Ronald Lee Wyden

Democrat senior Senator of Oregon

  • Senator

    Oregon

    January 3, 2023 - January 3, 2029

202-224-5244

@RonWyden

wyden.senate.gov

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23

Congresses Served

8

House Terms

6

Senate Terms

January 1, 1949 (75 years old)

Birthday

  • American politician and educator
  • Served as U.S. Representative for Oregon’s 3rd district
  • Currently serving as the senior United States senator from Oregon since 1996
  • Chairs the Senate Finance Committee
  • Born in Wichita, Kansas, to Jewish parents who fled Nazi Germany
  • Grew up in Palo Alto, California, and was a basketball player in high school
  • Attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, on a basketball scholarship before transferring to Stanford University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in political science
  • Earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oregon School of Law
  • Founded the Oregon chapter of the Gray Panthers and was the director of the Oregon Legal Services Center for Elderly
  • Played an influential role in the passage of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996
  • Involved in various legislative acts concerning healthcare, internet freedom, privacy, military, voting rights, and more
  • Known for his efforts in healthcare reform, national security, consumer protection, and government transparency
  • Described as a “Hard-Core Liberal” by On the Issues
  • Has a history of bipartisan cooperation and is praised for his ability to defuse partisan tensions
  • Advocates for gun control, LGBTQIA+ rights, net neutrality, and has opposed the Patriot Act’s reauthorization without reforms
  • Supports legal abortion and has consistently received high ratings from pro-choice groups
  • Opposes assisted suicide but has defended Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act against federal attempts to override it
  • Has been critical of the estate tax and supports lower corporate taxes
  • Involved in efforts to legalize cannabis at the federal level
  • Has taken a stand against online copyright infringement and counterfeits, advocating for internet freedom
  • Married with five children, and has a background in education and law, but has never been a member of the Oregon State Bar