Press Releases

Merkley, Van Hollen, Colleagues: Trump’s Military Actions in Yemen Must Follow the Law

Washington, D.C. – As President Trump visits the Middle East this week, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Maryland’s U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen—both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—today led their colleagues in demanding answers from the administration about its military operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen and

Wyden, Merkley Co-Sponsor Legislation to Ban Conversion Therapy 

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (both D-Ore) today announced they are co-sponsoring legislation that would ban so-called “conversion therapy,” a practice fraudulently claiming to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.  “Forcing Americans into sham therapy for a non-existent illness is medieval quackery, not modern

Padilla, Merkley, Schakowsky Introduce Bicameral Bill to Strengthen Nursing Staff Standards, Improve Patient Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on International Nurses Day, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act to improve hospital patient care and nurse retention by setting mandatory minimum registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09)

Risch, Merkley Introduce Bill to Remove Roadblocks for Youth Corps Public Lands Projects

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced legislation to reduce federal cost-sharing requirements for public lands projects performed by qualified youth or conservation corps from 25% to 10%. “Current cost-sharing requirements prevent youth conservation corps from carrying out important public lands projects,” said Risch. “My bill reduces this

Bynum and Merkley Introduce Legislation to Protect the Deschutes River

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) and Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Deschutes River Conservancy Reauthorization Act of 2025. The bill reauthorizes the Deschutes River Conservancy’s (DRC) eligibility to receive federal funding for water quality improvement initiatives and conservation efforts. Since its founding in 1996, the DRC and

Merkley, Paul: U.S. Strikes on Yemen Undermine American Law

Washington, D.C. – Today, in response to escalating U.S. military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Kentucky’s U.S. Senator Rand Paul joined forces to urge the Trump Administration to adhere to the Constitution and consult with Congress in order to avoid stumbling into another costly and unnecessary

Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Honor Farmer Contracts Act

Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said today they have joined Senate colleagues to introduce legislation that would release funding illegally withheld by the Trump administration for all contracts and agreements previously entered into by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).   “The unlawful freezing of federal

Wyden, Markey, Merkley and Van Hollen Release Bill to Protect Americans Against Musk, DOGE and Other Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Personal Information

The Privacy Act Modernization Act would empower Americans to sue officials for misuse of their data and federal systems Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., today released legislation to protect Americans against Elon Musk, DOGE and other officials illegally accessing stores of personal data

en_USEnglish