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.
VA legislation could increase staff, lower waits for care
The Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and others across the nation, could have an easier time filling vacancies under a new bill introduced in the U.S. Senate Tuesday. And that could mean shorter waits for veterans seeking care. The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act was introduced by Oregon Democratic
Bernie Sanders and Jeff Merkley have a new bill to leave fossil fuels in the ground
As I wrote last week in a post on supply-side climate policy … there isn’t much of it so far. Plenty of governments have been willing to pass legislation that would reduce demand for fossil fuels (by boosting renewables or imposing energy efficiency standards, for example). But few have been willing to
Senate Dem Bill Would Ban New Fossil Fuel Leases On Federal Land
WASHINGTON — Two Senators are floating ambitious legislation to stop the government from issuing new leases on public land for fossil fuel extraction. The venture, pushed by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), is a gamble that would be met with fierce opposition from Republicans. Merkley said the
New Bill Would Keep Fossil Fuel Reserves On Public Lands In The Ground
Over the past year, environmentalists have called for keeping significant stores of the world’s remaining fossil fuel stores in the ground in order to curb climate change — a call that’s backed up by science. Now, a new bill aims to do just that. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), along with Senator
Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders: Feds should keep fossil fuels in the ground
Oregon Jeff Merkley is joining Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in calling for a halt to new oil, natural gas and coal leases on federal lands and in coastal waters. The two will unveil legislation Wednesday designed to radically reduce the production of fossil fuels, which they say is necessary to
Sen. Merkley wants to ban e-cig flavors, marketing appealing to kids
WASHINGTON, DC — Sen. Jeff Merkley (D) wants to tighten the FDA’s control of the tobacco industry by banning the use of flavors and marketing that appealls to children in e-cigarettes. Sen. Merkley told KATU he’s frustrated and angry at tobacco companies which claim these products — which have names