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 Welcome $400 Million to Combat Historic Western Drought
USDA’s New Water Savings Commodity Program Follows Call from Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, California, Arizona, Nevada, & Montana Lawmakers in April Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement of $400 million to address drought through investments at the
Merkley, Colleagues Launch Effort to Increase Charging Stations at Highway Rest Areas
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—along with Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Ron Wyden (D-OR)—introduced the Recharge your Electric Car on the Highway to Alleviate Range Gaps Effectively (RECHARGE) Act. Currently, locations for electrical vehicle (EV) charging stations along interstate highways are limited by federal law
Wyden, Merkley Announce $4 Million Federal Investment for Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements in Independence
WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S.Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of $4 million for wastewater infrastructure improvements in the City of Independence. “Continuing to improve Oregon’s critical infrastructure, while also creating good-paying local jobs adds up to a big win in my book,” Wyden said. “Oregonians
Merkley Introduces Legislation to Curb Plastic Microfiber Pollution from Laundry
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today introduced the Fighting Fibers Act of 2024 to address microfiber pollution from clothing. Scientists estimate millions of tons of microfibers enter the ocean every year—making textiles the largest known source of marine microplastic pollution. The Fighting Fibers Act focuses on one
Merkley, Wyden Tout Nearly $3 Million for Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde’s Affordable Housing Efforts
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is awarding $2,916,635 to the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde to support the construction of 8 housing units, increasing the number of housing units available to
Merkley: Postmaster General DeJoy’s ‘Delaying Mail for America’ Plan is Wrong for Oregon
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley delivered a speech this week on the Senate floor to call attention to the urgent United States Postal Service (USPS) issues impacting Oregonians. His speech focused on the first-hand stories of Oregonians who rely on the Postal Service for everything from the