Bend awarded $5 million federal grant to fuel affordable housing production
Bend Bulletin The city of Bend has received a $5 million grant intended to kickstart affordable housing supply, the federal government announced Wednesday. Awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the grant set the course for the city to identify and address policies that slow affordable housing
Wyden, Merkley announce $30.1 million in ‘Payments in Lieu of Taxes’ to Oregon counties; $6 million to C. Oregon
KTVZ WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced Thursday that counties throughout Oregon will receive more than $30.1 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2024, including over $6 million for Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT
Wyden, Merkley, colleagues call on Postal Service to prepare for November election
KTVZ WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Senator Ron Wyden said Thursday he is leading Senate colleagues including fellow Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley in calling on Postmaster General DeJoy and the U.S. Postal Service to share their plans to accommodate high volumes of mail expected in the upcoming 2024 general election in Oregon and nationwide.
Merkley, joined by Advocates for Trans Equality, makes Equality Act push
Washington Blade U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) called for passage of the Equality Act during a press conference on Wednesday alongside Advocates for Trans Equality, who were convened on Capitol Hill for the Trans Day of Empowerment lobby day. Instead of freedom and the opportunity to participate fully in society,
Merkley pushes Oregon officials to monitor Crook County wells near mine site
OPB Five people, including one U.S. senator, squeezed into a rural farmhouse bathroom near Prineville, Oregon, on a recent Sunday morning. The group watched intently as the homeowner, Doug Payne, lifted the lid off his toilet tank. Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley stooped under the towel rack to get a closer
US lawmakers pass Tibet policy bill that questions China’s claims over region
South China Morning Post A bipartisan bill seeking to counter Beijing’s narrative about China’s control over Tibet and promote dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama is heading to US President Joe Biden’s desk. The House of Representatives voted 391-26 on Wednesday to approve the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act, which
Bill to Fund Stillbirth Prevention and Research Passes Congress
ProPublica The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation that, for the first time, expressly permits states to spend millions of federal dollars on stillbirth prevention. The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act, which passed the House in mid-May, now goes to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign the
Oregon legislators urge USDA to make more West Coast seafood purchases
Seafood Source A group of U.S. senators and representatives from Oregon are urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase government purchases of seafood originating from the West Coast. The USDA made USD 52 million (EUR 48 million) in seafood purchases from the U.S. West Coast in 2022 at the legislators’ urging but, previous
Merkley visits Prineville-area homes dealing with water contamination as he presses for quicker state testing
KTVZ Senator Jeff Merkley, in Prineville for a town hall Sunday, also visited two of the dozens of homes dealing with manganese contaminating their water, which they say is caused by a nearby gravel mine. Merkley, whose hand was covered by black sludge from the water in one home’s toilet,