Interior Cuts in Trump Administration’s “Skinny” Budget to Leave Lasting Scars on Public Lands, Tribal Nations, and Human Health
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Subcommittee on the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the below statement following the release of President Trump’s ‘skinny’ budget for Fiscal Year 2026. “This budget is exactly what we expected from this administration: abandoning critical programs, slashing essential government services,
Merkley Announces Central Oregon Town Halls
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced today he will hold three town halls for Oregonians in Jefferson, Crook, and Deschutes counties on Saturday, May 10. Merkley will be joined by U.S. Representative Janelle Bynum for the Deschutes County town hall in Sisters. The three rescheduled events in Central
Sens. Wicker, Merkley Introduce Bipartisan Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Co-Chairs of the Senate Nursing Caucus, introduced the Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act. This legislation would ensure that nurses in the federal Nurse Corps do not need to pay income tax on their student loan repayments and scholarships. “Nurses are essential to
Merkley, Wyden: Trump Devastates Oregon’s Rural Communities with Federal Funding Cuts and Mass Firings
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley, the former top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee overseeing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Ron Wyden demanded recently confirmed U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins immediately reverse disastrous actions at the USDA that have harmed Oregon farmers and families. Their
Salinas, Merkley Re-Introduce Bill to Restore Hunting and Fishing Rights for Grand Ronde Tribe
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced legislation to restore traditional hunting and fishing rights for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The House version of the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05). The Senate
Ranking Members Pingree, Merkley Condemn Indian Affairs Hiring Freeze, Firings as Violation of Tribal Sovereignty
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the top Democrats on the subcommittees that oversee funding for the Department of the Interior (DOI), demanded the Trump Administration immediately reinstate terminated Indian Affairs employees, lift the hiring freeze, and officially rescind the deferred resignation and early retirement offers. As
Following Dangerous Cuts to Transportation Workforce, Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Demand Secretary Duffy Prioritize Safety
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden along with Massachusetts’ U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey pushed U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to stop the mass layoffs and firing of essential transportation safety employees. The lawmakers demand the Department of Transportation (DOT) release information regarding the department’s
Sens. Markey, Merkley and Reps. Beyer, Garamendi Urge Secretary Rubio to Replace Nuclear Arms Treaty with Russia
Letter Text (PDF) Washington (February 19, 2025) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) with Congressmen Don Beyer (VA-08) and John Garamendi (CA-08), co-chairs of the bicameral Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, today wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to replace the 2010
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Urge Trump to Reject Republican Budget Raising Costs for Families
More than 30 Democratic senators demand Trump reject GOP budget proposals “Republican budget plans do not focus on lowering costs, and in fact will raise costs for American families by forcing them to pay more for groceries, health care, education, and caregiving.” Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley
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