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

SENATORS INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO CODIFY MEMBERSHIP ON THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) today introduced legislation that will clarify the permanent membership of the National Security Council (NSC) to better ensure that decisions affecting the national security of the nation

Merkley Statement on Pruitt Nomination

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after he joined Democrats on the Environment and Public Works Committee to boycott a vote on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nominee Scott Pruitt until Pruitt fully answers the committee’s questions: “EPA nominee Scott Pruitt failed to answer important questions

Merkley Statement on Supreme Court

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump announced his nominee for the Supreme Court of the United States. Last year, following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, Senate Republicans engaged in an unprecedented blockade of President Obama’s nominee to fill the

Merkley Statement on Scott Pruitt Nomination

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement announcing his opposition to the nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):  “It is clear from his testimony and his record that

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