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 Statement on Price Nomination

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement on Health and Human Services nominee Congressman Tom Price. Price’s nomination is currently being considered on the Senate floor. “If confirmed, Tom Price would be America’s 23rd Secretary of Health and Human Services, but he would be the first

Merkley Statement on Jeff Sessions’ Nomination as Attorney General

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement on Attorney General nominee Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL). Merkley held the floor from 2am to 4am this morning to protest Sessions’ nomination. “In 1986, Coretta Scott King wrote in a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee that Jeff Sessions

Merkley Speaks Out Against DeVos Nomination

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement before the U.S. Senate’s final vote on Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos: “I know firsthand the powerful difference that a good public education makes. When I was growing up, my father took me to the doors of the schoolhouse

Wyden, Merkley Introduce Resolution to Honor Civil Rights Hero Fred Korematsu

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have introduced a resolution honoring Fred Korematsu, who challenged the internment of Japanese Americans.. Wyden and Merkley said the resolution honoring Korematsu’s work and advocacy of the civil rights and liberties of all people is timely, given the president’s executive order

Merkley Slams Trump Plan to Gut Wall Street Oversight

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement in response to President Trump’s plan to gut Wall Street oversight by rolling back key pieces of the reforms that were put in place following the 2008 financial crisis: “Eight years ago, following a decade of predatory home-lending and

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