Wyden speaks in Sisters to friendly audience

"Healthcare is far and away the most important issue. I believe it's a basic human right," Oregon Senator Ron Wyden told the audience at a wide-ranging town hall meeting at Sisters High School last Saturday, July 28.

A group called "Healthcare for All" agreed, holding up a large sign in the back of the auditorium. A spokesperson for the group told Wyden, "Greed is devastating the American people ... have to rein in Big Pharma." They asked Wyden to join Oregon's other senator, Jeff Merkley, in supporting SB 1804 which would provide improved Medicare for all.

Wyden told the assembly that $3.5 trillion would be spent on healthcare this year. That same amount of money would allow every family of four in the U.S. to be sent a check for $40,000. Wyden's conclusion? We are not getting all the healthcare value out of the money being spent.

He warned, "We must stop the country from going backward on healthcare."

Wyden said the Trump administration is trying to unravel protection for people with pre-existing medical conditions, who number 1.5 million in Oregon. He believes that if Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, is confirmed, the Supreme Court will override the Affordable Care Act, making healthcare a benefit for only the healthy and wealthy.

The senator is also a strong advocate for protecting women's healthcare and abortion rights.

"As long as I'm the ranking member on the Finance Committee, they'll have to run over me to get rid of women's healthcare," he said.

Four ways Wyden sees to reduce medical costs are: lower the out-of-pocket costs for prescription medication; get rid of the Medicare rule that keeps the government from bargaining with pharmaceutical firms on prices; get rid of the middlemen between big pharma and the pharmacies; and pass the "Spike Bill" which would require pharmaceutical companies to prove justification for price hikes on their drugs, and not to support marketing.

Wyden would like every American to have the choice to use a Medicare-based system for healthcare, which would not be the same as the current 65-plus Medicare program. He would also like to see more focus on prevention.

Immigration was broadly discussed as two green card holders representing Immigration Voice spoke about the need for a bipartisan fix to the green card situation based on a quota system by country. They both requested Wyden act as a co-sponsor on a current proposed bill so it can work its way to the Appropriations Committee.

They discussed the inordinately long wait time for a green card if an immigrant doesn't have an employer-based one. They said an immigrant with an employer-based green card is basically indentured foreign labor whose intellectual property belongs to the company. They are unable to start a business, which could hire American workers, because the green card doesn't belong to them.

On another immigration issue, Wyden said legislation is underway to speed up the reunification of families separated by the Trump administration's policies at the U.S.-Mexican border. He indicated that to arrive at a workable, fair immigration policy it would take bipartisan compromise.

One out of five jobs in Oregon relies on foreign trade.

"Tariffs have a place in the tool box," Wyden said, "but the new ones are causing a lot of pain for states like Oregon." He believes President Trump's "latest actions regarding our NATO allies have hurt U.S. ability to do business with our allies."

In answer to the question of Russian interference in the U.S. elections, Wyden said he has been advocating for paper ballots for a long time. He also thinks money talks.

"This is a 'follow the money' issue. The way you compromise people is with the money," he remarked.

Wyden told the audience he has been sending regular letters to the National Rifle Association regarding foreign funding and the involvement of Russian Maria Butina. He said the NRA's first response was that they didn't take money from foreigners, followed by various versions of they accepted one donation to multiple, to a final letter saying, "we're not interested in answering any more letters from the Senate."

After the indictment of Butina, Wyden said that Trump adopted a new IRS rule that makes it easier for foreign "dark money" to get into the U.S.

"I'm going to fight this day in and day out," Wyden said.

Wyden told The Nugget he is working on getting emergency funds for the Sherman and Wasco county wheat ranchers impacted by recent fires.

Wyden said he voted to approve Ryan Zinke as the Secretary of the Interior because, during his confirmation hearing, Zinke said he would be a "Teddy Roosevelt Republican," inferring he would protect national parks and monuments from being reduced in size for the benefit of coal, oil, and other mineral extracting companies.

As soon as Zinke was confirmed, Wyden said he "got as far away from Roosevelt's ideals" as he could. Zinke came to a budget committee meeting to discuss huge proposed cutbacks in land and water management. Representing a state in which the Federal government owns a good share of the state, between BLM lands and national forests, Wyden informed Zinke, "My vote to confirm you was one of my worst votes and I'll be fighting your ideas from here on."

On other issues, Wyden said he would hold Education Secretary Betsy DeVos accountable for allegedly lying during her confirmation hearings regarding graduation rate statistics.

He believes the middle class drives the economy and Trump's tax plan only really helps the wealthy. The tax relief offered to the middle class is only temporary, but permanent for the rich. The tax breaks are being used for stock buy-backs to benefit corporate executives rather than increased wages for workers. Wyden is looking forward to upcoming sessions dealing with taxes.

Wyden believes it was a "great mistake for Trump to withdraw from the Paris climate accord." He thinks our current environmental policies are a "monument to yesteryear." There are $10 billion worth of tax breaks for major fossil fuel businesses that Wyden would like thrown out. Instead, Wyden would like to see tax breaks for developing clean energy and clean transportation fuels.

On the subject of gun control, Wyden asserted, "There is no Second Amendment violation to keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn't have them" indicating known terrorists, those with mental illness, and criminals. He believes people in rural areas can be pivotal in this debate.

He told the story about a high school sophomore from Hood River who he brought back to testify in front of the Senate, after hearing her speak at her high school about how she and her fellow students, who have grown up with and used guns, "have had it." She shared, "We know about guns but we are tired of drills to save our lives. We're students. We expect those in charge to do something about this."