Senator Wyden

   Senator Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden was born May 3, 1949 in Kansas, and at the age of 46 became the united States Senator for Oregon representing the Democratic Party.  Both of his parents grew up Jewish and feld Nazi Germany.  Growing up in California, he attended University of California, Santa Barbara, then transferred to Stanford, and in 1974 received his Juris Doctor degree at the University of Oregon. He founded the Oregon chapter of the Gray Panthers, and led it from 1974 to 1980, which supported same-sex marriage, legalization of abortions, and the legalization of marijuana.  
   In March of 2013, he was part of a filibuster, in which he joined forces with Republican Senator Rand Paul to block the election of John. O. Brennan as the director of the CIA, questioning the use of drones.  He stated to President Obama, "Mr. President, what it comes down to is every American has the right to know when their government believes that it is allowed to kill them."  On December 16, 2010, Wyden was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and after a sugary on December 20th, he was back in Congress the following month.  He has five kids with his ex-wife and current wife, who now live in Portland, Oregon.  

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

Background/Discussion on 1-2 issues
(2-3 paragraphs)  It would be great to research some of the bills he's sponsored, or his position on the issues. You can find these pretty easily on his website, under priorities. 

Sex Trafficking: Ron Wyden led a campaign to put domestic sex-trrafficking of children on the national agenda with Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy. The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) was passed as an amendment to the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act in 2013. The VAWA provided 4 block grants worth $1.5 to $2 million to ares of the country with the most sex trafficking taking place.  He is currently working on a fund to help victims become survivors of sex-trafficking and to address it in the child welfare system. 

Veterans:  In 2008, Senator Wyden questioned 2 Pentagon officials and in his follow up with the secretary of defense, 39,000 cases of unprocessed concurrent retirement and disability claims were diacovered and Asa. Result, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service quadrupled the number of staff processing claims in order to reimburse every veteran and accommodate for the tens of thousands of claims they receive. 

Questions for the Senator?
A. In regards to foreign countries paying for college for students, is the u.s., more specifically Oregon, looking into funding college through taxes or reducing the price for people? 

B.  What are your thoughts on marijuana legalization in oregon, and what do you think of Colorado's decisions?

C.  Looking back to 2008, did that incident change your view of the government? And do you wonder if there are more things the government is covering up either on purpose of accident?