Press Releases

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, Murray, Peters Seek Clarity on Scope, Reach of OMB Funding Cuts, Who Authored Disastrous Memo

WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI) continued their Congressional oversight responsibilities of the Trump Administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) by seeking clarity

Huffman, Merkley, Reintroduce Bill to Restore Critical Kelp Forests

The Help Our Kelp Act Would Improve Conditions for the Marine Life Central to Our Economy Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) reintroduced the bicameral Help Our Kelp Act of 2025 to improve conditions for kelp forests and marine life. This

Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Exempt Seasonal Firefighters from Federal Hiring Freeze

Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined their Senate colleagues to urge the Trump Administration to exempt seasonal firefighters from the federal hiring freeze that’s reportedly preventing the hiring and onboarding of seasonal firefighters, a workforce that already struggles with recruitment and retention.  “We write today following

Trump Illegally Pulling EV Infrastructure Money Means More Pollution, Higher Fuel Costs—Merkley, EPW Colleagues Demand Answers, Funding Reinstatement

By banning the Department of Transportation from releasing previously approved National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure funds, Trump is again violating the Constitution while putting his Big Oil donors’ interests above those of the American people Washington, D.C. –Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public

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