Senator Ron Wyden

Background

Senator Ron Wyden, although not a native Oregonian, has served our state since 1986. Born in Wichita, Kansas, Wyden moved to Paolo Alto, California in his youth and grew up there. He was a talented basketball player and attended the University of California: Santa Barbara on a scholarship, although he later transferred to Stanford where he completed his Bachelor of Arts in 1971. Wyden's graduate studies brought him to Oregon where he earned his Juris Doctorate at the University of Oregon School of Law.

Despite being a Democrat, Wyden is committed to bi-partisanship. He was first elected in 1980 to the U.S. House of Representatives when he upset incumbent Bob Duncan in the Democratic primary, then soundly defeated Republican opposition Darrell Conger. After serving in the House for 15 years, Wyden looked to expand his political experience by becoming a senator. That year, Senator Bob Packwood vacated his seat and a special election was held to fill it. Wyden ran and narrowly defeated his qualified opponent Gordon Smith. After completing the partial term, he was elected for a full term in 1998 and has held his seat ever since. Wyden has expressed his disapproval of excessive military force as demonstrated by his repeated votes against when the issue has come up in the Senate. Other subjects he has strong opinions about include open government, health care, civil liberties, and more.

Committees

Committee on the Budget

Committee on Finance

Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure

Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight

Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness (Chairman)

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Chairman)

As Chairman, Senator Wyden is an ex-officio member on all subcommittees.

Select Committee on Intelligence

Special Committee on Aging

Joint Committee On Taxation

Issues

Health Care is an issue that Wyden has been vocal and engaged in for years, especially lately with it's growing prominence and place on Obama's agenda. He was a sponsor of the Healthy Americans Act in 2009. The act would have created a national health care system on a competitive private market platform. He has supported increased funding for Medicaid in the past and has pushed for lower prescription drug prices as well. Wyden endorsed the Bush Administration's Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act. He was considered a possibility by many nomination for the position of Secretary of Health and Human services. Despite the fact that he did not receive the position, he still remains a prominent figure in the arena of health care reform.

Widen has also been a figure in civil liberties. He is pro-choice, maintaining support from organizations such as Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America. He also endorses same sex marriage, demonstrated by his votes against DOMA and the Federal Marriage Act and his vote for the Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Act. Wyden is also a supporter of gun control and has voted in favor of increased background checks and to renew the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.

Questions
On gun control, where is the line between protecting civil rights and protecting the greater population from the 
dangers if putting guns in these hands of the few that pose a treat to society?
Why do you believe that health care should be expanded and reformed? How is the new online system of Obamacare operating under recent criticism?
Do you believe in government transparency to the point of full disclosure or merely having access to the information for those who want to know?