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

Wyden, Merkley Urge Senate to Extend Critical Lifeline for Rural Communities

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley urged the Senate to keep the government’s promise to rural communities in Oregon, 40 other states and Puerto Rico by passing legislation that would provide vital funding for schools, law enforcement and essential road repairs. Since payments through the

Merkley Statement on Trump’s Nomination of Scott Pruitt to Head the EPA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement regarding Donald Trump’s nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): “Once again, Donald Trump has picked a special-interest advocate to run an executive agency. Scott Pruitt has spent his career fighting

Wyden, Merkley Praise Passage of Their Siletz and Grand Ronde Land Bills

Washington, D.C. – Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today praised the passage of their two bills that would streamline the Bureau of Indian Affairs process for putting land into trust for the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.  This week’s House approval

Merkley Statement on Carson HUD Nomination

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after President-Elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Dr. Ben Carson to be the next Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): “Ben Carson has given me plenty of reasons to question his judgment, and I’m curious to

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