(U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden | Photo courtesy of COCC)
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., will serve as commencement speaker at Central Oregon Community College’s (COCC) graduation ceremony at 10am on Saturday, June 15, at the Bend campus’s Mazama Field. For the 2018-19 academic year—fall through summer—the college will ultimately award some 708 degrees and certificates, including those presented at commencement.
Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, Wyden is the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee and a senior member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He also serves on the Senate Budget and Intelligence committees.
During his time in office, Wyden, known for his non-partisan approach, has authored more than 150 bipartisan bills. He has introduced legislation for infrastructure financing (bonds that came with tax credits) and led congressional efforts to bring down prescription drug costs and ensure a free and open internet.
In Oregon, he has helped designate roughly 400,000 acres with protected wilderness status and championed the designation of nearly 2,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers. He also co-wrote the “Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act” to assist communities impacted by a reduction in timber harvesting on federal lands.
“We are honored and excited to have Senator Wyden speak to our graduates and our community,” said Shirley I. Metcalf, president of COCC. “One of the things that seems to define him is his openness—he holds town hall meetings for every county in Oregon every year, open to anyone—and I think that’s a wonderful message to send to our students — that open doors can help affect positive change.”
