Members of Congress Push to Increase U.S. Assistance to Help Vaccinate the World
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), and Representatives Tom Malinowski (D-NJ-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), and Jake Auchincloss (D-MA-04) are leading a congressional effort urgently requesting supplemental funding be included
As Surgeon General Sounds the Alarm, Senator Merkley and Assistant Speaker Clark Announce the Introduction of Legislation to Increase Mental Health Resources in Schools
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (MA-05) today announced the introduction of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act, legislation that would greatly boost the availability of mental health resources in America’s public schools. Mental illness affects one in five—20 percent—of American youth,
Wyden, Merkley: More than $118 Million in COVID Relief Headed to Oregon Rural Health Providers
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that 481 rural health providers in Oregon will receive a total of $118,654,854 for COVID relief under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). “For the past 20 months, Oregon’s rural health providers have shouldered a heavy burden of
Merkley, McEachin Introduce Bicameral Bill to Address Rural Health Inequities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressman A. Donald McEachin (D-VA-04), along with U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), today introduced the Rural Health Equity Act in both the Senate and House. This legislation would establish a new Office of Rural Health within the Centers for Disease Control
Wyden and Merkley Cheer Federal Dollars to Help Health Providers Through COVID Surge
Washington, D.C. – Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley today cheered an announcement by the Biden Administration that $25.5 billion from the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) would be distributed to health care providers in Oregon and across the nation amidst a surge in COVID-19 cases.
“The delta variant has put Oregon health providers under enormous strain as frontline health care workers approach their breaking point,” said Wyden, who in recent weeks has heard firsthand from nurses, doctors and medical staff at meetings in Bend, Eugene, Medford and Portland about the crushing workload created by the public health crisis. “These dollars will provide critical relief to help keep patients and workers safe while the campaign to vaccinate all Americans continues. I’m also pleased that this distribution will especially help providers that serve seniors and Oregon’s most vulnerable families.”
“As the Delta variant continues to surge, it’s clear that there’s still much more work to be done to keep families across Oregon and around the country safe from this pandemic—and we can’t do that without getting more shots into arms and supporting the health care heroes on the frontlines,” said Merkley. “I applaud the Biden administration for making more resources available to support those efforts, and will continue to do all that I can to help our communities navigate this crisis, by ensuring that all of our health care providers have the tools they need to keep saving lives.”
Last month, Wyden and Merkley called for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to distribute funds remaining in the PRF and other health care programs.
Wyden, Merkley: More than $800,000 to Lane County to Expand Community Health Care Workforce During Pandemic
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Lane County will receive $877,731 to train community health workers to support COVID-19 public health response and build community resilience as the COVID pandemic drags on. “It’s clear that we are in this pandemic for longer than we hoped and
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