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

Senator Jeff Merkley Announces Start of Service Academy Nomination Process

Portland, OR-  Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley has begun the process for nominating young Oregonians to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy for an appointment to the Class of 2021. “It’s a privilege to be able to

Merkley and Wyden Call for Congress to Reconvene to Address Zika Crisis

Portland, OR – Today, Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined with 39 other Senate Democrats in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan urging the Republican leaders to immediately call Congress back into session to pass emergency funding legislation to address the

Merkley Applauds NBA Decision to Move All-Star Game In Response to Anti-LGBT Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the news that the NBA will move their 2017 All-Star game out of North Carolina in response to the state’s passage of HB2, legislation that sanctions discrimination against the LGBT community: “I applaud the NBA for standing up

Brown, Merkley Press Federal Agencies on Oversight of Financial Technology

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) today called on the leaders of the U.S. banking and consumer protection agencies to outline steps they are taking to ensure effective oversight of the emerging financial technology, or “fintech,” marketplace. The Senators made their request in a

28 U.S. Senators Encourage CFPB to Strengthen Proposed Small-Dollar Lending Rules

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, 28 U.S. Senators—led by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Chris Coons (D-DE)—wrote to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) expressing support for the agency’s small-dollar lending rule and encouraging the consumer agency to strengthen consumer protections in the proposed rule

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