacy rights and internet freedom. As ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, Wyden has been a vocal critic of government surveillance and a champion for limiting its scope. He is considered a key figure in debates surrounding technology and individual rights in the digital age.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1996: Voted against the Defense of Marriage Act

In 1996, Ron Wyden was one of just 14 senators to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act.

1997: Voted against the Oregon Death with Dignity Act

In 1997, Ron Wyden voted against the Oregon Death with Dignity Act each time it appeared on the ballot by voter referendum.

1999: Threatened Filibuster Over Physician-Assisted Suicide Ban

In late 1999, Ron Wyden threatened a filibuster during Senate debate over banning physician-assisted suicide.

2000: Blocked attempts in Congress to overturn Oregon's assisted-suicide law

In 2000, Ron Wyden blocked attempts in Congress to overturn the Oregon assisted-suicide law by threatening a filibuster.

January 2001: Voted Against Gale Norton's Confirmation

In January 2001, Ron Wyden and Chuck Schumer were the only two senators on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to vote against the confirmation of Gale Norton as United States Secretary of the Interior.

February 2001: Criticized Airlines for Untimely Flight Reports

In February 2001, Ron Wyden criticized airlines for providing "untimely, incomplete, or unreliable reports" on flight delays and cancellations, following a U.S. Department of Transportation's Inspector General's Office report.

May 2001: Addressed Airline Flight Delays

In May 2001, Ron Wyden released a letter detailing airlines' deliberate delays of evening flights. He warned airlines against fighting modest steps like informing the public of perpetually late flights.

2001: Urged President George W. Bush not to alter Oregon's Death with Dignity Act

In 2001, Ron Wyden wrote to President George W. Bush urging him not to alter the Oregon Death with Dignity Act through federal executive action.

January 2002: Charged Enron with investor deception

In January 2002, Ron Wyden accused Enron of deceiving investors and the public through various legal, regulatory, and accounting maneuvers and called for a congressional investigation.

March 2002: Addressed Senate's Impasse on Election Legislation

In March 2002, amid the Senate's inability to reach an agreement on legislation intended to overhaul American election procedures, Ron Wyden insisted the bill was still viable and should not disrupt Oregon's and Washington's vote-by-mail systems.

2002: Vote Against Iraq War Authorization

In 2002, Ron Wyden was one of 23 senators who voted against the authorization of military force in Iraq.

2003: Vote to Bar Excessive Overseas Deployments

In 2003, Ron Wyden voted to bar excessive overseas deployments of members of the National Guard and Reserves.

August 2004: Addressed Democratic Opposition to Porter Goss Nomination

In August 2004, amid Democratic opposition to the nomination of Porter Goss for Director of Central Intelligence, Ron Wyden cautioned against being perceived as obstructionist.

December 2004: Refused to Sign Intelligence Authorization Bill

In December 2004, Ron Wyden was one of four Democratic senators to refuse to sign "conference sheets" for the 2005 intelligence authorization bill, objecting to a classified item in the bill.

2005: Filed amicus brief in support of Oregon's Death with Dignity Act

In 2005, Ron Wyden and other Democratic members of Oregon's congressional delegation filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case of Gonzales v. Oregon in support of the State of Oregon, and praised the eventual decision to uphold the law.

2005: Voted Against Class Action Fairness Act and Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act

In 2005, Ron Wyden voted against the Class Action Fairness Act and the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, measures aimed at restricting class action suits and making bankruptcy filing more difficult.

2005: Intelligence Authorization Bill

In December 2004, Wyden refused to sign "conference sheets" for the 2005 intelligence authorization bill, objecting to a classified item in the bill.

2006: Informed Senate leadership that he would block legislation overturning the Death with Dignity Act

In 2006, Ron Wyden informed Senate leadership that he would block legislation overturning the Death with Dignity Act.

2006: Voted against reauthorizing the Patriot Act

In 2006, Ron Wyden was one of 10 senators to vote against reauthorizing the Patriot Act.

2006: Vote to Require Redeployment from Iraq

In 2006, Ron Wyden was one of 13 senators to vote to require the redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq by July 2007, and one of 39 senators to vote to call on President George W. Bush to begin withdrawing forces from Iraq and establish a timeline for withdrawal.

May 2007: Opposed Lyle Laverty's Appointment

In May 2007, Ron Wyden opposed the appointment of Lyle Laverty as assistant interior secretary for fish, wildlife and parks on ethical grounds.

2007: Sponsored the Stop Arming Iran Act

In 2007 Ron Wyden and Representative Gabby Giffords sponsored the Stop Arming Iran Act, which would have barred the Defense Department from selling surplus F-14 parts and prohibited buyers who had already acquired surplus Tomcat parts from exporting them in order to prevent Iran from acquiring the parts.

2008: Voted Against Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

During the 2007-2008 financial crisis, Ron Wyden voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which was backed by the George W. Bush administration.

January 2009: Criticized President-elect Barack Obama's Stimulus Plan

In early January 2009, Ron Wyden criticized President-elect Barack Obama's stimulus plan, advocating for a greater emphasis on tangible infrastructure investments and differentiating it from the Bush bailouts he opposed.

July 2009: Obama Praised Wyden but Rejected Health Plan

In July 2009, President Barack Obama praised Ron Wyden as a "real thought leader" on health care reform but did not support Wyden's health care plan because parts of it were too radical for the United States.

2009: Opposition to Afghanistan Troop Surge

In 2009, Ron Wyden opposed President Barack Obama's plan for a "troop surge" in Afghanistan.

2009: Said he would continue to block attempts to overturn the Death with Dignity Act

In 2009, Ron Wyden said that he would continue to "fight tooth and nail" to block new federal attempts to block the Death with Dignity Act.

November 19, 2010: Announced Hold on Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA)

On November 19, 2010, Ron Wyden announced he would place a hold on the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) to prevent its enactment that year. The bill would have allowed the Attorney General to order internet providers to block access to websites deemed to infringe copyright.

2010: Oregon Residency Questioned During Senate Campaign

During Ron Wyden's 2010 Senate campaign, opponents questioned how much time he spent in Oregon given his wife's New York residency.

2010: Stood Against SOPA and PROTECT IP Act

In 2010, Ron Wyden was the first politician in Congress to stand against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), arguing they would give disproportionate power to those with money and influence online. He delayed PIPA by placing a hold on the legislation in 2010.

2010: Fought Against PROTECT IP Act

Throughout much of 2010, Ron Wyden fought against the PROTECT IP Act, preventing the Senate version of the legislation from moving through on a unanimous vote.

2011: Criticized rush to reauthorize the Patriot Act

In 2011, with the expiration of the Patriot Act approaching, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley sharply criticized the rush to pass the bill, expressing concern about the "business-records provision" of the Patriot Act.

2012: Referenced Keith B. Alexander's DEF CON speech

In March 12, 2013, Ron Wyden quoted NSA director Keith B. Alexander's keynote speech at the 2012 DEF CON during a United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing.

January 2013: Expressed concerns about secret interpretations of laws regarding targeted killings

In an interview for the January 2013 documentary Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield, Ron Wyden expressed concerns about legal reviews and the scope of potential assassinations of American citizens by their government, stating that the public would be surprised by the difference between the perceived meaning of laws and their secret interpretations.

March 6, 2013: Joined Filibuster on Drone Use

On March 6, 2013, Ron Wyden joined Republican Senator Rand Paul's filibuster to block voting on John O. Brennan's nomination as CIA Director, questioning the use of drones and the right to kill American citizens.

March 12, 2013: Questioned James Clapper about NSA data collection

On March 12, 2013, during a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing, Ron Wyden questioned James Clapper about whether the NSA collects data on millions of Americans; Clapper denied that the NSA "wittingly" did so.

2013: Concerns stemmed from top-secret information

In 2013, Ron Wyden's concerns stemmed from top-secret information he had learned as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, but he was bound by secrecy rules.

October 2015: Unveiled new gun control campaign after Umpqua Community College shooting

In October 2015, Ron Wyden was one of the Senate Democrats to unveil a new gun control campaign in the aftermath of the Umpqua Community College shooting, focusing on increasing background check requirements, closing loopholes on background checks, and closing the pipeline of illegal guns.

January 2016: Called for hearing on funding for gun violence research at the CDC

In January 2016, Ron Wyden was one of 18 senators to call on the appropriations committee leadership to hold a hearing on funding for gun violence research at the CDC.

August 2016: Pushed for Trump's Tax Return Disclosure

In August 2016, Ron Wyden and Chris Murphy announced they would press for consideration of Wyden's bill requiring major-party presidential nominees to disclose at least three years of tax returns, in response to Donald Trump's refusal to do so.

2016: Offered Amendment to End Funding for TV Martí

In 2016, Ron Wyden, along with Senator Byron Dorgan, proposed an unsuccessful amendment to end funding for TV Martí, an anti-Castro broadcasting project of the U.S. government aimed at Cuba, arguing it was a waste of taxpayer money.

July 2017: Voted for the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act

In July 2017, Ron Wyden voted for the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act that placed sanctions on Iran, Russia and North Korea.

September 2017: Signed letter charging FCC with failing to provide opportunity to comment on net neutrality changes

In September 2017, Ron Wyden was one of nine senators to sign a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai that charged the FCC with failing "to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to comment on the tens of thousands of filed complaints that directly shed light on proposed changes to existing net neutrality protections."

March 2018: Signed letter lambasting proposal to curb Lifeline program benefits

In March 2018, Ron Wyden was one of 10 senators to sign a letter spearheaded by Jeff Merkley lambasting a proposal by Ajit Pai that would curb the scope of benefits from the Lifeline program, advocating for insuring "Lifeline reaches more Americans in need of access to communication services."

March 2018: Expressed intent to pass bans on bump stocks and assault rifles

In March 2018, at a town hall, Ron Wyden answered "Yes" when asked if he intended to pass bans on bump stocks and assault rifles.

May 2018: Requested Access to CIA Videotape Report

In May 2018, Ron Wyden was one of six Democratic senators to sign a letter requesting that all members of the Senate be authorized to read a report from the Department of Justice about the CIA's destruction of videotapes.

August 1, 2018: Wyden Announces Hold on Muzinich Nomination

On August 1, 2018, Ron Wyden announced his intent to put a formal hold on Treasury deputy secretary nominee Justin Muzinich after his confirmation by the Senate Finance Committee. He also supported IRS general counsel nominee Michael Desmond and criticized Treasury consideration of indexing capital gains taxes to inflation.

August 2018: Cosponsored resolution urging Trump to respect the press

In August 2018, Ron Wyden cosponsored a resolution urging President Trump to respect the press, after the White House barred CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins from covering an open press event following her repeated questions to Trump about his relationship with his former attorney Michael Cohen.

September 2018: Signed letter urging use of multi-factor authentication for State Department systems

In September 2018, Ron Wyden was one of five senators to sign a letter to United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to employ more multifactor authentication measures in order to secure the State Department's information systems.

October 2018: Signed letter urging reversal of policy on visas for same-sex partners of LGBTQIA+ diplomats

In October 2018, Ron Wyden was one of 20 senators to sign a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to reverse the rollback of a policy that granted visas to same-sex partners of LGBTQIA+ diplomats.

January 2019: Reintroduced Presidential Tax Transparency Act

In January 2019, Ron Wyden reintroduced the Presidential Tax Transparency Act. He stated that it was necessary due to then-President Trump's refusal to release his tax returns, breaking a 40-year tradition.

January 2019: Questioned Treasury Secretary and IRS Commissioner About Taxpayer ID Theft

In January 2019, during the federal government shutdown, Ron Wyden sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles P. Rettig, raising concerns about the increased risk of taxpayer ID theft if the IRS tried to maintain normal operations during the shutdown.

February 2019: Signed letter calling for hearing on universal background checks

In February 2019, Ron Wyden was one of 38 senators to sign a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham calling on him to "hold a hearing" on universal background checks.

December 2020: Renewed calls for mandatory security reviews for software used by federal agencies

In December 2020, in light of the 2020 United States federal government data breach, Ron Wyden renewed calls for the introduction of mandatory security reviews for software used by federal agencies.

July 9, 2024: Letter to Attorney General requesting Special Counsel to investigate Justice Thomas

On July 9, 2024, it was reported that Ron Wyden and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse sent an official letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland the previous week requesting that he appoint a special counsel to investigate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for tax and ethics violations.

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