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.
Congressional progressives want to eliminate medical debt
The Hill Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is leading an effort to wipe out the medical debt of the entire country. The legislation introduced Wednesday — co-sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Rashida Tliab (D-Mich.) — would eliminate all $220 billion in medical debt held by Americans, wipe it from credit reports,
Merkley’s town hall sought ‘full spectrum of opinions’
Columbia Gorge News THE GORGE — Sen. Jeff Merkley held his 13th town hall of 2024 on April 27 at The Dalles High School, drawing an audience of just under 50. He held town halls in Hood River and Sherman counties the same day. Merkley holds a town hall for
Nearly 75 Democratic lawmakers support Biden’s LNG pause
Reuters WASHINGTON, May 7 (Reuters) – Nearly 75 U.S. lawmakers from President Joe Biden’s Democratic party on Tuesday praised his pause on approvals of exports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, saying it would protect Americans from pollution and potential higher prices. Senators Jeffrey Merkley, Edward Markey and Representative Jared
Senators Seek to Curb Facial Recognition at Airports, Citing Privacy Concerns
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing to add language to the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration that would halt expansion of the technology. New York Times A bipartisan group of senators is pushing to halt the expansion of facial recognition technology at airports in the United States and
Oil Companies Contaminated a Family Farm. The Courts and Regulators Let the Drillers Walk Away.
Propublica The first sign of trouble bubbled up from gopher holes a stone’s throw from Stan Ledgerwood’s front door. The salt water left an oily sheen on the soil and a swath of dead grass in the yard. It was June 2017, and Ledgerwood and his wife, Tina, had recently
Senators want limits on the government’s use of facial recognition technology for airport screening
Associated Press A bipartisan group of senators is pushing for restrictions on the use of facial recognition technology by the Transportation Security Administration, saying they are concerned about travelers’ privacy and civil liberties. In a letter on Thursday, the group of 14 lawmakers called on Senate leaders to use the upcoming reauthorization of the Federal Aviation