Etiqueta: Civil Rights

During Pride Month, Wyden, Merkley Join Resolution Apologizing for Government Discrimination Against LGBTQ+ Civil Servants, Servicemembers

June 21, 2024

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are co-sponsoring a Senate resolution that acknowledges and apologizes for the mistreatment of and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals who have served the nation in the uniformed services, as civil servants, or in the Foreign Service. “Even as millions celebrate Pride

Merkley, Williams Joint Statement on Momentum for Abolition Amendment Ahead of Juneteenth

June 18, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA-05) today issued the following statement to mark Juneteenth and the recent progress for their Abolition Amendment—a bipartisan, bicameral resolution that would strike the ‘Slavery Clause’ of the 13th Amendment, a constitutional loophole which allows slavery “as

Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call to Support Small Cannabis Businesses

June 6, 2024

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined Senate colleagues in calling on the Senate Appropriations Committee to allow small cannabis businesses in Oregon and other states that have legalized cannabis sale and use to access Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. “SBA’s current policy excludes from

Senator Merkley Urges FBI Director to Keep Addressing the Urgent Threat of Transnational Repression

June 6, 2024

Senator Jeff Merkley questioned Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Director Christopher Wray on what more the FBI can do to address the growing issue of transnational repression during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the President’s fiscal year 2025 budget request for the FBI on June 4, 2024. Watch the

Wyden, Merkley Join 13 Senators in Introduction of New Bill to Shine Light on Supreme Court’s Shadow Docket

May 23, 2024

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined 13 senators in introducing new legislation that would bring much-needed transparency to decisions on the U.S. Supreme Court’s emergency docket, also called the “shadow docket.” The Shadow Docket Sunlight Act would require a written explanation and vote count

Wyden, Merkley Reintroduce Legislation to Strengthen Accountability and Combat Discriminatory Police Practices

May 23, 2024

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined the reintroduction of legislation that would strengthen the U.S. Department of Justice’s and state governments’ ability to hold police and other officials accountable for discriminatory practices. After Michael Brown was fatally shot by a Ferguson, Missouri police officer

Merkley, Kamlager-Dove Introduce Legislation to Protect Children in Government Custody

May 22, 2024

Bicameral bill strengthens standards to ensure safety and well-being of migrant children prioritized Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) today led colleagues in the introduction of the Children’s Safe Welcome Act of 2024. The bicameral Children’s Safe Welcome Act embeds child welfare

Merkley Statement on Cannabis Rescheduling

May 16, 2024

Merkley: “Cannabis has not been descheduled, so we still have work to do.” Washington, D.C. – Following the Biden administration’s cannabis rescheduling announcement, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a lead sponsor of the SAFER Banking Act—shared the following statement: “I pushed the Biden administration to make good on the President’s commitment

Merkley: TSA’s Facial Recognition Regime Continues to Lack Proper Congressional Oversight

May 10, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today issued the following statement after the Senate voted last night to pass the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act without a vote on his amendment to address the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) use of facial recognition technology: “Facial surveillance creates the

Wyden, Merkley Co-sponsor Bill to Restore Voting Rights for Qualifying Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

May 3, 2024

Senators Unveil ‘Next Step Home Act’ to Build on Success of ‘First Step Act’ Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are co-sponsoring the Next Step Home Act, a crucial piece of legislation aimed at restoring voting rights for people with felony convictions who have been released under the First