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.
PROFILE-Oregon lawmaker will not let Fed forget to tackle commodities
NEW YORK, Aug 17 – Just over a year ago, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley was looking for a place to make a bold statement about his latest crusade: taking Wall Street’s traders to task for gaming commodity markets. His office telephoned Bruce Kehe, marketing director at Portland’s Hopworks Urban Brewery,
Lawmakers must crack down on toxic chemicals: Guest opinion
As a biomedical researcher, I’m frustrated by lax control of chemicals. Federal law still allows chemicals to be used in products from toys to pizza boxes without sufficient data on their effects on human health. As a result, new chemicals are introduced into use at a pace far beyond the
Senate Dems call for higher quality patents
A group of Democratic senators demanded that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) improve the quality of patents approved in order to avoid costly legal battles later. Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) sent a letter Wednesday to
Beaverton Navy veteran Robert Thornhill to see his GI Bill enhancement become federal law
When President Obama signs the VA Reform Bill this Thursday, a Beaverton Navy veteran can turn to his next mission. Part of the package of the legislation that Congress passed before leaving Washington, D.C., for the August recess is a provision that allows surviving spouses to take advantage of educational
Merkley proposes coordinated care for seniors
A bill sponsored by U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley would bring some of Oregon’s innovations in care for older people to the rest of the nation.Among the proposals in his bill is a pilot project for a community care initiative, similar to Oregon’s coordinated-care organizations for low-income recipients of state-supported health
Senator Merkley Introduces Legislation to Phase Out Harmful Chemicals
The bill called “Protecting America’s Families from Toxic Chemicals Act” would phase out chemicals that don’t break down in the environment. Examples of such chemicals are mercury, lead and flame retardants. “It’s especially harmful to families. They often end up in our food. These chemicals are in our clothing, a