Bend awarded $5 million federal grant to fuel affordable housing production
Bend Bulletin The city of Bend has received a $5 million grant intended to kickstart affordable housing supply, the federal government announced Wednesday. Awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the grant set the course for the city to identify and address policies that slow affordable housing
Wyden, Merkley announce $30.1 million in ‘Payments in Lieu of Taxes’ to Oregon counties; $6 million to C. Oregon
KTVZ WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced Thursday that counties throughout Oregon will receive more than $30.1 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2024, including over $6 million for Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT
Wyden, Merkley, colleagues call on Postal Service to prepare for November election
KTVZ WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Senator Ron Wyden said Thursday he is leading Senate colleagues including fellow Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley in calling on Postmaster General DeJoy and the U.S. Postal Service to share their plans to accommodate high volumes of mail expected in the upcoming 2024 general election in Oregon and nationwide.
Senate Democrats Move to Restore Fair Pay Executive Order
Senate Democrats have moved to save the president’s Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces executive order from a Republican attempt to impede it through the defense authorization process. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and 10 co-sponsors introduced an amendment May 26 that would remove language related to the executive order from the fiscal year
Democrats Issue Tax Forgiveness Bill for Defrauded Students
Democratic senators have introduced a bill to prevent students from being taxed on forgiven loans in cases where they were victims of fraud. The introduction of the Student Tax Relief Act comes after the Department of Education started forgiving the loans of former students of Corinthian Colleges Inc., a for-profit
Merkley, colleagues cheer VA move to cut red tape – and wait times
Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Mark Warner (D-VA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) welcomed the news Tuesday that the Veterans Health Administration is moving to voluntarily implement one of the key proposals from their bipartisan Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act. The lawmakers said the step should help to ensure
Editorial: Central Oregon needs Congressional help to save water
Central Oregon farmers should not be allowed to become an endangered species. If the Endangered Species Act is going to require big or small changes in how irrigation districts take water from the Deschutes Basin, Congress needs to provide the money to protect the farmers from being threatened. It’s encouraging
The GMO Labeling Fight Isn’t Over Yet
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and some growers of genetically modified crops like soybeans and sugar beets are calling on the Senate to again to take up a bill that would make GMO labeling voluntary and prevent states from passing their own labeling laws. These groups are concerned that food manufacturers would be
Merkley Meets with SCUSA Nominee Garland
Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland continues to meet with Senators, even though Republican leaders won’t allow confirmation hearings to proceed. Garland is the Chief Judge of the D.C. Circuit Court. He graduated from Harvard Law and has worked in private practice and for the U.S. Department of Justice. Garland met
English 
Spanish