Senators want limits on the government’s use of facial recognition technology for airport screening
Associated Press A bipartisan group of senators is pushing for restrictions on the use of facial recognition technology by the Transportation Security Administration, saying they are concerned about travelers’ privacy and civil liberties. In a letter on Thursday, the group of 14 lawmakers called on Senate leaders to use the upcoming reauthorization of the Federal Aviation
Biden Faces Pressure to Lead on Combating Plastics Pollution
Bloomberg Government The Biden administration has come up short in advocating meaningful steps in international talks toward curbing harmful plastic pollution, a leading Senate Democrat says. The government, led by the State Department in talks with other countries to develop a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution before the end
Wyden, Merkley Announce $345,000 for Klamath Falls Recycled Water Supply
Gorge News Center Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week announced that Klamath Falls will receive $345,000 in federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to help conserve groundwater and increase supply of recycled potable water. “Rural communities in Oregon depend on water for everything from
Help for renters evicted by foreclosure
WASHINGTON — Renters living in foreclosed homes will get more time to find new places to live under a bill that passed the Senate on Wednesday. A provision that lets renters remain in a foreclosed property for the life of their leases, or 90 days for tenants on monthly leases,
Area drew many risky home loans
The Willamette Valley was a hot spot for subprime mortgages four years ago — much to the enduring misery of valley homeowners, according to an investigation published Wednesday. Many of the nation’s top 25 subprime lenders were highly active in Lane County until the market meltdown in late 2007. The
Credit-card legislation will help comsumers
If you’ve been reading the letters to the editor lately, you know that a good many Mid-Valley residents are irate about their credit cards. They’re angry about their interest rates skyrocketing and fees being opposed for seemingly flimsy reasons. The good news is that legislation moving through Congress would provide
Merkley calls for bill to create task force for timber revenue
For his first bill, Sen. Jeff Merkley called in reinforcements. Fulfilling a campaign promise to introduce legislation aimed at solving the perpetual revenue challenges of Oregon’s timber-dependent counties, Merkley proposed creating a task force of 15 members that would take nine months to develop two sustainable revenue proposals. Merkley introduced
Bill aims to fill county budget gaps
WASHINGTON — Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley introduced his first piece of legislation Monday — a measure to create a 15-member task force to study ways to help timber-dependent counties in Oregon. Merkley, who took office in January, had promised during last year’s campaign to address the timber issue in his
Two Merkley bills aimed at lending practices
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced two bills on Tuesday to target deceptive lending practices, a few days before the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on a housing bill. Since taking office in January, Merkley has spent much of his energy on the housing crisis, lobbying in