Jeff believes access to quality, affordable health care is not a privilege, but a human right. Jeff’s perspective on health care has been influenced by his wife, Mary, a registered nurse, who sees the world through the eyes of her patients: the people who should be at the heart of our health care system.
Throughout his career, Jeff has fought to expand access to quality, affordable health care coverage. As Speaker of the Oregon House, Jeff lowered prescription drug prices by expanding the state’s bulk purchasing program and fought to expand and improve children’s health care coverage. Jeff continues working to improve health care quality and coverage for all Oregonians in the U.S. Senate.
DURBIN, PALLONE, MERKLEY LEAD AMICUS BRIEF URGING SUPREME COURT TO SUPPORT FDA’S PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY AND ACTIONS TO REGULATE E-CIGARETTES
During its upcoming term, the Supreme Court will hear FDA’s appeal of a Fifth Circuit decision that struck down the agency’s denials of applications from an e-cigarette manufacturer WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-06), Ranking Member
164 Members of Congress File Brief to Defend Trans Rights at SCOTUS
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Senator Ed Markey (MA), and Senator Jeff Merkley (OR) filed an amicus brief to defend transgender Americans’ right to access
Merkley, Wyden Join Effort to Restore the Chevron Doctrine Following MAGA Supreme Court Ruling
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined the recently introduced Stop Corporate Capture Act after the Supreme Court—stacked with Trump-appointed justices—overturned the 40-year-old Chevron doctrine. The bill codifies Chevron deference and strengthens the rulemaking process to block corporations from hijacking our government. “This MAGA Supreme
Merkley, Senators Urge VA to Expand Access to Medical Cannabis for America’s Veterans
Senators’ letter follows DEA’s recommended rescheduling of cannabis from earlier this year Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today led his colleagues—including Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV)—in
Merkley’s Bipartisan Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act Signed into Law
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced today that his bipartisan legislation with Louisiana’s Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. to address America’s stillbirth crisis has been signed into law. The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act amends federal law to clarify that stillbirth prevention activities are an allowable
Wyden and Merkley Support HHS Proposal to Make Data Collection on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity More Inclusive in Electronic Health Records
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., today highlighted their support for a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposal to update national standards in electronic health record systems to include preferred names and pronouns, and to record a patient’s sex parameter for clinical
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