The Beaver State was built by Americans who relied on the land for their livelihood. Natural resource industries like farming, forestry, and salmon fishing remain integral to Oregon’s economy today. Our state has also long been a destination for Americans looking to experience the great outdoors. Oregon’s protected public lands provide valuable habitats, supply clean water, and generate jobs through sustainable harvests, recreation, and tourism. Preserving our natural resources and making smart decisions about economic development will help spur rural growth and ensure that future generations can enjoy Oregon’s wild places and public lands while putting people to work.
Merkley to Burgum: Our Public Lands Are Not for Sale
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, released the following statement after a hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of the Interior with Secretary Doug Burgum: “Secretary Burgum testified
Heinrich, Murray, Klobuchar, Merkley Slam USDA for Evasive Response on Wildfire Mitigation Projects, Workforce Cuts, and Funding Freezes
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, along with U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley
Merkley Remarks at Department of the Interior Budget Hearing with Secretary Burgum
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR) delivered the following remarks at the hearing reviewing the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of the Interior with Secretary Doug Burgum: Senator Merkley’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below: “Thank you,
Merkley, Collins Cheer Committee Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Wipe Out Non-Flushables from Wastewater Infrastructure
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Maine’s U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that their bipartisan, bicameral Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act cleared a key hurdle by passing out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The WIPPES Act would address
Merkley, Daines, Salinas, Guthrie, Hoyle Champion Bipartisan Bill to Train Next Generation of Wildland Firefighters
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Montana’s U.S. Senator Steve Daines, U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Brett Guthrie (KY-02), and Val Hoyle (OR-04) today reintroduced the bipartisan Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act of 2025. This legislation directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of
Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici Demand Reinstatement of Critical Disaster Mitigation Program for Oregon
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden—along with U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)—joined over 80 of their Senate and House colleagues in a bipartisan effort to demand that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program within